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	376 Steven Jackson
2013	Lochgelly	376 Steven Jackson	177 Stuart Gilchrist	482 Jason Cooper
2012	Ipswich	177 Stuart Gilchrist
2011	Wimbledon	151 Nick Smith
2010	Wimbledon	51 Colin Aylward
2009	Wimbledon	60 Ben Marjoram
2008	Ipswich	482 Jason Cooper	69 Shaun Brooker	51 Colin Aylward
2007	Wimbledon	69 Shaun Brooker	376 Steven Jackson	482 Jason Cooper
2005	Wimbledon	482 Jason Cooper
2004	Swaffham	174 Paul Poulter
2003	Wimbledon	22 Mark Kelman
2002	Swaffham	612 Garry Sparkes
2001	Ipswich	18 Mark Eaton	22 Mark Kelman	69 Shaun Brooker
2000	Wimbledon	323 Dave Turner
1999	Ipswich	612 Garry Sparkes
1998	Wimbledon	612 Garry Sparkes
1997	Ipswich	77 Tony Roots	John Damen	118 David Mason
1996	Arena Essex	7 Glenn Salmon	118 David Mason
1995	Wimbledon	7 Glenn Salmon	118 David Mason
1994	Warneton	212 Luud Lauriejssen
1993	Wimbledon	612 Garry Sparkes	69 Shaun Brooker	Dave Turner
1992	Ballymena	32 Ian McKnight
1991	Venray	88 Darren Innocent
1990	Wisbech	4 John Mickel
1989	Wisbech	612 Garry Sparkes	170 Howard White	4 John Mickel
1988	Arlington	54 Martyn Brand	397 Paul Pearson	170 Howard White
1987	Kaldenkirchen	54 Martyn Brand	16 Ad van Besouw	482 Neil Bee
1986	Wisbech	482 Neil Bee	206 Robin Randall	170 Howard White
1985	Cowdenbeath	94 Vic Russell	84 Robin Brown	Dave Moir
1984	Tilburg	4 Antony van den Oetelaar	41 Jo van Rengs	206 Robin Randall
1983	Cleethorpes	4 Antony van den Oetelaar	41 Jo van Rengs	39 Les Clark
1982	Cleethorpes	482 Neil Bee	546 John Gray	17 Roy Eaton
1981	Kaldenkirchen	482 Neil Bee	320 Dave Pierce	397 Paul Pearson
1980	Cowdenbeath	320 Dave Pierce	41 Gordon McDougall	206 Robin Randall
1979	Yarmouth	298 Jim Welch	320 Dave Pierce	211 Howard Cole
1978	Kaldenkirchen	41 Gordon McDougall	211 Howard Cole	482 Neil Bee
1977	Wimbledon	298 Jim Welch	380 Alan Cayzer	55 Bob Morton
1976	Cowdenbeath	41 Gordon McDougall	81 Bill Pullar	482 Neil Bee
1975	Kaldenkirchen	482 Neil Bee	546 John Gray	217 Bob Perry
1974	Wimbledon	443 Steve Monk	320 Dave Pierce	221 Derek Warwick
1973	Wimbledon	221 Derek Warwick	320 Dave Pierce	364 Tony May
1972	Wimbledon	294 Geoff Goddard	264 Pete Welland	381 John Cayzer
1971	Wimbledon	294 Geoff Goddard	320 Dave Pierce	417 Roger Warnes
1970	Wimbledon	530 Biffo Sweeney	213 Doug McMahon	264 Pete Welland
1969	Wimbledon	500 Alan Wardropper	213 Doug McMahon	217 Bob Perry
1968	Wimbledon	320 Dave Pierce	319 Denny Pearson	304 Derek Fiske
1967	Wimbledon	531 Todd Sweeney	320 Dave Pierce	463 Dell Sticking
1966	Wimbledon	2 Stan Ingle	68 Trevor Frost	320 Dave Pierce
1965	Wimbledon	210 Eddie James	399 Chris Studd	307 Norman Crowe
1964	Wimbledon	210 Eddie James	70 Aubrey Dance	17 Tony Maidment
1963	Wimbledon	17 Tony Maidment	Chris Cutting	Dave Crittall
1962	Wimbledon	2 Stan Ingle	95 Jan Scott	Ken Wade
1961	Ipswich	95 Jan Scott	17 Tony Maidment	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	Shaun Brooker
2010	Wimbledon	Ben Marjoram
2009	Ipswich	Matt Carberry
2008	Wimbledon	Jason Cooper
2007	Ipswich	Garry Sparkes
2006	Swaffham	Jason Cooper
2005	Ipswich	Ben Marjoram
2004	Warneton	Mark Kelman	Paul Poulter	Kevin Ferris
2003	Warneton	Mark Kelman
2001	Wimbledon	Mark Eaton
2000	Ipswich	Dave Turner
1999	Warneton	Ad Mellisant
1998	Warneton	Geoff Bridges
1997	Warneton	Tony Roots
1996	Wimbledon	Garry Sparkes
1995	Arena	Garry Sparkes
1994	Wimbledon	Paul Poulter	Tony Roots	Steve Collison
1993	Netherlands	Shaun Brooker
1992	Venray	John Mickel
1991	Wisbech	Darren Innocent
1990	Tilburg	John Mickel
1989	Tilburg	Garry Sparkes	Rob Perry	Howard White
1988	Tilburg	Martyn Brand
1987	Arlington	Roy Eaton	Rob Perry	Gerry Cooper
1986	Tilburg	Jo van Rengs
1985	Tilburg	Robin Randall	Howard Cole	Martyn Brand
1984	Cowdenbeath	Les Clark	Robin Brown	John Adam
1983		Dave Pierce
1982	Cowdenbeath	Dave Pierce	Neil Bee	Les Clark
1981	Ballymena	Dave Pierce	Neil Bee	Ian Murdoch
1980	Ploegsteert	Dave Pierce	Martyn Brand	Antony van den Oetelaar
1979	Kaldenkirchen	Dave Pierce	Bill Pullar	Antony van den Oetelaar
1978		Bill Pullar
1977	not run
1976	Posterholt	Steve Monk	Mark Eaton	Alan Cayzer
1975		John Cayzer	Neil Bee	Doug McMahon
1973	Tilburg	Tony May	Ronnie Nisbet	Dave Pierce
1971	Ipswich	Bob Perry	Dave Pierce	Tony May
1970	Cowdenbeath	Malcolm Paterson	Derek Fiske	Biffo Sweeney
1969	not run?
1968	Amsterdam	Tony May	Alan Freebody	Trevor Frost
1967	Hengelo	Tony May	Trevor Frost	Jan Scott
1966	Baarlo	Theo Jansen
1965	Baarlo	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

• Superstox website