Townshend wins final demolition derby

Press, 11 March 1985, Page 26

Townshend wins final demolition derby

Peter Townshend emerged battered but unbowed to win the final demolition derby as the summer season at Woodford Glen speedway drew to a close on Saturday evening. The Spirit of Free Enterprise derby attracted 54 cars, and when the dust finally cleared after 32min Towmshend in his Humber Snipe trundled off to the $lOOO purse. The New Zealand champion, Tony Cardwell, the runner-up, Doug Smith, and a fast-driving Warwick Leech dominated the super saloon races. Leech sneaked away on the field in the first race for his win with Roy Granger (Monza), Cardwell and Smith in close company. A great battle developed between Cardwell’s Buick Skyhawk and Smith’s Z2B Camaro in the second race. Starting off the back of the field they drove side by side for two laps before Smith gained an edge. Cardwell tried several times to get past, but Smith moved over and shut the gap, forcing Cardwell back. Although winning this race, Smith was relegated to second by the stewards. Leech managed to keep his Capri ahead of Granger once again. In the saloon feature, Marmite (Chevette) and Neville Stowell (PB Vauxhall) took off from the 18-car field, but after eight of the 12 laps Cardwell and Smith were right behind. Some brilliant outside driving brought Cardwell into the lead, while Smith was held up behind the other two drivers

until he eventually sneaked by, but too late to catch Cardwell. Joe Annan made a clean sweep of the sportsman races, although the second race came relatively easily when the race leader, Doug Giles, lost his advantage when he spun on the last lap. The Force Four driver, Marmite, chalked up two wins out of two races to dominate that class, with Wayne Hardie (Mini) and Steve Nugent (Escort) having a second and third each. A Timaru driver, Stowell, had to be content with a second and third after the local drivers Awhi Beazley (Mustang) and Rob Gold (Victor) scored a win each in the 6 and 8 cylinder class. Bob Burgess (Valiant) missed the victory laurels after he spent two races spinning out as many competitors as he could, and the lion’s share of the prize-money went to Trevor Stevens (PA Vauxhall) and Wayne Harris (Wolseley).

With many stock cars still out of town, the racing in this class was fairly quiet; Lindsay Robb making the most of this to record two wins and a second.

Results:— Super saloon.—Colombo Bridge Motors race: W. Leech 1, R. Granger 2, T. Cardwell 3. Sydenham Park Chev Spares race: Cardwell 1, D. Smith 2, Leech 3. Shell feature: Cardwell 1, Smith 2, Leech 3. Force Four saloons.—Skyline Garages race: Mannite 1, S. Nugent 2, W. Hardie 3. Amalgamated Batteries race: Mannite 1, Hardie 2, Nugent 3. Six and eight cylinder saloons.—Carnival Caterers race: A. Beazley 1, N. Stowell 2, J. Achilles 3. Trevor Allan, Ltd, race: R. Gold 1, N. Baldwin 2, Stowell 3. Sportsman.—Vicking Pies and Savouries race: J. Annan 1, S. Child 2, G. Archibald 3. Doug Smith Panelbeaters race: Annan 1, D. Giles 2, Child 3. Stocks.—Bardahi race: G. Griffiths 1, L. Robb 2, K. O’Connor 3. Mainfreight race: Robb 1, O’Connor 2, W. Wilding 3, Coca-Cola feature: Robb 1, C. Cameron 2, C. Ranson 3. Street stocks.—Rapid Despatch race: T. Stevens 1, I. Hill 2, W. Harris 3. Yukoff race: T. Hall 1, Stevens 2, Harris 3.

Spirit of Free Enterprise demolition derby: P. Townshend.