Report by Mark Paulson
Local driver 338 Terry Garrod claimed the biggest prize in 1500cc Banger Racing by scooping the National Championship crown at the Norfolk Arena, King’s Lynn on Sunday afternoon, 8 December. The Unlimited Bangers were also in action, in their annual Nutcracker event, where 830 Lee White took the honours. Completing the bill were the Junior Bangers who contested their inaugural Gold Roof Championship, which was won in style by 309 Liam Gibson.
1500cc Bangers
An excellent entry of 58 1500cc Bangers turned out for their biggest title of the season, led by defending National Champion 601 Chris Medler. Former title holder and current (2-Litre) World Champion 328 Daniel Lathan was also among the pre-event favourites, along with a whole host of top local drivers.
A 28-car last chance qualifier was first on the cards and started with a bang when 394 Tom ‘Lofty’ Baines, stepping up from Micros for the first time, thundered in 124 Tom Lee. 287 Dean Quincee soon hit the front and led for some time before being pushed wide by 878 Luke Rowland who took up the running and held on for the win. Quincee was second, with 396 Graham Hyla third. The whole top ten, plus Baines as race entertainer, would advance to the National Championship grid.
A couple of non-starters left 34 cars to take the green flag in the National Championship. The ‘Incarace’ draw left Lathan on pole position and thus a short-price favourite. He wouldn’t have it easy though, with former runner-up 77 Russell Gill alongside and 566 Tony Pallett, son of former winner Geoff, behind. The full grid lined up as follows:
|
Inside
|
Row
|
|
Outside
|
|
328 Daniel Lathan
|
1
|
|
77 Russell Gill
|
|
566 Tony Pallett
|
2
|
|
761 Rodney Thurgill
|
|
747 Liam Hard
|
3
|
|
572 Paul Scully
|
|
517 Sid Cooper
|
4
|
|
888 Lloyd Stark
|
|
338 Terry Garrod
|
5
|
|
182 Ashley Watkinson
|
|
791 Nicky Young
|
6
|
|
601 Chris Medler
|
|
337 Ashley Garrod
|
7
|
|
673 Darren Fendley
|
|
239 James Smith
|
8
|
|
11 Ryan Leeks
|
|
303 Brian Linsdell
|
9
|
|
390 David Gibson
|
|
126 Dan Derbyshire
|
10
|
|
271 Ashlun Woods
|
|
119 Davey Cox
|
11
|
|
511 Jack Licquorice
|
|
183 Karl Thorpe
|
12
|
|
22 Dave Vincent
|
|
319 Shaun Clarke
|
13
|
|
878 Luke Rowland
|
|
691 Ryan Bartrum
|
14
|
|
287 Dean Quincee
|
|
611 Joe Geeves
|
15
|
|
886 Lewis Stark
|
|
396 Graham Hyla
|
16
|
|
960 Ross Winsor
|
|
394 Tom Baines
|
17
|
|
132 Robert James
|
Gill raced into an early lead but was turned around on the exit of bend four on lap one, which let Pallett and Lathan through. They proceeded to have a close-fought battle, with the other leading runners right behind. Pallett was targeted by his old nemesis 337 Ashley Garrod, but he managed to survive as Lathan nipped past, only to be re-taken by Pallett’s pink-and-black machine when delayed by backmarkers. 338 Terry Garrod then succeeded where brother Ashley had failed by spinning Pallett from contention. 338 ‘Wingnut’ moved ahead and pulled clear to take the win and the right to wear a gold cross on his roof for the next year. 673 Darren Fendley came home second, with Lathan third, the latter completing his set of top-three finishes in the race, having been runner-up last year and won in 2011. As well as trophies for the podium finishers, a special recognition award was presented to Hyla, in his last meeting of a 28-year long career in the sport.
Result:
1
|
338 Terry Garrod
|
2
|
673 Darren Fendley
|
3
|
328 Daniel Lathan
|
4
|
888 Lloyd Stark
|
5
|
761 Rodney Thurgill
|
6
|
119 Davey Cox
|
7
|
132 Robert James
|
8
|
390 David Gibson
|
9
|
791 Nicky Young
|
10
|
601 Chris Medler
|
Two all-comers races followed the main event. Each with over 30 cars, the first saw a complete restart when the drivers got themselves well out of order after a red flag for a loose wheel. 88 Lyndon Stark eventually took the win from Young and 11 Ryan Leeks, before Young latched onto the back of 51 Gavin Wing and 337 ‘Pretty Boy’ and the trio piled into the turn one fence. 785 Brendan Bird won the second from Rowland.
Unlimited Bangers
Over 50 cars were present in the Unlimited class, although a number didn’t make it out for either of the two half-car heats which both saw just over 20 cars take to the track. Cars of the day belonged to 791 Nicky Young (Mk2 Granada Limousine) and 411 Daniel Pegg (Mk2 Granada Hearse), while Dutch traveller 13 Pieter Leistra returned his sublime 1950s Cadillac from May’s Axestinction meeting.
In the first heat, 209 Tom Waller was on a mission, going straight after the hearse of 411 ‘Chucky’, although it held up well to assaults on successive laps. Waller then blitzed 372 Martin Scully on his way to the entertainers award, while 19 Joe Mullarkey did likewise to 513 Sean Harvey. 273 Kevin McClagish led much of the race in his Jaguar, but was caught out, allowing the stylish 148 Ian Redden (Volvo) to waltz to the win in sideways-style. McClagish held on to second, with Scully third.
The second heat saw some action on the power station bend, where 137 Jay Chilton blasted 174 Dave Osbourne, with 349 Lewis Price and 779 Luke Allen then piling in behind. Leistra’s big Yank was caught in the fence for much of the race, but surprisingly no one took up his invitation to lodge themselves in the massive car’s rear end. 89 Joe Barrett (Volvo) raced to the win from 99 Richard Ahern (Scorpio) and 597 Andy Ashman (Mk2 Granada).
The Nutcracker race was next, with all available cars leading to a 36-car field. As the race was lined up in graded order, the white graders who are perhaps a bit under-graded would have been fancying their chances. 313 John Cullingford (Jaguar) lost a wheel in the early stages as 660 Paul Lambe hit Irish visitor 166 William Ogilby on the nose. When Lynn debutant 250 Terry Ratcliffe blitzed fellow Essex driver 106 Kieran Pratchett red flags came out to assist the shaken Gladiator. With plenty of hits having already been administered, the complete restart saw only 22 runners remaining. 830 Lee White used his white grade start to good effect by racing to a relatively untroubled win from Martin Scully and 579 Gary Beecham. Ratcliffe’s hit scooped him an entertainers award, while another went the way of 325 Craig Preece for his shot on Lambe.
An all-comers race completed the racing action. The highlight was a train on the back straight which featured Barrett, 757 Callum Gill and Leistra, before 206 Phil Milner completed it with a monstrous shot on the Cadillac.
Junior Bangers
A record field of 34 Junior Bangers were in action, many in extremely smartly turned out cars for the big occasion. The Gold Roof Final was for qualifiers only and lined up in points order as follows:
|
Inside
|
Row
|
|
Outside
|
|
119 Ben Cox
|
1
|
|
309 Liam Gibson
|
|
868 Jorji Stark
|
2
|
|
123 Kieran Gray
|
|
51 James Licquorice
|
3
|
|
364 Bradley Lee
|
|
69 Brad Bartrum
|
4
|
|
93 Luke Nieuwenburg
|
|
504 Jamie Simpson
|
5
|
|
131 Charlie Barnes
|
|
32 Callum Henderson
|
6
|
|
33 Brad Rouse
|
|
660 Daniel Lambe
|
7
|
|
322 Cody Storr
|
|
68 Jack Benfield
|
8
|
|
399 Cole Atkins
|
|
212 Jack Maryon
|
9
|
|
385 Sam Evans
|
The race was a cracker. 868 Jorji Stark was a very early spinner, while 119 Ben Cox moved into an early lead from 309 Liam Gibson, 123 Kieran Gray, 51 James Licquorice and 131 Charlie Barnes. Gibson managed to spin Cox while Licquorice ran in Gray which allowed ‘Lil Gibbo’ to build a gap over the pursuers, led at this stage by Barnes. Licquorice spun the latter though before himself clipping a parked car and getting turned into the fence. That let 399 Cole Atkins into second and there he stayed. Gibson reeled off the laps, which was no mean feat, with cars littering the track. It was an impressive display, while Atkins’ drive from near the back of the grid was also very worthy. Cox recovered to finish third, with only the podium finishers staying on the lead lap.
Result:
1
|
309 Liam Gibson
|
2
|
399 Cole Atkins
|
3
|
119 Ben Cox
|
4
|
364 Bradley Lee
|
5
|
504 Jamie Simpson
|
6
|
33 Brad Rouse
|
7
|
212 Jack Maryon
|
8
|
51 James Licquorice
|
With such a large entry, there were two further heats. The first saw another big pile-up on bend two which claimed half the field and left a near blockage at some points. Gibson came from the back to score another success from 62 Ross Klyn and 32 Callum Henderson. Gibson’s run was ended in the next – with lots of action and incidents again, 69 Brad Bartrum survived to take the win from Gray and Licquorice.
Bartrum was successful again in the meeting final after Gibson was an early spinner. Cox and 93 Luke Nieuwenburg rounded out the top three to compete an excellent meeting and a great first season at the track for the youngsters.
Heat 1 |
148 |
273 |
372 |
106 |
589 |
185 |
250 |
81 |
19 |
533 |
Heat 2 |
89 |
99 |
597 |
830 |
160 |
338 |
579 |
768 |
779 |
nof |
Nutcracker Final |
830 |
372 |
579 |
27 |
338 |
280 |
572 |
328 |
81 |
790 |
All Comers |
372 |
390 |
338 |
768 |
99 |
267 |
185 |
148 |
597 |
37 |
Destruction Derby |
779 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Merit Awards |
411 |
791 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Entertainer Awards |
209 |
250 |
325 |
206 |
13 |
81 |
768 |
|
|
|
Last Chance Race |
878 |
287 |
396 |
886 |
960 |
145 |
132 |
611 |
319 |
691 |
National Championship |
338 |
673 |
328 |
888 |
761 |
119 |
132 |
390 |
791 |
601 |
All Comers 1 |
88 |
791 |
11 |
888 |
396 |
338 |
878 |
22 |
328 |
271 |
All Comers 2 |
785 |
878 |
886 |
271 |
88 |
338 |
566 |
328 |
22 |
791 |
Destruction Derby |
791 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Merit Awards |
126 |
145 |
239 |
319 |
601 |
782 |
|
|
|
|
Entertainer Awards |
394 |
51 |
888 |
791 |
119 |
747 |
396 |
27 |
390 |
|
Gold Roof Final |
309 |
399 |
119 |
364 |
504 |
33 |
212 |
51 |
nof |
|
Heat 2 |
309 |
62 |
32 |
997 |
129 |
nof |
|
|
|
|
Heat 3 |
69 |
123 |
51 |
131 |
364 |
129 |
62 |
997 |
93 |
322 |
Final |
69 |
119 |
93 |
364 |
309 |
382 |
123 |
322 |
399 |
834 |