Report BY Mark Paulson

Pictures by Damien Widdows

The tenth annual Michael “Bandit” Bailey Memorial was staged at the Norfolk Arena, King’s Lynn on Saturday night, 22 June. An excellent turnout of 90 National Bangers filled the pits to mark the occasion, while a further 42 Junior and Lady Bangers made for wall-to-wall full contact action.  One of 2013’s form drivers, 572 Paul Scully, walked away with the Memorial Trophy in the Unlimited class, while 119 Davey Cox became the first man to take Bandit Memorials by winning in the Two-Litre category.

The Unlimiteds, which fielded 51 cars in total, adopted an unusual two-from-three heat format based on grades, with the first race being for whites and yellows only. 23 cars were on track in a relatively quiet race which saw a first win for 8 Daniel Jackson, while 38 Tom Chilton survived a last bend attack by 136 Adrian Court to hold onto second and provide a Predators 1-2, a fitting opening to the memorial for their former teamster. Jackson followed in 266 Callum Hall en route to the win, securing him the race entertainers award too, while 391 Ben Gibson and 660 Paul Lambe were also fairly lively.

The second heat, for all but the yellow grade drivers, provided 36 cars and began with 998 Wayne Cottrill Jr taking all sorts of punishment on the home straight. Two t-bones, the second particularly heavy from 851 Adam Storr, were followed by a flat out blitz from one of the Wild Boyz, leading to red flags and a complete restart. 791 Nicky Young led the majority of the second attempt but sacrificed the win on the final lap to dish out a shot on 157 Michael Piggott’s Toyota Previa, returned from Axestinction. That allowed 43 Nicky Bishop through for the win, with Young recovering for second and an impressive drive through the field, gradually picking off car after car, by Scully, was rewarded with third. Veteran 326 Paul Picton dished out hits all over the shop on his way to the race entertainers award.

Heat three was minus the white graders and fielded 22 cars. 85 James Ellis, returning his smart Mk2 Granada Limo, set about 601 Chris Medler, while 384 John Golden was also lively, including dumping Ellis hard into a marker tyre. Young again led before his car expired, allowing National Points Champion 22 Dave Vincent through for the win after Scully had initially been shown the chequered flag wrongly.

The all-in final saw 30 cars on track and a big wrecking train develop on the Saddlebow Road bend, featuring 920 James Medley, Court, 777 Gill, 239 Steve Carter – the Banger World Series driver on a weekend trip from his Exeter base that would also take in Great Yarmouth the following day – and Hall. Gill and Carter were rewarded with entertainers awards. Up front, Scully raced to the win in impressive style, again working his way through from the back of the field in his well-used Jaguar. It was his second final win of the year and lifts him back into second in the National Points standings. 128 Mark Atkins and 266 Al Roskell completed the top three.

The all-in Memorial race was first up for the Two-Litre Bangers and all 39 cars made it on track to take part. After plenty of the usual action in a Mondeo-dominated field, 779 Luke Allen followed in 479 Jason Wood, rolling himself in the process, leading to red flags. 19 cars made the restart, with 129 Jono Brook leading them away, followed by 119 Davey Cox. Third in the queue 171 Andy Frost delayed the rest, allowing the front two to pull away. Eventually 337 Ashley Garrod put Frost away and 841 Stu Carmen weighed in for good measure. Out front, Cox, one of the few Vauxhall-mounted drivers, relieved Brook of the lead and eased to the victory by more than a quarter of a lap, from 427 Dave Johnson, repeating his 2012 runner-up position, and Brook.

Two all comers races, each fielding mid-20s cars, followed. Both were fairly lively, with the start of the first marked by 305 Jason Fryett being followed in by the pack and heavily knocked around. 392 Sam Baines did the visiting 317 Bradley Cushion and quite a pile-up developed on bend two. 100 Callum White came through for the win from 212 Richard Marion and Scully, one of a number racing in both the day’s classes.

Cushion was again on the receiving in the second all comers, as Ashley Garrod put him away. 897 Andy Ashman – also racing in both classes – was put in by the all action Allen. A restarted race saw the lively 132 Robert James blitzed by 182 Ashley Watkinson, White follow in 960 Ross Winsor and then a big wrecking train featuring 701 Kevin Cooper, Allen, 515 Gareth Flatters, Baines and White. Out front, 708 Jamie Nottingham motored to the win from 551 Brett Jackson and the recovered White.

The Lady Bangers were added to proceedings at short notice due to the unprecedentedly large entry of 2-Litre Saloon Stock Cars for their British Championship the following weekend. They responded with a decent 19-car showing and almost the full field made it out for each of their races. In the first, 660 Bridgett Woolley spun 988 Holly Atter from the lead, delaying herself for the process and allowing 257 Anna Piggott to slip through for the win. Wooley made amends second time out, taking the win from 74 Caroline Garner, as British Champion 319 Jodie Grief found herself well in the wars. The 18-car final saw a couple of long stoppages, first to attend to 96 Amber Daniels who received a hefty accidental drivers door hit from 419 Laura Quadling. Thankfully the former was able to walk to the medical buggy. The second was to aid 213 Trudy Gowler who was also eventually able to hobble away from her crash with 369 Jane Allard. Garner won the restarted race when red and chequered flags came out after Grief shed a wheel, ending a miserable day for the latter which saw her slip to sixth in the points. For Garner, her win and second propel her to the top of the standings.

The biggest field yet of 23 Junior Bangers also put on a good show. A heat and final double – surprisingly his first wins of the season – saw 77 Callum Gill extend his big lead at the top of the points even further. He now has almost double his nearest rival. 364 Bradley Lee took the other win while 316 Sam Dace also had a pair of second places, while 247 Jon Bailey and 69 Brad Bartram both put in lively performances.