BriSCA F1 Stockcars at Coventry 7.5.11

Pictures from the Coventry F1 meeting from May this year, it started off quite well as far as the weather was concerned, however that changed by the end of the meeting!

Andy Smith

Rob Cowley back to Blue top.

Geoff Nicholls

'King' John Lund

Long time campaigner Tim Warwick

Stuart Smith Jnr & Craig Finnikin

Paul Harrison & Mark Gilbank (I think!)

Tom Harris recives his race win trophy from Roger Hollingshead (ex 305)

Tim Warwick getting some between race repairs done

Sam Wainman explaining the fine detail of Stock car racing!

And then the rain came down! Andy & Daughter Rebecca have a bit of fun on the rostrum after he took the final in a very wet race. If you don't think it was that wet and can't wait just look at the last picture in this post!

Frankiw Wainman, Rebecca Smith Paul Harrison get the Peter York treatment! 

Final positions on the rostrum

A very damp Ryan Harrison reciving his Grand National trophy

And just to prove how wet it was this is Dan Johnson after the Grand National!

Ministox at Kings Lynn 30.04.2011

The BriSCA Ministox offer great entertainment and are a great training ground for future drivers in both F1 & F2 Stockcars. It's hard to belive sometimes that the drivers of these race prepared minis are all less than 16 years old!

The next generation of the Wainman dynasty; Frankie Wainman Junior Jnr!


Disaster struck in one of the heats when young Frankie's car overturned and was then hit by a following mini. Thankfully he was OK, the car was repaired and out for the next meeting at Buxton.

BriSCA Stockcars Belle Vue 25.4.11

First update of 2011 from the Stockcar world today More to come!

James Morris would become the ultimate winner of the final.

Danny Wainman & Craig Finnikin before the start of the meeting.

Frankie Wainman's shale car



British Champion Paul Hines looking calm and collected

What a difference a race makes!

Final Winner James Morris (463) 2nd Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) and 3rd Stuart Smith Jnr (390)

Silent jet engine test facility.

Deep in the south of England lies an abandoned jet engine testing facility, full of machinery, turbines and laboratories. It's a truly magical place and one I'm glad to have visited.

Stuart Smith Senior.

It was with huge sadness that I found out about the death of one of my childhood hero's this month. Stuart Smith Senior was arguably one of, if not the greatest BriSCA F1 Stock Car drivers in the sports history. Stuart died on the 23rd of December this year (2010).

I had the good fortune to be at the Coventry world final in September 2010 and took some pictures of Stuart whilst he was with his son Andy when he received his trophy for winning the world final (3rd in a row!) It was all the more special as joined by Stuart and Andy was Dave Chisholm who is the only other driver to have won the world title 3 times in a row.

Rest in Peace Stuart and love to those left behind......










On the 27th of December a Christmas stock car meeting was held at the very same raceway that the above pictures were taken; the Marshall's wore black arm bands and the meeting compare (Peter York) said a few words followed by a round of applause by the crowd. A small flower tribute was placed near where the Smith transporter stands and one driver (Will Yarrow) had a tribute on his race wing.

Abandoned Pauper Lunatic Asylum

The West Yorkshire Pauper Lunatic Asylum in Menston Nr. Leeds opened in October 1888. It was a truly magnificent development boasting it's own farm, railway, cobbler, tailor & shop. In 1963 it became High Royds Hospital and was one of the last remaining psychiatric hospitals of its kind when it closed in 2003.

A cold snowy day.

Up to the clock.

The face from inside.

Looking out.

Seclusion.

Double aspect.

Dormitory.

Shadows.
Day room.
Admin corridor.
Blue arch.
Observation.
Victorian Mortuary.
Mortuary slab.
The Ballroom.

For more photographs and detailed history please see http://highroydspauperlunaticasylum.fotopic.net/