EUROPEAN HOT ROD CHAMPIONSHIP

National Hot Rods By Graham Brown Organiser: Spedeworth When: May 28 Where: Foxhall International Raceway Starters: 27.

Following a long period in the doldrums, Chris Haird bounced back at Ipswich, scoring well in the heats before taking a dominant final victory, which helped him pull a commanding lead at the finish over points championship rival Billy Wood.

For the second meeting running, the racing took place in blistering heat and the Bank Holiday having also brought out some welcome visitors to play in the sunshine. No doubt using it as a pre-world Final test, top Scot Rob Mcdonald was a nowadays unusual addition to an English grid, and he was joined by Ulsterman Kenny Mccann in his Vauxhall Corsa.

Returnee Peter Elliott set off in determined fashion from the front rank of the grid in heat one but it wasn’t long before fellow white grader Guy Smith was in bother at Turn 3, some mayhem down there leading to cars spinning and colliding, with Aaron Dew’s Ginetta coming out of it very much the worse for wear.

Following a yellow flag clear up, Elliott resumed leading but was soon jumped by Ivan Grayson and Terry Hunn, with Elliott eventually going out after a collision with Jason Kew.

Grayson had Hunn breathing down his neck the rest of the way but without the latter ever being able to make a serious passing attempt. Haird got home third in this one, having eclipsed Carl Waller-barrett around the outside – no mean feat. The triple world champion was driving his seemingly unloved new car, which previously had only managed a few laps of Hednesford before blowing its engine up.

The second encounter began much the same way, with Elliott getting away fast into the lead, but this time with Paul Gomm and Hunn quickly catching him. They soon went tearing past, Elliott dropping back down the order thereafter. Hunn found himself in the same position that he’d occupied in the first race, that of being able to stick right with the leader without being able to see a passing shot anywhere and it was Gomm’s always beautifully prepared car which swept under the chequers still just ahead.

Hunn’s two second spots certainly did him no harm for the final of course, as they meant he had pole wrapped up, but with Haird sat right behind on row two, no-one was taking bets about anything other than a win for car number 115.

Haird’s cause was helped still further when outside front row man Grayson had a big moment on the opening lap, allowing Hunn to easily assume the lead while Haird just as easily took over the mantle of second. The expected pressure was soon on, with Haird sniffing at Hunn’s back bumper for most of a lap before darting under the Mazda and away.

With Haird winning pretty much as he liked, attention switched to the places battles. Here, the expected fast movers gradually worked their way up the leader board, with Billy Wood looking the best of them as he appeared in second long before the finish. He was still too far back to ever bother the leader however, while behind him Gavin Murray acceded to third with Shane Bland fourth, that was until he got disqualified for an early incident which had sent Hunn spinning.

That left Waller-barrett in fourth place instead ahead of Jack Blood and Mcdonald.