Round 22 & 23 - Brands Hatch

PETE STEVENS WINS OVERALL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE

Pete Stevens added the 2009 Pickup Truck Racing Championship overall title to his oval champion status in steady fashion at Brands Hatch yesterday.

The 59-year-old has secured the double in his fifth season in Pickup Truck racing and although he was unusually off the podium this weekend, he amassed the points required over Phil White, who had been second in the championship going into the final race.

Sunday’s first race was held in appalling conditions with torrential rain and standing water on the circuit making life extremely difficult for the 20 drivers. Simon Carr, whose sponsors Line-X were also sponsoring the meeting, shot into the lead on lap one ahead of 2008 champion Gavin Seager while Neil Tressler was first to succumb to the conditions as he spun at Graham Hill bend.

By lap three Gavin was challenging for the lead, but as he was next to fall foul of the standing water by going wide on the run up to Druids, Steve Dance and Nic Grindrod took their chances to gain a place and send the #54 truck to fourth. Selly Oak driver Nic then managed to shoot past Steve to take second on lap four and then focussed on closing in on Simon.

The #15 driver was only to retain the lead until lap seven when Nic managed to get past him at Druids. Two laps later Simon had lost another place as Gavin Seager’s returning momentum saw him move into second at Cooper Straight.

By this point Paul Saunders, Tony Mumford, Phil White, Greg Wood and Paul Thurgood – returning to Pickup Truck racing after a couple of years away – had all joined the spinners’ list. Before the end of the race Martin Heath, Michael Smith, Dave Briggs, Antony Hawkins and Julian Arnold had also spun, which caused great confusion on track as trucks on different laps were dotted between the frontrunners.

It had seemed that, with the rain still coming down hard, the podium positions had all been decided, but Steve Dance managed to take the last spot from Simon on the final lap as Nic took his third victory of the season ahead of Gavin.

By the time the final race of the season came round on Sunday afternoon the rain had abated and although the track was still damp it was drying which left the drivers with a lottery choice of tyres.

Pole sitter Antony Hawkins took up the initial lead, although Damien Carr managed to get past on the second lap at Druids. Elder brother Simon, who was one of the few to risk slicks, was through from his row four start to second by lap five with Gavin Seager the next to pass Antony before the end of the lap.

With Antony struggling on his wet tyres, he was losing places fast and Steve Dance was on the look out to end his season on a high with another podium and possibly a second win, passing the #98 truck on lap six.

Lap nine saw Simon take the lead from Damien – who was also starting to struggle on wet tyres – and by lap 14 had been caught and passed by both Steve and Michael Smith.

There was heartache for Simon too who suffered a gearbox problem on the final lap. Although Steve did get that sought after victory and Simon’s gap to Michael Smith was enough to see him take second.

With Phil White having to retire after an incident with Mark Jones on lap 14, Pete was able to secure the title with his tenth place finish while Michael’s third place saw him take the runner-up spot and race winner Steve Dance moved up the table to take third in the standings.

Congratulations to Pete, Michael and Steve and the Pickup Truck Racing Management Team would like to thank all the drivers in the 2009 Championship for an amazing season.

Thanks also to Sarah Carnell for the race reports and David Swan and Stan Loam for the photographs.