Photos: Jim Harrod
Report: Keith Organ
The eagerly anticipated War of the Worlds event for the Unlimited Bangers, more points and prize money geared towards the entertainers rather than racers, likewise in the 1500 Bangers East Anglian team Championship; it was set to be another fantastic night with the excellent Junior Bangers on too.
Unlimited Bangers
The Unlimited Bangers War of The Worlds heat 1 started with 29 cars on track; led off by James Head (284) on pole. Lots of early spinners and casualties, including the pole sitter who ripped a wheel out on the homestraight fencing, the passing pack collecting him. Jack Filmer (883) quickly turned his yank round in turn 1 and got Reece Moran (205) before going after Dalton Steele (466) on the nose. Tom Filmer (884) blitzed Michael Carter (329) in turn 3; Callum Roberts (396) stormed in on Filmer, getting revenge for his team mate. Filmer (883) was still on opposite and t-boned Dan Clarke (721), a number of others tripping over one another in the process including Dan Poole (259) and Alan Roskell (266). Dave Forest (195) took around Martin Mullins (355) in turn 1. Roberts was attacking Jordan Sharpe (828) in turn 3, sending Sharpe in to the parked Steele machine on the exit of the bend. Taylor Sowter (388) was next on the seen and needing no invitation stormed in the back of Roberts; Karl Toole (100) offering the same blitzing Sowters Volvo. Toole was quick to back out of the Volvo, but was promptly met by Filmer (884) arriving on the scene, destroying Toole. Steel now found himself abandoned in the middle of the track, Filmer backed off from Toole and then drove straight in to Steele. Dan Petters (386) your leader as the lap boards were presented. Filmer (884) was now on opposite in turn 3 and went in on Phil Markham (127) with a t-bone, before offering the same to Dean Jarvis (229), as Petters took the win.
Tom Callaghan (299) led off heat 2; 24 cars on track on the rain-soaked track. As you would expect a number of spinners and cars collecting the fence as drivers struggled for traction. Andy Ashman (597) was one of those early spinners who was met on the nose by Dean Jarvis (229) in turn 3, Tom Waller (209) stormed in on Jarvis blitzing the Volvo, whilst Callaghan turned it round in turn 3 and met Billy Smith (161) with a head on; Dave Vincent (22) with no where to go run in the back of Smith. Waller backed off from Jarvis and got back going, only allowing Buddy James (262) to go in on the Volvo. The Taxi of Wayne Bailey (149) went in on James, but invited the attention of Johnny James (362) who went in on Bailey. Nicky Bishop (43) turned it round and went in on Smith. Darrren Fendley (673) was your leader but he was taken around by James (262). Smith turned it round and stopped Callum Gill (757) on the nose on the exit of turn 3; catching out a number of the field in the process; John Reeves (188) went in on the back of Smith for good measure. Vincent your leader at this stage with the lap boards presented, with members of the Wild Boyz and Team Extreme turning it round and going on opposite and attack one another. Vincent taking the win.
Unlimited Bangers heat 3 saw Scott Gough (99) starting from pole position, 37 cars on track. Cars going in all directions at the drop of the green. It wasn’t long until Tom Filmer (884) had turned it round in turn 3, Gavin Dampney (660) got caught with the Filmer yank. Half of the field now seemingly turning it round for a scuffle in turn 3. A track blockage now created half way round the bend. Jack Overy (617) picked his way through, using his wealth of experience, now your race leader. He picked his way through the lap boards and even after getting momentarily stuck in the last bend, managed to pick his way through to the chequered flag. Ross Winsor (960) the only other driver to complete the distance whilst the others continued their own D.D on turn 3.
The War of the World Final was led off by Jack Deacon (103); 30 cars joining him on track. Most of the front half of the field went to the fence in turn 3; met by Tom Filmer (884) who had turned it round; the field continuing to trip over on another as John Reeves (188) was attacked by Callum Roberts (396), Alan Roskell (266) received similar from Tom Waller (209); who in turn was attacked by Taylor Sowter (388). Nicky Bishop (43) went in on the small pile up on the exit of turn 3; Bishop was then done by Waller. A track blockage forming on the exit of turn 3; with drivers piling in from all angles; all drivers getting caught up in the chaos; race leader Jack Overy (617) too not escaping, getting stopped in the pile with a few laps to go, but picked his way through to tick off the laps, only to get stopped once again on the last bend. Overy though persevered and got through to take the win whilst others still continued to jostle and tussle; Callum Gill (757) the only other to be declared in the final result.
Straight into the destruction derby; much of the field having destroyed one another in the final, just a handful limped to take on the Destruction Derby; Jack Overy (617) shared a head on with Johnny James (362), whilst Callum Gill (757) went in with a t-bone on Ricky Hutton (623) twice. Taylor Sowter (388) and Gill shared a few bumps too, before Gill went in with a head on with Overy. The pair backed off and repeated. The pair not giving up, but not full of life either, struggled to gain momentum for a proper hit, and jostled back and forth, until Gill was declared the winner.
1500cc Bangers
Heat 1 of the EA team championship; Tim Rees (799) started pole ahead of the 26 cars grid. A first bend crunch saw a number of cars end up in a heap with Dan Wright (113) and team mate Lee Horwood (441) plus Troy Cobbett (12). Russell Lown (847) took in Lee Barnes (41) to the pile up too as Kieran Woods (118) offered the same to Timmy Aldridge (257). Scott Smith (671) then took around Dean Petters (886) in to a spin. Paul Lovick (26) went in with the bumper on Woods in to turn 3 shoving him fast in to the bend, Woods trying to use Ethan Cutts (216) as a buffer, but missed and was launched in to the plating of turn 3. Dave Rees (111) came under attack from Cutts in to turn 1 sending 111 into a spin, whilst Craig Allen (181) attacked the leader Rees (799). Liam Neve (384) stormed in on the Woods machine in turn 3. A caution period required. Back on the restart, Lovick led them off, Rees (799) second and Allen in third. The Aldridge machine expired shortwhile after the green flag in to turn 1, Rees (111) collecting Aldridge. The lap boards were soon out for Lovick; who was unchallenged to the end, took the Chequered flag.
Heat 2 and a storm of absolutely biblical conditions engulfed the arena; a tremendous downpour. Martin Kent (307) led the field off the 30 car field. The wet surface catching out a number of drivers who went straight on at the green flag in to turn 1. Jamie Roberts (782) catching it worst; followed in by Ben Mynott (352) to turn 1. A caution period called for, back on the restart the storm continued, Kent of Team Reem took the win; his team mate Shane Tilley (405) followed in second and Ryan Anderson (290) third.
Heat 3 featured Ashley Garrod (337) leading the field off from pole position, 26 cars on track; cars going in all directions at the drop of the green and cars tripping over one another in the early stages. Brett Jackson (551) your early race leader. Members of Team Reem had started to create a track blockage on the exit of turn 2, Jack Licquorice (511) going in, before Martin Kent (307) went head on with Ben Randell (165); Liam Neve (384) then stormed in on Licquorice. Ashley Durrant (383) went in on the back of Randell; as Kieran Bowman (178) did the same to Durrant. George Hill (395) lunged in on the back of Cameron Hubbard (624), Lee White (830) then went in on Hill. A caution period called for and the race declared. Jackson the winner, Timmy Aldridge (257) second and White coming home third.
The EA Teams Final saw Davey Cox (119) in pole position; over 20 cars on track; Lee White (830) went in with the bumper in turn 1 on Cox, taking Kieran Greenway (191) with him to the plating; the field pile in, Matthew Jode (420) quick to turn it round; went in on the nose of Cox. Cox was in the thick of it again a lap later, blitzing Greenway; Team Reem team mate; Mick Turner (291), didn’t escape the attention of Cox, who then blitzed him in turn 3, Stu Davis (622) then attacked the back of the 119 machine. Davis had been left spun around in turn 2; who then copped a shot off Cox who turned It round. Shane Tilley (405) tripped over with Jode in turn 2, Jode then took a shot off Kieran Bowman (178). Ben Cox (9) had now turned it round and stormed in on the nose of Tilley. A caution period called for. White led them off the restart; just a few laps down and it was into the lapboards. White was clear in to the last lap, but he was stopped by Davis going on opposite, ripped out the front corner and stopping White from finishing; Davis was then attacked by Ben Mynott (352). White’s demise gifted the win to Bowman, who took the chequered flag; Paul Lovick (26) coming in second and Ashley Garrod (337) third.
In to the destruction derby Brett Judge (110) met Ashley Garrod (337) head on, Lee White (830) going in on the back of Judge. Garrod and White ended up in a heap in the marker tyres of turn 3, Jamie Blything (248) then went in the back of Garrod, before backing off and meeting Judge with a head on. Garrod got himself back going and went in on the back of Blything. Garrod went off to a circuit of the track before steaming in on the back of Judge. Judge, White and Garrod all limping now, met together in a heap of turn 3. Some toing, froing, jostling and a couple of solid head ons and Garrod was declared last car running.
Junior Bangers
10 cars on track for Heat 1, the white top whirlwind, Maisie Armstrong (68) started on pole position and led them off at the green flag; whilst behind her Harvey Latkowski (310), Sam Markham (374) and Jamie Wright (281) all clashed in the homestraight. Latkowski left facing the wrong way. Reece Davis (644) went into a spin in turn 3, whilst Wright collected the fence in the homestraight; knocking a wheel out and coming to rest by the 310 machine. The laps boards were soon out for Armstrong. Davis and Howe Reade (352) collided in turn 1, Reade collected the plating in the process. Emily Taylor (409) went in with the bumper on the back marker Ryan Knibbs (399) in turn 1. Armstrong took the win, Markham finishing second and Taylor in third.
Heat 2 went off with 24 cars on track; Codie Reeves (188) puts the bumper in on Maisie Armstrong (68) in turn 3 and was collected by the passing pack. Louie Cottrill (999) was nibbling at the back of the Reeves machine in turn 3, Aiden Storr (854) took in Ryan Knibbs (399) to the pit gate. As the lap boards were presented Sam Markham (374) leading the way, Harry Cobb (229) was chasing down Markham, Cobb right with him in to the last bend, sent 374 out wide and collecting a parked car in last bend, Cobb went through to the win, Harley McCarthy (131) took second and Robbie Dillon (833) third.
15 cars returned for heat 3; Jordan Murrell (164) starting in pole. Midpack; Lennie Murkin (608) and Harley McCarthy (131) rattle the turn 1 fence together, whilst Jamie Wright (281) took a spin in turn 3. Murrell continued to hold the lead, Riley Marsh (701) in second and Louie Cottrill (999) was quick up to third and closing in. Cottrill muscled his way by Marsh turn 3, before putting Murrell wide in to turn 1. Cottrill taking over the, with the lap boards out soon after. Murrell took around Bradley Green (449) in to a spin in the homestraight. Green was also in trouble when Harry Gelsthorpe (555) bumpered him to the fence in turn 1 on the last lap. Joey Holmes (90) went in with a last bend attack on Harry Cobb (229) to snatch third, dropping Cobb to fourth; Cottrill took a commanding win, with Marsh in second.
19 cars on track for the Final race for the Junior Bangers, Emily Taylor (409) led the field of; Riley Marsh (701) was quick in with the bumper on Harvey Latkowski (310) in turn 1; sending him to a spin, whilst Sam Markham (374) was the first retirement. Jordan Murrell (164) now your leader with Taylor clipping the fence and ripping a wheel out. Joey Holmes (90) was quick to make a challenge bumpering Louie Cottrill (999) out wide in turn 3; whilst Harry Gelsthorpe (555) attacked Jack Maddox (5) in turn 1. Marsh, Lennie Murkin (608) and Robbie Dillon (833) your leaders. Maddox, Gelsthorpe and Aiden Storr (854) piled into to turn 1 together, whilst Murkin put Marsh wide into turn 1 to take the lead. A caution period called for. Murkin led them off, Holmes slot in to second and Marsh third. Dillon and Latkowski trip up in turn 3 as the lap board are out for Murkin, but he was coming under attack from Holmes, who challenged for the lead in to turn 3; Murkin though retaliated in to turn 1; but Holmes held on for the win, Murkin finishing second and Marsh in third.