The big Bank Holiday meeting at Arlington Stadium ended in controversy.

Furious Hailsham driver Bill Wingrove raged at clerk of the course Pete Welland and his fellow officials when it became clear he might be disqualified after he had roared to victory in the stock rods final.

The trophy was handed to second man Mark Jackson, but that was never going to be the end of the matter.

The stewards decided to look at video evidence and carry out checks on all three cars before finalising the placings, and the 4,000 crowd left the stadium without knowing the outcome of the inquiry.

When the dust settled, Wingrove lost the argument and the race, which was awarded to Jackson with Wingrove relegated to second place for pushing his way to the front during the race.

Kym Weaver, who had accompanied Jackson and Wingrove on the lap of honour, suffered a similar fate when he was docked a place and Joe Smith moved up to third.

It was a controversial ending to a race which had seen Wingrove break clear of the pack and Jackson, Weaver, Smith and Philip Blackford flash across the line in a pack.

Former grass-track racer Jackson, driving an ex-world final winning car, had the last word this time, but the Maidstone man will find plenty waiting for him if he returns for the next Arlington clash of the stock rods Wingrove's demotion meant the bangers were the only formula to provide a Sussex winner in the finals. 'King Basher' Gordon Coull, from Peacehaven, took that one from Richard Flockton.

The superstox produced some excellent racing, with Aldershot's Paul Fiore just holding off Mark Eaton in the final with Dave Turner third, while Chris Bradbury won the ministox final from Derek Russell and Heathfield's David Polley.