Photos: Matt Bull - Race Pixels
Words: Keith Organ
The eagerly anticipated all Volvo banger didn’t disappoint along with 2 Litre Saloon Stock Cars and Junior bangers it looked set to be action all the way, although the rain did it’s best to ruin the action in the second half of the evening; the meeting didn’t disappoint.
Volvo Bangers
The drivers were split depending on the type of engine they were running, and the first two heats designated to those using original engines. 18 cars took to the track; Dennis Vorkink (211) racing an Ambulance version and Carl Sewell (467) in a hearse; the pick of the cars with Polly Reade (185) also making a return to the Unlimited Bangers using her favoured car. Jake Westlake (901) starting on pole position. Vorkink and Sewell tripped over each straight away; spinning out in the back straight, Sewell the first to recover then drove straight at Vorkink, blitzing the back of the 211 machine. Shaun Smith (661) went for a spin in turn 1; whilst Lee Sutton (45) took in Sewell to the fence in turn 1, Sewell getting spun in the process on the exit of the turn, getting caught head on. Aaron Keoghan (959) drove straight through the back of the stranded Sewell. Sam Coote (155) your leader at this point. Sewell managed to get back going only for Westlake to go in on the back of him; Sewell left parked up once more, was then blitzed by Adam Rowell (276). Coote cruised to the win taking round Matthew Thomas (333) in turn 3 as the race ended.
Heat 2 saw a slight drop in numbers due to the damage from heat 1; 16 cars on track. Jake Westlake (901) your pole sitter. Lee Sutton (45) was sent in to an early spin; as Aaron Keoghan (959) took round Westlake. Taylor Sowter (388) took around Polly Reade (185). Stu Davies (622) your leader in to the second half. Reade waded in on Keoghan; as Dave Lewis (37), Ashley Bell (81) and Chris Hornbrook (650) battled for the minor places, the Lewis machine smoking heavily. Reade further got in on the action taking out Ryan Brown (59) in turn 3. Davies took the win, ahead of Ben Englestone (769) in second and Sowter in third.
Heat 3 meant all available cars were able to grid, 38 Volvos taking to the track; Phil Milner (201) starting on pole; but he was quickly spun out in the backstraight; which saw the field scatter. Conor Ratcliffe (24) follows in Jason Smy (138) in to turn 1; the field piling in to the bend, momentarily creating a track blockage out of the bend. Danny Everett (617) one of the ones caught out; Steven Dean (52) took the opportunity and blitzed the hearse. Milner had now turned it round in turn 3 was lined up by Michael Carter (329) head on as Adam Rowell (276) went in on Dean Moljourd (230). James Licqourice (51) your leader. Lee White (830) trying to make up ground attacked Davey Cox (119) in to turn 1, before then doing the same to Darren Fendley (673) the next bend. Polly Reade (185) the next victim, was spun around in turn 3. The race finished with Rowell going in across the back of Everett. Licquorice taking the win, David Gibson (390) in second and White in third.
The last heat joined the track with another full grid of cars. Luke Rowland (878) on pole led them back out. Carl Sewell (467) surprisingly, managed to repair the hearse and was back out for action, but Sewell not having much pace was soon to be a target. Conor Ratcliffe (24) the first; wasting no opportunity went in on the back of Sewell. Dennis Vorkink (211) then got Sewell back after their race one skirmish. Ben Englestone (769) was sent to a spin in the home straight and Mark Gilbert (57) and Matthew Thomas (333) got better acquainted; colliding in turn 1. Jason Smy (138) annihilates Sewell; the back axle now well and truly off the ground. James Licquorice (51) turned his Volvo round in turn 3; clashing with Taylor Sowter (388) and David Gibson (390); before properly meeting head on with Adam Rowell (276); Kieran Fry (321) steamed in on the back of Rowell; Andy Pelikkan (488) went in on Licquorice; Thomas wading in on the back of Pelikkan; then Sowter destroyed Fry, a great train of action. Ryan Brown (59) left stranded in turn 3, was blitzed by Damien Matthews (87); Ratcliffe then smashed in to Matthews. Davey Cox (119) followed in Thomas in to 3; before Gibson clashed with Thomas and Brown under the scoreboard; Sowter blitzing Gibson; Jonny Atkin (399) arriving on the scene just a second or two too late went in on Sowter as he left the scene. Chris Hornbrook (65) took the win; Darren Fendley (673) finishing second and Dave Vincent (22) third.
A heavy downpour during the previous race hindered track conditions; nonetheless 24 cars grid for the final; Polly Reade (185) on pole position. Ryan Brown (59) was stranded in turn 1 early on and was destroyed by Kieran Fry (321). The red flags called for. Ben Englestone (769) in pole position for the restart. Steve Dean (52) spun out Phil Milner (201) and Polly Reade (185) in unison in turn 3. A problem on the infield for David Gibson (390) prompting further red flags. Englestone your leader at the green flag, followed by Sam Coote (155) who quickly challenged for the lead; taking over shortly after; whilst Coote may have been leading, Englestone hadn’t gave up and continued to battle in an effort to regain control; meanwhile Reade had caught a head on in turn 2 from Milner. Coote went wide of some stricken cars, but in doing so let Englestone back through in to the lead. James Licqourice (51) turned round in turn 3 and caught Englestone in the side in an almighty T-bone. The lap boards out; and Coote now established a lead, duly went on to take the win; Reade jacking Licqourice in to turn 1 before the red flag.
Straight in to the destruction derby; Chris Hornbrook (65) clashed with Licqourice, whilst Coote attacked Reade. Reade getting a head on with Ben Randall (165). Steve Dean (52) blitzed Dennis Vorkink (211) in the home straight, Vorkink turned it round at this point and got Danny Everett (617) head on. Coote then went in on Everett, destroying the hearse; Licqourice needed no encouragement and blitzed Coote, Dean went in on Licquorice. Ben Englestone (769) and Randall exchanged a head on in turn 1; all those still moving piling in on one another including 52, 165, 769 and Dalton Smith (662) with Hornbrook going in on Smith. The cars now on their last legs, Dean and Randell exchange a number of head-ons; culminating in Randall unable to move, Dean declared the winner.
2 Litre Stock Cars
As is tradition the White and yellow grade drivers took to the track for their first race of the evening, 14 cars on track including Adam Odell (171) given dispensation to run in a new gearbox. Mackenzie Whitehead (331) pole led them off, Neil Payne (312) and Luke Dorling (120) the early spinners; whilst the bumpers went flying in a number of cars wall riding into turn 1. Timmy Barnes (131) stormed in on Robert Heanes (192) in to turn 1 before going in on Whitehead in the next bend. Heanes got spun around in the backstraight as Simon Venni (570) offered the same to Jack Rust (172) in turn 1. Will Makins (248) attacked Barnes, as Venni now went after Tyler Bloomfield (502) in turn 1. Tom Balls (425) now your leader. Makins was now squabbling with Whitehead, Whitehead losing out with a spin in turn 3. Dorling taken in to a marker tyre in the closing stages. Balls took the win ahead of Shane Emerson (888) and Barnes in third; with a battle further back between Alan Hooker (29) and Marty Lake (573) rounded out the race to the flag. Emerson though was docked two places for jumping the start; promoting Barnes into second and Venni in to third.
Heat 1; on track with 31 cars; Rob Heanes (192) starting on pole; Matthew Fuller (270) unfortunately missing the start. Heanes went in to a spin in to turn 1 which created carnage; the field scattered and several planting the fence; half of the field getting caught out; bunching and squabbling down the backstraight in to turn 3; the waved yellows called for. Will Makins (248); Mackenzie Whitehead (331) and Tom Balls (425) the top three to lead them off. Lee Sampson (428) caught a marker tyre on the restart; carnage once again followed with the second half of the field piling in. Timmy Barnes (131) went in on Lewis Gallie (182) as Diggy Smith (116) and Willie Skoyles (641) battled. Wesley Starmer (525) and Thomas Alsop (537) tripped over each other in turn 3 with Cole Atkins (399) also joining. The squabbling Smith and Skoyles were now joined Daniel Parker (306) and Michael Allard (349) who joined in. Jacob Downey (218) took over the lead, muscling his way by Simon Venni (570) at the lap boards. Makins and Whitehead were locked in their own battle but they were swamped by the quarter of hard charging star graders; Makins coming off worst with a spin; taking out Skoyles in the process. Downey holding on to win, ahead of Venni in second and Casey Englestone (220) third.
30 cars returned for heat 2; Mackenzie Whitehead (331) this time led them off from pole; heavy rain now falling; Adam Odell (171) and Casey Englestone (220) early casualties; Mackenzie Whitehead (331) was left facing the wrong way in the homestraight; Rob Heanes (192) and Luke Dorling (120) also spinners; the rain resulting in a number of cars struggling. Englestone, Tom Balls (425) and Cole Atkins (399) clash in turn 1. Heanes spun out Tyler Bloomfield (502) in turn 1; the field needing to take avoiding action. Will Makins (248) your leader whilst further back Matthew Fuller (270) muscled his way by Simon Venni (570), only to spin out in turn 3. Scott Greenslade (800) spun out to infield marker tyres whilst Fuller was in further trouble after Barry Russell (600) took him out in turn 3. Tom Balls (425) now leading. Dorling and Michael Allard (349) battle amongst themselves further back Jacob Downey (218) and Deane Mayes (730) do the same further down. Bloomfield, Alsop and Dorling exchange some heavy bumper work; as Englestone puts away Lewis Gallie (182) and Alsop in to turn 1; the 537 machine getting some air time riding up the fence. Venni reeled in the leader 425 as the laps wound down; Balls just giving Venni another room to pass by in the last lap; Venni taking the win, Balls second and Makins in third.
The final field 15 cars on track; Mackenzie Whitehead (331) led the field off. Rob Heanes (192) spun which caught out Will Makins (248). Scott Greenslade (800) tripped up during mid pack bunching in a big incident which prompted the waved yellows. 331 120 570 your top three on the restart. 4 wide coming out of turn 3 on the restart; Michael Allard (349) went out to a spin in the homestraight. Daniel Parker (306) and Max Stott (157) then clashed in the homestraight; as Makins rode the plate in turn 1. Tommy Barnes (131), Adam Odell (171) and Jack Rust (172) collide together coming to rest in the turn 3 fence; whilst a big battle amongst the red graders raged, Willie Skoyles (641) a spinner; taken out of contention. Diggy Smith (116) was flying and one of the front runners; battling Thomas Alsop (573). Heavy rain now falling once again; which saw lots of spinners and cars struggling. Simon Venni (570) your leader and mastering the conditions superbly. Parker took around Barry Russell (600) as 600 spun out Jacob Downey (218) in the backstraight. Cole Atkins (399) went out to a marker tyre collected by Makins in turn 1; Luke Dorling (120) and Max Stott (157) was exchanging places; Stott coming off worst, spun out into the homestraight collecting Smith in the process. Odell planted Downey to the turn 3 plating in the closing stages. Venni taking the chequered flag unhindered, Wesley Starmer (525) picking up second place and Lewis Gallie (182) taking third.
Junior Bangers
12 cars took to the track for race 1, which was just for the Whites and yellow graders. Codie Reeves (188) on pole position, but her time up front was short lived when she was spun around by Cieran Harmer (101). Lee Reynolds (117) attacked Jack Williams (854) in to turn 3; Callum Self (667) your leader. Further back Harry Geltshorpe (555) and Finlay Damon (08) and Josh Prince (715) battled amongst themselves. William Cole (84) lunged in on Reynolds in to turn 1, unable to shift him, tried again in to turn 3. Cole lose a lot of ground at this point, the lap boards now out. Cole caught back up the ailing Reynolds machine and went in on for a last bend lunge, but again to no avail and Reynolds held on to third behind Harmer who finished second and Self picking up the win.
Heat 1 drew out 19 cars; Codie Reeves (188) starting on pole. Eron Denney (159) and Lee Reynolds (117) collide along with Jamie Petters (322). Joey Holmes (90), Lennie Murking (608) and Blake Platts (450) battle. Harley McCarthy (131) was sent to a spin in the home straight. Reeves your leader in to the second half pulling clear; Cieran Harmer (101) spun out Jack Williams (854) in the backstraight; whilst Aiden Storr (854) took around Finlay Damon (08). McCarthy and Damon trip over one another in the homestraight as Holmes pulled clear of the red graders, moving by Louie Cottrill (999) and Josh Prince (715) at the lap boards. Reeves your winner, ahead of Harmer in second and William Cole (84) in third.
18 cars returned for heat 2, Eron Denney (159) on pole. Joey Holmes (90) not wanting to get held up like the previous race, quickly went on the attack of his fellow red graders. Cieran Harmer (101) leads, with Codie Reeves (188) further back in second. Louie Cottrill (999) and Harley McCarthy (131) battle it out; whilst Aiden Storr (854) went in on Blake Platts (450) in the backstraight. Denney and Callum Self (667) collide and take a trip to the fence in turn 3. At the closing stages Cottrill lunged in on Harry Gelsthorpe (555) in turn 1 in an effort to take third place, Cottrill going in again on to turn 3 trying a last bender but had Holmes for company, Holmes muscled his way by and snatched third in a drag race to the line.
15 cars for the final; which started with a false start; the drivers setting off too quick. Eron Denney (159) on pole for the rerun. Lennie Mukrin (608) took around Aiden Storr (854) only to get an accidental t-bone from Blake Platts (450) in the process. Denney took around Finlay Damon (08) in turn 1 the field needing to avoid; all missed apart from Jacob Hampson (33) who came to a halt to avoid. Cieran Harmer (101) your leader but Harmer clashed with Lee Reynolds (117) who took him to turn 1 fence. Codie Reeves (188) taking over the lead, Joey Holmes (90) was quickly in to second, Harmer third and Louie Cottrill (999) in fourth; the top four together. The lap boards now presented. A slow moving 117 tripped up the top three who piled in in turn 1 together with Reynolds, Reeves coming off worst; the 188 car bouncing up high in the air; nearly rolling over, but didn't, Reeves back on four wheels. The skirmish unsettled the top three; which allowed Holmes to the lead and he duly took the win.
Mylaps Link: https://speedhive.mylaps.com/Events/1566296