Photos: 1 - 10 Jim Harrod, 11 - 21 Kimberley Jessica, 22 - 31 Damien Widdows, 32 - 41 Kevin Wickham, 42 - 46 Major Gilbert
Report: Keith Organ
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The Trackstar World Final for 2L Bangers, sponsored by the Tyre Bay and Abbey’s Taxis, grid with 46 cars on track. Jordan Cumming (570) the defending champion, finally after 2 years since winning the Gold, he had a chance to race for it again. After the random grid draw Alex Utting (548) started in pole position with Damien Matthews (87) on his outside; the grid with a good mix of Jaguar X-Types, Mondeos and Cougars. The green dropped and as you would expect with a big grid of cars, a number didn’t make it round the opening lap, getting sent in all directions. Two pre-race favourites going out early doors; Timmy Aldridge (257) was left facing the wrong way in the homestraight, he was then clipped by Russell Gill (77), ending both driver’s races. Matthews your early race leader, a few car lengths clear of Lee White (830) in second and Callum McKee (210) who was running third.
A few laps in and the race settled in to a rhythm; Matthews holding first, but now with White right on his back bumper after being the leader was held up by backmarkers. Out of turn 2 and Aaron Pole (281) stopped the defending champion on the nose in an almighty head on. The rest of the pack taking avoiding action going either side of the stranded pair, however John Reeves (188) elected to wade in on the back of Cumming’s, catching out Phil Milner (201) in the process too, before Jordan Sharpe (828) also went in on Cumming’s. Matthews was driving the race of his life and still held up out in front and managing to pick his way through the backmarker traffic; White slipped back abit and came under fire from McKee under the scoreboard. At around the half way the leader was trying to move backmarker Dalton Steele (466), the 87 machine clipped the stranded cars parked on the outside of turn 2, Matthews spinning out and left facing the wrong direction and out of the running. Dean Cruickshanks (73) run in Lewis Price (349) to the plating in turn 1, as White came round to lap them; but nearly tripping up Mckee as they rejoined and went for the same piece of track. Lee Middleton (519) went in on the back of Aaron Nelson (699) out of turn 2; Kenny Gabriel (720) went in on Middleton, with Nat Cohn (116) catching the back of Gabriel.
5 laps to go and White was presented with the lap boards, McKee holding second with James Licquorice (51) third. Licquorice lost out in turn 2 however and dropped down the order. Milner and Kyle Stevenson (60) collided in the backstraight pile up, Nathan Roberts (456) went in on the back of Stevenson, Phil Smith (549) attacked the back of Roberts as they got back going. In to turn 1 and James Martin (115) took around Jack Maryon (212), but back up front, the laps wound down and Lee White (830) took the chequered flag, McKee coming home second and Ashley Garrod (337) came home third. Callum White (100) took a very credible fourth and former 2L Saloon Champion Max Stott (57) rounded out the top five after qualifying via a win in the last chance race.