Icebreaker XXVII (19 Jan, 12noon) -Contenders ready!?
With Icebreaker 27 just around the corner, Matt Black gives the low down on some of the contenders heading into battle on Sunday from 12noon.
Team Black And Silver
Fantastic to have these big hitters here with us this weekend, and this team is just one reason why the unlimited Icebreaker has so much strength in depth to it this year. Often seen dishing it out on the Spedeworth southern tracks, these boys can be as hard as they come, and I fully expect them to be throwing there hats into the ring to try and take the entertainer league trophy here on Sunday. A close nit team that will certainly back each other in the battle, expect them to have a go early doors, as they have made the long trip up to be with us, but I expect them to be well involved as we reach the latter stages of Sundays competition. Danny and Ricky Stroud have become household names and Simon and Sam Bye have announced themselves in a big way over the last couple of years. I know a lot of the local spectators are looking forward to seeing this outfit in action here this afternoon and they are a set of drivers who work just as hard in the pits as they do out on the track. I expect them to be involved all day, and it's fantastic to welcome a new team to the fray. Expect a bold showing from these boys and I know they have a little bit of a battle going on with Dean Jarvis and Lee Macey, so maybe something could develop with the Wild Boyz, but they certainly won't be fearing anyone, and they shouldn't, a very strong unit indeed.
Blooz Boyz
A nice throw back to old times, as we welcome back The Blooz Boyz to the Icebreaker team championship, with a couple of older faces and plenty of knew, these boyz have put together a decent outfit that is still growing in numbers as we speak as they aim too build a third team to take it to some old rivals. In 200 Noon and 171 Tommy West Jnr they have a good base to build upon and they have gathered quite the team to take on some old rivals. That I'm sure is a mouth watering prospect for us all and the lads who have been taken on board for this event all know what the score is. The B team is very midlands based with Marc Key thrown in for good measure and 83 Julian Grant has had some fine performances here this season. Again another side who have added plenty of strength in depth to what should seriously be an amazing day of action. I'm sure we all know what the Blooz Boys can do out on track and if old rivalries are renewed we could seriously be in for a very action packed afternoon.
Gladiators
Two sides led into battle today and once again we are expecting a strong showing from the Gladiators. All the usual main protagonists Phil and Simon Smith, Turkish and Noddy are all household names and will lead the side into battle, but don't be fooled in Phil Smith they have one of the quickest drivers around here in the side, and he had a good crack at trying to take the micro teams back in December. I expect him to be trying to get round and rack the points up with Simon who has been in devastating form here in the back end of the season. Noddy and Turkish will be looking to have a good bash with whoever takes them up on the offer. Can go either way with the sides they have, and are another side who can work extremely hard in the pits, so expect them to be doing there best work in the later stages of the meeting, where points really are even harder to win, but that is when these boys do there best work!!!
Shunters
An incredible three sides put together by Charlie Taylor, who has made the Shunters into a very hard to beat side. Again some hard hitting drivers and there is certainly a war out there for them today. I'm sure Charlie will have organised his troops into battle and made them all aware of what is expected. Again that battle is another little sub plot into what really could be a special day. Certainly a side that isn't shy in coming forward and amongst the teams I would expect them to have at least one team looking to be going well in the entertainers league. There will certainly be a lot of hard work going on in the pits and they will be doing everything in there power to come out on top on Sunday. Have gone away after many a good meeting over the last few seasons and Charlie really has developed into one of the top entertainers here over the last few seasons.
Team Filmer/Sowter
Well there isn't much more that you can say about this side!!! Have been at the forefront at all times since making the move over, and dominated the entertainers side of things as far as Icebreaker and War Of The Worlds is concerned. The usual 4 are joined by an array of entertaining drivers, two Aftermath drivers in Callum White and Ross Cooper will be joined by Charlie Jackson and Dan Weeks, Dan has teamed up with the boys here last year and will know what the orders are, Charlie has been a standout performer at our head to head meetings and does his best work, when going for a crash and Callum and Ross won't need to be asked twice to go and take a few down. We'll be looking forward to seeing Jack Filmer back in action as he was in superb form in the lead up to the World Of Shale last season, and if he is in that sort of mood again, he could get man of the day. Once again though, an incredible line up and it is with credit to Taylor and the boys that they have a cue of drivers lining up to join forces with them to take on the rest!!! A solid option if your looking for a top three side in the entertainers league, but it could quite easily be both sides going for glory.
Team Extreme
Jonny James has captained this side for many years, and since coming here they have been right at the top of the game and have looked to be crowned champions at every opportunity in this event. They have been so strong and the line up this year is no different. Charlie King has always been fun too watch round here and too be honest could quite easily be coming into this as a world champion, Callum Gill is the newly crowned national points champion here, Jonny is always on top form and Terry Coke has won a race at every team meeting for these boys, an incredible A team is joined by a B team that is just as strong in Buddy James, Garry Webb, Stevo McGrath and Josh Gooch who are all more than capable drivers. Two strong outfits, who will feature strongly, had a fantastic battle at Icebreaker and War Of The Worlds with Team Black and there sides are equally as strong. I expect those two sides to be embroiled in a battle at the top again on Sunday. However Team Extreme have come out on top in the last two years!!!
Team Black
It is an incredible feat by Jack Overy and the team over the years that they have been at the top of the game for so long now, and continue to become a leading force in the game when it comes to any team event. I think it will once again take a good side to take it to them to be crowned team champions, but this event this year is as strong as it has been for a good few years now. Some talented drivers in the sides and you wouldn't count either side out of this event. However they last won this event back in 2013 and that is something that the boys will be looking to put right, can that be Sunday?
Team Stinkbridge
Plenty has been said about the return of the boys in pink, young and old combine to field an incredible four teams of drivers for this event, and there will be plenty going on for these boys. Fantastic to see the return of Simon Hields and Willy Blackwell alongside long standing members Kyle Shires and Rikki Finney. Joined by plenty of drivers who are based in the area I'm sure that many people out there will be excited to see how well these lads get on as a unit. I'm sure they will know that it will bring out forces of old and rivalries of old, and what the future holds regarding the future of the colours remains unclear. This however is a mouth watering prospect to see this talented unit back together and we thank Rikki and the boys for choosing this meeting to come back on mass too. Plenty of talent in them team, non more so than Kyle Shires who won the World Of Shale here back in September after winning his last chance, they could quite easily win both the points and entertainers league today. However one thing is for sure is that there is plenty of interest of there return, and here at Trackstar we are very much looking forward to seeing them in action on Sunday.
TMT
Ricky Hutton and James Steel lead the troops into battle here on Sunday with two sides full of talent, and they will be looking forward to the battle. Out and out entertainers throughout the sides, but in James Steel and Dean Goodearl they have two of the quickest around, and they could quite easily have a go at winning this. These days however winning the entertainer league has become just as important and in Ricky Hutton they have a born entertainer who proved that at War Of The Worlds with a devastating display for the Dover Boys. They seem to have a bit of a battle on there hands with another side out there today, and again that could and should be an interesting watch, a great addition too things once again and expect them to be at the forefront of the action when it all unfolds!!!
The Predators
Two teams that have been put together and cover many parts of the country and Ireland to for good measure, in Kieran Bowman they have a strong leader who is backed by big Ant Bailey and between them they have put the Preds back on the map, Damien Matthews is now an ever present in the line up and he has also been a shining light in a very lively Trackstar scene. Some fascinating guests appear this weekend for the red and blue army in Matty High, Timmy Aldridge, Kieran Mc Ivor, Aston Burt and Marc Blower, a very interesting set of guests, but if finding the team spirit, they could be a very lively unit indeed. Will look to have another good go at top entertaining team here on Sunday, and that will be no mean feat considering the sides that will be contesting that here today. Expect them to go well as it's a very good squad that has been assembled for this event.
The Outsiders
Callum Reed and James Head partner up again to lead the green army into battle, and these southern raiders are joined by the lively Chris and Liam Hide. Expect these boys to be having a crack at this on Sunday and they are more than capable of featuring strongly. James Head has had some good results round here before, and he will be looking to put his previous form to good use here on Sunday afternoon. Callum Reed is a very good driver on his day and he can also get some positive results when needed, loves throwing a car round here on the shale, but also enjoys a crash when the mood is right. Liam Hide had an impressive weekend here in a Granada a couple of years back, and they are always lively when they appear on the southern tracks. Expect these boys to have a crack at this today and I'm sure they may slip under the radar!!!
Boston Warlords
Gary Beecham has done a magnificent job in raising two teams for this, and the indication is that they will all be bringing something a little bit different come Sunday. The lively pair of Adam and Aiden Storr along with Beecham himself are a good outfit, but when you include the likes of Steven Dean into the team then you realise that these boys are not just here to make the numbers up. The rare and different cars will be great to see, and I'd personally like to thank Garry and the lads for arranging something a little different for us to look at here this afternoon. Be great if they are able to keep them going all day, but not so sure there will be an abundance of spares available for them to keep going. Great work from Gary and the boys, and I look forward to seeing them pit there wits against the rest on Sunday.
Dover Boys
James Licquorice and Dom Davies make there unlimited Icebreaker debuts in Dover Boy colours, and they will be joined by Sam Coote and Darren Fendley. I'd imagine the game plan will be to have a crack at this and that is something that they certainly have a chance of doing with the highly consistent Fendley in there side. The former 2 litre banger and national points champion rarely misses a beat around here, and I expect that to be no different this afternoon. In Coote and The Duck they have two drivers who are more than capable of going for the win and James will be looking to do the double after grabbing the micro team championship back in December. Dom will also be a welcome addition and if avoiding the temptation of a crash, he too is more than capable of grabbing the points needed to help the team succeed here come Sunday.
Team Carter
Big Mike leads the side into battle again this afternoon with a solid look to it. Carter was agonisingly close to taking victory in the World Of Shale back in September and although coming home in third I know how bitterly disappointed he was that day. However on the flip side of that it shows how far he has come in such a short space of time since joining the Trackstar ranks, and he will be joined by running mate 606 Boomer and Mackenzie Whitehead. They were superb back at the War Of The Worlds taking on everything and came very close in the entertainer league. Expect a similar showing today from this ever improving team unit.