I
missed the non-points season opening meeting at the Arena Slotstox 'St Mary's Club on 12th February.
19th February
- Arena points chart round 1 at the Arena Slotstox 'Comrades' Club - heats 46 points (heat 1 16
and heat 2 maximum 30) and joint highest points scorer of ten drivers (although my maximum 30 in
heat 2 meant that I was deemed 1st with the highest best heat score). Final 3rd (14 - with 2nd scoring 15 and
4th scoring 14 and I was leading several races before being delayed or stopped de-slotted Slotstox) to add 4 points chart
points. I scored a total of 50 points chart points. 5th March - Arena points chart round 2 and Gold Top Qualifying round
1 at 'Comrades' - heats 52 points (heat 1 21 - a very close heat as I finished 3rd with 1st scoring 23 and 2nd 22; and heat
2 26) and second top points scorer of seven drivers. Final 2nd (19) to add 5 points chart points. I scored a total of
52 points chart and Gold Top Qualifying points. 12th March - Arena points chart round 3 at 'Comrades' - heats 27 points
(heat 1 14 and heat 2 13) and fourth top points scorer of six drivers. Final 4th (11) to add 3 points chart points.
I scored a total of 30 points chart points on a night when my Slotstox never seemed to find that smooth spot. 26th March
- Arena points chart round 4 at 'St Mary's' - heats 25 points (heat 1 20 and heat 2 5 too many crashes!) and fourth top points
scorer of six drivers. Final (all from the blue grade line) 3rd (10 - 4th also scored 10 but I had more 3rd places finishes:
2 to 1 whilst 2nd scored 11) to add 4 points chart points. I scored a total of 29 points chart points.
During the first points chart cycle I scored a total of 161 points and
had the third highest average of 40.3 points - I would have been red grade had I not been defending Gold/Silver top.
With the highest three out of four meetings again counting to the points - I was 4th in the Slotstox Arena Points Championship
with 132 points. I was 2nd in the Slotstox Arena Gold Top Qualifying points with 52 points.
2nd April - Arena points chart round 5 and
Gold Top Qualifying round 2 at 'Comrades' - struggling a bit from the back of the field - heats
25 points (heat 1 11 and heat 2 14) and fourth top points scorer of six drivers (the top 3 each
scored 41 points). Final - all drivers starting from yellow grade for finals at Comrades helped
- 1st (21) to add 6 points chart points. I scored a total of 31 points chart and Gold Top Qualifying points.
9th April - Arena points chart round 6 at 'Comrades' - heats 43 points (heat 1 18 and heat 2 25) and top points scorer of
nine drivers. Final 3rd (18) to add 4 points chart points. I scored a total of 47 points chart points. 23rd April
- Arena points chart round 8 at 'St Mary's' having now decided to race a spare Slotstox at the St Mary's meetings - heats
26 points (heat 1 20 and heat 2 6) and joint third highest points scorer with one other driver of nine drivers. Final
(all from the blue grade line) 5th= with one other driver (0) - to add 2 points chart points. I scored a total of 28 points
chart points.
During the second points chart cycle I scored
a total of 106 points and had the fourth highest average of 35.3 points - I would have been red
grade had I not been defending Gold/Silver top. I missed round 7 at 'Comrades' on 16th April
due to illness so all three meetings in points cycle 2 counted to the points - I was 3rd in the
Slotstox Arena Points Championship with 238 points. I was 3rd in the Slotstox Arena Gold Top Qualifying
points with 83 points.
7th May - Arena points chart
round 10 at 'Comrades' - heats 38 points (heat 1 14 and heat 2 24) and second highest scorer of
six drivers. Final (all from the yellow grade line) 1st (22) - to add 6 points chart points.
I scored a total of 44 points chart points. 14th May - Arena points chart round 11 at 'Comrades'
- heats 36 points (heat 1 17 and heat 2 19) and third highest scorer of eight drivers. Final (all from the
yellow grade line) 3rd (11) - to add 4 points chart points. I scored a total of 40 points chart points. 21st May - Arena
points chart round 12 at 'St Mary's' - heats 15 points (heat 1 12 and heat 2 39) and fifth highest scorer of six drivers.
Final (from grades) 5th (9) - to add 2 points chart points. I scored a total of 15 points chart points.
During the third points chart cycle I scored a total of 101 points and
had the third highest average of 33.7 points - I would have been red grade had I not been defending Gold/Silver top.
I missed round 9 at 'Comrades' on 30th April due to holiday so all three meetings in points cycle 3 counted to the points
- I was 4th in the Slotstox Arena Points Championship with 339 points with two drivers tied for second on 340 points.
Round 9 was also Gold Top Qualifying round 3 and I was down to 4th in the Slotstox Arena Gold Top Qualifying points with 83
points.
28th May - Arena points chart round 13 and Gold Top Qualifying round 4 at 'Comrades' -
struggling in the heats with what was subsequently found to be a loose wire - 3 heats with best 2 counting
for the points chart - 26 points (heat 2 14 and heat 3 12 - my heat 1 score of 7 was dropped) and sixth top points scorer
of eight drivers. Final (all from the yellow grade line) - 4th (13) to add 3 points chart points. I scored a total of
29 points chart and Gold Top Qualifying points.
I remained
4th in the Slotstox Arena Gold Top Qualifying points with 112 points.
11th June - Arena points chart round 15 at 'Comrades' - heats 40 points (heat 1 21 and
heat 2 19) and top points scorer of nine drivers. Final (from grades over 8 laps rather than 6) - 1st
(19 - 2nd scored 18 and 3rd 17) to add 6 points chart points. I scored a total of 46 points chart points. Also
another 'Comrades' Slotstox and Parmastox same night final win double! 25th June - Arena points chart round 16 and Gold
Top Qualifying round 5 at 'Comrades' - heats 24 points (heat 1 10 and heat 2 14) and 6th highest points scorer of ten drivers.
Final (from grades over 8 laps rather than 6) - 1st (22 - having finished all six races and 2nd scored 21) to add 6 points
chart points. I scored a total of 30 points chart and Gold Top Qualifying points.
During the fourth points chart cycle I scored a total of 105 points and had the fourth
highest average of 35.0 points - I would have been red grade had I not been defending Gold/Silver top.
I missed round 14 at 'Comrades' on 4th June due to holiday so all three meetings in points cycle 3 counted to the points
- I was up to 2nd in the Slotstox Arena Points Championship with 444 points just 3 points ahead of 3rd. I was up to
3rd in the Slotstox Arena Gold Top Qualifying points with 142 points.
2nd July - Arena points chart round 17 at
'Comrades' - heats 37 points (heat 1 20 and heat 2 17) and 3rd highest points scorer of nine drivers.
Final (from grades over 8 laps rather than 6) - 1st (18 - 2nd scored 17) to add 6 points chart points.
I scored a total of 43 points chart points. 9th July - Arena points chart round 18 at 'Comrades'
- 3 heats with best 2 counting for the points chart - 50 points (heat 2 27 and heat 3 23 - my heat
1 score of 21 was dropped) and top points scorer of eight drivers. With no time for a final each
drivers dropped heat score was taken to determine the allocation of the final points and my 21 was highest to add 6 points
chart points. I scored a total of 56 points chart points. 16th July - Arena points chart round 19 at 'Comrades' - heats
35 points (heat 1 17 and heat 2 18) and 4th highest points scorer of nine drivers. Final (from grades over 8 laps) -
4th (11 - 3rd scored 12 and 4th scored 11) to add 3 points chart points. I scored a total of 38 points chart points.
23rd July - Arena points chart round 20 and Gold Top Qualifying round 6 at 'St Mary's' - with different tyres on my spare
slotstox of choice for this venue - heats 26 points (heat 1 14 and heat 2 12) and joint 3rd highest points scorer with one
other driver of seven drivers. Final (from grades over 8 laps with all seven drivers) - 7th (6 - same points as 6th
but they had 3 4th places to my 2) to add 1 points chart point. I scored a total of 27 points chart and Gold Top Qualifying
points.
During the fifth points chart cycle I scored a total
of 164 points and had the third highest average of 41.0 points - I would have been red grade had
I not been defending Gold/Silver top. With the highest three out of four meetings counting
to the points - I remained 2nd in the Slotstox Arena Points Championship with 581 points.
I remained 3rd in the Slotstox Arena Gold Top Qualifying points with 169 points.
After a two week mini-summer break: 13th
August - Arena points chart round 21 at 'Comrades' - heats 28 points (heat 1 18 and heat 2 10) and
3rd highest points scorer of seven drivers. Final (from grades over 8 laps rather than 6)
- 1st (20 - 2nd also scored 20 and we each had 2 race wins but I had 2 2nd places compared with
their 1) to add 6 points chart points. I was determined to win a final on this evening as it was the 20th
anniversary of my Nanna passing away and the win was dedicated to her. I scored a total of 34 points chart points.
20th August - Arena points chart round 22 and Gold Top Qualifying round 7 at 'St Mary's' - with green lane not working heats
were over 5 races scored 6 for 1st, 5 for 2nd etc. rather than 5 for 1st, 4 for 2nd etc. to ensure a heat maximum remained
as 30 points. Heats 20 points (heat 1 5 and heat 2 15 - with a combination of handcontroller and car issues - diagnosed
as a loose wire on each which meant I used my main Slotstox for my race in the outside lane in the second heat!) and 4th highest
points scorer of six drivers. Final (from grades over 6 laps due to time) - 5th (5 - 1 2nd place!) to add 2 points chart
points. I scored a total of 22 points chart and Gold Top Qualifying points. I remained 3rd in the Slotstox Arena
Gold Top Qualifying points with 191 points. 27th August - Arena points chart round 23 at 'Comrades' - heats 34 points
(heat 1 16 and heat 2 18 and 4th highest points scorer of nine drivers. Final (from grades over 8 laps) - 3rd (14 -
2nd scored 15 and 4th scored 13) to add 4 points chart points. I scored a total of 38 points chart points.
3rd September - Arena points chart round 24 at 'Comrades' and a broken wire on my main Slotstox early on meant that I had
to use my spare for most of the racing - heats 16 points (heat 1 8 and heat 2 8 and 6th highest points scorer of seven drivers.
Final (from grades over 8 laps with all seven drivers) - 6th (4 - 7th scored 3) to add 1 points chart point. I scored
a total of 17 points chart points.
During the sixth points
chart cycle I scored a total of 111 points and had the seventh highest average of 27.8 points -
I would have been blue grade had I not been defending Gold/Silver top. With the highest three
out of four meetings counting to the points - I remained 2nd in the Slotstox Arena Points Championship
with 675 points.
10th September - Arena points chart round 25 at 'Comrades' with my main Slotstox now fixed
- heats 31 points (heat 1 17 and heat 2 14 and joint 2nd highest points scorer with one other driver of
seven drivers. Final (from grades over 8 laps) - 4th (14 - same as 3rd but they had 2 race wins compared with my none)
to add 3 points chart points. I scored a total of 34 points chart points. 17th September - Arena points chart
round 26 at 'St Mary's' - with green lane not working heats were over 5 races scored 6 for 1st, 5 for 2nd etc. rather than
5 for 1st, 4 for 2nd etc. to ensure a heat maximum remained as 30 points. Heats 28 points (heat 1 15 and heat 2 13)
and 3rd highest points scorer of six drivers. Final (from grades over 8 laps) - 3rd (9 - same points as 4th but I had
1 race win compared with their none) to add 4 points chart points. I scored a total of 32 points chart points.
24th September - Arena points chart round 27 and Gold Top Qualifying round 8 at 'Comrades' - heats 24 points (heat 1 12 and
heat 2 12) and 5th highest points scorer of nine drivers. Final (from grades over 8 laps) - 2nd (16) to add 5 points
chart points. I scored a total of 29 points chart and Gold Top Qualifying points. I remained 3rd in the Slotstox
Arena Gold Top Qualifying points with 220 points. 1st October - Arena points chart round 28 at 'Comrades' - heats 33
points (heat 1 19 and heat 2 14) and 2nd highest points scorer (by virtue of being tied 2nd but having a better highest heat
score 19-18) of eight drivers. Final (from grades over 8 laps) - 3rd (15) to add 4 points chart points. I scored
a total of 37 points chart points.
During the seventh points
chart cycle I scored a total of 132 points and had the fourth highest average of 33.0 points - I
would have been red grade had I not been defending Gold/Silver top. With the highest three
out of four meetings counting to the points - I remained 2nd in the Slotstox Arena Points Championship
with 778 points.
Meeting 8th October cancelled due to driver illnesses. 15th October - Arena points
chart round 29 at 'St Mary's' - with green lane not working heats were over 5 races scored 6 for 1st, 5 for
2nd etc. rather than 5 for 1st, 4 for 2nd etc. to ensure a heat maximum remained as 30 points. Heats 26 points (heat
1 12 and heat 2 14) and 4th highest points scorer of six drivers. Final (from grades over 8 laps) - 3rd (11 - although
it could have been so much better as in one of the races only two Slotstox were left in their correct lanes - mine and one
other plus I had another Slotstox in my lane...I de-slotted that into the path of the other driver and whilst being distracted
to see if that had stopped them, which it did, my Slotstox de-slotted too! Had I have scored those 6 points I'd have
finished 2nd just 1 point behind 1st...that's racing!) to add 3 points chart points. I scored a total of 29 points chart
points. 22nd October - Arena points chart round 30 and 9th and final Gold Top Qualifying round at 'Comrades' - heats
32 points (heat 1 17 and heat 2 15) and 4th highest points scorer of nine drivers. Final (from grades over 8 laps) -
2nd (20) to add 5 points chart points. I scored a total of 37 points chart and Gold Top Qualifying points. I finished
3rd in the Slotstox Arena Gold Top Qualifying points with 257 points. 5th November - Arena points chart round 31 at
'Comrades' - heats 31 points (heat 1 20 and heat 2 11) and 2nd highest points scorer of seven drivers - 1 point behind 1st.
Final (from grades over 8 laps) - 3rd (14) to add 4 points chart points. I scored a total of 35 points chart points.
On 8th
November, I raced at the Ron Ellis Memorial meeting at the Foxhall Foxes Slotstox Club on the five
lane straight chicane track. Ron was a driver I’d raced against in the 1980’s.
My intention, along with several other drivers – both current and returning, was to compete with a retro Slotstox and
I prepared my 1989 Foxhall Novice Championship Slotstox for action – this included having the engines fixed which were
only delivered at 8.15pm the previous evening before driving up to Suffolk straight after ready for the following day!
Unfortunately this plan only last two races – a snapped bumper in practice was repaired but my Slotstox sustained too
much damage taking a couple of big heats in the first two races and a trip over the fence onto the floor! Although it was
intended to have separate heats for the retro and current Slotstox this did not happen due to those with each type
not being noted when drivers booked in! I then switched to my current spare Slotstox that I normally race at Arena ‘St
Mary’s’ and one 3rd place finish resulted in 3 points for heat 1. I then switched to my main Slotstox, thinking
that if I couldn’t race a retro Slotstox in memory of Ron then I’d try to win the meeting in his memory instead.
I scored 22 points in heat 2 and 19 points in heat 3 for a total of 44 points and 4th highest point scorer of 30 drivers.
With time pressing on and this not being a normal meeting the top six competed straight in a final. I was never really
in contention and ended the final more concerned that an old time driver that raced with Ron should win the final (which ended
up being the case) and finished 5th with 7 points. All in all it was a great occasion in memory of Ron –
in addition to those racing several other former members returned to spectate.
12th November - Arena points chart round 32 at 'St Mary's' - with green lane not working
heats were over 5 races scored 6 for 1st, 5 for 2nd etc. rather than 5 for 1st, 4 for 2nd etc. to ensure a heat maximum remained
as 30 points. Heats 13 points with only 3 finishes (heat 1 9 - one 2nd and one 3rd and heat 2 4 - 1 3rd) and 4th
highest points scorer of six drivers. Final (from grades over 8 laps) - 2nd (11 - although that was only 2 finishes
- 1 1st and 1 2nd) to add 5 points chart points. I scored a total of 18 points chart points.
During the eighth points chart cycle I scored a total of 119 points
and had the sixth highest average of 29.8 points - I would have been blue grade had I not been defending Gold/Silver top.
With the highest three out of four meetings counting to the points - I remained 2nd in the Slotstox Arena Points Championship
with 879 points.
19th November - at 'Comrades' -
Arena Gold Top Championship Final. I qualified 3rd of the six drivers who drew their starting lane in qualifying order. I
started the defence of this championship in the White lane (lane 4) with drivers having two races in each lane over 10 laps
all starting from the yellow grade line. It started well as I won my first race in white lane and 2nd in my second race in
white lane (the same results I’d managed in my first two races in 2012 – although they were in blue lane), two
4th’s in black lane, a non-finish in my first race in green lane and 1 point from my second race in green lane, the
only finisher to win both my races in blue lane, followed by two 3rd place finishes in yellow lane, 2nd in my first race in
red lane was followed by a non-finish in my second race in red lane. At the end of the final I had scored 34 points and finished
2nd to concede the Gold Top championship. 1st scored 38 meaning that 1st and
2nd scored the same points as in 2012 – just a shame I had the 34 this time!
A review of the scores after the final showed that I was always in with a chance (particularly after my two wins in
blue lane closed me to within 1 point of 1st) but my non-finish in the final race had proven crucial – 1st also non-finished
and had I won this race I’d have defended the Gold Top but that’s racing!
26th
November - Arena points chart round 33 at 'Comrades' - heats 37 points (heat 1 21 and
heat 2 16) and 2nd highest points scorer of seven drivers. Final (all drivers starting from yellow grade over
8 laps) - 3rd (13 - 4th scored 12) to add 4 points chart points. I scored a total of 41 points chart points. I
missed the 34th and final points round at 'Comrades' on 3rd December (the meeting on 10th December at 'St Mary's' was
meant to be the final round but ended up being Parmastox only...I missed it anyway due to work commitments!).
During the ninth and final points chart cycle (2 of 2 meetings counting although I missed one) I scored
a total of 41 points and had the third highest average of 41 points and would start the 2014 season in red grade.
I finished as runner-up in the Slotstox Arena Points Championship
with a total of 920 points. The official points chart
being based on 3 out of 4 meeting cycles counting to the points chart (except the final points cycle where both
meetings counted). Based on total points I was also the 2nd highest points scorer
(1040 points from 30 meetings) with the third highest season average of 34.7 points.
The total points were also used to determine informal track championship points charts for each of ‘Comrades’
and ‘St Mary’s’. I finished runner-up in the ‘Comrades’
track championship (838 from 22 of 26 meetings) by 1 point with the fourth highest average of 38.1 points and finished 4th
in the ‘St Mary’s’ track championship (202 from all 8 meetings) with the 7th highest average of 25.3 points.
I also won seven finals during the season all at ‘Comrades’.
Having not retained the Arena Gold Top Championship on 19th November and remaining the Arena Points Champion
until the end of the season, I painted my roof all Silver ahead of the Slotstox World Championship hosted by
the Foxhall Foxes Slotstox Club on 8th December - the first time I'd raced a Slotstox with a full Silver roof! Representing
Arena, the meeting did not go well and in my first two heats I finished only five of twelve races including un-characteristically
crashing myself in several races (particularly heat 2) and scored points in only four of those: 3 points in my first heat
(5th in lane 2 and 4th in lane 5 plus a non-scoring 6th in lane 6 having started in lane 3) and 5 points in my second heat
(3rd in lane 2 and 4th in lane 5 having started in lane 1). The third heat went better finishing all six races
in the points and a total of 15 points (my only win of the day in lane 3, 4th in lane 4, 5th in lane 5, 4th
in lane 6, 4th in lane 1 and 3rd in lane 2) but it was too little too late and with 23 points I failed to qualify
for the quarter-finals finishing 26th of 36 drivers with the 24th and final qualifier for the quarter-finals scoring 27 points.
Parmastox
I missed the non-points season opening meeting at the Arena Slotstox
'St Mary's Club on 12th February.
19th February - Arena points chart round 1 at the Arena Slotstox 'Comrades'
Club - heat 1 joint 3rd with the same record as one other driver of six drivers (12) and final 2nd of six drivers (26 - although
I was doing well in several races before being delayed or stopped by de-slotted Parmastox) - 10 (heat 3 + final 7) points
chart points. 5th March - points chart round 2 and Gold Top Qualifying round 1 at 'Comrades' - heat 1 1st of five drivers
(47 including only 2 wins but finishing all races with 7 2nds and 3 3rds), heat 2 4th of five drivers (21 - over only 10 races
as the second races in two lanes were missed in error!) and final 4th of seven drivers (27) - 10 (best heat 5 + final 5) points
chart and Gold Top Qualifying points. 12th March - points chart round 3 at 'Comrades' with heats 1 race per lane - heat
1 3rd of six drivers (16 but very close with 2nd also scoring 16 but having 1 race win compared with my none and 1st scoring
17), heat 2 4th of six drivers (12) and final 1st of six drivers (32 - it all came together on the night when it mattered
most!) - 11 (best heat 3 + final 8) points chart points.
During
the first 3 rounds I was 2nd highest points scorer with 32 points, the 2nd highest average of 10.7
points and remained red grade.
On 23rd March, I raced at Metal Mania #2 at the Wellgate Slotstox Club
which doubled up as the first round of four (the others being at Arena, Wisbech and Pinewood) in the 2013 Parmastox English
Championship and with 30 drivers in attendance. All heats that I competed in were two races per lane (four-lane track) over
8 laps and the meeting featured marshalling to Wellgate rules. The finishing positions in the qualifying heats decided
the best seven drivers that would qualify directly to the semi-finals. The next best 15 would race in three consolations
with the winner of each also qualifying for the semi-finals. Heat 1 3rd of five drivers (23) and heat 2 2nd of five
drivers (19 - same points as 3rd but I had 2 races wins to their 1 and 4th scored 18). This was not enough to qualify
for the semi-finals but it was to qualify for one of the consolations in which I enjoyed a bit too much crashing and finished
3rd of five drivers (17) and was eliminated. By not finishing in the top 12 at this meeting I scored 5 points towards
the 2013 Parmastox English Championship series and was joint 13th with the other 18 drivers of the 30 in attendance.
At the end of the main meeting those drivers that didn't qualify for the event final raced in a series of five Grand Nationals
- in my Grand National 1st, despite one big launch on a fellow driver in the final race which saw my Parmastox end up burried
in the fence, of five drivers (24 - 2nd scored 23) and scored a maximum 6 points to go joint top towards the 2013 Parmastox
English Grand National Championship series with the five other drivers that had won a Grand National.
26th March
- points chart round 4 at 'St Mary's' with heats and final 1 race per lane - heat 1 2nd of four
drivers (17), heat 2 1st of four drivers (18) and final 4th of six drivers (4 - a real crashfest
with only four of the six drivers finishing a race and no driver finishing more than 1 race - 1st, 2nd and 3rd each
scored 5 from one race win each whilst 5th and 6th scored 0 - getting hooked up with another crashed car when on the inside
lane during the final race knowing that just a finish would have been enough to win the final summed up my nights luck!) -
10 (best heat 5 + final 5) points chart points. 2nd April - points chart round 5 and Gold Top Qualifying round 2 at
'Comrades' with heats one race per lane - heat 1 3rd of six drivers (10), heat 2 1st of six drivers (16) and final (2 races
per lane) 1st of six drivers (41) - maximum 13 (best heat 5 + final 8) points chart and Gold Top Qualifying points.
Also another 'Comrades' Slotstox and Parmastox same night final win double! 9th April - points chart round 6 at 'Comrades'
with heats and consolation one race per lane - heat 1 5th= of six drivers (0), heat 2 5th of six drivers (8) and consolation
2nd of four drivers (14) - a disappointing night when for one reason or another I struggled to finish races - 5 (best heat
1 + consolation 4) points chart points.
During the 4th to
7th rounds (I missed round 7 at 'Comrades' on 16th April due to illness) I was 5th highest points
scorer with 28 points, the 5th highest average of 9.3 points and was down to blue grade. Following
7 rounds I was 3rd in the Parmastox Arena Points Championship chart with 60 points with the second
highest season average of 10.0 points.
23rd April - points chart round 8 at 'St Mary's' with heat and consolation
one race per lane - heat 1 3rd of four drivers (8), consolation 2nd (top 2 qualifying for the final) of four drivers (14 -
same points as 1st but they had 2 races wins and I had 1) and final 5th of six drivers (12 - 4th scored 13 and 3rd 15) - 8
(best heat/consolation 4 + final 4) points chart points. 7th May - points chart round 10 at 'Comrades' borrowing a Parmastox
and with heat and final two races per lane - heat 1 1st of six drivers (44), heat 2 3rd of six drivers (28) and final 1st
of six drivers (42) - maximum 13 (best heat 5 + final 8) points chart points. 14th May - points chart round 11 at 'Comrades'
borrowing a Parmastox and with heat and final two races per lane - heat 1 1st of six drivers (33), heat 2 2nd of five drivers
(24) and final 4th of six drivers (19) - 10 (best heat 5 + final 5) points chart points.
During the 8th to 11th rounds (I missed round 9 at 'Comrades' on 30th April due to
holiday) I was joint 3rd highest points scorer with 31 points, the joint 3rd highest average of 10.3 points
and was back up to red grade. Following 11 rounds I was 3rd in the Parmastox Arena Points Championship chart with 91
points with the second highest season average of 10.1 points. Round 9 was also Gold Top Qualifying round 3 and I was
4th in the Parmastox Arena Gold Top Qualifying points with 23 points.
21st May - points chart round 12 at 'St
Mary's' with heats and final two races per lane - heat 1 2nd of four drivers (31), heat 2 2nd of
four drivers (31) and final 4th of six drivers (14 - 3rd scored 14) - 9 (best heat 4 + final 5)
points chart points.
On 25th May, I raced at the Hertfordshire ‘Open’ Championship which doubled
up as the second round (of four) in the 2013 Parmastox English Championship with 31 drivers in attendance.
All heats that I competed in were two races per lane over 8 laps. The finishing positions in the qualifying heats decided
the best eight drivers that would qualify directly to the semi-finals. The remaining 23 would race in four consolations with
the winner of each also qualifying for the semi-finals. Heat 1 1st of six drivers (42) and heat 2 1st of six drivers (38 –
close as 2nd scored 36 and third scored 35). This was enough to qualify directly to the semi-finals with the top 3 in
each qualifying to the final. Semi-final 2nd of six drivers (37 – 1st scored 39) and I had qualified for my second
Hertfordshire ‘Open’ Championship final following finishing as runner-up in 2011 (although this time it was with
my own Parmastox whereas in 2011 I had borrowed a Parmastox). Final 3rd of six drivers (33 – same points as 2nd
but they had four wins to my two wins whilst 4th scored 32). By finishing 3rd I scored 17 points towards the 2013 Parmastox
English Championship series and was up to joint 6th with one other of the 38 drivers that had raced in the first 2 rounds
of the series (although it looked likely at this stage that I would miss the 4th and final (double points) round at Pinewood
on 16th November. Having qualified for the event final I did not race in the Grand Nationals and was down to joint 7th
with four other drivers in the 2013 Parmastox English Grand National Championship series – 31 drivers had scored Grand
National points in the first 2 rounds of the series.
28th May - points chart round 13 and Gold Top Qualifying round 4 at
'Comrades' debuting a new Parmastox built by Jack Branch complete with interchangeable 'tarmac' and 'shale' style aerofoils..this
meeting I was using the 'shale' version. Heats and final were two races per lane - heat 1 2nd of six drivers (32 and
getting used to my new Parmastox), heat 2 1st of six drivers (36) and final 1st of six drivers (37 - 2nd scored 36) - maximum
13 (best heat 5 + final 8) points chart and Gold Top Qualifying points. My second (of three rounds attended) maximum
at a Gold Top Qualifying round in 2013.
Following 13 rounds
I was 3rd in the Parmastox Arena Points Championship chart with 113 points and following 4 rounds
I was 3rd in the Parmastox Arena Gold Top Qualifying points with 36 points.
11th June - points chart round 15 at 'Comrades' again racing my new Parmastox. Heats
and final were two races per lane - heat 1 (using/blaming(!) 'tarmac' wing) 5th of five drivers (11),
consolation (using 'shale' wing so psychologically happier) 2nd of six drivers with top 2 qualifying for the final (32) and
final (using 'tarmac' wing thinking and proving it should really made no difference) 1st of six drivers (32 - 2nd scored 31)
- 12 (best heat/consolation 4 + final 8) points chart points. 2 final wins out of 2 for my new Parmastox!
During the 12th to 15th rounds (even with missing round 14 at 'Comrades' on
4th June due to holiday) I was 3rd highest points scorer with 34 points, the 3rd highest average of 11.3 points and remained
red grade. Following 15 rounds (I'd raced at 12) I was 3rd in the Parmastox Arena Points Championship chart with 125 points
with the third highest season average of 10.4 points.
25th June - points chart round 16 and Gold Top Qualifying round 5 at
'Comrades' - using the 'shale' wing. Heat - 2nd of five drivers (34 - 1st scored 35) and final 4th of six drivers (31
- same as 3rd but they 5 races wins to my none and 2nd scored 32) and ending my run of final wins with my new Parmastox -
9 (heat 4 + final 5) points chart and Gold Top Qualifying points. 2nd July - points chart round 17 at 'Comrades'.
Heat 1 (tarmac wing) 4th of six drivers (18 - 5th also scored 18 but I had 3 race wins compared to their none), heat 2 (shale
wing) - 1st of six drivers (28 - 2nd scored 27) and final 3rd of six drivers (22 - 4th scored 21) - 11 (best heat 5 + final
6) points chart points. 9th July - points chart round 18 at 'Comrades' (all shale wing). Heat 1 3rd of six drivers
(24 - 2nd scored 25), heat 2 1st of six drivers (30) and final 5th of six drivers (16) - 9 (best heat 5 + final 4) points
chart points. 16th July - points chart round 19 at 'Comrades' (all tarmac wing but having no luck and my Parmastox seemingly
falling off by its own accord at times!). Heat 1 - 5th of six drivers (14 - 6th scored 13) and heat 2 - 5th of six drivers
(again 14) and I failed to qualify for the final - 2 (1+1) points chart points.
During the 16th to 19th rounds I was joint 4th highest points scorer with 31 points, the
joint 5th highest average of 7.8 points and was down to blue grade. Following 19 rounds (I'd raced at
16) I was down to 4th in the Parmastox Arena Points Championship chart with 156 points with the joint third highest season
average of 9.8 points. I was 2nd in the Parmastox Arena Gold Top Qualifying points with 45 points.
23rd July
- points chart round 20 and Gold Top Qualifying round 6 at 'St Mary's' - using the 'tarmac' wing
having had my new 'debut making at this venue' Parmastox worked on by a fellow driver since the
previous meeting - heat 1 5th of five drivers (17), heat 2 1st of five drivers (35 - 7 wins and 5 non-finishes)
and final - 3rd of seven drivers (23 - four wins in my final four races moving me up the places whilst 1st and 2nd each scored
25) - 11 (best heat 5 + final 6) points chart and Gold Top Qualifying points. I remained 2nd in the Parmastox Arena
Gold Top Qualifying points with 56 points. After a two week mini-summer break: 13th August - points chart round 21 at
'Comrades' - using the 'tarmac' wing - heat 1 1st of five drivers (34), heat 2 2nd of five drivers (21 - 3rd also scored 21
but I had 3 wins compared with their 2) and final - 3rd of six drivers (23) - 11 (best heat 5 + final 6) points chart points.
I was joint 3rd with one other driver in the Parmastox Arena Points Championship chart with 178 points. 20th August
- points chart round 22 and Gold Top Qualifying round 7 at 'St Mary's' with green lane not working heats consisted of 2
races per 5 lanes - heat 1 (tarmac wing) - 1st of four drivers (38 - I finished 8 races whilst the other three drivers
finished 3 between them!), heat 2 (giving my previous - now spare - Parmastox a run) - 4th of four drivers (21) and final
(shale wing) 4th of six drivers (9) - 10 (best heat 5 + final 5) points chart and Gold Top Qualifying points. I remained
2nd in the Parmastox Arena Gold Top Qualifying points with 66 points. 27th August - points chart round 23 at 'Comrades'
- heat 1 (shale wing) - 1st of six drivers (43), heat 2 (spare) - 1st of six drivers (33) and final (shale wing) - 3rd of
six drivers (24 - same as 2nd but they had 2 wins compared with my 1 win) - 11 (best heat 5 + final 6) points chart points.
During the 20th to 23rd rounds I was 2nd highest points scorer with
43 points, the 2nd highest average of 10.8 points and was back up to red grade. Following 23 rounds (I'd raced at 20) I was
up to 2nd in the Parmastox Arena Points Championship chart with 199 points - 1 point ahead of 3rd and 2 points ahead of 4th
- with the second highest season average of 10.0 points.
3rd September - points chart round 24 at 'Comrades' - heat 1 (tarmac
wing) - 1st of five drivers (44 - 2nd scored 23), heat 2 (spare) - 1st of four drivers (44 - 2nd scored 18) and final (tarmac
wing) 4th of six drivers (19 - 3rd scored 20 as I seemed to have used up any luck I had in the heats!) - 10 (best heat 5 +
final 5) points chart points. 10th September - points chart round 25 at 'Comrades' - heat 1 (shale wing) 1st of six
drivers (44 - 3rd heat in a row won with a score of 44!), heat 2 (spare) 1st of seven drivers (30) and final (shale wing)
4th of six drivers (17 - again seemingly used up any luck I had in the heats!) - 10 (best heat 5 + final 5) points chart points.
17th September - points chart round 26 at 'St Mary's' with green lane not working heats consisted of 2 races per
5 lanes - using shale wing and only time for 1 heat - 5th of six drivers (16) and final - 2nd of six drivers (23 - finally
having a bit of luck in a final - 1st scored 25) - 8 (heat 1 + final 7) points chart points. 24th September - points
chart round 27 and Gold Top Qualifying round 8 at 'Comrades' - heat 1 (tarmac) - 1st of six drivers (32 - 2nd scored 30 and
3rd 29), heat 2 (spare) - 1st of six drivers (31 - 2nd score 29 and 3rd 28) and final (tarmac) - 1st of six drivers (32 -
2nd scored 30) - maximum 13 (best heat 5 + final 8) points chart and Gold Top Qualifying points. I remained 2nd in the
Parmastox Arena Gold Top Qualifying points with 79 points.
On 28th September, I raced at the Wisbech Metal Slotstox Club (my first
time racing at Wisbech since the 2006 Slotstox World Championship) for the King of the Fens (Open) Championship which doubled
up as the third round (of four) in the 2013 Parmastox English Championship with 31 drivers in attendance. All heats that I
competed in were two races per lane over 8 laps. The finishing positions in the qualifying heats decided the best eight drivers
that would qualify directly to the semi-finals. The remaining 23 would race in four consolations with the winner of each also
qualifying for the semi-finals. I struggled in practice so much so that I was unsure whether to race my current Parmastox
or my spare Parmastox (I was even thinking of using my spare Parmastox on the three inside lanes and my current Parmastox
on the three outside lanes had this been allowed!) In the end I opted to race my current Parmastox with the shale wing...and
I'm glad I did! Heat 1 3rd of six drivers (31 - 2nd scored 32) and heat 2 1st of six drivers (54 – with only one
non-finish and that being my final race in the outside lane). Over the ten heats there had been eight separate heat winners
(including me) who each qualified directly to the semi-finals with the top 3 in each qualifying to the final. Semi-final 3rd
of six drivers (36 – settling for a 2nd place finish in my final race on the difficult inside lane when had I not finished
or the driver that won that race taken me out then they would have finished 3rd and I'd have finished 4th and been eliminated)
and I had qualified for the King of the Fens (Open) Championship final. Final with all drivers starting from the start
line - 1st of six drivers (42 - very close as 2nd and 3rd each scored 40) to become the 2013 Parmastox King of the Fens (Open)
Champion. By winning the final I scored the maximum 25 points towards the 2013 Parmastox English Championship series and was
up to 2nd of the 48 drivers that had raced in the first 3 rounds of the series with 47 points only 7 points behind 1st (although
it looked likely at this stage that I would miss the 4th and final (double points) round at Pinewood Raceway on 16th November.
The irony was perhaps that this meeting was originally scheduled to be the previous weekend to coincide with the Brisca F1
World Championship meeting nearby at Kings Lynn but was moved due to concerns over time - had it taken place on the original
date then I would have missed the meeting due to a family wedding! Having qualified for the event final I did not race
in the Grand Nationals and was down to joint 13 with five other drivers in the 2013 Parmastox English Grand National Championship
series with 6 points – 40 drivers had scored Grand National points in the first 3 rounds of the series.
Meeting report including the headline 'Mark Banham crowned King of
the Fens' plus four photos (three including my Parmastox and one of me being presented with the 1st place trophy) featured
in the January/February edition of Slot magazine.
1st October - points chart round 28 at 'Comrades' (shale wing) - heat
1 - 2nd of six drivers (30), heat 2 - 2nd of five drivers (38) and final 1st of six drivers (37) - 12 (best heat 4 + final
8) points chart points.
I remained 2nd in the Parmastox
Arena Points Championship chart with 252 points - 5 points ahead of 3rd - with the second highest
season average of 10.1 points and remained red grade.
Meeting 8th October cancelled due to driver illnesses. 15th October
- points chart round 29 at 'St Mary's' with green lane not working heats consisted of 2 races per 5 lanes - heat
1 (tarmac) - 1st of six drivers (19), heat 2 (spare) - 4th of six drivers (13 - mainly trying but not always succeeding in
trying to de-slot the driver 3rd in the points chart!) and final (tarmac) 3rd of six drivers (18) - 11 (best heat 5 + final
6) points chart points. 22nd October - points chart round 30 and 9th and final Gold Top Qualifying round at 'Comrades'
(shale) - heat 1 - 3rd of six drivers (26 - with only 1 non-finish by all drivers in the first 5 races and that was due to
their Parmastox stopping in lane with a technical problem rather than de-slotting...before I was the only finisher in race
6!), heat 2 - 2nd of six drivers (30) and final - 4th of six drivers (23 - as drivers finished in the order they qualified
for the final!) - 9 (best heat 4 + final 5) points chart and Gold Top Qualifying points. I finished 2nd in the Parmastox
Arena Gold Top Qualifying points with 88 points. 5th November - points chart round 31 at 'Comrades' - heat 1 (shale)
- 1st of five drivers (42 and high scoring as 2nd scored 39 and 3rd 35 - a non-finish by 2nd in the final race helped me to
the win), heat 2 (spare) - 3rd of four drivers (20) and final (shale) - 2nd of six drivers (28) - 12 (best heat 5 + final
7) points chart points.
During
the 28th to 31st rounds I was highest points scorer with 44 points, the 3rd highest average
of 11.0 points and remained red grade. Following 31 rounds (I'd raced at 28) I was 2nd in the
Parmastox Arena Points Championship chart with 284 points with the second highest season average of 10.1 points.
12th November
- points chart round 32 at 'St Mary's' with green lane not working heats consisted of 2
races per 5 lanes (tarmac) - heat 1 - 3rd of six drivers (14 - 4th scored 13), heat 2 - 6th of six drivers
(7 - 5th scored 8) and final 4th of six drivers (16) - 8 (best heat 3 + final 5) points chart points.
I missed the 4th and final double points round of the 2013 Parmastox English Championship
Series at Pinewood Raceway on 16th November due to my mother-in-laws 60th birthday! Prior to this I was 2nd overall helped by my 3rd place at round 2 (Arena on
25th May) and my win in round 3 (Wisbech on 28th September). With
the final round being double points I inevitably slipped down the order but it was still some achievement to finish 8th of
the 51 drivers that had raced in the series - had the final round not been double points I’d have finished 4th and had
the final round not been double points and drivers best 3 out of 4 meetings counted then I'd have finished 2nd...a case of
if, but and maybe! Having qualified for the final at rounds 2 and 3 my only
points in the Parmastox English Grand National Championship series were 6 points from winning my Grand National at round 1
(Wellgate on 23rd March) to finish joint 23rd with four other drivers – 44 drivers scored Grand National points
during the series.
