Photos: 1- 10 Damien Widdows, 11 - 20 Jim Harrod, 21 - 30 Major Gilbert, 31 - 40 Andy Crayford (Crayford Media)
Report: Keith Organ
After 4 long months, it was good to be back! 84 Unlimited Bangers and 35 1300 Stock Cars – it was a great meeting to return with, action start to finish; the drivers certainly got straight back in to it to delight of the sell out crowd; where rave reviews followed the meeting. It was good to be back!
Unlimited Bangers
41 cars lined up for the 2019 White and Yellow Series finale – the first opportunity to run the event. Damien Widdows (87) starting in pole position, with the Under25 Champion of Great Britain Ben Randell (165) on his outside. The first green flag fell since the 14th March and as to be expected, a number of spinners at the start. Lee Macey (78) and James Unwin (78) the first two at the end of the home straight, getting clobbered by the passing field in the process, Jordan Sharpe (828) also getting caught out, who then found Taylor Pratchett (107) in the back of his Mercedes Estate for good measure. Kyle Stevenson (60) and Laura Quadling (419) also suffering similar out of turn 2. Stevenson started to head round the bend on opposite and was caught by Daniel Clarke (721) as Adam Rowell (276) was taken around by Phil Markham (127) in the same bend. Luke Maynard (43) running in the back of Markham found himself left precariously placed and Callum White (100) duly obliged, blitzing the Maynard Mercedes, whilst Lee Middleton (519) was offered the same courtesy by Shady Gough (199). Ross Cooper (604) jacked the back of Gough; Dean Jarvis (229) going in on the back of White. Shane Fry (831) annihilated the Volvo of Jarvis with a big shot. James Licquorice (51) got the bend wrong and was bumped by Dalton Smith (662) creating another obstacle in turns 1 and 2 as the field ploughed in creating a temporary track blockage. Tom Filmer (884) didn’t back off though and stormed in on the back of Fry adding another well bent motor to the train. Matt Tillow (556), Nicky Young (791), Callum Roberts (396), Reece Tingle (182) all adding to the pile up towards to bottom of the bend, leaving the tightest of lines available for the leader Randell to sneak through. The pile up wasn’t over though as Matty High (222) stormed in on the back of Filmer, Taylor Sowter (388) arriving just too late to get High, settled on the back Tingle instead. High came round again though and he too stormed in the back Tingle, before getting caught by Charlie Taylor (514). Matthews was now lurking on opposite out of turn 2 and tried to get the leader Randell, but just missing, and instead he got caught by second place Ben Green (624); the lap boards now presented to Randell. Macey had got himself tangled with Pratchett out of turn 2 blocking Randell’s path, with nowhere to go Randell went in on the back of Macey, but busting a hose in the process and steam engulfing the 165 machine; Sowter opting to go in on the nose of Pratchett to clear a path. The delay for Randell was enough for Green to sneak by to take over the running, Randell getting back going now second. Pratchett on opposite, went for second place Randell in turn 2, catching the 165 in the side, but Pratchett got caught by the rest of the field for his troubles. Sowter also going the wrong way in turn 2, went in on the side of Markham, catching out Dylan Goodman (93). Kieran Bowman (178) storming in on Goodman for good measure, Sean Mullins (353) attacking the back of Bowman too, Rowell offering the same to Mullins with nowhere to go. Green taking a great win, last on the grid at the start to first, Randell a credible runner up and 514 coming home in third.
Heat 2 next on track, Tom Jordan (9) led the field off, another big grid of 42 cars. Connor Siddalls (704) the first casualty with a spin in to the first bend, in turn getting caught by the field; Phil Jackson (550) and Jamie Pole (211) the first on the scene, Jackson getting a shot off Shane Heath (17) for his troubles. Lewis Tingle (281) went in with the bumper on Davey Cox (119) and Ashley Law (18) in to turn 1, the pair spinning out for their troubles. Liam Biden (49) the early leader, but he was under fire from Shaun Rushton (179). Phil Lambley (177) and Al Roskell (266) were barging down the homestraight for position before Nathan Grant (882) stormed in on the back of Lambley picking him up and taking him to the fence with Roskell too. Tingle was back in amongst it and picked up Harry Gelsthorpe (555) in to turn 1 and followed him in to the plating, jacking the back of Roskell in the process. Kieran Fry (321) duly blitzed Gelsthorpe, James Rushton (169) followed into the back of Fry. The yellow flags called for. Rushton (179) led them off on the restart, the chicane momentarily catching a few out at the drop of the green, but the race quickly settling into a steady rhythm, the lap boards soon out for Rushton. Further back down the order Reece Marsh (195) launched at Callum Gill (757) into turn 3, spinning out the Tarmac 2L World Champion. A steady run to the flag saw Rushton take the win ahead of Jordan in second and Jack Overy (617) in third. Lee White (830) spinning out across the line further behind with a flat outside rear.
Heat 3 for the Unlimited Bangers was a little light on cars due to the damaging opening two races, Ashley Bell (81) led them off, 18 cars on track. Dalton Steele (466) the first casualty, sent to a spin at the end of the homestraight; Dalton Smith (662) taking over quickly as your early leader. Callum White (100) took Tommy West (171) in to a spin in turn 3, who was in turn caught by Bell helped around by Shane Heath (17), who also went in to a spin as a result of the collision. Bell got back going, but was knobbled by Callum Jacobs (317) down the homestraight as he recovered. Lewis Tingle (281) had moved by Smith up front, taking the lead, Smith holding second, Steve Farrell (200) in third. A few laps by and the lap boards were out to Tingle who was pulling away from Farrell in second. Further back, Kieran Bowman (178) took around Smith in to a spin down the homestraight, whilst Jacobs attacked Ross Cooper (604) in to turn 1, spinning around the Aftermath man. Smith was in trouble once more in the homestraight when he was taken around by Overy, the momentum and a busted wheel digging in causing Smith to momentarily over turn, but the force quickly putting him back on all fours; Smith retired to the middle all ok. In turn 3, Bowman had been turned around, left facing the wrong way he was met on the nose by Cooper; with a solid head on. In to the last lap and Tingle was delayed allowing Farrell to pull in the gap, at the last bend Farrell was in striking distance and lunged in on Tingle who slammed the plating, but this helped Tingle to keep the momentum and it was Farrell who was unsettled, Tingle took the win, Farrell second and Overy finishing in third.
Heat 4 and almost 40 cars were on track this time, led off by James Head (284). Marc Gilbert (57) tripped up at the green flag, taking out a number of cars with him in the process including Matt Tillow (556), Tillow was then jacked by Brett Jackson (551) as Shane Fry (831) blitzed Reece Marsh (195) who was also caught out. Tom Jordan (9) following suit went in on Fry too; whilst Luke Maynard (43) attacked Jackson. Yellow flags needed. Tom Filmer (884) turned it round on the restart and got Maynard (43), who in turn was clobbered by the pack. Charlie Taylor (514) went in the back of Maynard putting the back of the Mercedes in the air. The race settling down into a quick rhythm with Dalton Steele (466) your leader. Sid Cooper (517), Phil Jackson (550) and Connor Siddals (704) tripped over one another in turn 3 before Joey Reynolds (760) punted Jackson wide to the fence in turn 1. The lap boards out it was a steady run to the flag for Steele who took the win, Shaun Rushton (179) second and Reynolds third.
Callum Jacobs (317) led off heat 5 and a field of 30 cars. The freshly watered track catching out a number of drivers early doors with too much right foot, going round in to a spin. A slow moving Shady Gough (199) got attacked by Gav Robinson (21) in to turn 1, the pair spinning out in the process; left stranded across the turn; with nowhere to go, James Licquorice (51) and James Head (284) collected the cars; Phil Markham (127) also running out of track went in on the back of Head. Terry Pratchett (107) had been turned around in the home straight and was met head on by Dan Weavers (333). Taylor Sowter (388) turned it round in turn 3, he was met with a t-bone from Shane Fry (821). Fry was then met with the same courtesy from Charlie Taylor (514); Lewis Tingle (281) went in the back of Taylor; Nicky Young (791) in on the back of Tingle for good measure. The yellow flags called for. Grant Doe (181) leading the field off for the restart. Steve Lillywhite (678) was taken for a ride down the homestraight plating, left up against the fence in turn 1, Matty High (222) went in and blitzed Lillywhite. Jacobs, Doe and Simon Smith (589) were now battling for the lead, with Jack Overy (617) closing in ready to pounce. Doe the first to lose out after he was taken in to a spin by Overy in turn 3; just as the lap boards were now out for Jacobs. Overy then muscling his way by Smith in to second a lap later. Phil Lambley (177) dived at Pratchett who was now turned around on the exit of turn 4; Lambley not finished kept it facing the wrong way and went for Robinson, snapping off the Demon’s Scorpio Estate. Overy using this to his advantage unsettled Jacobs meaning he had to take avoiding action, Overy stormed to the lead and the last lap board before taking the chequered flag, Smith in second and Jacobs finishing third.
The feature race for the Unlimited Bangers was up next; the East Anglian Championship; led off by Jon Nicholson (310); 40 cars on track for battle. A number of spinners as you would expect as the green flag dropped; the race settling in to a quick paced rhythm. Phil Smith (549) tripped up with Phil Jackson (550) on the exit of turn 4, Jackson left up against the fence; whilst James Guppy (349) took Nicky Young (791) in to a spin in turn 3. Jackson was then blitzed big style by Callum White (100); as Grant Doe (181) was spun around by Kieran Bowman (178) in the homestraight. A stoppage called for, Connor Siddals (704) your leader on the restart. Young turned it round for Guppy in turn 3, catching with a t-bone and getting Damien Matthews (87) and Gav Robinson (21) in the process. Jack Overy (617) took around Bowman in to turn 1, and set off after Siddals, taking over the lead with two to run; Overy took the win, his third victory in this race; Joey Reynolds (760) coming home in second and Siddals in third.
Straight in to the Destruction Derby; Lewis Tingle (281) went in the back of Nicky Young (791); taking him to the fence in turn 1; Adam Rowell (276) and Shady Gough (199) joining in too. A track blockage in the backstraight saw the contenders pile in; Charlie Taylor (514), Gough, Brett Jackson (551), Damien Matthews (87 all going in. Rowell then took Kieran Bowman (178) all the way to the fencing in turn 3, Rowell set off to find the next victim and found Mark Gilbert (57) parked up in the backstraight pile up and absolutely destroyed him. Rowell in turn found himself catching a shot off of James Rushton (169). A stoppage called for. A handful of contenders still running for the restart, Bowman, Rushton, Jackson, Gough and Jamie Pole (211). Rushton found Bowman in turn 3 and went in on the nose; whilst Jackson followed him round and found the Boot on Rushton. Jackson backed off, turned around in the backstraight, got some speed up and went in on the back of Bowman. Jackson the strongest car at this point, then went in search of Pole; finding him in the homestraight turned around in turn 1 and offered the same courtesy, built up some speed and stormed in on the back of 211. Another offering to Bowman followed, as Pole got back going, he found Jackson in the backstraight and went in for a head on. Jackson reversed off, lunged forward going in over the back wheels of Pole; before flicking it round once more and going in on the Barton Boy. Jackson going in on Bowman once more, as Pole got back going again and went in on Jackson. Jackson with more speed caught up to Pole and attacked the back once more, before offering the same again to Bowman; finally going in on the nose of Pole to conclude the action. Jackson your winner.
1300 Stock Cars
The White and Yellows Series Finale up first doubling as heat 1, with 13 cars on track, led off by Carl Morgan (42), but it was Anthony Kerr (880) who dived in to the lead at the drop of the green, Morgan using the bumper to shift Kerr, but unsuccessful in demoting him. Further back, Stephen Murphy (561) went in on Jordan Godfrey (144) in to turn 3, taking him round and leaving him across the track in the fence. A short shower falling on the track. Morgan and Kerr continued their battle for first, whilst Chris Taylor (421), Murphy and Paul Sparrow (682) did the same for the lower places. Morgan got the better of Kerr in turns 3 & 4, going round the outside of Kerr, Morgan got some drive to take the lead around the outside in to turn 1; but with Jack Wilkins (690) right on the bumper of Kerr, you could throw a blanket over the top three. Wilkins barging by Kerr down the backstraight, something audibly a miss on Kerr’s car as he dropped back; Taylor moving up to third, Jack Stringer (40) following right behind took fourth. The lap boards presented to Morgan; Wilkins not far behind and Taylor not much further behind him, the laps ticked off, Morgan maintained just enough of a gap to keep Wilkins at bay to take the W & Y finale. Taylor came under attack from Stringer in the last bend, the bumper went in and the pair rubbed door handles all the way to the flag, in a drag race and tussle to the line, Taylor just held on for third spot.
Heat 2 drew out 27 cars, Ben Sanders (517) leading them off; heat 1 winner Carl Morgan’s (42) luck running out in this one, taken around in to a spin in turn 3. James Parnell (291) went in with the bumper on Ed Selby (244) and Lee Waddington (122) in to turn 1, muscling his way by. Mick Clarke (607) tripped up with Todd Payne (149) and Ben Englestone (769) down the homestraight, Clarke slamming the marker tyre in to turn 1, almost up in to a roll in the process. Whilst Caine Parnell (229) was taken out to the turn 3 fence by Jack Smith (302), Smith taking the lead in the process. Chris Taylor (421) took Jordan Godfrey (144) out wide in turn 3, Godfrey collecting the plating in the process. Smith now pulling away up front was shown the lap boards, further down the order Martin Taylor (422) muscled his way by Chris (421) as Jacob Bromley (303) squabbled for position with Payne and Shane Moat (573). Smith took the win, Parnell (229) second and Waddington finished third, a clean sweep of white graders in the top three.
Heat 3 for the 1300 Stock Cars was led off by Ben Sanders (517) another full grid of cars on track. Jacob Bromley (303) and Jack Lower (142) coming to blows right at the start. The bumpers going in around the race way and battles throughout the order. Lee Waddington (122) was turned around down the homestraight courtesy of Carl Morgan (42), thankfully the field managing to avoid allowing Waddington to get back going. Luke Smith (301) the leader as the lap boards were presented, Jack Smith (302) in second and Cain Parnell (229) in third, who in turn was coming under pressure from Ed Selby (244) and Paul Sparrow (682). Sparrow getting the better of Parnell and Selby at the flag to take third place; the red graders continuing to battle right to the end; Bromley the only red or superstar to break the top ten.
The 1300 Stock Car Final drew out 27 cars; Ben Sanders (517) leading them off once again. Jack Lower (142) and Jacob Bromley (303) continued their feud and held each other up at the start. Mark Newman (162) an early casualty after getting taken around by Ed Selby (244) in the homestraight, the blue graders next in trouble bundling in to turn 1; Beau Southgate (241) taken around in to a spin, Shane Moat (573) caught up too coming to grief in the fence. The turn 3 fencing was tested next when Sanders was sent to the plating by Luke Smith (301); Caine Parnell (229) in charge up front. Lee Waddington (122) the next to come under fire from Selby, the 122 machine taken around in turn 1, who was then caught on the nose by Sanders in the process. Smith was sent out wide by Jack Smith (302), 301 rattling the plating for good measure. Fighting for the lower places was a great battle between Paul Sparrow (682), John Banwell (391), Stephen Murphy (561) and Karl Morris (390). The quarter having a great scrap with Ben Englestone (769) and Martin Taylor (422) closing in too. Smith in 301 felt the force of the scrap to and was once again sent to the fence in turn 3 and then again in turn 1. Sanders also getting tripped up in the scrap, slammed the fence out of turn 4, tripping up Waddington who went into a spin down the homestraight; Taylor and Murphy also needing to take avoiding action, Murphy was sent to the plating in turn 1. Parnell still your leader, Smith (302) in second and Selby your top three at the lap boards. Murphy launched in on Taylor in to turn 3, taking Taylor all the way around and to the fence, the car left limping down the homestraight. A lap later and Murphy collected Taylor down the homestraight catching out Selby in the process who was sent to a marker tyre and rolling over. Red flags called. Parnell almost certainly had enough of a gap on Smith before the stoppage to have the win in hand, but a one lap shoot out was to determine the winner. Parnell, Smith (302) and Carl Morgan (42) the top three on the restart. The expected crunch came in to turn 1 with Smith taking Parnell right to the fence; but the 229 machine held it’s momentum and kept side by side with Smith in the backstraight; keeping him on the outside to prevent a last bend retaliation. Smith went on to take the chequered flag, Parnell second and Banwell in third demoting Morgan to fourth; behind them Sparrow went in on Jack Wilkins (690) on the last corner to take sixth spot.