Pete Sparrow leapt away at the lights, closely followed by Gary Adnitt. Any chance of anyone else catching them in the race was gobe in an instant, as both second row starters Graham Wallace and Paul Leason made slow getaways. Down the field there were other slow starters, as Sam Fritchley and Tevor Williams made dreadful starts, dropping them well down the order.
At the front, Sparrow and his 'shadow' Adnitt were pulling away from the field, but behind them a great scrap was going on. Wayne Cowling, who had passed Mick Storey for fifth at the first corner, made Wallace his next victim before challenging Leason for third. This three-car battle of Leason, Wallace and Cowling soon pulled away from the six car battle led by Mick Storey. This was not to last as the Rocket Dog Team were flying, and soon pulled away to have their own private battle for fifth.
There were incidents a-plenty down the field. Nick Woodward had to swerve to avoid a spinning Jon Davis at the first corner, and was clipped by Phil MYatt, which Launched Woodward off the kerb into a near roll. He managed to survive, but with deranged steering and a rubbing rear wing. The battle for third was hotting up as a back marker caused Leason to brake and then defend his line into the first corner, moving straight into the path of Cowling. The impact took out Cowling's fan, and soon his engine was cooked, leaving Leason with a comfortable third spot clear of Wallace. But Wallace soon closed the gap, and found a way past, with both drivers neck-and-neck through the chicane and ending up sideways - a move they repeated on the last lap with Leason coming out on top.
Meanwhile, back at the front, Adnitt span at the first corner in his attempts to keep up with Sparrow, but with a comfortable gap to third his position remained safe, leaving Sparrow to take the victory.
1 hr Enduro Cup Round 5
Once again Pete Sparrow qualified on pole, but was this time joined on the fornt row by an impressive Ed Mason in Steve Panas' car. The overnight rain had cleared to leave the track almost dry, with the back straight just a little damp. Gary Byatt led away in Sparrow's car, closely followed by Ainslie Bousfield in Gary Adnitt's car.
But Byatt and Bousfield were not to have it their own way as Neil Thompson slotted into third on the tail of the leading pair. Martin Harrold and Steve Panas fell back down the field, but the man on the move was Paul Taylor, improving on his 7th place, passing Harrold on lap one and then overtaking Panas, Stovey and Thompson during the next three laps by going around the outside of the hairpin. Now in third, he began tochase down the leading pair.
Also moving up well was Nick Woodward, who having chaged the timing on his brand new race engine after practive was running much better. The battle for fifth was hotting up as Woodward and Storey tried to take the first corner flat side-by-side, with Storey coming out on top. Then disaster struck, as Woodward's rear tyre had rubbed through the fuel filler pipe, and fuel dropped onto his rear tyres. Coming onto the start/finish straight on the following lap, Woodward lost the back end and collided with Panas, forcing him to pit and make repairs. Byatt's exhaust fell off at turn two, and Wayne Cowling was black flagged for excesive noise in what can only be described as a bizzare judgment by track officials.
By the time the pit lane opened the running order was Bousfield, Taylor, Myatt, Thompson and Storey. After one of Team Collier's super-fast driver changes, Adnitt emerged 17 seconds in front of Wallace (in Paul Taylor's car). Half a lap behind in third place, Christine Savage, having taken over from Neil Thompson, was passed by Storey for third. Making a great impression on her return to racing was Zoe Cardell, having been in th pack prior to the compulsory pit stop, but a quick turnaround saw her in fourth place for her best finish ever. Wallace was closing on Adnitt for the lead, but both had problems; Adnitt had no fourth gear, and Wallace had a loose front wheel hub. Despite the setbacks, Adnitt claimed victory from Wallace at the line.
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