Round 28 & 29 - Brands Hatch

DANCE CROWNED 2011 CHAMPION AT SEASON FINALE

Steve Dance became the first ever driver to be crowned the Pickup Truck Racing Champion for the fourth time at Brands Hatch over the weekend.

The Reading driver secured his 2011 title with a fourth place in the opening race and second in the final race of the season which was enough to take the title by a single point to add to his oval title he achieved a month earlier.

Carl Boardley was the highest points scorer from Saturday afternoon’s qualifying sessions amassing the maximum 40 points. But with Lee Rogers the tenth placed man in qualifying one, this put him on pole for the penultimate race of 2011.

It was Pete Stevens, in just his second outing of the season, who took the early lead ahead of Paul Tompkins with Rogers third. Ipswich driver Boardley was forced to pit on lap three after a coming together in the opening minutes caused a bent wishbone to be changed.

By the following lap Nic Grindrod, who had started from the back of the grid, was already through the field and up to third place. On lap five there was a heart stopping moment for David O’Regan as he tagged body work with another truck and spun at Surtees.

Lap eight saw championship contender Grindrod shoot into the lead past Stevens at Clearways while Tompkins was forced to slow to cruise speed with just a single gear beneath him. This resulted in championship leader Dance move to third place. But Dance, who was laden with 70kg ballast, had Michael Smith on his tail.

On lap 15 Hartlepool’s Smith, whose company A1 Performance Products was co-sponsor of the TV coverage following the championship over the final weekend, was past Dance.

Lap 19 could have led to a mass pile up at Surtees as a pack containing Lea Wood, Dave Briggs, Antony Hawkins and Dave Longhurst caught the slow touring Tompkins whilst on a charge for positions. Fortunately the typical close Pickup Truck style action was able to continue around the #12 Truck in breathtaking fashion.

Just a lap later Grindrod took his 14th win of the season to move himself to within six points of Dance in the championship standings. Joining Grindrod on the podium were Pete Stevens and Michael Smith.

Sunday afternoon’s final race of the season was both delayed and shortened following an incident in an earlier race. This meant a 12 lap dash to the podium for the trophies and some Chocolate Pizza Company delights. Unfortunately Paul Tompkins #12 Truck couldn’t be mended so he was forced to sit out the final race safe in the knowledge he had done enough to secure his rookie title earlier in the day. The extended gap between races had meant Michael Smith’s ever determined crew saw him ready to roll with just seconds to spare.

Dave Longhurst got the better run out of Paddock Hill Bend to lead BTCC driver Lea Wood, who was driving brother Greg’s #43 Truck. Wood’s good start was all in vein though as he took a trip to the gravel at Druids along with Antony Hawkins which meant Pete Stevens was now second ahead of Dave Briggs.

Steve Dance was to play the calculator game throughout the race as he just needed to remain within one place of rival Grindrod, so when the Selly Oak driver got ahead of the #2 Truck of Briggs on lap three, Dance was quick to follow at Cooper Straight.

Grindrod lost a couple of places on lap three, but it didn’t take long to get his Ford Duractec on a charge again but now Dance was two places ahead with four time World National Hot Rod Champion Carl Boardley between them.

Lap five saw Dance get the better of Allesley based Stevens’ #4 Truck, which meant Grindrod had to make up the places and sure enough got past Boardley. With Grindrod closing in on the #16 Truck, Dance made his move on leader Longhurst, with the former short oval man also to lose his place to the Viking Auto Dismantlers Truck too.

On lap eight Grindrod made his move on Dance, his only hope of gaining the 2011 championship title should Dance lose a place. But true to predictions, Dance stuck to the bumper of the #22 Truck, only allowing a minimal gap to ensure he did enough to keep behind the 2010 Rockingham Champion. In a somewhat fitting fashion at the end of the 12 laps with Grindrod taking the final win of the season and Dance clinching the title by a single point it was the championship’s third placed man, Michael Smith, who took the final podium spot.