Photos: 1 - 12 Major Gilbert, 13 - 34 Damien Widdows, 35 - 48 Jim Harrod
Report: Unlimited/1500cc Bangers: Bryson Walker – Caged Bangers, Junior Bangers: Keith Organ
The annual early December meeting at the Adrian Flux Arena once again saw the 1500 National Championship paired alongside the Unlimited Bangers Nutcracker on Sunday 8th December 2019. Drivers came from all over the UK with plenty of smart motors on display. 52 Steven Dean had this pick of the fresh motors with his Daimler X1300 Hearse and 185 Polly Reade had a fresh Vauxhall Senator Limo. 420 Matthew Jode had the only major variety in the 1500 Bangers with his Ford Escort Mobility Wagon.
1500 Bangers kicked off the days’ action with a last chance race raising 25 cars, the top 10 and entertainers going through to the main race. 41 Louis attacked 591 Fat Lad from the off. 396 Ginner had a pop at 181 Farmboy Jnr. 129 Skitz gave a head on to the spun 329 Carter. 277 Sideshow took out 399 Atkin. 396 Ginner followed in 123 Kezza. 178 Slim jacked 41 Louis hard. 517 Sidders had a pop at 699 Nelson and continued to spin the latter aside. 517 Sidders continued his entertaining streak by following in and spinning 216 Cutts, taking 573 Bloomfield out too. Meanwhile, 194 Jordan Bliss raced to a dominant win, with 178 Kieran Bowman and 399 Jonny Atkin being deemed entertainers.
Unlimited Bangers White Top Whirlwind Heat was up next commencing with 87 Damo spinning 901 Del Boy to set the ball rolling. 276 Rowell spun 16 Coxy. 52 Deano attacked 107 Pritchett. 959 Keoghan turned 52 Deano fencewards. 57 Gilbert turned 604 Cooper left.959 Keoghan tboned the on oppo 16 Coxy. 16 Coxy gave a head on to 229 Big D. 79 Twelly jacked 229 Big D. 229 Big D delivered an on oppo attack on 16 Coxy. 127 Ginge and 169 Rushton crashed on turn 4 whilst among the places. 79 Twelly went on oppo to blast 57 Gilbert. 548 Jamie Avery took the win ahead of 78 Lee Macey and 661 Shaun Smith. 87 Damo took the second entertainer award of the day for the Predators and 959 Keoghan took the other.
The 1500 National Championship race was next with only four of the field not in Astras. After the random grid draw, STB man 12 Troy Cobbett found himself on pole alongside 352 Ben Mynott. 791 Spud spun 556 Zippy Jnr early on whilst 119 Cruncher followed in 830 Stretch from the off. 10 Wicko gave a head on to the spun 69 Brado. 352 Mynott and 479 Jooble crashed out along the home straight. 9 Cox followed in last chance winner 194 Blissy who was immediately jacked in turn by 138 Smy. 178 Slim buried 420 Maff, as 194 Blissy took further abuse receiving a jacking from 10 Wicko. 69 Brado jacked 10 Wicko in turn before the red flags were called to obtain a lose wheel from 194 Blissy’s Astra. The restart saw 757 Jack Jnr lead 119 Cruncher and 12 Cobbett. 178 Slim attacked 800 Halls. 12 Cobbett, 791 Spud and 88 FatFace all crashed out together along the home straight. 338 Wingnut took out 178 Slim, who rejoined only to get spun again by 181 Farmboy Jnr. 757 Callum Gill raced to a dominant win ahead of 573 Sam Bloomfield who came all the way from the back of the grid; 390 Dan Stacey and 9 Ben Cox rounding off the four and 138 Jason Smy getting the entertainer award.
The Nutcracker Championship was up next for the Unlimited Bangers which began with 579 Mr Clumsy burying 515 Flatts. 312 Turbo Tom gave a head on to 185 Reade. A pile broke out on turns 1 and 2 which saw multiple drivers home in. 386 Petters delivered a shot on 107 Pritchett. 51 Licquorice administered a tbone on oppo to 399 Noodles. 229 Big D jacked 87 Damo only to get ruined in turn by a shot from 57 Gilbert leaving the former’s Mk3 Granada well and truly obliterated. 51 Licquorice was on hand to deliver a massive shot on 57 Gilbert and was ruined in turn by 3 Finney Jnr.. 169 Rushton jacked 3 Finney Jnr who then took further punishment courtesy of a tbone from 329 Carter. 299 Callaghan jacked 386 Petters as 99 Goffy jacked 88 FatFace. 178 Slim jacked 99 Goffy. 606 Weedon jacked 299 Callaghan. 515 Flats ran 312 Turbo Tom through the pile up on oppo. 101 Charmer and 721 Clarkey began their own private DD in the middle of the chaos. 329 Carter jacked 388 Lump before the reds were called as it was believed a driver was in trouble, however, 579 Gary Beecham wrongly viewed that fellow driver 721 Dan Clarke was in disarray when in fact he was searching for some gears! The initial result took some time to be confirmed as multiple drivers were removed from the results for their persistent use of the infield instead of steaming their way through the pile up. This meant that 299 Tommy Callaghan was given the win and his biggest to date. 388 Taylor Sowter and 589 Simon Smith being the only other registered finishers so taking the other podium places.
The first Alcomers for the 1500 Bangers was next up. 43 Bish turned 420 Maff fencewards early on. 707 Lilley spun 129 Skitz who backed his attacker to the Armco allowing 178 Slim to home in for a jacking. 420 Maff jacked 178 Slim and then frantically started waving others drivers in to the back of him, keen as mustard for someone to destroy his Escort Mobility Wagon in which 573 Bloomfield was on hand to do just that, smashing the roof completely off 420 Maff’s motor! 123 Kezza spun 43 Bish.828 Sharpey gave a head on to 591 Fat Lad and then tboned him and set alight bringing the red flags out but not before 119 Cruncher delivered a rear wheel shot to 828 Sharpey. 10 Chris Wick taking the win whilst 573 Bloomfield, 420 Maff and 178 Slim took the entertainer awards.
Monsoon conditions before the race ensured that the track was very moist for Alcomers 1 for the Unlimited Bangers which only raised 15 cars as the Nutcracker Championship had clearly taken its toll on the field. 597 Ashman spun 127 Ginge allowing 169 Rushton to drive through the latter. 589 Gonna gave a head on to 960 Rosco. 169 Rushton was on hand to jack 960 Rosco. 169 Rushton continued his assault by weighing in on 579 Mr Clumsy. 127 Ginge went for 169 Rushton and they exchanged some tame hits. 101 Charmer went for oppo attacks on 757 Jack Jnr, finally connecting with the latter after multiple attempts. 548 Magpie and 79 Twelly exchanged some hard hits. 209 Tombo spun 597 Ashman to take the lead. 127 Ginge went in on the nose of 169 Rushton whilst 209 Tom Waller held on for the win. 960 Ross Winsor, 589 Simon Smith and 169 James Rushton getting entertainer awards this time around.
Alcomers 2 for the 1500s began with 248 Ashbridge going in on 591 Fat Lad. 624 Hubbard put away 479 Jooble. 591 Fat Lad jacked 41 Louis. 87 Damo went in on 591 Fat Lad. 352 Mynott spun aside 338 Wingnut. 591 Fat Lad treated 26 Skiddy to a head on. 092 Clapton jacked 87 Damo. 589 Gonna buried 248 Ashbridge. 791 Spud went head on taking out 352 Mynott. 10 Wicko jacked 591 Fat Lad but copped a head on in turn from 791 Spud.10 Wicko responded with a shot to 791 Spud as 517 Sidders raced to the win and it was straight into the DD where 479 Jooble and 910 Rookard immediately shared a stonking head on. 791 Spud drove through 479 Jooble. 908 Judd weighed in on 589 Gonna allowing 495 Tyrone to home in on the former. 589 Gonna gave a tame head on to 908 Judd. 791 Spud jacked 495 Tyrone, before continuing to drive through 707 Lilley. 791 Spud and 589 Gonna shared a massive head on with 791 Spud surging for the win. The Entertainer Awards across the two events going to 589 Simon Smith, 591 Luke Dilks, 791 Nicky Young and 495 Aston Gibbons.
Unlimited Alcomers 2 began with 960 Rosco driving through 589 Gonna who had previously attempted to attack the former on oppo. 209 Tombo jacked the Gladiator. 548 Magpie administered Gladiator revenge by going in on the nose of 209 Tombo. 01 Shires turned it round to stop 757 Jack Jnr much to the crowd’s delight - 85 Ellis weighing in on the latter. 85 Ellis then pushed 757 Jack Jnr along the back straight allowing 16 Coxy to blast the latter. It was deemed that the race has turned more into a DD so the green flag was dropped to commence DD rules with 209 Tombo and 16 Coxy meeting in a solid head on. 16 Coxy drove off to do a lap and deliver a solid jacking to 209 Tombo to take the honours and cap off a solid day of action
Junior Bangers
The white graders only race took to the track first with an excellent 17 cars lined up, Harvey Latkowski (310) starting pole. Ralph Fitton (168) quickly took Max Eaton (670) round into a spin in turn 1. Fitton bundling in Alife Nottingham (707) and Howe Reade (352) a lap later. Nottingham was in further trouble soon after; spinning in turn 3 and duly clobbered by the field. Lexi Finney (455) went around in turn 1; she was also collected, Latkowski and a couple of others with no where to run; waved yellows called for. Lexie Genders (448) led off the restart; Genders putting away backmarker Levi James (232) to the fence a lap later, the lap boards now out. Eaton took around Riley Shinn (400) in the homestraight whislt Latkowski spun out Lewis Saunders (349) in the backstraight. Josh Rice (192) goes for Alfie Painter (65) in to turn 1 but misses, putting himself out. Rice then got clobbered by Saunders in turn 3 taking him round; Genders taking the win, Latkowski second and Painter third.
Heat 2 for the Juniors and 25 cars took to the track; Riley Holmes (190) starting pole position; the bumpers going in throughout the order. Jack Maddox (5) tackled Howe Reade (352) in turn 3; whilst Joey Holmes (90), Keaton Ivins (842) and Blake Platts (450) battle. Harvey Webb (622) muscled his way by Alfie Painter (65) for the lead in to turn 1. Alife Nottingham (707) went to the fence under the big screen, collecting Reade in the process. Louie Cottrill (999) put the bumper on Jacob Hampson (33) in to turn 1 as the star graders continued to battle; Harry Cobb (229) got out of shape attacking Holmes in to turn 1; whilst Bradley Green (449) went around in the same bend. The lap boards now presented; Lennie Murkin (608) your leader after finding a way by Webb, Webb running in second and Platts third, the top three remaining the same at the finish.
Heat 3 and Harvey Latkowski (310) started in pole position; 28 cars on track. Tommy Taylor Wilson (777) takes out Josh Rice (192) in turn 1; whilst Jacob Hampson (33) attacks Ryan Knibbs (399) in to the same bend. Knibbs in further trouble soon after, out of shape down the homestraight; run in to the back of Bradley Green (449) destroying 449. Keaton Ivins (842) and Taylor Wilson tangle in turn 3; as Rice runs in Kacy-Paige Church (920) in to the first bend. Latkowski your leader out in front. Harvey Webb (622) and Lexi Finney (455) tangle in turn 1; whilst Louie Cottrill (999) attacks Harry Cobb (229). A big roll for Maisie Armstrong (68) in the backstraight; prompting the red flags. Latkowski your leader, Riley Marsh (701) second and Jordan Murrell (164) in third. Murrell goes in with the bumper to take over the lead, muscling his way by Latkowski and Marsh. Lennie Murkin (608) taking full advantage moved by in to second. The lap boards presented; Marsh went in on Latkowski in turn 1; whilst Jack Maddox (5) attacks Ivins too. Latkowski goes in on Marsh; taking both to the fence, Latkowski was then run in by Ralph Fitton (168). Murkin the winner, Max Eaton (670) in second and Murrell coming home third.
The Juniors final of the day drew back out 29 cars; the red grade too eager at the first attempt, prompting a complete rerun. Alex Constanduros (547) spins early on; and Howe Reade (352), Tommy Taylor Wilson (777) and Robbie Dillon (833) tangle in turn 3. Harry Cobb (229); Joey Holmes (90) and Alfie Painer (65) all doing similar in the homestraight. Riley Marsh (701) moves Jordan Murrell (164) over as Riley Shinn (400) was collected by Josh Rice (192). Louie Cottrill (999) was taken around by Jacob Hampson (33) in the homestraight. The lap boards out for Max Eaton (670) who was well clear in front; a couple of cars parked in turn 2; providing an obstacle but the field able to negotiate. Blake Platts (450) and Cottrill battled further back for fifth; whilst Alfie Nottingham (707) clashed with Dillon in turn 3. Eaton went on to storm the win, Hampson finishing second Murrell third to round a hugely entertaining 2019 season for the Juniors at the Adrian Flux Arena.