Skegness World Final 2018 album added.

Pictures from the world final meeting at Skegness from 15 September 2018 are now in the gallery. It wasn’t a classic race for the gold. The everlasting memory is being in the grandstand with the shallow tiering affording a sterling view of the back of the heads of the people in front. This limited the scope for taking photos. Also, not helping was the bunting placed round the lamp stands. This was an unnecessary decoration and blocked the line of sight down the back straight from the seats. Looking back, the number and quality of images from the meeting and the big race in particular are, for me, disappointing.

Anyway, to the Teng Tools sponsored World Championship race itself. Stuart Smith 390 took his second title after 25 laps round the Skegness Raceway. It was a flag to flag victory from pole uninterrupted by yellow flags or stoppages. This in recent years is somewhat unusual. It was also notable for the lack of a challenge for the lead. Early battling between the 2nd to 5th placemen allowed Stuart to leave the chasing pack some way behind.

Additional Updates.

Some decades before that 2018 Skegness world final I was at a meeting at the old Belle Vue in 1969 with a Kodak Instamatic holding a black and white film cassette.

The Harrison and Finnikin families attended the Skegness World Final in 2019 — Willie Harrison 2 and Charlie Finnikin 55

There aren’t many photos from that night, but there are some iconic cars and drivers available to view in a folder in the Belle Vue section. The last promoter at the stadium was Stu Bamforth, the 1976 world champion who began his promoting career with the revamping of Odsal Stadium in Bradford in 1977. A folder with a few images taken in that season from turn 2 leading onto what was then the back straight is now open. One of the favourites is the Batmobile of Harry Smith 219 exiting the track via one of the unique on-off ramps. Harry won the opening meeting final; his car superbly blending with the immaculate tarmac surface. To finish off for now there are a few odds and ends tucked in to the Northampton track collection.

Coming up.

Now well into my 2nd month of retirement and the available free evening time is allowing work on photos to crack on a pace. The King’s Lynn world final from 2015 is next on the cards. Also in the melting pot is an album for some of the larger oval racing at Rockingham in Northamptonshire.