Report: Mark Paulson

Summer Carnival Night drew a big crowd to the Adrian Flux Arena on Saturday (30 July) where they were treated to a fine evening’s entertainment by Pre-1985 Unlimited Bangers, Two-Litre Saloon Stock Cars and Reliant Robins. Boston’s Lyndon Stark continued his excellent run of form by winning yet another Banger final, while the main honours in the other formulas went to Great Yarmouth racer Michael Allard and London visitor Pete Bowley. 

Pre-1985 Unlimited Bangers

A decent field of 38 cars comprised mainly Volvos and Granadas, those staples of Unlimited Banger racing for many years. There plenty of older cars too, enough for a separate pre-1975 race, with the Lincoln Town Car of 791 Nicky Young and Daimler DS420 limousine of 282 Bobby Daniels topping the bill.

The pre-75 opener raised 11 cars and was won by 266 Callum Hall in his Toyota Crown, having passed the Rover P4-mounted 27 Will Longford who was then spun by 397 Stu Sandell (Series 1 Jaguar). 576 Colin Aldred (Austin Westminster) and 160 Shayn Winsor (Mk1 Granada) completed the top three.

From then on, it was all-in. Sandell begun heat one with a bang when he followed in 418 Simon Eglen (Mercedes), while Daniels won the entertainer award after blowing up 828 Jordan Sharpe. 8 James Jackson led the race early on but 22 Dave Vincent (Mk2 Granada) charged through to take a comfortable win from 88 Lyndon Stark (Mk3 Granada).

Action in heat two was highlighted by 27 Terry King (Mk2 Granada) going in square-on on the scoreboard bend, before Aldred took a big fencing that snapped his car and rolled it onto its side. 11 Ryan Leeks (Mercedes) was leading at the time of the stoppage but was passed by Stark and 811 Pete Winter (Mk2 Granada) as the race got going again. However, he fought back to win from 328 Daniel Lathan (Mk4 Granada) and Stark.

The final was led by 271 Ashlun Woods (Volvo 740 estate) until he spun and was clobbered by 884 Tom Filmer (Mk2 Granada). That allowed Stark to take up the running and he went on to secure his fourth consecutive final win at the track, heading home 338 Terry Garrod (Mk3 Granada) and 318 Tony Citro (Volvo 740 estate). Further back, 77 Russell Gill, who made a nuisance of himself all evening in his massive used Yank, blew up Longford’s ‘Auntie’ in style.

Sadly, lack of interest from the drivers meant there was no destruction derby on this occasion.

Two-Litre Saloon Stock Cars

Yet another 40+ turnout from the Heavy Metal Brigade provided their usual spectacular racing and also featured the second charity Ladies Race for the formula. That was won by Scottish visitor 600 Gemma Russell, who does have some experience of racing these cars. She beat 389 Mandy Smith, daughter of multi-champion Diggy and sister of Billy, who had led much of the way from her pole position start. Smith had fought off a challenge from 6 Kirstie Rix and was nearly spun by 538 Lucy White. She just held on but fishtailed down the straight, giving Russell the chance she needed to move ahead. 1300cc Stock Car racer 998 Lauren Overy completed the top three. 

The meeting proper lost 217 Sid Madgwick after girlfriend Emily Shackcloth’s outing in the car, while 6 Simon Welton never intended racing, but still featured 44 cars in the usual three heats split by grades. The first, for White & Yellow graded drivers, was led by 399 Cole Atkins until spun by 22 Karl Petters, which allowed 126 Harry Barnes ahead. Petters then moved in front until yellow flags were called after 537 Tom Alsop had gone hard into the fence. On the resumption, 84 Carl Boswell and 538 Jake Swann had spells in front, but it was in-form driver 733 Kyle Picton who went on to win from Swann and 327 Clayton Mallett.

Heat two produced a grandstand finish after a yellow flag period with three laps to go. Atkins and Petters had again disputed the early lead and Petters prevailed, leading until three laps to go when he tangled with 730 Deane Mayes and got turned into the fence, causing the caution. 360 Carl Waterfield moved ahead but was pushed aside by 499 David Aldous, only for the new National Champion 428 Lee Sampson to push inside the pair of them. 306 Daniel Parker and 349 Michael Allard also joined the scrap, with Waterfield spinning Sampson but only managing to finish third behind Parker and Allard.

Aldous and Mayes were early spinners in heat three which was brought under caution with 386 Daniel Petters facing the traffic on the home straight and 390 Dan Stacey on his roof on the infield. 124 Ollie Skeels led them away, with several lapped runners between himself and the chasing pack. It was the backmarkers that would prove his downfall though, as he got spun out on the final run to the flag. He eventually got going again but had been passed by Picton, Parker and Waterfield. Picton was docked two places for jumping the start, handing a second win of the day to Parker.

More misfortune befell Skeels in the 37-car final when he rolled on the scoreboard bend and unavoidably had the pack pile into his upturned car. Thankfully the Wisbech driver was able to emerge unscathed. The race was completely restarted, then had a caution period to rescue 448 Martin Kibble who was stranded mid-track. Frantic action at the front saw 131 Timmy Barnes spin the leading Karl Petters, with Picton passing both, before Barnes fenced 570 Simon Venni who had caught and passed him, with Allard taking advantage to move into second. Third placed Venni was slow away after a restart with three laps to go, allowing Picton and Allard to pull clear. But Aldous was still able to reel them in. He tried a move on the final bend which resulted in the three cars coming down the straight almost neck and neck, Allard just prevailing from Aldous and Picton.

Barnes, who eventually finished fourth in the final, then steered clear of trouble to win the allcomers race from Venni and Picton. It all meant that Allard marginally extended his track championship lead, which now stands at seven points over defending champion Aldous. Picton’s massive 42-point haul was the third biggest achieved at a non-championship meeting anywhere this season and continues a fine run of form that has seen him win five races in four meetings.

Reliant Robins

A slightly disappointing nine-car entry of three-wheelers more than made up for a lack of quantity with some spectacular action which included 13 rollovers in the heats alone. They were won by World of Shale Champion 553 Daniel Douglas and former champion 385 Roy Gedge. 195 Pete Bowley then took the final from Gedge and 490 Lee Barnard, with the race finishing with synchronised rolling from almost the entire field, much to the crowd’s delight.