Standlake’s mid-November date brought the final fling for the F2 Stox as well as the final championship points meeting for all the other classes. The F2s have been a real success story at the Oxfordshire track this year, where despite an extremely difficult year for the Hook family, they’ve still delivered a year of exceptional value and entertainment at their friendly family run track. At this sunny but chilly mid-November meeting the F2s were again the stars of the show, with Linz’s online encouragement drawing an excellent entry of 22 cars, including a few first time visitors to Standlake, with a 100% attendance on the day.

Louis Williams has impressed over the last few meetings and the young Bristol driver set the pace in heat 1, eventually losing the lead to Ben Farebrother before Carl Lewis came through from the red grade to claim the win, followed by Ben and Louis. Will Jackson, Jack West, Keith Richens, Andy Webb, James Trigg, Gavin Busby and Izzy Jackson completed the top ten, with 21 of the 22 starters taking the flag at the end of a very busy race.

A first corner pile-up scrambled the order in the second heat, but after a few laps an even bigger tangle brought the reds out with Phil Trigg, Brian Cornock, Gavin Busby, Stuart Biddle, and Will and Izzy Jackson all being sidelined. Jack West soon took the lead from Louis Williams on the restart, but Carl Lewis was closing quickly and snatched the lead on the last lap to win from Jack, Keith Richens, Dan Moss, Louis Williams, Andy Webb, long time F2 racer Paul Butcher, Keith Walding, Roger Mountney and Jordan Butcher, while Lynn Cornock was among several to bounce off the armco.

The final, with 17 cars still running, also saw a red flag after Keith Richens and Paul Butcher ended up in the fence, as did Izzy Jackson. By then, well travelled Cornish racer Dan Moss, having his first taste of Standlake, had hit the front, and after the restart a classic battle developed between Dan and Jack West. After several changes of lead Dan settled into second behind Jack, but his plan was obvious and a perfectly executed last corner attack saw Dan cross the line a bumper’s width ahead of Jack. Carl Lewis took third and by an unofficial reckoning the remaining finishers were Andy Webb, Roger Mountney, Jordan Butcher, Phil Trigg, Stuart Biddle, Grand Prix Midget driver Tony Smith in Rob Dobie’s car, Alan Wildgoose in Gary Webb’s car and Millie Cornock.

The day finished with a combined white tops and mechanics race, which brought out 15 cars of which 14 finished, all looking very competitive and headed by Jeremy Moss to complete a double for the Cornish visitors. Other finishers, not necessarily in this order, were Tony Farebrother, Stuart Biddle, Alan Wildgoose, Lynn Cornock, Gavin Busby, Terry Butcher, Andy West (his first, and maybe last, time racing a RWD car), Rob Dobie, Jake Mountney, Jordan Butcher, Jessica Webb, Millie Cornock and Linz Richens, while Denise Miller was the only one not to make the finish.

Thanks to all the Standlake officials and helpers and the F2 drivers and supporters, and especially to Linz for all her efforts to put the formula on the map this year, which have certainly paid off! Now will anybody step up to do the same for Standlake's Hot Rods?

Of course all the other regular Standlake classes have provided their fair share of action through the season, not least the JUNIORS, where the all-Mini format continued to bring out full grids all year. The 30-car fields from earlier in the year had levelled out a bit, but there were still 20 Minis in the pits, with new drivers still joining the fray, needing a two-thirds split in the heats. The first heat was red flagged early, with Kacey-Paige Church in a good lead when everyone behind her spun out on the slippery track. The second race brewed up to a fantastic finish with novice Aiden Howell driving a faultless race and crossing the line a few inches ahead as Ben Chrisp, Jacob Filer and Kyle Rayner swarmed all over him. Heat three saw Louis Rayner come through to win, chased by Kacey Church with Kyle Rayner heading the main pack in third. 18 cars made the final, with Kacey Church and Caz Aldridge missing. Callum Martindale continues to improve, leading the early laps before Bristol visitor Charlie Pearce hit the front. Charlie then fended off Kyle Rayner to win. Zak Moores just beat Louis Rayner for third, with most of the rest of the field in a big group headed by Callum Martindale from Ross Burton, Lucas Oxlade, Bobbi Ankerson, Laura Ankerson, Jacob Filer and Jay Moores. Ben Chrisp got spun out of this bunch in the closing stages and the other finishers were Aiden Howell, Alex Cox, Michael Weston, Alfie Butler, Riley Staker and Mini Bricknell.

The PRODUCTION As were having their first outing since learning that Standlake would be diverging from the long established SEGTO 1-litre formula next year. Nine cars turned out with John Cox heading the first heat from fellow Micra driver Rob Gregory. Second time out all eyes were on Katy Kerbey, who drove her best race yet at the front of the field, Katy’s Nova only being passed in the end by Kelvin Passey’s Corsa. Katy did even better in the final, holding on in front until the last corner, when Kelvin sneaked through on the inside. Rob Gregory took third from James Watts’ Nova, Kyle Williams’ Micra, Ian Round’s Corsa, the no 45 Mini and Shane Steele’s Nova, with John Cox ending up in the armco.

The 1600 PRODUCTIONS also brought out nine cars, although a tenth, Emily Booth’s BMW Mini, stayed in the pits with fuel pump problems. Dale Hall’s Civic grabbed a last lap win in the first heat after Ash Charles led nearly all the way in a newly prepared Astra, although Ash couldn’t get out for the other races. Ryan Shelton’s Civic took a good win in heat two, we think only second time out. Ryan then led all the way again in the final, but this time had to withstand heavy pressure before taking the flag ahead of Shannon Chambers and Dale Hall. Dan Powell came in fourth to complete the Civic domination, holding off the Fiestas of Mark Royall and Mark Farrell, while Courtnie Smith’s Saxo was trying to catch up after getting spun out at the start. The Charles family had a bit of a swap round, with Aaron out in Lee’s Ka, but he didn’t finish the final.

The DRIFT RODS had a small (by their standards) 13 car turnout, but the usual amount of action. Steven Hart’s not been out too often this year, but convincingly won the first heat, although his bid for the lead in race two ended in a coming together with Gary Godsmark, while Steve Burrell held on to win in his BMW Compact from Chris Deverick’s Mazda RX8. The Mazda went one better to win the final, but only after a fraught race that saw Steve Burrell spin out of an early lead. Jessica Phillips then took over and looked a certain winner until a lapped car decided to spin her out, leaving Chris Deverick in a clear lead. Kevin Hardie held off Steven Hart for second, with Jessica recovering in fourth from Sheldon Gardner, Gary Godsmark, Jasmine Hayes, Steve Burrell and the Jags of Liam Ivins and David Wilson, with David picking up up yet another “best drifter” award.

The LADIES’ BANGERS had an extra meeting added to their season, with 14 cars lining up. Diane Flinders and Sara Royall won the hearts, with Diane then taking the final from Jodie Hemmings and Gemma Gardner. Sara won a 9-car “dash” before some of the ladies joined in the 17-car Destruction Derby that closed the day, and gave as good as they got. The regular BANGERS this time were to 1800 Street Banger rules; the best part of 60 cars turned up with the final going to former Junior Mini racer George Moore.