THE new Stock Car and Banger racing season is looming on the horizon, with the opening meeting at Smeatharpe scheduled for Sunday, March 3.

Ahead of the curtain raiser fixture, there are two Open Track Day events planned for Smeatharpe. The Open Track Days offer drivers the opportunity to assess their closed season workshop activities by affording them the chance to give race cars a run out, grab some track time, and ensure they are race worthy for the new season.

The first of the two Open Track Days is this coming Saturday and the second is scheduled for Sunday, February 25, just one week before the opening meeting. A further feature of an Open Track Day is that spectators are more than welcome to attend, free of charge. The event has no element of competition, and is a far cry from the show of a typical race day. However, interested racegoers often make a fleeting visit, to catch sight of new and refurbished cars before the race season begins in earnest.

This past weekend, many from the Stock Car and Banger racing community attended the Motorsport With Attitude show at Staffordshire County Showgrounds. Among a selection of Formula Two Stock Cars on display was a stunning new car for Daz Purdy of Ferndown, as built for him by Cornish based racer Paul Moss.

Another driver who had a car on display was teenage newcomer Jake Ralfs of Nailsea. Ralfs attended the Open Track Day at Smeatharpe last December, and is set to be present again at the two February dates, before he makes his career debut in March.

Local Formula Two Stock Car racer Dean Hawkins of Wellington has changed cars for the new season, and he will be giving his new car, which was previously raced by Shane Hector of Burlescombe, it’s first few laps of the year at the 10 February Open Track Day at Smeatharpe.