Photos: 1 - 11 Damien Widdows, 12 - 23 Jim Harrod, 24 - 35 Major Gilbert
Report: Keith Organ
Saturday 5th September the biggest Unlimited Banger date of the year on Shale; over 115 cars in attendance to contest the World of Shale Championship and the superb Junior Bangers providing a great support too. The Unlimited Banger World of Shale increasing in popularity each year and certainly becoming a must do event.
Unlimited Bangers
The first of the Last Chance events drew out roughly 40 cars; Dan Clarke (721) starting in pole position led them off. A number of spinners at the start as you would expect on the wet shale; Lewis Price (349), Callum Roberts (396) and Grant Doe (181) all caught up in the pile up forming in turn 1. James Ellis (85) was put in hard in to turn 1 by Michael Carter (329); Taylor Sowter (388) blitzing the Ellis machine. Price turned it round for Clarke in turn 2; stopping the leader. Waved yellows called for. Sam Bartlett (92) led off the restart, Alan Roskell (266) in second and Tom Jordan (9) third. Liam Bartlett (91) followed in Jordan Sharpe (828) in to turn 3 as Reece Marsh (195) and Damien Matthews (87) collide. Alan Read (88) was attacked in turn 3 by Sowter. Price stopped Jordan in turn 2 head on. Marsh, James Guppy (349) and Roberts all clashed with Read. Sharpe and Price clashed, Roskell getting caught out; Sharpe involved further on the back of Read in turn 3. The lap boards now out Bartlett (92) your leader, Joey Reynolds (760) in second and Dalton Steel (466) in third which is the order to the flag.
Another 40 or so cars for the second last chance race were led off by Lee Macey (78). Chaos once again ensued at the start with spins and cars sent in all directions. Steve Farrell (200) copped a shot off of Mitchell Finney (3) in turn 1, as Gav Robinson (21) was taken around by Ricki Finney (455); Tye Williams (639) took around Reece Tingle (182) and Ricky Hutton (623) took around Sid Cooper (517). Shaydy Gough (199) was attacked in turn 1 by Cooper before Mark Foster (180) went head on with Mitchell Banton (183); Banton then copping a big shot off Jack Foster (382) in turn 3. Red flags called for around the raceway. James Head (284) led off the restart, Charlie Daniels (741) and Nicky Bishop (43) the top three at the green flag, which also signalled three to go. Hutton turned round in turn 2 for Head, but causing minimal disruption to the leader; Head surviving went on to take the win ahead of Daniels and Bishop. Jack Deacon (103) turned around in turn 2 for Kieron Fry (321); getting him on the nose, Tingle going in on the back of Fry, before Callum Reed (32) went in with a shot on Fry for good measure.
World of Shale time and 49 cars took to the track; Carl Korsezwski (124) front row inside and Kieran Bowman (178) front row outside led them off. Bowman stormed in to the lead at the drop of the green. Behind him as you’d expect spinners and cars going in all directions. Shaun Smith (661) took in Rickie Beasley (67) to the turn 3 plating as Korsezwski found himself back up front. Waved yellows called for a wheel off by the pit gate. Korsezwski, Dalton Smith (662) and Lee White (830) the top three on the restart. Back under racing conditions and David Spooner (99) along with Tommy Callaghan (299) found themselves spinning around, as Dalton Steel (466) took round Matty High (222) in turn 1. Smith (662) made his move on the leader to take over the running with Jack Overy (617) now moving up in to third behind them. Shaun Rushton (179) then took in Kieran McIvor (811) in turn 1. Smith held off the challenge impressively for a number of laps, but the rapid and vast experience of Overy soon came in to play and Overy helped Smith around in a spin, dropping him out of the running. Overy, White and Korsezwski your top three now. Lyndon Stark (88) clobbered Smith (662) as Korsezwski spun around in the homestraight. Brett Jackson (551) blitzed Callum Campbell (159) as McIvor now clashed with James Rushton (169) in turn 3. Joey Reynolds (760) battled with Nathan Roberts (456), whilst up front White was taken out of second place, Davey Cox (119) went in with a head on White. Callaghan also having a head on with Smith (662). The lap boards now presented to Overy in the lead, who was now taking it steady as to not trip up with anyone, this allowed second place Callum Gill (757) to close in within striking distance to launch himself in to the last bend, just missing the back of 617. Overy taking the chequered flag in the World of Shale for the second time of his career, Gill second and Reynolds coming home third.
The first of the Allcomers was next up; 38 cars on track, Daniel Clarke (721) the man to lead them off. A number of the white graders trip up one another in the homestraight including James Jackson (8), Liam Bartlett (91), Polly Reade (185) and Gareth Flatters (515). Luke Maynard (43) attacked Lewis Tingle (281) in turn 1. Mitchell Finney (3) went in with a blitzing on the back of Maynard; his team mate Shane Fry (831) then went in on Finney, destroying the Rolls Royce. Reece Tingle (182) went in the back of Fry, Kieran fry (321) jacking the back of Tingle. Phil Smith (549) was spun around by John Reeves (188) as Jackson Whitehead (330) joined the back of the train in turn 1, going in on the back of Fry (321). Not finished there, Carl Sowter (288) stormed in on Whitehead; Mackenzie Whitehead (331) getting retribution for his Brother, went in on Sowter. Waved yellows called for. Kieran Greenway (191) took around Shaydy Gough (199) in the backstraight. Gough kept it facing the wrong way and went in on Ian Redden (148) in turn 2. Redden turned it around and retaliated on Gough, going in on him in turn 2, Rickie Finney (455) getting caught up in the process too. The lap boards now out for John Riddell (221) as Redden went in on Gough once more, joined by Michael Carter (329) too. Riddell held on to the lead to the chequered flag, Lee Kingsnorth (400) finishing second and Alex Utting (548) in third.
Allcomers number 2 and once again Daniel Clarke (721) led them off, a huge field of 57 cars for this one. As customary a number of the field went around in to a spin at the start. Out through the carnage a handful of laps later and Dalton Steele (466) emerged your leader. James Martin (115) went in hard on James Rushton (169) and Michael Carter (329) in turn 3; Freddie Gorst (381) catching Carter with a t-bone. Taylor Sotwer (388) shares a head on with Phil Smith (549) as a pile up forms in turn 4. Jack Overy (617) turned it round for Callum White (100) as Callum Gaughan (184) did the same for Callum Reed (32); catching Rickie Beasley (67) in the process. Overy once again set off after White, blitzing the 100 Jag. Reed went in on Overy letting Kieran Bowman (178) blitz Reed, John Riddell (221) also going in. The last few laps then saw members of the Barton Boyz take on some of Team Grey and Black. Steele though untroubled went on to the win, Nathan Roberts (456) coming home second and Stephen Court (334) third.
Allcomers 3 and another 45 cars returned for the last race of the night; led off by Ben Randell (165); Matty High (222), James Licquorice (51) and Shaun Rushton (179) trip up over one another in the homestraight. A caution period called for early on and a complete restart needed. Randell once again starting pole position. Luke Maynard (43) took around Shaun Rushton (179) in turn 1; Reece Marsh (195) also going round; as James Jackson (8) and Gary Shaw (164) trip up in the backstraight. James Rushton (169) turned it round in turn 2; going after Maynard; Daniel Clarke (721) your leader. Harry Overy (356) and Leonard Dunn (215) collide in turn 1; the Hearse of Dunn left precariously placed; Randell went in first; but it was High doing the big damage; splintering the Hearse. Not happy with his effort, High went off for another lap and went in once more; properly putting the back axle to the cage on the second attempt. Callum Roberts (396) went in on the back of High; a lap later and Roberts followed in Shaw in to turn 1. The lap boards now presented as Rushton (169) shared a head on with Rickie Beasley (67) whilst Phil Smith (549) went out in to a spin in the homestraight. Kieran Greenway (191) your leader picked his way past the Barton Boys drivers who were now battling Beasley. Rushton (169) turning it around went after Lee Kingsnorth (400) in turn 2 as Dan Weevers (333) clashed with Jackson Whitehead (331). Greenway taking the win, Weevers second and Callum Gill (757) in third.
Straight into the Destruction Derby Reece Marsh (195) went in on Phil Smith (549) as James Rushton (169) shared a head on with Reece Moran (205), Lee Kingsnorth (400), Callum Gaughan (184) and Callum Gill (757) all piling in. Rushton after another head on found Sam Bartlett (92); Carl Sowter (288) jacking the back of Bartlett as he tried to get back going. Tom Jordan (9) went in on Callum Roberts (396) as Gill attacked Mitchell Banton (183). Lewis Price (349) shared a head on with Marsh; Shaun Rushton (179) went in on the back of Price. Bartlett went in on the back of Rushton (169) in the homestraight, whilst Rushton (179) went in on Bartlett. Sowter went in with a t-bone on the 169 machine; Sowter backing off for a run up on Bartlett. Smith going in on Marsh. Gill, Sowter, Banton and Smith battled it out amongst themselves striking one another, before Grant Doe (181) and Moran found some drive, but declared to have been out of the action for too long. Kingsnorth went in on Rushton and Moran shared a head on with Gill to round out the D.D. Gill declared the winner.
Junior Bangers
13 cars head out on track for the first race specifically for the White graders. Levi Murkin (609) led the field off; Perry Williamson (8) collected the marker tyres at the green flag whilst Reggie Turnbull (19) and Riley Shinn (400) went to the fence in turn 1. Rhys Parrin (750) making his debut in the formula went round in to a spin in turn 3; whilst Lewis Saunders (349) took around Murkin to take over the lead; Riley Holmes (190), Sam Hopkins (7) and Alfie Nottingham (707) all in contention too. Nottingham bundled Riley Holmes (190) out to the fence in turn 1, before Hopkins made a bid for the lead; taking out Saunders in the backstraight, but Holmes was now challenging and made his way by Hopkins to take the lead, going on to take the win too. Hopkins coming home second and Ben Kaleta (702) finishing third.
Heat 1 and 19 cars on track; led off by Ben Kaleta (702). Reggie Turnbull (19) spun out Alfie Nottingham (707) in the homestraight. Riley Shinn (400) took in Lewis Saunders (349) in to turn 1, the Saunders machine digging in and rolling over. Waved yellows called for. Kaleta led them off, Sam Hopkins (7) second and Perry Williamson (8) in third. Levi Murkin (609) lunged in on Harvey Webb (622) into turn 1 collecting Riley Holmes (190) and Turnbull in the process. Kaleta went in with the bumper on Chloe-Anne Biley (278) in to turn 1; whilst Louie Cottrill (999) attacked Hopkins for second; also moving Kaleta in the process. Kaleta, Max Exton (670) and Jacob Rushton (800) now left battling; Kaleta losing out down the backstraight. The lap boards soon out as Bailey spun around. Exton took around Turnbull in the backstraight. Cottrill, Exton and Rushton the top three at the chequered flag.
Heat 2 grid with 18 cars on track; led off by Ben Kaleta (702) once more. Perry Williamson (8) and Sam Hopkins (7) went around in the homestraight, the field taking avoiding action. Williamson recovering only to be taken around with Riley Marsh (701) by Harvey Webb (622) in turn 3. Chloe-Anne Bailey (278) was collected by Alfie Nottingham (707) in turn 3; Riley Shinn (400) going round in to a spin also. Waved yellows called for. Kaleta, Levi Murkin (609) and Lexi Finney (455) the top three. Riley Holmes (190) went in with the bumper on Finney on the restart whilst Murkin muscled his way by in to the lead. Marsh spun around in turn 1 as Rhys Parrin (750) did the same in turn 3. A fast moving Louie Cottrill (999) moved up the order and soon took over the lead muscling his way by the lower graders. Kaleta took himself out of the running colliding with the plating hard in turn 3. The lap boards now presented to Cottrill, Jacob Rushton (800) in second and Max Exton (670) in third, the order to the chequered flag.
The Juniors Feature Final drew out 13 cars; Levi Murkin (609) starting in pole position; but his time up front didn’t last long with Lexi Finney (455) bursting into the lead. Robbie Dillon (833) took around Riley Marsh (701) in the homestraight, as Murkin and Finney battle up front, Dillon in amongst it again taking round Perry Williamson (8) in turn 1. Riley Marsh (701) and Louie Cottrill (999) trip with one another down the homestraight. Finney, Murkin and Riley Holmes (190) the top three. Cottrill recovering battled Dillon and Harvey Webb (622) further back. The lap boards now out for Finney who was in turn defending the lead from second and third. Dillon and Max Exton (670) collide in the homestraight. Holmes dived in on a last bend lunge on Murkin at the last bend but the 609 pilot held on for second. Williamson, Dillon and Marsh all ending in a heap at the chequered flag, the 701 machine ending on his side in the process; rounding out an entertaining Junior Banger session.