Tyrefit Championship Final Grid Starting positions
ROW INSIDE OUTSIDE
1 56 93
2 256 156
3 6 303
4 999 13
5 356 191
6 388 48
7 12 99
8 91 112
9 95 139
10 193 103
NO CAR AVAILABLE =
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NEWSLETTER JUNE 2008
Welcome to the first newsletter of the 2008 Season. Bit of a slow start with the cancellation of Brampton late march due to lack of drivers being ready but things look a little better after meets at Belle Vue and excellent debut meet at Sheffield.
A return to Belle Vue in front of F1’s and F2’s provided a great boost to the start of the season although only 2 heats and some track organization problems on the day meant that drivers came away a little disappointed. Sheffield however was much better with our own pit space and normal race format provided some great racing with a couple of surprise winners and created quite a lot of interest. Since the start of the season we have been approached by Mr Parviz of blyton to race there, the only opening we have in the calendar is September 28th so please give us your thoughts. We’ve also been approached by Prestatyn grass track raceway to give a demo and Gary has shown a desire to get on a big rough track again (remember Ruabon) and so may take the who dares spins team down there in late august. Anybody else fancies a blast give him a call. We’ve also been approached by Startrax with the offer of the Startrax Coventry Friday October 10th meet (with F2’s) and a Christmas belle Vue meet so please give us your views whether you would support said meetings.
Attached is the first Grading List of the season – at the top its business as usual for Neil Mack (56) as he looks to defend his point’s title from last year. Also great to see 2007 driver of the year Mark Tennant (999) rewarded with a red roof for some excellent consistent races.
Down to blue go Gary Picken (93) and Andrew Edwards (6) who have both been a little inconsistent in the opening meets. At yellow great to see Swinton car projects dale Mcandrew (303) after only 2 meets and even better to see him take a heat win convincingly at Sheffield. Contrastingly Nathan Picken (95) and Jake Roche (99) have under performed in the first few meets being dogged with reliability issues, which sees them, both drop to yellow.
The grade award bonuses sponsored by the Swinton Car Project/Forestry commission are working well again with a good spread of winner’s as last year. We’ve decided to hand out the prizes at the end of season presentation/AGM. Should be just the tonic come Christmas time.
We’ve had two Championships to date – the Northern & Midland over 2 legs at Sheffield May 11th & Grimley May 25th the championship being won at a very soggy Grimley by Neil Mack (56) as part of a MACKONE engineering 1-2-3 brother Craig (156) second and Andrew Edwards (6) 3rd.
The Champion of Champions title was held at Brampton June 8th in front of a disappointing field and was won by Gary Picken (93) again showing his liking for the Brampton clay from new boys Dale Mcandrew (303) and Steve Watkiss (13)
The season long Newcomer of the Year title currently is being lead by Dale McAndrew (303) but its still early days yet and expect challenges from Steve Watkiss(13) and new boy? Reggie vision Picken (191) and possibly others before the seasons out.
The grid for the gold roof British Championship hasn’t really got going with just 1 qualifying round so far at Belle Vue.
The Tyrefit grid on the other hand looks to be shaping up nicely and there’s just 1 qualifying round left at Birmingham June 29th which could see quite a few changes to the grid. Remember drivers do need to score points to qualify to be on the grid at Northampton come august 17th. The grid is based on points after Brampton qualifying round 4 is as follows:
56 93
156 6
303 999
256 13
191 12
99 91
112 95
193 103
Good and bad news as is often the case. Dave Geoff Mewett (552) has decided sell up his ex josh Quinlan car before has even raced whilst even more disappointing is Jeff Harborne has unfortunately had to pull out of his purchase of a new car from the Picken stable after doctors advice him not to race after his badly broken leg at work and the financial impact of a long spell off work. Both of the above cars have been bought by the Swinton car project In addition Darren wood - brother of Swinton car project supremo Dave has also just commissioned a car for the 2009 season from the picken workshops. This expansion of the Swinton car project fleet no doubt buoyed by their first race victory by dale at the recent Sheffield meet.
On the plus side welcome to new driver Steve Watkiss (13) an ex auto grass racer from Pontefract who as purchased the former Simon Wallace (119) car and already shown a proper “I move over for no one” stockcar style which bodes well for the future. First of the new cars to debut was in the hands of new boy? Ron “Reggievision” Picken (191) utilizing Gary’s 1994 formula fiat roll cage on an all new chassis in the trademark Picken sprintcar/downtube form at Brampton. Reggie’s debut even got him in the stoke local newspaper “The Sentinel” courtesy of Mack boys contacts at the paper, many thanks for this. I am sure there’s potential for another article on that other “senior” modstoxer Patrick McInerney!! The article is reproduced separately below and though not all factually correct Gary’s age for instance is an interesting insight into how people get into stock car racing.
Other new cars likely to be debuted in the next few weeks are Ian broom head (388) ex f2 racer from Sheffield in a self built car and a new car for Richard/Andrew Edwards from the Mack One engineering stable. Also likely to be racing in the next few weeks is Simon Bailey (276) after an 18month layoff albeit sporting a for sale sign on the car. We have also had a couple of serious enquiries one from a former grasstracker “specials class” Alan Howell from Knaresborough and another from Pete woods (55) no relation to Manchester Dave but another Stokie who actually raced in the formula fiat days and has also raced Hotstox and has links with Mick Rogers and Paul Wainwright of Hotstox fame. Pete is a aluminum fabricator by trade and within 5 days of visiting the Picken workshops had built main chassis and had a roll cage in place and expects to be part of a 2 car team for late 2008 /early 2009.
Website has been a little slow to be updated of late but with the season moving into full swing expect more regular updates soon - Again thanks Arron (356 ) and Kev Lovell without whom there’d be nowt!! see www.modstox.org
A new innovation for 2008 sees regular Modstox videos on you tube courtesy of Reggie vision. Not sure if Reg will be doing some in car coverage yet!!
Also look at http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/jaynesphotos for some excellent brampton photos and there’s even an interesting Modstox thread on the Brampton forum!! Gary has a fan!!! Craig Mac k has put up some picture on Photobucket and can be found at the links below, user name Modstox156. Hopefully this will have picture from all the meeting this year.
http://s277.photobucket.com/albums/kk76/modstox156/Grimley%20May%202008/
http://s277.photobucket.com/albums/kk76/modstox156/Sheffield%20May%202008/
For sale list (hardcopy) also attached for non emailites.
Scrutineering at Sheffield’s own scrutineers identified a problem with some of our drivers helmets. Please refer to rule book which is as per f2 spec however the main issue appears to be the need for the helmets to be glassfibre or Kevlar NOT POLYCARBONATE so please check your helmets. Swinton project are bringing some spares for Birmingham but several may need new in the coming meets. This reminder is for your own safety. After all consider how long you have been using your current helmet!!!!
By Andy
Morris and Paul Carcone
www.thisisthesentinel.co.uk
Pensioner Ron Picken is achieving his sporting ambitions, just two years after
undergoing major heart surgery.
Picken, from Wolstanton, is competing in his first season of Modstox stock car
racing at the age of 67.
He
races in events alongside his two sons and his grandson in the budget formula,
at tracks around the country.
Picken, known to family and friends as Reggie, has returned to the sport 11
years after he collapsed with a stroke while acting as a mechanic and pushing a
car back into the pits.
He thought his days of thrill seeking were gone two years ago when he had to
have a quadruple heart by-pass.
But he has found a new lease of life in the sport, in a car that he built
himself.
Picken's eldest son Gary, aged 42, said: "We first became true amateur
motorsport enthusiasts by accident back in 1969.
"We were looking for Manchester airport and found a stock car track instead.
"The family love affair with the sport has continued ever since."
Picken junior took up the sport in 1994, starting out in the Formula Fiat
version. His brother Kevin, two years younger, began racing three years later in
a car borrowed from Gary.
The Picken brothers were followed into the sport in 2003 by Kevin's son Nathan,
a car mechanic at a local dealership. Nathan joined Gary and Kevin in the
Modstox formula at the age of just 14.
Picken senior has acted as team mechanic for his sons, and more recently his
grandson, since their early days in the sport. But he decided to get out of the
pits and on to the track this season. Gary said: "Dad is not a total newcomer to
motorsport, because he had a brief outing in the Hotstox formula in the 1990s.
"But he's most famous on the racing circuit as the man behind 'Reggie-Vision'.
On race days he can be seen as much with a video camera in his hand as with a
spanner.
"He has compiled a four-hour video showing racing footage and pit activity,
dubbed with his legendary commentary."
Gary added: "It was during a family trip to the USA to celebrate his recovery
from heart surgery that he decided he wanted to race.
"His trip included watching Lewis Hamilton win the US Formula 1 Grand Prix, as
well as two weeks of watching racing every night in several different states.
"The States trip definitely gave him racing fever, and two years on from the
operation, he says he feels like he's 25 again."
Gary had an old Modstox car parked at his house, and soon after his dad's return
from the USA, he transformed it into what he calls his "retro-racer".
Things have not been plain sailing for Ron, as his racing debut saw him confined
to the pits all day due to a mystery engine problem.
But proud Gary said: "He bounced back undaunted from that early disappointment
to finish with highly respectable second and third places at his first Modstox
outing in Sheffield earlier this month.
"He's now looking forward to many more podium finishes."
Chairmans note :Reggie is a registered collector for the British Heart foundation and is seeking sponsorship for every point he gains at racing…he’s already been feature British heart foundation newsletters spreading the word of Modstox. He’s already sponsored a £1 a point by gary so please sign up to this worthy cause.
See you at the races
Regards,
Gary Picken (93)
Chairman
Tel: 01782 327708
Mobile: 07786 854534
E-mail: gp93@gprracing.wanadoo.co.uk
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16/05/08
Below is the progress of Ian Broomhead's new car. Not long before it's on track
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