MORE than 100 drivers from as far as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Holland took part in the Brisca F1 Stock Car World Championship which was held at Ipswich's Foxhall Stadium for the first time.

MORE than 100 drivers from as far as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Holland took part in the Brisca F1 Stock Car World Championship which was held at Ipswich's Foxhall Stadium for the first time.

The big race was the first one on the programme, with most experts predicting the winner would come from the first four on the grid - Andy Smith, Paul Harrison, Stuart Smith and Frankie Wainman Junior.

Andy Smith certainly got a good start - too good in the eyes of some - but Wainman definitely didn't, getting caught up on the rolling lap and, by the time the cars got racing, he was way down the field.

Several cars either clashed with each other, or the fence, during these early stages, with Norwich's Matt Newson among those whose race was over very shortly after it had started.

None of this bothered Andy Smith, who continued to stay comfortably clear of Harrison and Stuart Smith, although some expected pressure began to arrive on lap eight when Paul Hynes pushed past Stuart Smith to go third - and clearly had his eye set on better than that. However, he got involved in a big crash with several others a few laps later, and that was the end of the challenge to Andy Smith, who went on to take the win.

Harrison was second, while Ron Kroonder gave the Dutch contingent something to cheer about with a fine third place.

Smith, who hails from Rochdale, dedicated the win to his East Anglian family who have kept him going, and supported him at times when things weren't going quite so well. His wife Lisa, and her father Tony, are both well- known former racers from Halstead in Essex.

Smith said: “I had to keep telling myself not to panic and just to make sure I saved my tyres in case anyone got close, but I always managed to stay far enough ahead. No, it wasn't all that exciting, and I'm sorry about that, but my job is to just go out there and win.”

This was his third World Championship victory, while fourth-placed Stuart, who is his brother, was the defending champion, having won at King's Lynn last year.

This gives the boys four world titles between them, which is still two less than their father Stuart senior.

The two other main races were considerably more exciting. Lee Robinson from Loughborough won the European Under 25 championship from an impressive 30-car entry, while the highest-placed finishers from the world race, the Under 25 race, two heats and two consolations came together in a 36-car Grand Final.

Three stoppages to rescue injured drivers were testament to the action going on, although the best was to come on the last bend when James Lund tried to push Harrison wide and both slid dangerously close to the fence.

While they were struggling to gain their momentum, Wainman dived through on the inside to just beat the pair of them to the line.

Results from Foxhall

Race One - World Championship: 1 Andy Smith (Rochdale), 2 Paul Harrison (Rotherham), 3 Ron Kroonder (Holland).

Race Two - Heat One: 1 Gary Castell (Holland), 2 Ivan Pritchard (Nottingham), 3 Steve Jacklin (Yorkshire).

Race Three - Heat Two: 1 John Lawn (Norwich), 2 Les Spencer (Yorkshire), 3 Stephen Hopkins (Lancs).

Race Four - European Under 25 Championship: 1 Lee Robinson (Loughborough), 2 Tom Harris (Oxford), 3 Spencer Taylor (Yorkshire).

Race Five - First Consolation: 1 Neil Scothern (Leicester), 2 Will Yarrow (Yorkshire), 3 Lenny Smith (Burton on Trent).

Race Six - Second Consolation: 1 Jos op't Roodt (Belgium), 2 James Lund (Lancs), 3 Matt Newson (Norwich).

Race Seven - Grand Final: 1 Frankie Wainman Jnr (Yorkshire), 2 Harrison, 3 Lund.