Photos: Damien Widdows
Report: Keith Organ
It was a night of brilliant bangers Saturday 6th April at the Adrian Flux Arena in King’s Lynn; over 150 cars crammed once again in to the busy pit area and the track was, as ever, in top condition, which meant we were treated to a bumper night of Banger action.
Three bangers classes on the line up, something different in the form of only Mk 1 Almera & All Sunny Bangers – limited to give drivers the chance to use “Old stock” against like for like cars that they might not wish to use at a normal meeting, the hugely popular and entertaining Micro Bangers & the excellent Junior Bangers also on the bill.
Mk1 Almera and Sunny Bangers
Heat 1 was just open to the white grade drivers; Craig Royal (478) led off the 35 plus car grid. Lee Horwood (441) picked up Lewis Tingle (182) in to turn 1; who in turn collected Sean Rowell (277) – who incidentally along with Aaron Keoghan (959) were back for their first meeting after a horrific fire destroyed their yard and work units – it was good to have them back. It was a case of back with a bang, Rowell and Tingle were sent to the fence by Horwood; whilst up in turn 3; Keoghan was sent also to the plating; just as Wayne Bailey (149) followed in Lennon Phillips (440) in to turn 3 and a spinning Darren Teal (170) was blitzed by a passing Dalton Steel (466) and Paul Seymour (320). Seymour then caught Stu Davies (622) in turn 1; Micky Mylett (206) then went in on Seymour before Liam Brinton (96) blitzed Mylett. Tony Lowther (902) followed in Tiff Collins (818) in turn 3, Bailey then stormed in on Collins in the homestraight; inviting Rowell to go in on Bailey. Steve Lillywhite (678) was the first to go in on the back of Rowell, before Brinton did the same, the back of the 277 Almera looking worse for wear. The Red Flags called for. Royal led off the restart; in to turn 1 Chris Medler (601) followed in Lowther which saw the field pile in, in particular Nick Wakeman (317) who was left clear for a shot, Keoghan taking the opportunity and blitzed Wakeman; Kieran Fry (321) going in on Keoghan, Joe Geeves (601) then stormed in on Fry whilst Robert Betts (219) went In on Geeves. Ady Groome (776) in a rare outing then went in on Medler with a head on. Ryan Brown (59) went in on Lowther, Michael Carter (329) offering the same treatment to Brown. The lap boards now out for Royal who was still holding down first. Groome had now turned it round on opposite in turn 1; t-boning Horwood who was being spun by Sean Mullins (353); Mullins was then run in by Carter. Shortly after, Betts was then blitzed by Phil Markham (127). Royal took the win ahead of Simon Crew (160) in second and Markham in third.
Heat 2 was led off by Phil Markham (127) ahead of 29 cars. Lennon Phillips (440 was an early casualty; getting followed in by Ryan Brown (59) in to turn 1; which caught out a number of the passing pack who piled in; including Timmy Aldridge (257), Jamie Blything (248), Matt Tillow (556) and Jordan Sharpe (828). A caution period called for. On the restart Blything was blitzed in to turn 3 by Taylor Sowter (388); as Kieran Bowman (178) followed in Lee Barnes (41) in the same piece of plating. The stranded Barnes was then annihilated by Brown. Soon after Brown was attacked in to turn 3 by Liam Brinton (96) resulting in the 96 machine being sent into a roll. Red flags called for once more. Markham led off the restart, but he was quickly disposed of in to the turn 3 plating by Luke Tongue (460) who in return was being attacked by David Gibson (390), Tongue retired however letting Gibson in to the lead. In turn 1 Alex Smith (231) was blitzed by Sowter; whilst Bowman spun to the middle out of turn 4. Bowman needing no encouragement, kept it facing the wrong way and went after Ashley Brewster (217) in turn 3, Markham getting caught up went in on Bowman. Markham left stranded was then attacked by Dan Wright (113). Russell Gill (757) was taken around by Darren Fendley (673) in the homestraight; as Tom Waller (209) rattled in Tillow in to the turn 3 plating; collected the abandoned Barnes machine. Bowman then steamed in on the Tillow machine, Gibson took the win, Fendley in second and Jonny Atkins (399) in third.
Heat 3 was led off by Nick Wakeman (317); 25 cars on track; the red grade keen to start held themselves up at the drop of the green. A number of early spinners and typical first lap action. Micky Mylett (206) attacked Kieran Bowman (178) in to turn 3; whilst Jonny Atkin (399) offered the same to Joe Brown (58). Mylett and Wakeman were blitzed at the end of the homestraight by passing traffic. A caution period called for. On the restart Craig Royal (478) was taken around out of second spot by Dan Wright (113); Royal then proceeded to be bashed pillar to post by the passing field. Billy Smith (161) went in with the bumper on Lee Horwood (441) in to turn 1, resulting in Horwood spinning out; getting caught with a t-bone from Steve Lillywhite (678) in the process. Lillywhite then turned round on opposite in turn 1; but before he had the chance to line up anyone, Lewis Tingle (182) stormed in with a head on, Kieran Fry (321) then went in on Tingle; whilst Alex Smith and Bowman came to blows at the other end of the circuit. The race declared at this point; Simon Crew (160) awarded the win.
The Almera Final was led off by Lennon Phillips (440) ahead of a 27 car field; in to turn 1, Dalton Steel (466) was rattled in to the plating, skating around on two wheels with Liam Brinton (96) who put him away; many of the passing pack pile in at this point also; yellow flags were called for. On the restart and Lee Horwood (441) parked himself in the abandoned cars in turn 1; prompting Kieran Bowman (178) to blitz Horwood. Alex Smith (231) also catching the Horwood machine with Chris Medler (601) turning it round on opposite for Horwood; a number of cars pile in to the melee with Tom Waller (209) also on opposite for good measure, seeking out Simon Crew (160), with a t-bone in the side. A lap later and Luke Tongue (460) bumpered Ady Groome (776) wide in to turn 1; Groome collecting the parked cars; Crew then went in on the back of Waller. Groome then backed out in front of David Gibson (390), perhaps not his finest move as Gibson duly went in on Groome. Brinton then turned it round in turn 1 and went for Darren Fendley (673), in the gap, getting Fendley on the nose; Medler with no where to go run in to the back of Fendley; quickly backing off and leaving Fendley exposed to be annihilated by Russell Gill (77); whilst Callum Gill (757) offered the same to a slow moving Medley in the homestraight. The lapboards now presented with the top 5 altogether; Dan Wright (113), Crew in second, Billy Smith (161), Gibson in fourth and Gill (757) in fifth. Two laps to go and the slow moving Medler held up the leaders; Wright, Crew and Smith pilled in; with Gibson and Gill following suit; Crew and Wright taken out; it was down to three for the lead. Back in to turn 1 and Gibson went in with the bumper on Smith; resulting in Smith collected the pile up and spinning out of contention. Gill unable to connect with a last bend, Gibson took the win, Gill in second and Ashley Garrod (337) in third.
Straight in to the Destruction derby which saw Medler, Gibson and Atkins quickly set about Smith Fendley and Gill in turn 1. Matt Tillow (556) went in on the nose of Medler as Groome went in on Gibson; Timmy Aldridge (257) attacked the back of Tillow. Gill (77) went in on Groome; backing off allowing Jonny Atkins (399) the chance to steam in on Groome. Into turn 3 Gill went in on Atkins, continuing in to the homestraight, where Atkins was spun around; Smith going in with a huge head on with Atkins; the Smith car was then blitzed by Phillips. Gill met Philips with a head on in turn 3 as Aldridge offered the same to Tillow; Stu Davies (622) joining in for good measure. The trio then exchange a number of head on’s and tussles; Davies the last car running declared the winner.
Micro Bangers
With the number of white and yellow graders booked in meant two races to themselves up first; a big push in to the first turn resulted in a number of cars piling in; including a big follow in from Taylor Sowter (388) on Callum Taylor (855). The red flags called for at this point. Shaun Smith (661) led off the restart, but he was quickly over taken by Lennon Philips (440) in to turn 1. Ben Randell (165) took around Alistair Oxby (974) in the backstraight; Joe Bull (115) receiving the same treatment from Randell a lap later. Smith clipped an abandoned car in turn 3 which took out of second, leaving Phillips clear up front. Oxby collected the stranded Lee Neve (483) machine in turn 1 as James Licquorice (51) attacked Fabian Leathers-Ashley (808) in the backstraight, Sowter wasting no opportunity waded in on the back of Licquorice. In the homestraight; Aaron Challis (664) was attacked by Callum Lacey (614); who sent him flying in the marker tyres in turn 1; just as Sowter arrived and following Leathers-Ashley in to the empty Neve and Jack Licquorice (511) machines. Licqourice (51) went in with the bumper on Sowter in turn 2; spinning the 388 KA around. The lap boards now presented to Phillips. The dead cars in turn 1 still catching out drivers; Bull and Jonathan Ashbridge (249) were two caught out. A lap later, Bull was in trouble again when Licquorice followed him into the pile up in turn 1. Phillips took the chequered flag; as Licqourice blitzed Bull in turn 1 to round a great opening race.
The second white and yellow race drew another big grid of 25 cars, led off by Cal Curtis (669); once again a big push before the green saw a number of cars pile in including Barry Eudale (295) and Josh Stewart (334). Eudale was then taken for a follow in to turn 1; Jackson Whitehead (330) then ploughed in to the back of Eudale; blitzing the Micra; Whitehead was then collected in turn by the passing field; he too ending up with a destroyed Micro. Nicky Bishop (43) bundled in the back of Cameron Hubbard (624) in the home straight, taking Hubbard out in to a spin. Bishop then going in with an attack on Billy Giddings (195) in to turn 3, before James Unwin (71) took around Ro Jacques (164). Harry Cole (293) took the chequered flag, Brett Jackson (551) finishing second and Unwin in third.
The first of the all in races; drew a grid of 35 cars which saw most of the white grade slam in to the plating at the drop of the green, as Matt Tillow (556) was followed in by Riley Freestone (342) into Ben Randell (165). In to turn 1; Jack Licquorice (511) was attacked by Danny Oliver (423); James Licquorice (51) seeking out retribution destroyed Oliver. Red flags called for. On the restart, Martin Wesby (837) dumped Olly Scott (339) in to the turn 1 plating; whilst in turn 3; Jonathan Ashbridge (249) was followed in by Chris Hornbrook (65) in to the dead cars of turn 3; with Tony Pallett (566) and Callum Gill (757) getting caught up in the process; Lyndon Stark (888) wading in on the Pallett machine. Tom Keep (367) clashed with the 998 machine in to turn 3 as the chequered flag fell for Ben Mynott (352), Kevan Barton (743) came home second and Donny Mann (135) in third.
Heat 4 for the Micros and over 30 cars on track once more; a number of the field piling in; Jack Giddings (195) stormed in on Aiden Harrold (297); Alex Exton (13) steamed in on Giddings; Brett Jackson (551) blitzing Exton; whilst in the backstraight Cieran Harmer (101 and Jamie Owen (308) clashed, Owens obliterated by the passing pack, prompting a caution period. On the restart, a number of spins around the oval as drivers tripped up over the abandoned machines. In turn 1 Aaron Mann (143) was blitzed by Josh Green (834). Cal Curtis (669) then turned round in turn 3 at this point and went after Kevan Burton (743) head on, as Josh Stewart (334) did the same to Nick Ashbridge (248); Jack Maryon (212) bundled in the back of Ashbridge. In turn 1 Ro Jacques (164) was attacked by Maryon and then Jamie Blything (248) in turn 1. Back in turn 3; Danny Oliver (423) was spinning out Jackson Whitehead (330), getting caught by Stewart with a t-bone mid spin. Chris Hornbrook (65) and Mann piling in too. Riley Freestone (342) took the win, Callum Gill (757) awarded second and Hornbrook took third.
Matt Thomas (333) led off the Micro final; 25 cars on track; Harley Messenger (809) the first casualty with a spin in turn 2; the race quickly setting down in to a fast pace. In to turn 1; Thomas picked up Billy Giddings (195) and sent him scraping around the plating. Cameron Hubbard (624) was taken around in turn 3 by Tony Pallett (556). Thomas your leader, Dalton Smith (662) running in second and James Licquorice (51) in third. The lap boards were soon presented and Lee White (830) was making up quick ground, muscling his way by in to second. In to the last lap and White was right on the back bumper of Thomas; in the last bend Thomas went out wide which allowed White to cut back and a drag race; tussling to the line; White just managed to pip Thomas to the win, Pallett coming home in third.
Straight in to the destruction derby; Matt Thomas (333) clashed with Oliver Marshall (318) in turn 3; Aaron Challis (664) ploughing in on Marshall. Challis took a big t-bone from Chris Hornbrook (65), as Jonathan Ashbridge (249) run in Kieran Challis (666) to turn 3 too. Dylan Goodman (93) went after Fabian Leathers-Ashley (808) in to turn 1 spinning out the 808 machine, Jon Bailey (247) then went in with a big head on with Leathers-Ashley; before Fabian got a big t-bone from Jack Licquorice (511). Challis (666) copped a head on from Cieran Harmer (101); Ashbridge then wade in on Harmer. Bailey then blitzed the Alex Exton (13) Micro in to turn 1; Hornbrook lined up Tom Keep (367) for a big t-bone, but just missing meaning Hornbrook only got a head on with the plating; Keep turned it round and lined up Hornbrook, going in on the nose. Keep then went in on the back of Hornbrook jacking up the 65 KA. Billy Giddings (195) stormed in with a big shot on Danny Oliver (423) in the backstraight. Giddings and Oliver then met with a solid head on in turn 1 to round out the destruction derby; with no further movement both declared joint winners
Junior Bangers
The Juniors kicked off their evening with a Whites and Yellows heat; led off by Maisie Armstrong (68). Eron Denney (159) and Sean Unwin (71) collided against the fence in turn 1; soon to be joined by Aiden Storr (854) who run in the back of Unwin. Sam Markham (374) was spun around by Shane Masterman (822) in the homestraight shortly after, Tiff Unwin (70) was taken around by Sam Bennett (340) in turn 3. Storr then punted the 399 machine to the plating in turn 1; running into the cars of Denney and Unwin (71) in the process; more cars pilling in shortly after. Howe Reade (352) was under fire from Lewis Saunders (349) in the homes straight, Reade sent broadside down the straight before righting the wheels and collecting the plating. The lap boards were now presented; Emily Taylor (409) your leader, as Storr took around Masterman in turn 3; Storr was then attacked by Archie (267) in to turn 1, spinning out the 854 machine. Taylor took the chequered flag; Armstrong coming home in second and Bennett in third.
Heat 2 and 28 cars were on track; led off by Billy Sandford (610); Malakie Cullum (133) and Kacey Crane (902) the first causalities with a spin to the middle coming out of turn 4. Eron Denney (159) was taken around in turn 1, the field splitting to avoid; Louie Cottrill (999) not escaping was taken around in the commotion. Some mid pack bunching into the homestraight; saw Lennie Murkin (608) come off worst, sent into a spin courtesy of Bradley Gren (449). Cullum and Cottrill clashed in the homestraight, Cullum left nose on to the fence. The stranded Cullum caught out the passing pack; Sandford was spun and sent broadside down the straight by Harry Gelsthorpe (555) and Harley McCarthy (131); with Joey Holmes (90) pushing for good measure. Keaton Ivins (842) took around Lee Reynolds (117) in turn 3. Holmes went in with the bumper on Lewis Saunders (349) in to turn 1; just as Robbie Dillon (833) was dumped in turn 1; Saunders; collecting Dillon in the process; a caution period was then called for. Alfie Tomlinson (888) awarded the win, Harry Cobb (229) in second and Jack Maddox (5) in third.
Heat 3 for the Juniors was led off by Howe Reade (352); 26 cars on track once more; Reade was quickly dropped down the order in to the first turn by Sean Unwin (71) and Sam Bennett (340); promoting Alfie Tomlinson (888) to the number 1 spot. Jacob Rushton (800) and Keaton Ivins (842) run into newcomer Levi Gray (830); whilst the stars and superstars battled for the break further back. Into the closing stages a great battle raged for the podium positions between Harry Cobb (229), Bradley Green (449) and Tomlinson; whilst Finlay Damon (08) held down a small lead ahead. At the chequered flag, Damon took the win, ahead of Cobb in second with Green holding on to third.
32 cars on track for the final, led off by Howe Reade (352); Reade was quickly took around by Sam Markham (374) in the homestraight; which then prompted chaos to follow as half the front of the field got caught up in the incident, cars spinning and collected down in to turn 1; laps went by and turn 1 continued to catch out the drivers; resembling more and more like a car park. The leader Alifie Tomlinson (888) was dumped to the infield marker tyres by Harry Cobb (229). Archie Cullum (132) took around Reade once more in to a spin in the homestraight; who in turn was then run into by Eron Denney (159) as Jack Maddox (5) fell foul of the pile up, getting caught up with Denney and Louie Cottrill (999) tripping over each other; Jacob Rushton (800) the next to park up in the turn 1 car park. Sean Unwin (71) spun himself in to turn 1; forming a chicane; forcing Cottrill to go out wide; clipping the Rushton car in the process. Cobb spun himself out of the lead at that point collecting a parked car; getting collected by Reece Davis (644) and Lennie Murkin (608) in the process. Denney was once again in trouble getting spun around by Harvey Webb (622) as Bradley Green (449) took the chequered flag; Murkin coming home second and Cobb recovering for third.