Superstox

A typical Spedeworth Superstox, built by Carcraft.

Superstox is a type of single seat formula racing, similar to Sprint car racing developed in the 1960s in the United Kingdom. Racing is 'contact' whereby drivers can use the front bumper to help dislodge any car in front. Like most other forms of short oval racing, the higher rated drivers normally start at the back of the grid for each race.[1]

Its original roots come from the mid-1950s, it derived as a cheaper alternative to BriSCA Formula One Stock Car Racing, where a smaller junior formula was raced nationally before the Southern 'Spedeworth' short oval tracks broke away from the main promoting body in 1961 to run their own version of Juniors which they called Formula Two. The cars were originally standard or 'stock' but became more modified over the years until 1968 when a new 'stock' car formula was introduced and the original much modified class became known as Super Stock Cars. This was later shortened to Superstox. Today the class bears no resemblance to a road going car. Chassis are generally built by specialist companies and all the components are special racing ones. The cars are all of front engine design although rear engine was allowed up until the mid-1970s.

Previous famous drivers include 1973 World Champion Derek Warwick and British Champion, Paul Warwick.[2]

World Championship

First raced at Ipswich in 1961 before moving to its longtime home at Wimbledon stadium. The 1962 World Championship was actually the first car meeting held at Wimbledon. The race originally was a World title in name only although it was an English domiciled Czech, Jan Scott, who won the first running. Later in the sixties the event attracted Spedeworth's Scottish drivers and then the European competitors (the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium) from the NACO organisation. The first European cars to race in the UK were different specifications to the UK counterparts - the 1966 Dutch team having V8 powered saloon cars. A stronger affiliation in the early 1970s saw the European drivers racing rear engine cars although this type of machine proved less robust than a "Super Stock Car" and they become Midgets (non contact short oval racing cars) leaving the newer front engine cars that were appearing on the continent as Superstox. The Superstox formula remained essentially a European one until the appearance of some South African drivers in the late 1960s when Spedeworth gained an affiliation there. The South Africans only contested the championship until the mid 1970s as there was no longer an equivalent class there. One American driver, Al Contreras, represented the USA in the early 70s but he, like the inaugural champion, Scott was serving as an airman in this country at the time. The Scottish Superstox died out in the 1980s when Gordon McDougall started his own promotion, breaking away from Spedeworth and affiliating to BriSCA. The Scottish were represented in the title again in 2011 when the class started up again north of the border.

Year Venue Winner Runner Up Third Place
2014 Wimbledon England 376 Steven Jackson
2013 Lochgelly England 376 Steven Jackson Scotland 177 Stuart Gilchrist England 482 Jason Cooper
2012 Ipswich Scotland 177 Stuart Gilchrist
2011 Wimbledon England 151 Nick Smith
2010 Wimbledon England 51 Colin Aylward
2009 Wimbledon England 60 Ben Marjoram
2008 Ipswich England 482 Jason Cooper England 69 Shaun Brooker England 51 Colin Aylward
2007 Wimbledon England69 Shaun Brooker England 376 Steven Jackson England 482 Jason Cooper
2005 Wimbledon England 482 Jason Cooper
2004 Swaffham England 174 Paul Poulter
2003 Wimbledon England 22 Mark Kelman
2002 Swaffham England 612 Garry Sparkes
2001 Ipswich 18 Mark Eaton England 22 Mark Kelman England 69 Shaun Brooker
2000 Wimbledon England 323 Dave Turner
1999 Ipswich England 612 Garry Sparkes
1998 Wimbledon England 612 Garry Sparkes
1997 Ipswich England 77 Tony Roots Netherlands John Damen England 118 David Mason
1996 Arena Essex England 7 Glenn Salmon England 118 David Mason
1995 Wimbledon England 7 Glenn Salmon England 118 David Mason
1994 Warneton Netherlands 212 Luud Lauriejssen
1993 Wimbledon England 612 Garry Sparkes England 69 Shaun Brooker England Dave Turner
1992 Ballymena Northern Ireland 32 Ian McKnight
1991 Venray England 88 Darren Innocent
1990 Wisbech England 4 John Mickel
1989 Wisbech England 612 Garry Sparkes England 170 Howard White England 4 John Mickel
1988 Arlington England 54 Martyn Brand England 397 Paul Pearson England 170 Howard White
1987 Kaldenkirchen England 54 Martyn Brand Netherlands 16 Ad van Besouw England 482 Neil Bee
1986 Wisbech England 482 Neil Bee England 206 Robin Randall England 170 Howard White
1985 Cowdenbeath Scotland 94 Vic Russell Scotland 84 Robin Brown Scotland Dave Moir
1984 Tilburg Netherlands 4 Antony van den Oetelaar Netherlands 41 Jo van Rengs England 206 Robin Randall
1983 Cleethorpes Netherlands 4 Antony van den Oetelaar Netherlands 41 Jo van Rengs Scotland 39 Les Clark
1982 Cleethorpes England 482 Neil Bee England 546 John Gray England 17 Roy Eaton
1981 Kaldenkirchen England 482 Neil Bee England 320 Dave Pierce England 397 Paul Pearson
1980 Cowdenbeath England 320 Dave Pierce 41 Gordon McDougall England 206 Robin Randall
1979 Yarmouth England 298 Jim Welch England 320 Dave Pierce England 211 Howard Cole
1978 Kaldenkirchen Scotland 41 Gordon McDougall England 211 Howard Cole England 482 Neil Bee
1977 Wimbledon England 298 Jim Welch England 380 Alan Cayzer Scotland 55 Bob Morton
1976 Cowdenbeath Scotland 41 Gordon McDougall Scotland 81 Bill Pullar England 482 Neil Bee
1975 Kaldenkirchen England 482 Neil Bee England 546 John Gray England 217 Bob Perry
1974 Wimbledon England 443 Steve Monk England 320 Dave Pierce England 221 Derek Warwick
1973 Wimbledon England 221 Derek Warwick England 320 Dave Pierce England 364 Tony May
1972 Wimbledon England 294 Geoff Goddard England 264 Pete Welland England 381 John Cayzer
1971 Wimbledon England 294 Geoff Goddard England 320 Dave Pierce England 417 Roger Warnes
1970 Wimbledon England 530 Biffo Sweeney England 213 Doug McMahon England 264 Pete Welland
1969 Wimbledon England 500 Alan Wardropper England 213 Doug McMahon England 217 Bob Perry
1968 Wimbledon England 320 Dave Pierce England 319 Denny Pearson England 304 Derek Fiske
1967 Wimbledon England 531 Todd Sweeney England 320 Dave Pierce England 463 Dell Sticking
1966 Wimbledon England 2 Stan Ingle England 68 Trevor Frost England 320 Dave Pierce
1965 Wimbledon England 210 Eddie James England 399 Chris Studd England 307 Norman Crowe
1964 Wimbledon England 210 Eddie James England 70 Aubrey Dance England 17 Tony Maidment
1963 Wimbledon England 17 Tony Maidment England Chris Cutting England Dave Crittall
1962 Wimbledon England 2 Stan Ingle Czechoslovakia 95 Jan Scott England Ken Wade
1961 Ipswich Czechoslovakia 95 Jan Scott England 17 Tony Maidment England Pete Godsmark

European Championship

Second to the World Championship in status of the races held for this formula, the European was, in the early seasons, the highest status race to be staged outside of the Spedeworth promotion's home circuits. The European Championship has a remarkable history with its first runnings at Baarlo in the Netherlands.

Year Venue Winner Runner Up Third Place
2011 Ipswich England Shaun Brooker
2010 Wimbledon England Ben Marjoram
2009 Ipswich England Matt Carberry
2008 Wimbledon England Jason Cooper
2007 Ipswich England Garry Sparkes
2006 Swaffham England Jason Cooper
2005 Ipswich England Ben Marjoram
2004 Warneton England Mark Kelman England Paul Poulter England Kevin Ferris
2003 Warneton England Mark Kelman
2001 Wimbledon England Mark Eaton
2000 Ipswich England Dave Turner
1999 Warneton Netherlands Ad Mellisant
1998 Warneton England Geoff Bridges
1997 Warneton England Tony Roots
1996 Wimbledon England Garry Sparkes
1995 Arena England Garry Sparkes
1994 Wimbledon England Paul Poulter England Tony Roots England Steve Collison
1993 Netherlands England Shaun Brooker
1992 Venray England John Mickel
1991 Wisbech England Darren Innocent
1990 Tilburg England John Mickel
1989 Tilburg England Garry Sparkes England Rob Perry England Howard White
1988 Tilburg England Martyn Brand
1987 Arlington England Roy Eaton England Rob Perry England Gerry Cooper
1986 Tilburg Netherlands Jo van Rengs
1985 Tilburg England Robin Randall England Howard Cole England Martyn Brand
1984 Cowdenbeath Scotland Les Clark Scotland Robin Brown Scotland John Adam
1983 England Dave Pierce
1982 Cowdenbeath England Dave Pierce England Neil Bee Scotland Les Clark
1981 Ballymena England Dave Pierce England Neil Bee Northern Ireland Ian Murdoch
1980 Ploegsteert England Dave Pierce England Martyn Brand Netherlands Antony van den Oetelaar
1979 Kaldenkirchen England Dave Pierce Scotland Bill Pullar Netherlands Antony van den Oetelaar
1978 Scotland Bill Pullar
1977 not run
1976 Posterholt England Steve Monk England Mark Eaton England Alan Cayzer
1975 England John Cayzer England Neil Bee England Doug McMahon
1973 Tilburg England Tony May Scotland Ronnie Nisbet England Dave Pierce
1971 Ipswich England Bob Perry England Dave Pierce England Tony May
1970 Cowdenbeath Scotland Malcolm Paterson England Derek Fiske England Biffo Sweeney
1969 not run?
1968 Amsterdam England Tony May England Alan Freebody England Trevor Frost
1967 Hengelo England Tony May England Trevor Frost Czechoslovakia Jan Scott
1966 Baarlo Netherlands Theo Jansen
1965 Baarlo Netherlands Adrian Kleyngeld

1966 National Team League

Spedeworth set up a National Team League comprising six teams based at seven stadia. The first match took place at Aldershot on 21 May 1966 when the Knights beat the visiting Ipswich team.

Aldershot Knights

Managed by Frank Howlett

Eastbourne Eagles

Managed by Charlie Dugard.

Ipswich Witches

Managed by Pop Perry

London Sparrows

The team's home fixtures were shared between Wimbledon and New Cross Stadia

Yarmouth Bloaters

Managed by Ted Payne

Chichester

The team that never was. The team is referred to in texts from the period with top driver Don Mason mentioned as a driver. The team would most likely have used either Aldershot or Eastbourne as its base but no fixtures were contested by the team.

1971 & 1972 Auto Spedeway Team League

The Auto Spedeway team league[3] was set up by Stock Car promoter Spedeworth International for the 1971 season. The competition only lasted just under two years. The racing featured the promotion's regular Superstox cars with identical bodies although underneath the chassis often varied. The body style was based on the those sported by the touring South African Team in the 1970 season.

The prototype car was displayed on Spedeworth's stand at the 1971 Racing Car Show. The season was structured so that all the teams had two matches against each other, one home and one away. Outside the League competition there were also a couple of multi-team tournament meetings.

The 1972 fixture schedule was not completed due to some driving standards problems and also the closure of Cross in Hand raceway in August that year. Each team was managed by a key person from the within the Spedeworth organisation and the team line ups included most of the top drivers from the era. Despite the closure of Cross in Hand, Spedeworth later staged two friendly matches (in 1972 and 1973) at Aldershot between the Aldershot Knights and the Cross in Hand Tigers.

Aldershot Knights

Team Manager: Ted Weaver
Drivers: Denny Pearson (captain), Derry Warwick, Roy Wood, Stan Warwick, Ken Etwell, John Field
The Knights were based at Aldershot Stadium in Tongham.

Cross in Hand Tigers

Team Manager: Les Eaton
Drivers: Dave Pierce (captain), Dave Hindle, Alan Cox, Biffo Sweeney, Art Fowler, Gordon Street.

The Tigers were based at Cross-in-Hand stadium in Sussex

Eastbourne Lions

Team Manager: Ken Denham
Drivers: Chris Denham, Barry Kelleher, Rod Waller, Jim Stuart, Nigel Fox, Graham Minchin
The Lions joined the league in 1972 and were based at Arlington Stadium, near Eastbourne.

Ipswich Foxes

Team Manager: Harry Barnes
Drivers: Skid Parish (captain), Tony Grant, Norman Crowe, Mike Read, John Biddle, Alan Cayzer. Reserve: Paul Rookyard

Ringwood Badgers

Team Manager: Alan Butler
Drivers: John Edwards (Captain), Tom Edwards, Cliff Maidment, Gordon Maidment, Derek Warwick, Roy Eaton
The Badgers joined the league in 1972 and were based at Matchams Park although they only ever hosted one home match (due to the demise of the league mid season) which was against the Wimbledon Dons.

Walthamstow (formerly White City) Lions

Team Manager: Roger Fennings
Drivers: 1971: Chris Denham (captain), Barry Kelleher, Jack Percy, Rod Waller, Jim Stuart, Les Holland. Occasional - Leon Smith The team was originally going to be called the 'White City Slickers'. Neither White City nor Walthamstow were allocated a team for the 1972 season, the driver line up transferred to Eastbourne (Arlington Stadium) for the 1972 campaign.

Wimbledon Canaries / Dons

Team Manager: Reg Etherington
Drivers: 1971: Eric Taylor, Bryan Kensett (Captain), Tony Mellish, Frank Boyles, John Field, Keith Fransella
1972: Jim Davey (Captain), Frank Boyles, Barry Plummer, Pete Welland, Bryan Kensett, Steve Monk, Keith Fransella, Reserve: Eric Taylor
Based at the Wimbledon Stadium in Plough Lane, the team were originally known as the Canaries but changed their name to the Dons for the 1972 season.

Wisbech Fen Tigers

Team Manager: Jack Gray

Drivers: Roger Warnes (captain), John Gray, Rick Drewery, Tony May (1972), Stu Blyth, Jack Savage. Reserves: Trevor Blyth, Malcolm Burrell

The Fen Tigers were the inaugural champions in 1971.

Yarmouth Greyhounds

Team Manager: Ted Payne
Drivers: 1971: Joe Cracknell, Horry Barnes, Colin Byrne, Trevor Blyth, Alan Taylor, Doug McMahon
1972: Doug McMahon (captain), Alan Taylor, Bob Perry, Brian Randall, Pete Marshall, Doug Wardropper

Corgi Toys

Toy manufacturer Corgi produced and sold die-cast models of two major championship winning cars in their 'Corgi Rockets' range. The cars were those of four times British Champion Derek Fiske and 1967 World Champion Adrian 'Todd' Sweeney. These were a good choice to represent the formula as Sweeney's car still had a cut down stock body (from a Renault 4CV) whilst Fiske's was one of the newer home made cabs not derived from a road car.

The cars were sold individually and in varying sets which also included tow cars, trailer and a Jaguar Pace Car. The cars were launched in the 1970 season. The Todd Sweeney shell was later re-used by Corgi as a generic silver liveried "Superstock" car.

References

  1. Superstox and Stock Cars, the Golden Years - ISBN 978-0752436098
  2. Backtrack, the Golden Years of Oval Racing - ISBN 978-0752440804
  3. Spedeworth book, "Living with Spede"

External links

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