Flathead Meltdown Race Report - Nostalgia Nats 08

(Bit of contextual information for you Yanks. Us Brits have been running a flathead-only competition at two of our most popular race events for over 11 years now. It started off as a few mates larking about but has since turned into a bit of a cult, with new cars coming out each year and some people prepared to spend BIG in an attempt to win a £10 trophy. We even have one fairly regular competitor in the 12's on bias-ply tyres.
What follows is an on-line report of the first Meltdown of the year, which took place this weekend in Stratford-upon-Avon, England.)


Whatever the reasons behind so many people not attending the Nostalgia Nationals, there can be no doubt that if events like this aren’t supported, they’ll be lost. However, those that DID attend with the intention of racing were spoilt rotten by all the track time available to them and none more so than the entrants of the Flathead Meltdown.

Eight drivers awoke on Saturday morning with the intention of standing around for hours on end in the fire-up lanes whilst hoping to get a couple of runs in before tea-time, but the low turnout of RWYBers meant that many of the Meltdown racers were able to return from one run and go straight back to the start line. Ten runs in one day, anyone? A few of us did, quite easily.

(Odgie's Pop Special)

A field of eight consisted of five regulars and three newbs to the Meltdown scene. Odgie arrived with his superb Pop-based and 100E-powered special. Pete Ayres brought along his very nice ’30 A roadster; and Kelvin Helsdown squeezed himself into his ’23 T modified. Clark Devey (four-banger A roadster), Becky Dunn (’27 RPU), Janice Hosegood (’32 roadster) Mike Couch (blown & injected ’32) and Darren Hart (Four-banger ’26 Touring) completed the line up.

(Pete Ayres nice roadster)


(Becky's T RPU)

It was ****** difficult to keep up with the qualifying as there constantly seemed to be a Meltdown competitor on the track throughout Saturday, but there were several NPB’s. Most noticeable of these were Clark’s 15.7 @ 84mph – with a four-banger, remember! - and Odgie’s 22.3 in the special. More used to crewing for Smax Smith, Odgie was having fun all day as driver and was delighted to break out of the 23’s!

The only casualty of the qualifiers was Mike Couch’s roadster, when the blower blew-up!


Details are sketchy at the moment as to the cause but you can see the damage from the photos. He’ll be back. Stronger.

(Janice getting psyched up.....)

On to the Sunday eliminators. Odgie had work commitments and had to leave early, meaning seven became six, and a bye-run for the quickest two into the semis. Routine, you’d think, but Clark got a sweat-on when a moody ticket reckoned he’d pulled a cherry. Witnesses had seen green for definite, so the boy survived. Kelvin completed the other solo run with no such drama. In the other rounds, Pete beat Janice in a close race, whilst Darren Hart absolutely mullered Becky Dunn without any problem whatsoever. *Cough*

(Becky checking out the starter's arse....)

All this brought Clark and Pete together into semi-final happiness, and the same with Kelvin and Darren. Both races went true to form. Clark dispatched Pete with another 15.7, and Kelvin waited until this race to pull out his fastest for the weekend and NPB 15.4, leaving Darren a full two seconds behind, beaten but very happy with his four-banger’s performance over the weekend.

(Kelvin Helsdown and his '23 T.)

Okay….the final. Clark Devey in his four-banger powered roadster versus Kelvin Helsdown in his strong-sounding V8 modified. Clark’s best of 15.7 against Kelvin’s 15.4. This was set up to be a close and exciting race. Unfortunately, it was neither as the T decided to lose a big chunk of its front pulley just as Kelvin was going into stage leaving the four-banger to make another solo run, this time for the trophy. Another green and another 15.7 gave the title and the dust collector to an Executioner once again. Well done, Clark. Thoroughly deserved and a fantastic achievement to run such quick times with a four cylinder engine that is almost 80 years old.

(Clark lining up for his solo run final.)

Other slaps-on-backs go to the three new guys who are all keen to return for more of the same – cheers, men – also to Becky and Janice for keeping the crowds entertained with their constant side-by-side racing – cheers, girls!
The Four-Banger Meltdown was contested between just two drivers this meeting, Clark and Darren. Despite Darren’s protestations that Clark shouldn’t be allowed to win a second trophy, the boy did just that with a 15.9 to 17.4. Git. Well done anyway.

 

er hum excuse me!!!! "whilst Darren Hart absolutely mullered Becky Dunn without any problem whatsoever. *Cough*" if it had been the 1/2 mile i would've caught up with you .

Thanks for a brill weekend i really enjoyed myself!!! roll on next one!!

Daisyduke

 

If it had been 1/2 mile, I wouldn't have had 4.11's in the quick-change!

It was a great weekend. See you both in September.

 

Sounds like an absolute blast! Well done to all!

 

Great weekend.