Stock Car and Banger Racing at United Downs Raceway This Saturday

Motorsport fans in Cornwall have a treat in store this Saturday (18th April) as United Downs Raceway in St Day hosts another packed afternoon of short oval racing. Gates open at 1pm, with five different classes of racing on the card, from close non-contact competition to all-out demolition.

The Bertie Bassett Trophy: Stock Rods Take Centre Stage

The headline act is the Bertie Bassett Trophy, contested by the Stock Rods. It is a striking piece of silverware, modelled on Bertie Bassett, the famous mascot of the liquorice allsorts brand, and is raced for in memory of the late Nigel Bassett, who previously competed in the class.

Current trophy holder Matt Westaway of Lanescot will be looking to defend his prize as the Stock Rods line up for their third meeting of the season at the circuit.

Whether reigning World Champion Callum Hosie of Newquay makes it to the start line remains to be seen. Callum said: “The car is getting there, but it will be touch and go whether it is ready in time to race on Saturday.”

Also expected in action are father and son Simon and Aiden Vincent from United Downs. Young rising star Aiden’s appearance was not a certainty, having been lined up for media duties at an F1 Grand Prix in the Middle East. However, the cancellation of both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, which had originally been scheduled for April, freed him up to compete.

📷Leo Rabone with the Snell Family Trophy for Ministox (photo by Connor Minniss)

Heritage Stock Cars: A Trip Back to the 1960s

Adding a generous helping of nostalgia to the afternoon are the Heritage Stock Cars, making their annual visit to St Day. The class features a mix of original cars and carefully rebuilt replicas from the 1960s, and if previous meetings are anything to go by, the Grand Parade could well have a fancy dress element.

One driver to watch is Ross Taylor, known as the Mad Milkman, who makes the journey from Knaresborough and has form both on the track and in the fancy dress stakes.

📷Aiden Vincent – rising young Stock Rod star (photo by Lewis Cronshaw)

Back 2 Basics Bangers: Expect Mayhem

Few things in motorsport are quite as chaotic, or quite as entertaining, as Banger racing, and the Back 2 Basics class delivers exactly that. The day is set to end in a Destruction Derby, as is tradition.

The class is designed to be accessible, with less demanding car preparation rules than most other categories. That means the grids are filled with MOT failures and cars at the very end of their roadworthy lives, giving them one last hurrah before the inevitable. It is a natural entry point for newcomers to the sport who do not want to spend a fortune getting started.

One driver worth watching is Dave Thomas of Stithians, who returned to the grid in early March after a seven-year absence and wasted no time getting back up to speed, winning the meeting final on his comeback.

📷Heritage Stock Cars racing at St Day last year (photo by Julia Wrzesinska)

Ministox and Micro F2: The Next Generation

Rounding out the card are the Ministox and the BriSCA Micro F2 Stock Cars. The Ministox class caters for drivers aged between eleven and sixteen and is widely regarded as the training ground for tomorrow’s stars.

Leo Rabone of Collaton St Mary, near Totnes, will be on track looking to defend the Snell Family Trophy, which he claimed at United Downs back in May last year.

Racing gets under way at 1pm on Saturday 18th April at United Downs Raceway, St Day.

📷Knaresborough’s Mad Milkman Ross Taylor during the Fancy Dress Parade last year (photo by Julia Wrzesinska)