Photos: Damien Widdows
Words: Keith Organ
Meetings don’t come much bigger than a World Final night; the weather did it’s absolute best to literally dampen the occasion, but with a huge determined effort from the drivers, teams and of course staff the event was still a great occasion - Thank you again to everyone braving the weather and joining us.
2 Litre bangers
There were a few last minute cancellations which meant that there was a few less Bangers than originally scheduled, however still a good turnout number in the region of mid 80’s. 25 cars ventured out for the first last chance race including a few Gladiators and Team Allsorts, the first three from the last chance races will be seed on to the back of the World Final Grid with an entertainer too.
Kieran Francis (541) starting pole. The tricky conditions catching out a lot of the drivers, several putting them self in. Craig Allen (181) follows in Matt Bradshaw (677) in turn 1 as Ian Marsh (101) went after James Licquorice (51). Lots off brown cars making it hard to pick out who was who. Seymour Tucker (503) picked out the smart car of Aaron Challis (664) following him to the fence on turn 1. Callum White (100) your leader. Licqourice turned round and went for Brad White (312) in turn 2, getting him at the second go. In to the closing stages of the race Scott Graves (577) turned it round for Francis 541 getting him just behind the front wheel in turn 3. White 100 wins.
The second last chance race saw 17 cars on track; Charlie Jackson (444) starting on pole. Sean Dyer (285) attacked early on to battle for the lead with 444 a few laps in. The leading pair break away, but not for long as The Shunters had now turned it round in turn 3 and take out the front runners. Dyer not taking too kindly to this turned it round for and went after them. Robert James (132) of the Shunters still on opposite goes for Sean Mullens (353) in turn 3. Still on opposite James goes in on Ben Gatiskell (136); ripping out the front leg of James. Jonny Atkin (399) now the leader. Gatiskell then goes in on James who in turn is met head on by the passing traffic. Harry Overy (356) followed in 443 on the run down lap, but it was Atkin who took a convincing win.
The World Final race was the next Banger event, 45 cars on track with Joe Cotton (111) on pole position Jordan Cumming (570) on his outside. At the drop of the green, as you would expect from the conditions, a lot of the field struggled to find traction and with 45 cars pushing, cars went in all directions. Kieran Bowman (178) had took over the running at the end of the opening lap, his lead though was short lived as he dropped back down the order, defending champion Lee Clarke (247) picking his way through the melee to take over the running after a handful of laps. Sid Cooper (517) now second; more cars thundered in to turn 3 creating a small pile up, including Jono Brook (129) who was followed in by one of the Gladiators. Red flags were called; 247 the leader and 517 second on the restart which saw a big crunch into the first corner; James Licqourice (51) turns it round and gets Tom Foster (82), Cumming’s also getting caught up. Robert James (132) then also turned round and got Steve Ryan (254). A number of cars tripped over one another in the homestraight which slowed the leader down and let through Cooper to the front. Clarke went in with the bumper in to turn 3, but Cooper stays in the lead. Licqourice at this point was blitzed by Jonny Atkin (399) and with a few more piling in a track blockage was created in the entrance to the back straight; including the leader who was caught out. The lap boards were out at this point and Clarke was back in the lead and remained there until the chequered flag; becoming the first ever driver to retain this title in it’s history.
The first allcomers drew out 37 cars including the re-crowned World Champion Lee Clarke (247). Jamie Blything (248) starting on pole position. Harry Overy (356) takes in Steve Ryan (254) and Brad White (312) in to turn 1 at the start. Several pile in to the stranded 312 car. Adam Hitchcock (74) then took in Phil Milner (201) as Scott Munson (431) attacked 148. A small pile up developed that saw several drivers getting caught out. The red flags were called for a small fire. Jack Deacon (103) the leader for the restart. Ashley Garrod (337) was then taken round by Kieran Francis (541) from the Gladiators on the restart as Deacon pulled out a gap out in front. Deacon though disappeared and left Hitchcock to take over. Garrod was then met head on by I think, one of the Fosters, the numbers on cars becoming quite obscured. Charlie Jackson (444) then jacked Terry King (27), the entrance to the backstraight becoming quite cluttered. Jonny Atkin (399) was also then met head on in the melee. A very chaotic ending to the race saw the 541 machine meet one of the Fosters hard head on, with the rest of the field piling in too. Hitchcock 74 taking the win on a relatively rare shale appearance.
Allcomers 2 was a little quieter, 20 cars on track. The race quite quiet ahead of the destruction derby. Jack Deacon (103) runs in Billy Beckham (381) in turn 3. Whilst Ian Marsh (101) was being attacked by Lee Clarke (247). Sean Cooper (512) went after Harry Overy (356), spinning him round in the homestraight. Kurt Jacobs (817) your leader and went on to the win relatively unchallenged.
Straight in to the Destruction derby, some retire and some more join off the middle. Ashley Garrod (337) piles in on one of the Fosters, whilst Bradley Bowman (279) turns it round; striking Ashley Law (18). A few turn it round at this point down in turn 1, I can't see the numbers; but several cars went piling in. Bowman caught a very hard head on. As Garrod caught a very hard t-bone. Red flags were called for. The restart and just the 3 remain. Overy, Sid Cooper (517) and Kenny Gabriel (720) the last contenders. Overy quickly dropped out leaving two standing; Cooper turns It round in search of Gabriel catching a head on, the pair back off and exchange a few more head ons. Cooper the aggressor goes in on the back of 720 and couple more attacks before being declared the winner.
1300 Stock Cars
The first 1300 race, who were racing in a two thirds format, was specifically for white and yellow grade drivers; unfortunately, this was also the moment that the heavens opened and torrential rain fell on the arena. 24 cars on track and in the conditions, as you would expect, there was a lot of spinning cars and a lot of drivers who struggled to turn the corner rattling the plating. Jack Wilkins (690) keeping the car in the right direction took the win in very, very trying conditions.
Heat 2 saw a field of 21 cars. Ashley Halliday (396) on pole position. The wet conditions catching out Martin Taylor (422) who went straight on to the fence at the green, not the only one though, as cars were going everywhere. Carl Morgan (42) your early leader, but further back Kevin Shinn (400) was on a charge. Halliday went to the fence in turn 1; the yellow flags called for with the 396 machine left stranded in the entrance to the back straight. 42 led them off on the restart. Shinn slams in Ben Englestone (769) putting him out to the pit gate. Scott Sparrow (781) was spun around in the homestraight and was then met head on by Andrew Milner (560). 42 still holding on to the lead with Luke Jackson (450) in second slowly gaining, Barry Wade (731) in third. The lap boards were out and at this point, Shinn retired under a cloud of smoke. Morgan though back up front, held his lead and just kept enough of advantage over Jackson in second to take the win in a damaging race which saw only 7 finishers.
18 cars for heat 3. Mark Lathan (324) on pole led the field in to the first corner, but further back Megan Petherick (228) went straight in on the attack in those in front of her, quickly manoeuvring to the front whilst Dean Moat (473) and Beau Southgate (241) clashed and planted the fence. Chris Taylor (421) attacks the leader Petherick to take first sport, but 228 having none of it returned the compliment, this battle slowed them enough to allow Tom Keep (367) in to contention; Keep then duly went in for the challenge and took the lead; Taylor in second and now Todd Payne (149) up in to third. Luke Jackson (450) appearing to struggle in this one battled Dean Quincee (287) for the lower placers. At the lap boards Taylor was right with Keep, the pair set to battle one another for the number one spot, Taylor went in on Keep. 367 returning the favour and put Taylor up the wall. Keep taking the win ahead of Taylor in second and Payne in third.
18 cars returned for the final; James Bruce (858) taking up pole position; as Shayne Tilson (32) went for a spin to the marker tyres and Paul Sparrow (682) was taken to the fence. Martin Taylor (422) went in on Ben Englestone (769). The early laps done and Bruce still held the lead over Carl Morgan (42) second and Tom keep (367) in third. Morgan was then quickly demoted down the order when Keep charged in. Chris Taylor (421) and Todd Payne (149) battled; the squabbling duo meant they lost touch with the leader as Keep pulled away. Bruce was the next casualty with a spin to the infield marker tyres. Taylor had now broke free from Payne as the lap boards were presented and the 421 car set off after the leader; a few laps later had closed in, but at this point Dalton Leedell (90) took himself to the fence in turn 3 and whilst re-joining the racing line held up the Taylor machine, this then allowed Keep to pull a few lengths gap. The delayed Taylor then came under fire from Payne again and in to the final bend, Payne slammed in on Taylor, 149 claiming second. Keep your winner, Taylor finishing third.
Junior Bangers
The junior bangers rounded out the billing, their first event at King’s Lynn since their World Final meeting a couple of weeks previous. Heat 1 saw a full field of 27 juniors take to the track including Thomas Needs (54); Howe Reade (352) racing their first meetings and newly crowned World Champion Ben Nicholls (328). Harvey Webb (622) starting on pole on a track that was very wet. The drivers were everywhere and struggling. Reade lost control in turn 3 and went full chat in to the fence head on, thankfully ok. Joey Holmes (90) your leader and dominating proceedings. The lap boards were out for Holmes as the field needed to negotiate a small and growing chicane that was forming on the exit of turn 1. Holmes taking the win, ahead of Nicholls in second and Blake Platts (450) in third.
Heat 2 returned 24 cars, Aiden Harrold (45) starting pole; the drop of the green saw several of the white graders collect the fence; whilst Joey Holmes (90) put the bumper in on Harly McCarthy (131) in to turn 1. Finley Damon (08) went for a spin in the backstraight, which saw the pack scattering to avoid. Jamie Wright (281) and Thomas Needs (54) trip over each other in the home straight. Blake Platts (450) went in on the back of Harrold in the homestraight, unable to separate the pair collects a marker tyre. The car of Harry Cobb (229) slowed in to turn 1, Aiden Storr (854) wasting no time went in on the back of him. The lap boards were presented, just as Harry Gelsthorpe (555) and Needs clashed in the home straight fence, but it was Lewis Ivatt (77) who took a convincing win, Holmes the runner up and Louis Barker (556) in third.
The final for the junior bangers attracted 16 cars, Harvey Webb (622) once again starting on pole position. Ryan Nieuwenburg (993) puts himself in, whilst Blake Platts (450) and Finley Damon (08) trip over one another in turn 3. Harry Gelsthorpe (555) the early race leader but he was coming under attack from Louie Cottrill (999) who quickly took over. Louis Barker (556) jacks Lee Reynolds (117) in turn 3 as Platts was sent in to a spin and was collected by Damon. Josh Holstead (744) was taken around in turn 1 by the leader Cottrill who in turn was coming under pressure from Lewis Ivatt (77). The lap boards presented and Cottrill caught the sludge on the outside and slowed down letting Ivatt through in to the lead. Cottrill recovered and attempted a last bender, but was unsuccessful, Ivatt taking the win, Joey Holmes (90) snuck by the delayed Cottrill to steal second, Cottrill finishing third. Holstead put away Reynolds in to the pit gate in the last bend to conclude the junior bangers.
Another quality night of racing, held back a little by the rain. Fingers crossed the weather holds out for the next meeting: Saturday 16 June @ 5:30pm – 1500CC Banger East Anglian Teams, 2 Litre Stock Cars and 1300 Stock Cars.