Photos: 1 Trackstar Social Media, 2 Major Gilbert, 3 - 14 Damien Widdows, 15 - 16 Major Gilbert, 17 - 25 Jim Harrod, 26 - 29 Major Gilbert
Report: Keith Organ
An addition to the fixture list in early Summer; gave a drivers another chance for a “domestic” outing and as is usually the case, there wasn’t anything domestic! A great Sunday afternoon of action, with the pits full of cars, 2L Bangers, 1500 Bangers, Junior Bangers and 1300 Stock Cars.
2Litre Bangers
Aaron Nelson (669) led off the 2 Litre Banger Wild Card event, 21 cars on track. Nelson was quickly overhauled by Jamie Blything (248) to take over the running as Louis Farnell (314) and Matt Black (25) were spinners in the homestraight. Adam Hitchcock (74) followed in Kieran Bowman (178) in to turn 3, Black turned it round and went in on the nose of Hitchcock. Black turning it around once more went in on the back of Hitchcock, a number of passing cars getting caught out in the process. James Martin (115) attacked Blything into turn 3, spinning out 248 in to the stranded Black Mondeo, Martin taking over the lead in the process, and was soon presented with the lap boards. Hitchcock getting one more on the nose from Kenny Gabriel (720). Martin took the chequered flag and the Wild Card place for the 2020 World Final, just as Stu Davies (622) turned it round in turn 3 and sought out Nelson with a t-bone, which in turn caught out Lee White (830) who went in, as did Brett Jackson (551) on the back of White, Sowter then going in on Jackson for good measure, before James Licquorice (51) blitzed the back of Davies to round out the opening 2L banger race.
Allcomers 1 was led off by Kenny Gabriel (720), 18 cars on track after the particularly damaging opening race. Phil Milner (201) was quickly taken around into a spin by James Martin (115). Milner soon rejoined ready to attack on opposite and duly took out the leader Tom Pearce (799), Pearce was then blown up by Damien Matthews (87) in to the homestraight. Team mates Jason Smy (138) and Lee Middleton (519) tripped over one another in turn 3, Smy collecting the plating. Gabriel was then taken out of the lead in to a spin by Jamie Blything (248) as Martin run Martin Lawton (54) out wide into turn 1, the field collecting the pair in to the backstraight. Taylor Sowter (388) attacked Pearce into turn 3. Lawton and Matt Black (25) were set waiting to attack on opposite in turn 3, Lawton indeed going in on Gabriel with a t-bone, as the lapboards were presented to Blything. James Licquorice (51) then moved in to the lead and went on to take the chequered flag. Brett Jackson (551) went in head on with Lawton in turn 3, as Pearce went in on the back of Lawton and Black attacking Pearce. Pearce then copped a big t-bone off of Sowter, Smy storming in head on Pearce, Middleton then jacking Pearce. Licquorice the winner, Ashley Garrod (337) in second and Jackson third.
Unfortunately, the notes for the final 2L Banger race were lost.
1500cc Bangers
The Wild Card event took to the track first, led off by Ben Randell (165) with a grid of 27 cars on track. Jack Kuhn (346) was in trouble at the drop of the green and sent sideways down the homestraight, Aston Gibbons (495) and Rhys Waters (282) doing the pushing with Troy Cobbett (12) on the back of them sent the trio to the turn 1 plating; Taylor Sowter (388) then steamed in on the back of Gibbons. James Huchins (681) was left stranded across the track in the homestraight, Bradley Bowman (279) obliged and went in on the back of Hutchins; Paul Lovick (26) in the back of Bowman. Tim Rees (799) was bundled in to the homestraight marker tyres with Brad Bartrum (69), Tony Pallett (566) on the back of Bartrum doing the pushing. Randell your leader slowed momentarily whilst trying to spin Kuhn into the backstraight. In to turn 1; Lee White (830) went in with the bumper on Lovick and Waters in to turn 1. In turn 3 Liam Halls (800) followed in Kuhn to the plating. The lap boards now presented to Randell, but clear up front. Bowman attacked Jordan Smith (189) into turn 1, slamming him to the plating. Randell though took the chequered flag and the Wild card place for the National Championship.
The first allcomers race was led off by Harry Airey (292), 27 cars on track once again. Ben Randell (165) attacked Bradley Bowman (279) in to turn 1 at the green flag as Jack Rookard (910) did the same to Cameron Hubbard (624) and Chris Wick (10); Rookard coming off worst spinning mid bend was collected by Jake Stewart (141) and James Huchins (681). Lewis Ivatt (717) run in Terry Ruff (469) in to turn 3, whilst Rookard was in amongst it once more a lap later in turn 1 with Tony Pallett (566), both left facing the wrong way. Ivatt was then thundered into to the pit gate with Hubbard. A caution period called for. Ben Cox (9) led off the restart, Liam Halls (800) in second and Tim Rees (799) in third. Lee White (830) stuck the bumper in on Stewart and Aston Gibbons (495) in to turn 1, shifting the pair aside and towards the fence. Whilst Tom Filmer (884) was taken around by Huchins in turn 3 as Pallett was attacking Rees to move up the order. White tripped over with Huchins in the homestraight collecting the fencing, Gibbons then piled in on Huchins, collecting the marker tyres; Huchins rejoining ahead of Stewart, was jacked once more. Filmer was now turned around in turn 3 and got a t-bone on Pallett as the lap boards were out and presented to Cox. Filmer once again on opposite went in on Hubbard as Cox took the win, White finishing second and Rees in third.
Unfortunately, the notes for the final 1500 Banger race were lost.
1300 Stock Cars
Heat 1 for the 1300 stock cars saw 30 cars on track led off by Alan Lakey (466). Stephen Murphy (561) and Ricky Ivatt (55) were getting better acquainted in to turn 1, the pair hooked up and rattling the plating, whilst the white graders bunched up and at the end of the first lap 7 of them were jostling for the same piece of track in to turn 1; Jamie Fitzakerley (44), Lakey and Dalton Leedell (90) coming off worst were left beached against the fence and were duly met by the charging pack. The field still bunched up saw Olly Kent (47) and Walden Walden (276) go round in to a spin in turn 3. Beau Southgate (241) came under fire from Carl Morgan (42) and Clark Wells (711) in to turn 3, Southgate, sent sideways. Barty Ketteringham (209) your leader and John Klyn (61) in second. Wells was coming under attack from World Champion Lee Pearce (23) who in turn was being ruffled by Ben Englestone (769). Klyn had found his way by Ketteringham to take over the running in to the second half, with a steady run, he was at the lap boards as Leedell lost in down the home straight and found himself parked in the marker tyres in to turn 1. Further back Pearce bundled Dan Booth (216) in to Jack Lower (142), taking Luke Leedell (191) out wide to the plating in turn 1. Klyn took the win, Todd Payne (149) finishing second and Connor Sheldrake (535) in third.
Heat 2 for the Stock Cars drew out 24 cars, led off by Joshua Wells (111). A steady few opening laps until the red grade started putting the hits about further down the order, Luke Leedell (191), Chris Taylor (422), Ben Englestone (769), Jack Aylward (146) and lower grader Wally Walden (276) in amongst it holding his own. Yellow flags called for Robert Spinks (760) who was left broadside across the exit of turn 3. Barty Ketteringham (209) led off the restart, whilst further back Englestone went in with the bumper on Leedell and Taylor. Stephen Murphy (561) now muscled his way in to the lead with Ketteringham second and Connor Sheldrake (535) third. Lee Pearce (23) dumped Walden in to the turn 3 plating, he was then in turn collected by Dan Booth (216). Walden once again pummelled whilst stranded in the bend by the passing field, the yellow flags called for. Murphy led off the restart, whilst Leedell battled Jack Lower (142) and then Sheldrake. Alyward, Booth and Englestone were exchanging bumpers further back in to the second half of the race. Into the last bend and Sheldrake went in hard on Leedell as Englestone offered the same to Alyward. Murphy took the win up front, Todd Payne (149) took second position and Sheldrake third.
20 cars returned for the final, Dalton Leedell (90) led them off from pole, the green flag dropped and as you would expect, the sound of bumpers and metal clashing filled the arena. John Klyn (61), Stephen Murphy (561) and Beau Southgate (241) tripped over one another in turn 3 in a big crunch, Klyn coming off worse as he was collected down the homestraight; prompting the yellow flags. Leedell, Murphy and Southgate your top three on the restart. Chris Taylor (421) took Jordan Godfrey (144) to the fence, whilst Leedell offered the same to Murphy in turn 3. Jack Lower (142), Jacob Bromley (303) and Luke Leedell (191) battled further back. Todd Payne (149) slammed in Leedell (90) in to turn 1, Murphy offering the same treatment in turn 3. Yellows needed around the raceway. Payne, Ben Englestone (769) and Southgate your top three on the restart. Godfrey’s engine let go after the green flag in a plume of steam, whilst Murphy tackled Dan Booth (216) down the order, Lee Pearce (23), Tom Fox (322) and Bromley join in the battle. Fox’s race was cut short when he was slammed in to the turn 3 plating, whilst back up front Englestone, Lower and Jack Aylward battled for third position. The lap boards now presented and Booth took around Murphy, but Payne was clear up ahead and Southgate settled in second, Pearce kept ahead of the tussle for third whilst Martin Taylor (422) went in with a last bender on Fox, Carl Morgan (42) and Jack Wilkins (690) for 7th.
Juniors Bangers
15 cars joined us on track for the last chance event to qualify for the English Championship, Jordan Murrell (164) led them off from pole, whilst Howe Reade (352) went into an early spin, Eddie Hughes (265) also a spinner in the opening moments in turn 3. Turn 3 saw further action when Aldie Alderton (351) ending a roll after a collision also involving Hughes, prompting the red flags. Lee Reynolds (117), Murrell and Ryan Knibbs (399) the top three on the restart, Knibbs straight on the attack of Murrell at the green flag, Murrell eventually succumbing in turn 3. Abbie Anscombe (94) spun out Hughes in turn 3, whilst Reece Davis (644) attacked Levi Gray (830) in turn 3. Sam Hopkins (7) battled with Knibbs. Hughes in trouble once more with a spin in turn 3 courtesy of Alfie Painter (65). Reynolds taking the win, Anscombe second and Max Eaton (670) in third.
22 Juniors on track for the English Championship; left off by Harley McCarthy (131), but a burst from row 2 saw Joey Holmes (90) storm round the outside to take the lead out of the bend. Blake Platts (450) going in with the bumper saw him move in to second demoting McCarthy into third. A lap later and World Champion Platts put the bumper in on Holmes into turn 1, to muscle the lead away; McCarthy also there to challenge and duly moved in to second. Platts was pulling away in the lead, but he was caught out by backmarkers in the homestraight, Reece Davis (644) was spun around, meaning Platts had to take avoiding action, unfortunately he caught a marker tyre whilst trying to avoid, which knocked the front wheel out taking him out of the running; Platts left stranded on the homestraight was then run into by Harvey Webb (622). McCarthy your leader, Holmes second and Harry Gelsthorpe (555) third. Louie Cottrill (999) spun around in turn 3 and he was then in turn collected by Finlay Damon (08). The leader McCarthy nearly caught out with the backmarkers in front as Harry Cobb (229) spun Harvey Ltkowski (310) around in turn 3; just as Lee Reynolds (117) and Billy Sandford (610) run into the dead Platts machine. Backmarkers playing their part once more as McCarthy came up behind Ralph Fitton (168), going in with the bumper in to turn 1 to shift Fitton, Fitton went around into a spin delaying McCarthy; who in turn almost lost the back end, allowing Holmes to close in and pass. The lap boards then presented to Holmes, McCarthy recovered not far behind in second and Gelsthorpe still in third. McCarthy in further trouble when he tried to spin Damon out of turn 2, but further slowed him down letting Holmes break clear to take the last lap board. Holmes took the win to take the English Championship, McCarthy recovering for second and Gelsthorpe held off a hard charging Keaton Ivins (842) to keep third.
The first Allcomers for the Juniors was led off by Jordan Murrell (164), 34 cars on track. Reece Davis (644) the first casualty with a spin in turn 1 was left up against the plating; the field taking avoiding action. Finlay Damon (08) and Harvey Webb (622) also going for a spin into turn 1. Ryan Knibbs (399) your leader, followed by Billy Sandiford (610) in second and Murrell in third, but coming under attack from Lee Reynolds (117). Bradley Green (449) was coming under fire from Harley McCarthy (131) in to turn 3, McCarthy in turn getting the bumper from Keaton Ivins (842), McCarthy coming off worst as he was sent into a spin, whilst Knibbs sent a backmarker to the fence in turn 1. Knibbs your leader, but he had Reynolds right behind him in second, nibbling at the back bumper. Ivins was now battling with Harry Cobb (229) and Joey Holmes (90) further down the order, muscling his way by in to turn 3. Holmes punted Cobb out to the fence in turn 1, Cobb parked up on the outside of the bend with a growing number of dead cars in the bend. The last lap and Reynolds had now taken over the running and went on to take the win, Knibbs holding on for second and Lennie Murkin (608) finishing second.
Unfortunately, the notes for the final Junior Banger race were lost.