Sworder's Superb Start on Shale

Report by Mark Paulson - Pics Colin Casserley

Stevenage’s Mick Sworder stole the show with a stunning shale debut performance at King’s Lynn on Saturday night, 31 March. The 150 machine, formerly piloted by 391 Andy Smith, roared to a heat double before going to take the final as well in a performance that will live long in the memory of those who witnessed it.

A close tussle at the head of affairs in the White & Yellows Race between 215 Geoff Nicholls & 441 John Lawn

In the first appearance for the Big League stock cars at the Norfolk Arena in 2012, there was an encouraging showing of 27 cars in the pits. Their opening race was the Stars of Tomorrow 2011 series final for white and yellow graded drivers, doubling up as heat one. A field of 14 cars lined up with the top points scorers at the front of their grade and those who hadn’t qualified in their own right starting at the back of the grid. Slightly belying the race’s name though, it was veterans 215 Geoff Nickolls and 441 John Lawn who fought out the victory. It eventually went to Lawn, ahead of 192 Luke Dennis and 214 Adam Slater, after Nickolls ended up nose first in the fence on the exit of bend four.

441 John Lawn (centre) won the F1 Stock Car White & Yellows Final from 192 Luke Dennis (Right) and 214 Adam Slater (Left)

Much of the pre-meeting attention was on Sworder’s shale debut and he certainly lived up to the hype in heat two which saw the first appearance of the big names on track amongst a total of 20 cars. The European Champion, who had been signing posters and posing for photos with his car by the turnstiles, carved through the field and romped to victory by some margin as if he had been doing it for years. Early leader 415 Russell Cooper had managed to stave off the stars for some laps and held on to third place at the finish after 515 Frankie Wainman Jr had also found a way through.

On to heat three, with 17 cars on track, and Sworder simply carried on where he had left off in the previous race, again stealing a march on the other red tops as they battled amongst themselves, and slicing through the lower graded cars to pull off another easy win. 84 Tom Harris and National Points Champion 55 Craig Finnikin came through for second and third with Wainman again scoring well in fourth.

150 Mick Sworder was the man to beat around King's Lynn in 2012

The question on everyone’s lips ahead of the 22-car final was could Sworder seal a dream debut by doing it again? Early waved yellows for Lawn closed the pack up and allowed the red tops to make up some time. Sworder hit the front within a lap of the restart but this time he wasn’t having it all his own way. 97 Murray Harrison put in a spirited effort, retaking the lead but Sworder slipped back past when Harrison was delayed by Dennis. He kept hanging on though and was keeping Sworder honest until a second race suspension, 235 John Weldon the cause this time. Harrison appeared to be having car troubles on the restart and he and Wainman held each other up on the first bend, allowing Sworder to pull a gap which he held to the flag to seal a magnificent treble. Harris and Finnikin took advantage of Harrison and Wainman’s squabble to come through for second and third, the ever-consistent Frankie recovering for fourth.

Speaking on the mic, Sworder suggested that the secret of his success was making an early break from the other stars and superstars, some of whom appeared to have more pace than him when in clear air. And so it proved in the grand national, the full lap handicap proving a step too far. That allowed Murray Harrison to take the victory his efforts merited. He survived a scare on the penultimate lap when Harris fought his way past, returning the favour on the last bend. Harris’s delay allowed Wainman through for second but Tom recovered to third. Sworder’s progress was limited but he still came through for eighth. A more impressive shale debut you’re unlikely to see.

Also on Saturday’s bill were the Formula Two stock cars and BriSCA Ministox. The F2s were competing in their first World of Shale qualifier, a series which will culminate with its final back at the Norfolk Arena in September. With over 60 cars in the pits a full three-heat programme was raced. An otherwise quiet 19-car first heat had two suspensions, the second of which was caused by a rollover for 596 Richie Mead, leaving him with a very crumpled aerofoil. 615 Josh Coleman took the win ahead of World Champion 871 Mark Simpson and 219 Chris Mitchell.

A similar number of cars raced in the second heat which had another rollover, this time for 995 Michael Lund. “East Coast Legend” 798 Mark Sargent showed a cracking turn of pace for an easy victory ahead of former WoS champion 186 George Turricki and 744 Tom Smart. Heat three had a slightly larger field of 22 cars and also appeared to have a few more of the big names. However, it was 377 Daz Shaw who took the flag ahead of in-form 77 John Davies and white-top 498 Derek Cayzer. The stars and superstars were left to battle over the minor places after 732 Daz Kitson had retired with an engine blow-up whilst placed third.

The 35-car final proved very entertaining and again had a couple of waved-yellow periods, the first what turned into almost a complete track blockage on the first and second bends. 977 Dave Massey led much of the race, including at both restarts, before eventually spinning down the field. Star of the last meeting at King’s Lynn, 886 Chris Bradbury, who was sixth in his heat, had a good tussle with the other red-tops, including 38 Dave Polley (who looked back to form until he got spun and eventually pulled off with a puncture) and Turricki. Bradbury pulled a small gap which got bigger with the carnage behind and held on take the win ahead of Simpson and 70 Brian Shadbolt, again putting in a good shift on the shale.

Over 25 cars lined up for the F2’s GN which was declared early after yet another roll, this time for 597 Barry Clow. Polley gained some rewards for his efforts by taking the flag ahead of Bradbury who again came close to winning from the full lap handicap.

The youngsters in the Ministox also put on some entertaining races and it seemed to be a night for the girls. Their stars of tomorrow race was won by 491 Holly Gould and the first heat proper had an all female top three, 262 Cammy Dorrell prevailing. 515 Frankie Wainman III broke the streak in heat two before 226 Amy Webster became the third girl on the night to take the flag, winning the final from Wainman and 55 Courtney Finnikin.

Results

BriSCA F1

Heat One (W&Y):  1. 441  2. 192  3.  214  4. 235  5. 307  6. 422  7. 223  8. 248  9. 120  10. 169

Heat Two:  1. 150  2. 515  3. 415  4. 97  5. 321  6. 16  7. 462  8. 55  9. 212  10. 214

Heat Three:  1. 150  2. 84  3. 55  4. 515  5. 321  6. 12  7. 212  8. 16  9. 97  10. 169

Final:  1. 150  2. 84  3. 515  4. 55  5. 462  6. 97  7. 212  8. 16  9. 12  10. 169

GN:  1. 97  2. 515  3. 84  4. 12  5. 212  6. 55  7. 422  8. 150  9. 462  10. 192

BriSCA F2

Heat One:   1. 615  2. 871  3. 219  4. 326  5. 595  6. 226  7. 124  8. 454  9. 904  10. 230

Heat Two:  1. 798  2. 186  3. 744  4. 742  5. 70  6. 905  7. 380  8. 925  9. 622  10. 198

Heat Three  1. 377  2. 77  3. 498  4. 606  5. 38  6. 886  7. 662  8. 597  9. 977  10. 495

Final:  1. 886  2. 871  3. 70  4. 186  5. 615  6. 597  7. 226  8. 742  9. 198  10. 662

GN:  1. 38  2. 886  3. 81  4. 77  5. 219  6. 871  7. 326  8. 377  9. 380  10. 798

BriSCA Ministox

W, Y & B:  1. 491  2. 60  3. 55  4. 262  5. 525  6. 226  7. 411  8. 258  9. 498  10. 472

Heat One:  1. 262  2. 491  3. 55  4. 333  5. 48  6. 324  7. 515  8. 137  9. 323  10. 127

Heat Two:  1. 515  2. 226  3. 60  4. 137  5. 333  6. 1  7. 324  8. 48  9. 65  10. 98