Round 18 & 19 - Rockingham

Grindrod crowned Oval Champion

Nic Grindrod was crowned the LINE-X Pickup Racing Oval Champion yesterday afternoon at Rockingham Motor Speedway following a second place and a fifth win of the season at the Northamptonshire track.

The #22 driver had been aiming ahead of the weekend to end the oval season on a high, which is exactly what he did by taking victory in race two to finish 102 points ahead of Michael Smith while Phil White claimed third.

The weekend began on Saturday afternoon with a 20 minute free practice session, with qualifying held early on Sunday morning. Steve Dance achieved the maximum 20 points from the first part of qualifying while Grindrod took the full quota in the second, but it was Lee Rogers who would begin both races from pole position having qualified tenth in both sessions.

Race one saw Hartlepool’s Michael Smith take up the initial lead ahead of Viking Auto Dismantlers driver Grindrod. The pair soon moved away from the ensuing pack of seven, which was led by the LINE-X liveried Simon Carr. There was a heart stopping moment for one of those in the pack on lap five as Dave Longhurst hit the wall coming out of turn four. He fortunately managed to continue, albeit having lost a few places.

A lap later Team Rockingham’s Antony Hawkins had used the train to his advantage to take up third place just ahead of Pete Stevens while by lap nine Simon Carr was being challenged by Dave Briggs #2 Truck.

By lap ten the 70kg ballasted Grindrod was right up on Smith’s exhaust pipe, just 0.130 seconds behind with the Selly Oak driver, using the draft to his full advantage and making the #93 Truck ‘tow’ him round.

Lap 13 saw Hawkins have a huge moment in the #98 truck exiting turn one he experienced a massive tank slapper which almost saw him finish up in the wall and also caused Pete Stevens and Carl Boardley to back right off to avoid hitting the Sutton Coldfield driver. Hawkins’ misfortune was to prove to be a positive for both Stevens and Boardley who would gain a place each, as would Phil White.

Three smaller packs were beginning to form at the top end of the field. One of the tightest of these contained Simon Carr, Steve Dance who was also carrying the maximum 70kg ballast, Lee Rogers and Dave Longhurst who were all swapping places continually.

Michael Smith and Nic Grindrod would have to get a shift on by lap 18 to avoid the ever closing Pete Stevens in the #4 Truck while Carl Boardley, Phil White and Antony Hawkins were getting tighter again.

On lap 27 Grindrod made his move on Smith and took up the lead while Pete Stevens was biding his time in third place and on lap 29 he did to move into second past Smith, but left his final dive between turns two and three for the win. The Coventry-based driver certainly made it stick to record his first win on the oval just 0.091 seconds ahead of second place Grindrod while Smith was happy to take the final podium place.

The final race of the oval season saw the drivers full of trepidation as this would decide the first championship of the season.

There was an unfortunate start for Lee Rogers who lost grip going into turn one on the opening lap which also saw Neil Tressler and Antony Hawkins get caught up in the wreckage. All three managed to get back to the pits for a check up and some gaffer tape whilst the safety car was on track, although Rogers and Hawkins found themselves a lap down on their pit exits.

When green flag racing resumed on lap three it was Dave Longhurst who was in the lead ahead of Steve Dance, who had managed to lose 10kg of his success ballast for having finished off the podium in race one, while Michael Smith was third.

By lap five Nic Grindrod, still carrying 70kg, had moved up from eighth to third place. A lap later the #22 driver had moved into the lead and then Phil White was into second. Steve Dance, Dave Longhurst and Carl Boardley were all packed together tightly and constantly swapping places, while Antony Hawkins was on a mission in the Team Rockingham Truck to try and un-lap himself.

There was a change in the lead on lap ten as #41 driver Carl Boardley used the train to his advantage. Phil White also saw his chance to follow the Ipswich driver through to take up second place. But just a lap later White was in the lead with Boardley having been trapped by the pack. Behind the front three of White, Grindrod and Boardley there was a six-truck pack although they were soon to join the leading trio.

Dave Longhurst was back in the mix on lap 13 as he snuck into second, but was soon under pressure from Boardley and Grindrod and was back down to fourth on lap 15. Longhurst was still pushing though and on lap 16 pushed a little too hard as he rubbed the wall on turn four again, but managed to maintain momentum to keep going.

Boardley had re-taken the lead by this point ahead of Grindrod, who was keen to get as high a placing as possible in order to claim the oval title, while Michael Smith was now third.

On lap 20 Longhurst was up to third as Grindrod’s push for his title continued as he took up the lead but Boardley was not going to give up on a potential best placing on the oval as he lodged himself firmly on the 35-year-old’s rear bumper.

Grindrod did manage to hold on to the lead and at the end of the 30 laps was crowned not only the winner but also the LINE-X Pickup Racing Oval Champion. Boardley did manage his best oval result in second place while Dave Longhurst did likewise in third place.

In the Overall Championship standings Steve Dance retains his lead by 72 points from Pete Stevens with Phil White third.