Stock Car Racing Across the Pond
January saw us jumping for joy, as Tom Harris did us proud across the pond yet again. We attended the Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma to cheer Tom on – and we must have cheered pretty loud as he achieved a cracking result.
Up against some serious competition, January 12th saw Tom finish 2nd in the heat, then a commendable 6th place in the qualifying round – despite a drama-filled race which saw him encounter some pretty tough trouble with his steering wheel. He overcame the problems with some top-quality driving, going on to finish in 10th place in the B main, speeding across the finish line, complete with J Davidson logo looking brilliant and on brand. This was a huge improvement on his performance last year, so well done Tom – nicely done!
Stock Cars Closer to Home
The performance has got us revved up and ready – we’re counting down the days until 19th March, when the UK stock car season kicks off at King’s Lynn. We’ll be saying welcome back to the BriSCA F1, as well as the 2L Stock Cars and the National Ministox racing. We’re expecting to see a few familiar faces, and fingers crossed some new fans.
If you’re interested in stock car racing, but not sure where to start, read on and we’ll tell you a little more about what to expect from the BriSCA F1.
Stadium Racing – What’s It All About?
Of all the UK’s motor sports, short oval stadium racing is one of the most misunderstood. Anyone who thinks these guys are simply ‘driving round in circles’ couldn’t be more wrong – this implies the sport requires little skill and is boring to watch. In fact, it’s exactly the opposite.
In the UK, stock car racing tracks are either one of two surfaces; shale or tar. Each requires a very different skillset, and although car set up is important, it doesn’t make a huge difference to performance. These two factors mean that races are all down to the individual skill of each driver; being able to balance both a controlled yet aggressive driving style, and an almost psychic ability to read the track up ahead – by spotting gaps in the traffic and avoiding any blockages (from stationary or spinning cars)… before they’ve even occurred!
Gripping Viewing
This makes every race action-packed and extremely exciting. You’ll be watching with your breath held and your heart thumping, as the roar of 30 or more V8 engines rings loud, and the stadium buzzes with adrenaline. The stadiums are even built with the spectators in mind, with viewing areas built right on the edge of the track, spread around the entire arena. The up-close-and-personal experience is totally unrivalled in motor sports; these races you don’t just watch, you feel.
If this sort of thing sounds too good to be true, then join us – we’ll keep you posted on details of upcoming meets on our Twitter, @JDavidsonScrap. You never know, you might just become stock car racing’s next number 1 fan!
Here at J Davidson Scrap Metal Processors, we’ve been fans for years – even going as far as sponsoring a number of prominent drivers. As well as Tom Harris, the young star that’s currently storming America, other talented drivers that have had our name emblazoned on their cars include Daniel Johnson, Matt Newson, Lee Fairhurst, Rob Speak, Stuart Smith Jnr and of course, our very own Luke Davidson!
