1980's

The Foxhall Foxes Supporters Club began its 'official' racing life on Friday 11th May 1984. The Club began under the promotion of Supporters Club organiser: Kevin 'Sir F' (short for Sir Fence-A-Lot) Wegg and Slotstox Organiser: Dean Cox.
The Club began based in the wooden structure bar behind the home straight grandstand (nicknamed the 'Foxes Den') at the Foxhall Stadium in Ipswich thanks to Stadium Manager John Earrey. The bar was constructed when the stadium was built in 1951 – basically a wooden structure – and as a showpiece, was the only place to have a drink during and after Stock Car and Speedway meetings.
The Foxhall Stadium being host to 'real' Stock Car racing promoted by Spedeworth International as well as the Ipswich Witches Speedway team.
The racing took place on a purpose built four-lane oval Scalextric track with chicanes on the back straight for lanes one and two to hit and three and four to do likewise. With only a one inch high fence, Slotstox crashing to the floor were a common sight! Several of the Slotstox and numbers reflected replica's of the 'real' formula Superstox.

Twelve drivers attended the Club's first official meeting and the highest points scorer was Dean Cox. Full point scores at this inaugural meeting were:
1st: 790 Dean Cox - 24;
2nd: 471 (although was meant to be and later changed to 741 after a signwriting error!) Steve Parker - 20
3rd: 168 Clive Day - 17
4th: 518 Kevin Thurlow - 12
5th: 31 Ian Campbell - 11
6th: 546 Mark Banham - 10
7th: 777 Julian Armes - 9
8th: 524 Kevin Wegg - 7
9th equal: 195 Daren Earrey, 238 Gavin Heard and 594 Mark Cossey - 5
12th: 351 Steve Baldwin - 4

Prior to this first official meeting, an 'unofficial' opening test meeting took place including an invasion of drivers from the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club attending in force and also late entries from the Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club. This ended up more of a North v South grudge match with the Club drivers in the middle and on the receiving end of the bumpers from both sides! After the heats, three of the six final qualifiers were representing the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club, two representing the Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club and one representing the Club.
The result of the final was 1st: Alan Burns (Aldershot), 2nd: Dave Smith (Aldershot), 3rd: Steve King (Wisbech), 4th: Dean Cox (Foxhall), 5th Marcus Johnson (Wisbech) and 6th Malcolm Lee (Wisbech).
Courtesy of Spedeworth executive Dave Smith, a report on this meeting featured in the May 1984 edition of the Spedeworth 'Wheelspin' magazine. Inspired by this and previous reports by Dave on events at the Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club plus reports on events at the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club, Kevin Wegg (under the name of 'Sir-Fence-A-Lot') began reporting in the monthly 'Wheelspin' on events at the Club. Although occasional reports (with several prompts from the 'Wheelspin' editor!) still appeared for the Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club and the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club (courtesy of Marcus): courtesy of Kevin, the Club became the only regular contributor of a Slotstox report to 'Wheelspin'. The reports generally started with friendly banter between the clubs! An advert for the Club also featured in each 'Wheelspin' (sometimes also incorporating a fixture list) along with adverts for the Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club and the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club. These often appeared alongside and with equal prominence as adverts for the 'real' Stock Car racing!

With a progressive increase in attendance fifty people were at the meeting on 9th June with twenty drivers racing for the 'Marcus Johnson Challenge Tankard' (the Club's first trophy meeting!) After most Slotstox had tested the fence and in some cases the floor; it was on to the one race final. John Curtis and Steve Parker tangled early on as Clive Day beat Gavin Heard.

The meeting on June 29th was sponsored by Andy Johnson with trophies on offer to the highest three points scorers in the qualifying heats. With Marcus Johnson, winner of the final the previous week (as well as highest points scorer in the qualifying heats and semi-final winner), being targeted fellow Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club regular and White grade driver Bob Skeels was the highest points scorer in the heats with Kevin Wegg beating Steve Parker in a run-off to settle second and third.

With the Club's reputation growing: the Club's youngest competitor, 9 year old Yellow grade driver Mark Banham sponsored by Suffolk Lawn Mowers, was featured on the front page of the Suffolk Mercury on Friday, July 13th.
In addition, after a visit to one of the Club's meetings, the organiser of the Ipswich Slot Car Club was suitably impressed and compiled a full page article on the Club's activities for the East Anglian edition of the British Slot Car Racing Association (B.S.C.R.A.) newsletter.

The meeting on 27th July featured visitors for the first time from the St. Ives Slotstox Club - Les Hills and Terry Lemmon - each qualifying for the one race final with Les winning.

Dean Cox sponsored the meeting on 24th August featuring the Club's first lady driver - Tracey Bruce. Tracey failed to qualify for the semi-finals by just 1 point but still managed to score more points than the Silver grade driver Marcus Johnson! The trophy was on offer to the driver scoring the most points over the whole meeting and having to just finish ahead of Julian Beaumont, Dean's Slotstox 'de-slotted' enabling Julian to win the trophy by a mere 2 points!

Although not racing at the Club's first 'official' meeting and despite being the victim of several drivers front bumpers during the season: winner of the inaugural season-long Slotstox Foxhall Points Championship was regular Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club driver (and sponsor of the Club's first trophy meeting) Marcus. Mark Cossey finished second and Julian Beaumont third. Marcus whose help when establishing the Club was invaluable, also won this seasons Slotstox Points Championship at the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club.
Marcus travelled from Wisbech with Bob Skeels and Malcolm Lee. Malcolm raced as number 604 and a replica of Superstox Gerry Cooper and reflected how much this meant when setting up the Gerry 'Super' Cooper Supporters Club.

Having earlier in the season been the first holder of the Club's Silver Roof (top of the points) Blue grade driver Clive won the inaugural Slotstox Foxhall Championship ahead of John Curtis, Kevin Thurlow (having demolished a Slotstox on 10th August amusing the spectators in the process) and Gavin with the semi-final and final each consisting of one race only. Gavin crashed out early on in the final as Clive maintained an early lead ahead of John and Kevin.
Out of the twenty-seven drivers that raced, Clive was the highest points scorer in the heats with 37 points, young Mark was joint second (with Mark Cossey) on 36 with Mark's mum Pauline being joint fourth (with Daren Earrey) on 33! With the Club not racing every week, this Harry and Dean Cox sponsored championship (held over two meetings - three heats at meeting one followed by two heats, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final at meeting two), took place on the 5th and 26th October. In true Stock Car style, this meeting also saw the Club produce a programme for the first time providing a full guide to the Championship (complete with witty banter from Kevin 'Sir-F' Wegg and Driver profiles by Dean).
Marcus was comfortably highest points scorer after meeting one but was destined not to take to the track at meeting two as one of Marcus' friends was sadly taken very seriously ill that day.
Clive also won the final on 20th September (a meeting held on a Thursday due to a re-arranged Ipswich Witches Speedway match) and which also saw Pauline - the Club's second lady driver - make a spectacular debut crashing Paul Mower's Slotstox into the fence and ripping it's rear wheel off!

Yellow grade driver, Julian, won the Slotstox East Anglian Championship at the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club on one of the regular Monday evening (the same club evening as the Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club!) visits by Club members. Of the six visitors the Club had three of the four finalists - Marcus, the only non Club member in the final, finished second. The much hoped for coming together between Marcus and Kevin Wegg did not happen, that was until the Slot-Stock Cars were raced proving that they would be a good second formula!
Another visit to the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club on 22nd October saw Dean Cox win the final.

At the Club's end of season gala night meeting, young Mark won the Foxhall Grand Parade Championship. The carnival night also featured Slot-Stock Saloon and caravan races, reverse gear races, a ramp roll-over event and an indoor firework display!

At the Slotstox World Championship on 16th July, Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club driver Steve Gay (brother of 1983 winner Roger) took the win. Although visiting drivers made an impression on certain host club drivers the qualifiers for the final were all from the host club.
Twenty-four drivers were racing including three visitors from the Club (Chris Bruce, Dean and Kevin – although each failed to complete a race!) together with drivers from the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club (no mean feat for a Monday evening!)
'Home' track advantage was not so decisive at the Slotstox British Championship sponsored by Marcus Menswear (Marcus Johnson) on 9th December as, following on from Julian at the Slotstox East Anglian Championship, Club driver Paul Mower (much to the delight!!! of Aldershot) won 'away' at the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club. Julian finished sixth and with Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club drivers, including Bangers legend Geoff Roberts (to cheers from Club representatives), finishing 2nd, 3rd and 4th on a completely new track to them plus a St.Ives driver finishing 5th this meant that no host club drivers qualified for the final! With near on eighty drivers racing, including eight from the Club, twenty-five from the the host club, thirty-five from the Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club and also drivers from the St. Ives Slotstox Club, the clubroom at the Wisbech Stadium was full with lots of friendly bantering between the clubs for the first major championship to be held on the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club track.
The Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club report within the 'Wheelspin' magazine following this event focused on seeing how he 'erratic east anglians' would perform on the 'slick southern oval’!
Yellow grade driver Paul had been in good form at the Club having won the final on each of 2nd and 23rd November. Sandwiched in between these two meetings was a successful disco/dance on 16th November when one or two revellers literally lost their shirts!
Another visit to the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club saw Chris Bruce finish as runner-up in the Wisbech Championship on 12th November with Kevin Wegg third. Another visit was for the team match between the Club and the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club on 26th November (interestingly advertised in the 'Wheelspin' magazine as IPSWICH v IPSWICH!) This saw the 'Fen Tigers' lead early on but the 'Foxes' clawed this back to lead by 5 points with two races to go. An exciting climax saw the 'Fen Tigers', with Marcus as non-racing team manager, edge the win.

A successful Stock Car Cine Film Show event was held by the Club on 30th November with several 'real' stock car drivers among the seventy-odd people that attended to watch the action. In addition Kevin Wegg also organised a successful coach trip, mostly for Club members, to the 'real' formula Winternationals at Wimbledon Stock Car Stadium (these coach trips - nicknamed Sir F's shuttle - would become a regular feature for several seasons).
With a table tennis table already available in the club room, a dart board and pool table were also installed during the season adding to the Club's social side.

Once again a driver from the host Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club won the Slotstox World Championship held on 15th September: this time it was Gary Reynolds.

This season saw the introduction at the Club of a new wooden four-lane oval track built by Dean Cox and Chris Bruce (the latter joining the promotion team). This saw an improved, faster and more competitive level of racing. The first meeting on the new track was on 25th January as frost caused the cancellation of the season's first three meetings. Paul Mower and Julian Beaumont finished first and second in the final ahead of Steve Baldwin (highest points scorer in the qualifying races) and Andy Johnson. The new track also suited youngest Club driver at 6½ Hayley Ellis (daughter of Foxhall Stadium flag marshall Ron). Hayley finished joint eighth highest points scorer after the qualifying races and only just missed out on the semi-finals following a run-off!
Dean also managed to get engaged over the winter break to fellow Club member and Chris' sister Tracey on 5th January!
Also building a new track were the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club replacing the four-lane track with a six-lane version being used for the first time on Monday 13th May.
Paul was the first Silver roof holder of the season including winning a hattrick of finals! It was common for fellow Club drivers including Clive Day, Julian Armes and Andy Johnson to donate trophies for final winners.

Club drivers continued to visit the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club with Gavin Heard certainly 'ruffling a few feathers' and also welcomed visitors from other clubs. St.Ives drivers dominated the Final, led by Les Hills and Terry Lemmon, when they visited on 15th March despite the spectacular bumper work of John Curtis and Gavin! At the next meeting Gavin won a first ever final whilst the following meeting was won by Julian Beaumont and featured visiting drivers Bob Skeels, Malcolm Lee and Marcus Johnson from Wisbech - although they found the fence rather inviting!
On Sunday 24th March Club drivers visited St. Ives with only Andy Johnson by finishing 4th in the final, using a Terry Lemmon built Slotstox purchased that afternoon, stopping a St. Ives domination. Clive Day won the Grand National.
Wisbech visitors were also in attendance at the 'Easter Egg Trophy' meeting, where youngster Christer Earrey not only won the junior 'Egg Cup' race but also the Grand Final, and also the following two meetings with both finals won by Paul Mower.
On 20th May Club drivers visited the Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club, wearing interesting sweat shirts, for the 'Wasp Challenge' sponsored by Geoff Roberts. Whilst no Club drivers made the final - although the did 'test' the Aldershot drivers front bumpers - Kevin Thurlow and Chris Bruce finished 1st and 2nd in the Consolation.
On one trip to Wisbech in June, the Club members arrived to find the place deserted! Apparently a late decision had been made to move the track to a nearby pub and the visiting members were totally oblivious. The visitors then drove past the pub trying to find Marcus Johnson's home!
Geoff Roberts and Gary Reynolds visited from Aldershot for a meeting in July and despite being on the receiving end of several crashes in the qualifying races managed to proceed to the final and then finished first and second respectively!
Drivers from the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club and St. Ives Slotstox Club raced at the Andy Johnson sponsored Slotstox Pride of The East Championship on 9th August. St. Ives Blue (or White - depending on the source of information!) grade lady driver Shirley Moyses won with the Club's Julian Beaumont runner-up. John Tutt from St. Ives won the Best Prepared Car Award with a Harry Smith replica.

Two new Slotstox championships appeared on the Club's fixture list with Kevin Thurlow winning the inaugural Slotstox Suffolk Championship and Dean Cox winning the inaugural Slotstox English Championship. Dean also won the Slotstox Foxhall Points Championship by a mere 18 points from Mark Cossey and Paul Mower plus the Slotstox Foxhall Championship.
Julian Beaumont, Mark Cossey, Gavin Heard and Paul Mower sponsored the Slotstox Suffolk Championship and scribed a comical, if somewhat libelous (!) programme!
The Slotstox Foxhall Championship was this season held in June (14th and 21st) and was again sponsored by Harry and Dean Cox...and so Dean won a self-sponsored championship! This was a complete change of fortune compared with the 1984 Slotstox Foxhall Championship, as after a much provoked wobbly at the second meeting, Dean almost withdrew! This season the semi-finals and final were run over four races each (one race in each lane - rather than just one race as in 1984!) although it still proved to be not enough for Slotstox Suffolk Champion Kevin - improving from third in 1984 to runner-up this season! Dean matched Clive Day in 1984, by winning the Slotstox Foxhall Championship having been highest points scorer in the heats...no mean achievement with thirty-three (compared with twenty-seven in 1984) drivers racing! Dean scored 47 points and was well ahead of Daren Earrey in second on 37 and Paul Curtis in third on 36. With so many drivers racing the heats saw some top drivers fail to qualify for the quarter-finals: 1984 Slotstox East Anglian Champion Julian Beaumont; winner of the Slotstox East Anglian Championship later in the season: Derek Taylor; and 1984 Slotstox Foxhall Championship finalist plus 1985 Slotstox Suffolk Championship runner-up Gavin Heard! Dean painted the Blue and White chequers at 12.30am that night!
At the Suffolk Lawnmowers (final trophies) and Andy Johnson (consolation trophies) sponsored Slotstox English Championship on 1st December, the Club welcomed the Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club for their first official visit. Also racing, as the Club held its first Sunday meeting, were drivers from the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club and St. Ives Slotstox Club meaning that this was the first time that drivers from these four clubs had raced against each other at the Club. It was also the first time that drivers from these four clubs had raced against each other this season.
The meeting was originally scheduled for 20th January but was one of the three meetings cancelled due to the frost at the start of the season - the 'real' Stock Car season then delayed the finding of a suitable date!
Drivers from three of the four clubs were represented across the Slotstox English Championship and Consolation finals:
English Championship: 1st: Dean Cox (Foxhall), 2nd: Andy Ladbroke (Aldershot), 3rd: Pete Tutt (St. Ives) and 4th: Daren Earrey (Foxhall).
Consolation: 1st: Mark Beckett (Aldershot), 2nd: Steve Flack (Aldershot), 3rd: Alan Burns (Aldershot) and 4th: Terry Lemmon (St. Ives).
Dean won the first seven races in the final and was on target to win the championship final with maximum points when leading the eighth and final race before crashing with one to go.
The meeting also featured several cans of spray string!
On 11th October, the Club hosted the Marcus Johnson Menswear sponsored Slotstox East Anglian Championship with Derek winning and Julian (following the Slotstox Pride of the East Championship) again the runner-up! Derek's son Gary finished third and another successful lady driver, Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club Silver roof Karen Harwin, finished fourth.
With so many drivers racing regularly at the Club: the downside with having drivers from visiting clubs racing at the Slotstox English Championship and Slotstox East Anglian Championship was that only those Club drivers with a Blue grade status and above automatically qualified!

The Club's 1st birthday meeting was held on 10th May sponsored by CDK Promotions with the final trophies being won by Julian Beaumont, John Curtis, Chris Day and Marie Day whilst Wisbech's Malcolm Lee won the Consolation trophy. A sew on badge was produced to commemorate the first anniversary and Pauline Banham made a 1st birthday cake. All twelve drivers that raced at the first 'official' meeting of the Club were still racing at the time of the 1st birthday meeting. With racing not taking place every Friday this was the Club's 14th meeting. The Club began racing more regularly towards the end of the season with the 'once a month' social nights being combined with the introduction of a Slot-Stock Saloons formula (first meeting 16th August - which included Gavin's Heard's impression of the Battle of Britain reducing members to tears of laughter!) promoted purely for fun following a similar introduction at the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club. After impressing in their early introduction Peter and Pauline Banham sponsored one of the early Slot-Stock Saloon meetings - Kevin Wegg winning. Club drivers, along with Aldershot drivers, were invited to two Slot-Stock Saloon Championships at the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club - East Anglian on 25 March and British on 15th April but it seems no Club members attended.
On the social side, there was also a Cox-sponsored Foxhall (Closed) Championship pool tournament whilst there was much excitement over some Chips pans being installed behind the bar!

July featured the 1st round of the new Grand Prix Series – a name previously used for an ill fated series for the ‘real’ Superstox formula- (including trophies on the final at each round) but this meeting was curtailed as the stadium power supply blew leaving Club members to grope around in the dark! The meeting was delayed to the following week and Kevin Wegg won a first ever final! Round 2 produced some of the best racing and front bumper work of the season and Mark Cossey won the final but the meeting will be best remembered for John Curtis's Slotstox clearing the fence and destroying a cigarette in the mouth of Michael Hodgins! The final at rounds 3 and 4 was won by newcomer Phi Balfe and the week after round 3 Phil raced to the first-ever maximum score in a semi-final! Round 4 included a big crash for the Slotstox of John Curtis demolishing the front bumper assembly and half the chassis!

From 7th November through to February 1986, the Club race night changed from Friday to Thursday during the closed Speedway season.

Andy Johnson won a deserved first final win during November - a meeting that featured Suffolk Champion Kevin Thurlow's Slotstox reduced to a pile of broken plastic - much to members enjoyment. Kevin won the final at the next meeting with a new Slotstox.

At the Club's end of season gala night meeting, young Mark Banham defended the Foxhall Grand Parade Championship. Christer Earrey won the 'Best Decorated Car' award whilst Gary Taylor had the best 'Fancy Dress Costume'. The special knockout cup trophy was won by Michael Hodgins whilst the evening was rounded off in style with an indoor fireworks display courtesy of John Curtis and Clive Day.

The 'Sir-F shuttle' trips continued to Wimbledon (only £3.75 return!) and Great Yarmouth with the summer coach trip to Great Yarmouth including a trip to the amusement park with the Dodgems and Roller Coaster being heavily used! 'Wheelspin' banter between Spedeworth commentator Alan Cullen (organiser of Cullen Coaches) and Kevin Wegg provided some entertainment for readers! Kevin's reports also expanded to include coverage of real Stock Car racing trips and reviews.

Club members were also making their mark in real Stock Car racing with Steve Baldwin debuting in a Stock Rod at Great Yarmouth on May 28th whilst Ian Campbell was continuing in Superstox and won a trophy after 2 years of racing with a 3rd at Great Yarmouth in September (although that was followed by a couple of crashes that contributed to Ian taking a temporary break).

A driver from the host Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club again won the Slotstox World Championship: this season Adrian Flack won the Gold roof. Club drivers had by far their most successful Slotstox World Championship as Julian Beaumont finished 4th whilst Christer Earrey finished 2nd in the consolation.

The Club (as well as Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club with articles now written by Mark Butler) continued to feature within the Speedworth Wheelspin magazine both in adverts and articles written by Kevin Wegg alongside continued banter / observations regarding the ‘real’ Stock Car racing. In the June 1986 version (following some observations Kevin made in the May 1986 version about keeping race costs down) a cartoon was created featuring bumper cars – one designed for Kevin and the other for Hot Rod racer Andy Harris! ‘Slotstox Club’ even featured alongside Stock Car, Speedway Racing and Car Boot Sales, in adverts of ‘What’s on’ at Foxhall Stadium, Ipswich! Similarly ‘Slotstox Social Night’ featured alongside Stock Car Racing and Greyhound Racing in adverts of ‘What’s on’ at Aldershot Stadium.
The Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club seemingly arranged the Slotstox World Championship at short notice following threats by Kevin within Wheelspin that the Foxhall Foxes Slotstox Club were going to host it!
There was also mention of a Banger race for Foxes Supporters Club members only and later in the year Kevin Thurlow and Clive Day did make their Banger racing debuts at the Foxhall Stadium – Clive spinning out Warrior Steve Johnson before acquiring a Stock Saloon!

At the Club, Mark Cossey won the Slotstox Foxhall Points Championship plus the inaugural Slotstox Foxhall Grand Prix Series Championship having led for most of the ten rounds. Mark finished ahead of Paul Mower in second, Kevin Wegg third and Dean Cox fourth and strangely enough Mark, Kevin and Dean all featured in the final at the final round with Kevin winning. Kevin was helped when the fourth driver, Steve Parker, ‘missed the start’ in lane one and after chasing hard for five laps and not catching the leaders, decided others wouldn’t score points and launched at Mark and Dean in an epic blitz with all cars crashing into the fence leaving Kevin as the only finisher!

Paul won the Slotstox East Anglian Championship at Wisbech on 23rd November and Slotstox Suffolk Championship – the latter by one point over defending champion Kevin Thurlow who early in the season won the Knock Out Cup with two successive final victories.
As with Dean Cox and the 1985 Slotstox Foxhall Championship: with the Slotstox Suffolk Championship being jointly sponsored by Paul along with Julian Beaumont, Gavin Heard and Mark Cossey, this was a self-sponsored win! Defending Champion Kevin Thurlow this season finished as runner-up with yellow grade driver Phil Balfe third.
The Slotstox East Anglian Championship was hosted by the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club based at the Wisbech Stadium which along with the Foxhall Stadium (the Club's home) and the Aldershot Stadium (home of the Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club) also hosts 'real' Stock Car racing promoted by Spedeworth International. Club drivers finished in the first three places with Chris Bruce 2nd and Kevin Wegg 3rd. Young Hayley Ellis finished 6th having only recently qualified for a first ever semi-final at a Club meeting where younger brother James Ellis made a racing debut at the tender age of 4½!

Julian Beaumont won the Slotstox Foxhall Championship, again held in June (13th and 27th) and sponsored buy Dean Cox, having failed to qualify for the quarter-finals the previous season. Julian was the first holder of the annual Slotstox Foxhall Championship shield, which was introduced as the Slotstox Foxhall Championship became firmly rooted as a championship all Club drivers wanted to win. This was after Dean, Mark and Paul had dominated proceedings at round one!

Julian won four Slotstox meetings in-a-row soon after but it was recent newcomer, Robin Bater, that stole the show at the first of these following in at every opportunity, much to the delight of those not on the receiving end! Later in the year, Robin qualified for a first final and promptly went out and won, only to repeat at the very next meeting!

There was an Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club win at the Club as Adi Blackman won the Suffolk Lawnmowers sponsored Slotstox English Championship on 7th December.

Chris Butcher won the Slotstox Foxhall Novice Championship.

At the 2nd birthday meeting there were 13 trophies up for grabs, racing was predictably fast, furious and full of steams! A blue grader not only made their first-ever final since starting 18 months ago but won holding off the challenge of two superstars and the current points chart leader. Mark finished 2nd with Paul third and Clive Day 4th. Kevin Wegg won the consolation with Steve winning the “Steam of the Evening” award with an epic steam and a Slotstox left with a DIY open-top!

There was also an aptly named “Cup of Silver” meeting with the winner scooping an ultra-generous plastic cup filled with silver coins. Marie Day won having just creeped into the semi-final qualifiers with Steve Baldwin 2nd.

At one meeting, Gary Taylor’s nose was too close to the action whilst spectating on the 2nd bend and it was well and truly jacked by a flying slotstox! Later in the year Gary won the Slotstox Pride of The East Championship with drivers from the Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club again in attendance. Mark Cossey was 2nd with Marcus Johnson 3rd.

Informal Team meetings were becoming common and early season the unbeaten ‘Steam Team’ came back from the dead too beat the ‘Jack Pack’ in a thrilling team final. Jack Pack won the next one.

A Slot Saloons meeting, with Andy Johnson generously supplying the trophies, was won by Kevin Thurlow. At another Slot Saloons meeing, former Stock Saloon World Champion, Noddy Robinson, made an appearance albeit after racing was finished for the evening. Young Ian Taylor won the meeting with Andy Johnson 2nd.

On Friday 6 June, Kevin hosted a cine film show featuring 1970’s Stock Car racing with free admission and several drivers past and present enjoying the racing of yesteryear.
Foxhall Stadium photographer, Vic Lakey, supplied some fresh photographs for the notice board in the clubroom.

From 23rd October to the end of 1986, with the Speedway season concluded, the Club reverted back to Thursday (from Friday) nights in the clubroom.

Club members Steve Baldwin, Des Newell and Ian Campbell with their ‘real’ race cars flew the flag for Spedeworth, complete with a poster advertising the Speed Weekend, at the East Anglian Roadshow. Whilst another Club member, Dean Cox confirmed retirement as Spedeworth East Anglian start marshall at the ripe old age of 22!

The 'Sir-F shuttle' trips continued with the summer coach trip to Great Yarmouth for the gala night on 31st August. The Dodgems were again well used with Club members having ‘bumped’ into members of the Norfolk Turkeys supporters club!

Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club members Gary and Keith Reynolds had a fire at their home losing almost everything including thousands of points worth of model railway equipment and a collectors’ set of model cars that could never be replaced. It was the second time disaster struck the Reynold’s household as at Christmas 1985, an extension on the house subsided which left them homeless for some months. Members of the Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club rallied around with a collection to help them buy new clothes for Christmas.

The Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club again hosted the Slotstox World Championship and host club driver Roger Gay won the Slotstox World Championship for a second time following 1983.
This was part of an October World Champion Speed Weekend with the Slotstox World Championship – featuring 40 or so drivers - on Sunday 25th October whilst the evening of Saturday 24th featured Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club’s annual Slotstox Best in Britain Championship; Slotstox World Championship Semi-Finals; and celebrity Ipswich v Aldershot Caravan Race! A large contingent of Club drivers raced at the Slotstox Best in Britain getting invaluable practice for the Sunday although the final was all host club drivers won by Martin Ritson.
The Slotstox World Championship final featured three former Slotstox World Champions with sole Club representative Julian Beaumont finishing 4th. Julian followed this up finishing 2nd in the final as a few Club members travelled to the Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club for a normal Monday night meeting.

The Club (as well as Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club with articles now written by Adrain “King Rat” Blackman) continued to feature within the Wheelspin magazine both in adverts and articles written by Kevin Wegg alongside continued and ever-growing banter / observations regarding the ‘real’ Stock Car racing. Adrian even observing that Kevin’s reporting ‘was meant to be a slot stox report’!

At the Club, two drivers dominated the season: Paul Mower and Julian. There was a time during the season when either or won the domestic meetings.

Paul won the Slotstox Foxhall Points Championship and Slotstox Foxhall Grand Prix Series Championship plus defended the Slotstox East Anglian Championship and Slotstox Suffolk Championship.
Paul became the second driver to win the Slotstox Foxhall Points Championship and Slotstox Foxhall Grand Prix Series Championship in the same season following Mark Cossey (including the inaugural Slotstox Foxhall Grand Prix Series Championship) a season earlier.

Julian defended the Slotstox Foxhall Championship and won the Slotstox English Championship on Sunday 13th December – with all four finalists being drivers from the Club whilst Gary Reynolds the consolation final featured three drivers from the Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club which one these, Gary Reynolds won with ease. Julian became the second driver to win the Slotstox Foxhall Championship and Slotstox English Championship in the same season following Dean Cox (1985). To make the English more meaningful, there continued to be no British Championship (despite requests from the Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club).

Early in the season, Kevin Wegg won the Foxhall Classic sponsored bt Carolyn Morris and Sandra & Mark Banham. Chris Butcher won the Spring Handicap designed to give the lower grades a chance to win a trophy.

During the summer, Julian and Daren Earrey made a surprise visit to the Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club, finishing 3rd and 4th in the semi-final; whilst drivers from the Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club made two visits to the Club. On the first of these five visitors attended and James Ellis buried one of these – English Champion Adie Blackman in the fence and only Steve Flack managed to make the final - scoring an impressive 0 - but did win 50p in prize money for doing so!
Another five visitors for the second, including Slotstox World Champion Adrian Flack but none made the final with Julian winning the Foxhall Heath Challenge after Paul, coasting to the win, crashed out on the final bend.

A Club party visited the St.Ives Slotstox Club and Michele Walker finished 3rd in the final. Club members were also invited to the Tongham “Original” Championship hosted by the Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club on 9th March which was won by 320 Gavin Botfield.

Slot-Saloon racing continued and Darren Goudy – son of former Saloon Stock Car driver, Ray Goudy, debuted racing during the season.

More Banger racing by Club members – Julian Beaumont, Mark Cossey and Kevin Thurlow again – all racing at Foxhall Stadium.

The 'Sir-F shuttle' trips continued including the Horry Barnes testimonial at Wisbech on Saturday 25th April – only £2.50! There were also trips to Wimbledon, Aldershot and Yarmouth.

Kevin Nutt from the host Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club won the Slotstox World Championship with suggestions that host drivers fixed things to ensure that Julian Beaumont wouldn’t win.
Julian was in the lead when the lap scorer told all the rest of the finalists to sit behind Kevin which helped Kevin overtake Julian and win by 1 point.

The Club (as well as Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club) continued to feature within the Spedeworth Wheelspin magazine both in adverts and articles written by Kevin Wegg alongside continued and ever-growing banter / observations regarding the ‘real’ Stock Car racing. Also featuring in the January 1988 edition was an article called ‘1987 AT FOXHALL HEATH’ by Club regular attendee Pat Abbott – this covered the October 1987 storm which blew over the back straight grandstand!

Carrying on from 1987, at the Club, Paul Mower and Julian continued to dominate.

Paul defended the Slotstox Foxhall Points Championship (including a legendary battle with Ian Taylor) and won the Slotstox Foxhall Championship; taking this title from Julian.
Paul became the second driver to win the Slotstox Foxhall Points Championship and Slotstox Foxhall Championship in the same season following Dean Cox (1985). Paul also won the Club’s 4th Birtday meeting with Steve Baldwin winning the “Veterans” race; plus led Team Reg to win a Slotstox team event – Team Delboy finished second whilst Kevin Wegg led the Shuttleers in to last place!

In return, Julian became the second driver to win the Slotstox East Anglian Championship and Slotstox Suffolk Championship in the same season, taking these titles off Paul (winner in each of the previous two seasons) and also defended the Slotstox English Championship. Darren Forsdike won the Suffolk Championship consolation.

Twenty-nine drivers raced at the first week of the Slotstox Foxhall Championship, again sponsored by Dean Cox, with losing quarter-finalists winning one of the much-coveted 'Foxes' key rings!

Club attendee Des Newell had a near miss towing his Stock Rod back from Wisbech when a half shaft decided to part company. Other Club members were able to help get the family home and assistance from the RAC!

The 'Sir-F shuttle' trips continued including transporting a Banger driver and passengers home from the Banger World Final at Wimbledon after the Banger drivers Granada was stolen during the meeting!

Gary Reynolds from the host Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club won the Slotstox World Championship for a second time following 1985.
Gary became the second driver to win the Slotstox World Championship twice following Roger Gay (winner of the inaugural Slotstox World Championship in 1983 and 1987).
As with Roger, Gary's second Slotstox World Championship win came four seasons after the first!

The Club (as well as Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club and Wisbech Fen Tigers Slotstox Club) continued to feature in the Spedeworth Wheelspin magazine in adverts. The April 1989 edition featuring a full page advert on the inside back cover for Wisbech Stadium including ‘Slot Stox, Foxhall Fox’s v Wisbech Fen Tigers Will the Aldershot Knights, venture into Anglia?’. Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club articles were now being written by Gavin Botfield.

On 13th March, six Club drivers travelled to the Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club for the Slotstox Best in Britain and all but one went out in the first round as host club driver Gary Reynolds won.

At the Club, Paul Mower won a third Slotstox Foxhall Points Championship in a row, the Slotstox English Championship (another title taken off Julian Beaumont!), the Slotstox Foxhall Grand Prix Series Championship and after several unofficial team events, captained 'Team Reg' to win the inaugural Slotstox Foxhall Team Championship.
Paul became the second driver to win the Slotstox Foxhall Points Championship and Slotstox English Championship in the same season following Dean Cox (1985).
Paul won the Slotstox Foxhall Points Championship and Slotstox Foxhall Grand Prix Series Championship in the same season for a second time following 1987.
The Slotstox English Championship was postponed from 1989 and moved to 25th February 1990 with 37 drivers racing including 15 from the Aldershot Knights Slotstox Club although only 4 made it through to the quarter-finals and only 1 to the semi-finals. Two fifteen year olds qualified for the first semi-final – Brian Devine and Terry Newell. In the final, the scores were close after 5 races but with Paul on the inside and Terry Newell refusing to take him out, Paul won with Terry 2nd whilst son and father Brian and John didn’t team race and finished 3rd and 4th respectively.

The other Slotstox championships were shared between drivers each winning their first championship: Christer Earrey won the Slotstox East Anglian Championship, John Devine won the Slotstox Suffolk Championship, Noel Whinney won the Slotstox Foxhall Championship and Mark Banham won the Slotstox Foxhall Novice Championship.

Clive Day won the Slot-Stock Saloons East Anglian Championship.

At the Club's end of season gala night meeting, Mark Banham also won the Foxhall Grand Parade Championship for a third time following 1984 and 1985.

Dean Cox became the Club's sole promoter with Chris Bruce second in command.