Saloon title to Stokes

Press, 29 November 1976, Page 6

Saloon title to Stokes

Saloon car drivers provided close and often spectacular racing before a crowd of 2aoo at the Bond Street Speedway Woodford Glen on Saturday night, when the Canterbury saloon car championship was the main featU Two of the favourites, Doug Smith <5OOO Torana) and Royce Clive, who was making his first appearance for the season In his neat looking Camaro, drew the back of the grid. After four of the 12 laps, Smith had forced his way to third. He was helped by Andy Husst. whose Torana blew its second motor this L ® s Vintiner, who hugged the pole Une kept ahead of Smith, who in a tremendous effort on the tart Untried too hard. The tall of his car swung around and he was pushed sideways by Vintiner. who continued for an easv win. Smith eventually beat only Tony Cardwell across the line.

The second heat provided the main action of the evening. Both Smith and Clive started off the back row of the grid by choice. Cardwell and John Stokes disputed the early lead from Vintiner and Smith. Half way through the race Vintiner lost control and Smith and Clive raced past him. Cardwell spun his car into a fence and bounced back into the path of Clive’s Camaro, which lost a door in the collision. Cardwell was shaken but unhurt. Meanwhile. Smith was working hard to cateh Stokes, but it was to no avail and after the second heat the positions were; Stokes 11 points. Vintiner 8. Smith and Clive 7. and James 4. In the 15-lap third heat Smith was in front from the start and the others were left to contest only the minor placlnga. Vintiner was second until he spun off again and Stokes took second. This was good enough to give

■ Stokes the saloon car champion- ■ ship. He earned 25 points, three more than Smith Clive and Vintiner were equal third with 23 points. Stokes was later named '■driver of the night.” During the night there was some close racing between the B grade saloons, with BarrJohnstone, Arthur Inns and Ste' e Ware providing moat of tha thrills. Inns drove particularly well in the second race. He started from the back of the grid, but had powered his way to the lead by the fifth lap and held on to win. In the third race, Gordon Foster (Triumph 3SM> punctured going into the top bend and the car rolled on to its root. He was later able to drive it away. Bruce Annan shewed good form in the stock ear events, winnfcig two races and finishing second in the third. His lap time of 23.95ee was (Msec outside his own record.