We headed back to Lincolnshire for the 2nd Skegness ‘weekender’ of the season, and we took 5 cars in total, Frankie JJ was racing both days, Phoebe (only Sunday as she has her Hen do the same weekend, Ewan McCrudden (343) in a hire car, Dean Whitwell (195) racing one of Karl’s spare cars and James Hall-Morton (132) who was debuting the revamped ex-Rich Bryan (238) tarmac car.
The pit area and terraces were packed for what was sure to be an exciting and entertaining weekends racing.
SATURDAY
Heat 1
We only had Frankie JJ out on track for heat 1, and he managed to fight his way through the pack only for a mechanical issue to push him out of the top 10 (11th) in the dying laps The heat was won by Courtney Finnikin (551) ahead of 2nd placed Tom Harris (1) with Dan Hughes (327) 3rd.
Heat 2
James, Ewan and Dean were all out in heat 2. Sadly we lost James to a spin before halfway and as part of that he collected the 343 car as he tried to recover.
The race ended with a win for Micky Randell (172), with Bobby Griffin (166) 2nd and Paul Carter (300) 3rd.
Consolation
Frankie JJ, Dean and Ewan went out for the consolation, and the race was the hectic from flag to flag and we had 4 periods of yellow flags. As the race settled down Paul Harrison (2) led from Kyle Gray (124) with Shaun Webster (48) catching them fast, and Frankie steadily working his way up to 6th. Another stoppage saw Shaun take the lead with 2 laps to go and he crossed the line first, but was docked places for jumping the start and Pau Harrison took the win with Frankie finishing 6th.
Final
The final was the Ray Tyldesley Memorial race, and we just had Frankie JJ’s car on the grid, Frankie ended up with a bent front axle and didn’t finish the race which was mainly centred around whether Courtney Finnikin could hold of the advancing Tom Harris to take her first ever BriSCA F1 final win, but sadly with 3 laps to go Tom managed to pass the orange car and took the win, with Courtney crossing the line 2nd ahead of reigning British Champion Ryan Harrison (197) who passed a quick Luke Davidson (464) with 2 laps to go.
Grand National
All 4 cars made it out for the grand national, and Ewan led for the first few laps from the green flag, but that was halted by a big crash when Jon Horne (19) and Micky Randell (172) had a crash on the back straight. From the restart Ryan Harrison put a big hit on the Matt Newson (16) and Frankie cars to move through, and within 2 laps was in the lead. This was a brutal race with lots of bumper action, and Ryan took the win with Lee Fairhurst (217) 2nd and Simon Traves (47) 3rd. Frankie finished the final race of the day in 7th.
SUNDAY
The pits were just as busy as yesterday and the crowds were packed in again and the weather was fantastic, for another day of seaside racing at Skegness. And Phoebe arrived from her mini-break (hen do) in York and was ready(ish) to race.
Heat 1
Phoebe, James and Dean were on track for heat 1, Phoebe at blue for the final time as she moves up to a star grade driver at Northampton next weekend.
The race was straightforward in the there weren’t any yellows, and eventually Paul Carter (300) took the chequered flag for his first race win since 2019, with Ryan Harrison 2nd and Matt Newson (16) 3rd.
Heat 2
Ewan and Frankie JJ went out for heat 2, and Frankie drove well to work his way through the field and eventually finish 8th, in a heat won by Courtney Finnikin (551), who passed the 327 car of Dan Hughes with a lap to go leaving Bobby Griffin (166) and Tom Harris (1) to fight it out for 3rd, with the 166 car just crossing the line in front of the reigning world champion.
Consolation
Phoebe, Ewan, James and Dean all had to go out in the consolation to try and qualify for the meeting final. Sadly none of them made the top 10, but the race was exciting and with Louis Goodwin (295) leading for all but 1 lap, being pipped to the flag by former UK open Champion Kyle Gray (124), with Goodwin in 2nd and Harrison Uttley (489) in 3rd, his best ever finish in an F1.
Final
Just Frankie JJ made it through to the final, which was the Frank Hughes Memorial race, and he lined up on the front row of the reds alongside Simon Traves (47).
The race had several leaders, louis Goodwin, Tyrone Evans and Craig Uttley, before a few laps from home, heat 1 winner Paul Carter took the lead. He lead for a few laps from a fast approaching Drew Lammas (543), and then he slid wide on some oil and lost momentum and allowed Drew to pass for his first ever win in a BriSCA F1. Paul finished 2nd and Courtney Finnikin 3rd.
Grand National
The final race of a very entertaining weekend saw Phoebe, Frankie, Dean and Ewan take to the track, and this was another entertaining race, with stoppages and crashed all over the track, after all the commotion has dies down, it was ‘driver of the day) Paul Carter who had the lead with Courtney Finnikin in his tyre tracks, whilst behind them Tom and Luke were having their own little battle for 3rd. At the flag it was Paul who took his 2nd win of the meeting, Coutrtney finished 2nd and Finn Sargent was 3rd, with Tom edging out Luke to finish 4th.
Next up for Wainman Racing is the European weekend at Northampton, see you there.
#WainmanRacing #BriSCAF1
Photo’s ©Graham Lancaster
