Fireworks Fantasy Night at the Norfolk Arena featured racing action from three formulas, Two-Litre Saloon Stock Cars, Two-Litre Rear-Wheel Drive Bangers and Reliant Robins. While the latter two were short on numbers, they still provided a decent display, as the mighty Saloons stole the show as usual. 912 Andi Newman claimed the White & Yellow Grade Series Final before 131 Timmy Barnes took the meeting final. 830 Lee White claimed a heat and final double in the Bangers and 85 James Ellis took the Robins final, having been heavily involved in the action in the heats.

Saloon Stock Cars

Another strong turnout of 35 cars included four drivers giving the formula a go for the first time. Stepping up from 1300cc Stock Cars was 473 Dean Moat in an ex-728 Kris Woods car, while Banger drivers 49 Andy Shipp and 209 Tom Waller borrowed 149 Jamie Sampson’s car and 730 Deane Mayes’s spare respectively. German 303 Kevin Loeff made his first appearance in father Frank’s machine.

The first race was the final of the W&Y Grade Series, with all qualifying scorers lined up in order within their grades, which were closed up, and the four newcomers at the back, making a 22-car grid. Leading white grade scorer 192 Robert Heanes led away from 912 Andi Newman as top yellow grader 214 Tom Yould got turned into a spin by the rear of the white grade. Heanes led until the lap-down 350 Thomas Parrin spun him, allowing Newman to take a lead he would not relinquish. 420 Ivan Street moved into second, with 800 Scott Greensalde third, but the latter spun. That let 512 Darren Barnett into third but 128 Craig Banwell pushed him wide on the final bend to take the position and clinch his third consecutive top-three spot in this race.

Greenslade led the 31-car heat one proper until Banwell spun him out to take up the running. He was then pushed wide by 130 Joe Gladden, with Parrin following through. Banwell fought back however, and reassumed the lead which he held until spun by 349 Michael Allard with a lap to go. 511 Craig Barnett, who had been flying through the field, along with 499 David Aldous had nowhere to go but give Banwell a big head-on, removing them both. Allard cleared off to take the win from Aldous and Gladden.

Heat two saw a complete restart after a rollover for 270 Matt Fuller when he got caught up in the melee caused by 698 Danny Colliver and 131 Timmy Barnes charging hard into the fence. Shipp led away the restart before dropping back, with first Newman and then Yould taking up the running. Yould built a big lead and looked odds-on for the win until he got taken out and pinned against the back-straight fence. Allard took advantage to sweep to his second win of the night, followed by the impressive Gladden and Banwell, with Aldous fourth. Allard said: “I think he [Yould] hesitated a little bit and that’s a mistake – I’ve done that myself a few times.”

Greenslade again led away the final until spun by Newman, with Gladden passing both. But before long Barnes had hit the front and looked to be powering clear for an easy win. He had a scare when the spun Greenslade drove across the track just in front of him, but survived, but a pacy 18 Jamie Clayton was gradually reeling him in. He pushed him wide to take the lead with two laps to go but Barnes fought his way straight back past and held on to take the win from Clayton and 306 Daniel Parker. Fourth-placed 428 Lee Sampson was half spun by Gladden on the final bend, dropping him behind his attacker and Aldous.

A 23-car allcomers race rounded off proceedings, which Greenslade led away, while several of the reds got tangled up. Street and 538 Jake Swann had spells in the lead before Sampson hit the front, only to passed by Mayes and Aldous who then moved ahead. Sampson fought back into second before Clayton once again began a late charge. He dispatched Sampson and caught Aldous, successfully pulling off a last-bend lunge to take the win.

Rear-wheel drive Bangers

An 18-car entry was sadly much lower than last year’s mid-summer event but did at least provide a bit of variety on the machinery front, albeit mostly used. Ford-wise, World of Shale Champion 148 Ian Redden and Swaffham Gold Roof 312 Tom Reynolds were at the wheel of Capris, while 597 Andy Ashman had a Cortina and 769 Ben Englestone an unused Sierra Sapphire. There were Triumphs for 22 Dave Vincent and 321 Andy Newton, sadly neither able to complete many laps. 95 Anton Martin and 116 Nat Cohn both had fresh Vauxhall Carlton estates, while more modern machinery was fielded by 280 Simon Goodale (BMW Compact) and 781 Scott Sparrow (Mercedes E-Class). Perhaps car of the day, certainly of the fresh stuff, was a very smart old BMW 5-Series in the hands of 791 Nicky Young, although sadly he couldn’t get it running properly until the final. The remainder were in Mk3 or Mk4 Granadas.

Sixteen made it out for heat one, won by Cohn who had powered through from the back. Second was long-time leader 345 Darren Yates, with 830 Lee White – who had used his Granada’s superior power to pull clear of Redden’s Capri – third.

Just 12 returned for heat two, where the leading Yates spun himself out with just two-and-a-half laps to go. That let White through for the win, while Cohn dived inside Englestone on the final bend for second. Entertainment was provided by half a dozen spins for Ashman, while Sparrow spent as much time spinning as driving forward, revolving at least a dozen times.

Young swelled the field to 13 for the final and proceeded to entertain with some very sideways driving before spinning himself out from third position.  Englestone led much of the way before Goodale closed him down and spun him out before being spun himself by 888 Lloyd Stark, just after White had moved into the lead. Redden and Cohn passed Stark for second and third but the latter managed to spin Cohn, only for 338 Terry Garrod to pass and complete the top three.

Reliant Robins

Just 11 three-wheelers were in attendance although they included a first appearance in a smart new car for 270 Ashley Flegg.

664 Ryan Sutcliffe took heat one and was rolled by 379 Peter Graham just after he crossed the line, earning the latter an entertainers award. Earlier 85 James Ellis had been taken in and rolled by 576 Colin Aldred, landing on his wheels and continuing.

Ellis sought revenge in heat two, firstly putting Aldred away before the two indulged in a slow-motion game of cat and mouse, earning both black flags. Former World of Shale Champion 704 Stuart Henderson pulled clear of his successor 385 Roy Gedge in a two lap dash to the flag after the final caution period.

Aldred and Sutcliffe went in extremely hard, both rolling, in the final, earning the latter the best roll of the day. The lapped Graham lunged at the leading Henderson, which allowed Ellis into the lead. Henderson hit back but then half spun, allowing Ellis and Gedge through to take first and second. Henderson completed the top three before most the field indulged in rolling antics after the flag.