World Champion 390 David Gibson added the Micro Banger UK Championship to his collection at the Norfolk Arena, King’s Lynn on Saturday night, 4 October, in a dominant display. He came close to doubling up in the UK Masters meeting final too, but was beaten to the flag by 830 Lee White. Also on the programme, the Two-Litre (non-Mondeo) Bangers contested their King of the Fens title, claimed in impressive style by 116 Nat Cohn. Completing the bill was the Two-Litre Saloon Stock Cars Bumper Trophy, won by a resurgent 511 Craig Barnett 

Micro Bangers

A number of late editions to the entry more than made up for a few cancellations and swelled the turnout to more than 70 cars, particularly impressive given the number of Micro meetings being staged across the country this weekend. Of those, 40 made it out for the last-chance qualifier, held on a fairly heavy track, following the day’s rainfall which thankfully had stopped by start-time and held off all evening. After a couple of early stoppages, one for a roll by 20 Richard Cornall in his Ford Ka, around 23 cars were left to contest the second restart. 257 Peter Beard went on take a dominant win by around a quarter of a lap, from the returning 999 Shane Cottrill, who relieved 63 Zac Key of second on the final lap. The qualifiers for the big race were completed by Cotty’s running mates 157 James Brazil and 10 Ben Hunt, as well as another returnee, 69 Johnny Wilkinson. First to miss out was 811 Pete Winter, making a very rare appearance in a small front-wheel drive car.

The big race featured a 30-car grid, with 479 Joel Allen sitting on pole position after the ‘Incarace’ draw, with 830 Lee White alongside and World Champion 390 David Gibson on the inside of row two. A big first bend push left 376 Jason Farthing on his roof and led to a complete restart, this time with 830 ‘Stretch’ on pole, ‘Gibbo’ alongside, and Allen and 886 Lewis Stark on row two. Gibson pounced into an immediate lead and never looked back. He was completely untroubled as he raced to the title, winning by half a lap. “It’s just topped off a great year,” he said afterwards, admitting, “it was a bit easy off the front of the grid,” in contrast to his World title, which was secured from a long way back.

Behind the dominant winner, Stark and White had an excellent battle for second, with the latter eventually prevailing, while Cottrill, Wilkinson and Beard completed the top six. Outgoing champion 551 Brett Jackson saw his defence ended with a puncture, while there was the usual Micro mayhem further back, including 27 Will Longford blasting 571 Mark Quinsey.

Another big field of 37 cars returned for the consolation which saw an early stoppage when 908 Lewis Judd was accidentally collected in the driver’s door. The general carnage meant that there were very few cars left running after only a handful of laps, so points champion 338 Terry Garrod raced to an untroubled win. 43 Nicky Bishop secured an entertainer’s award for blitzing 466 Martin Taylor, while 713 Ashley Ward was also well involved, claiming an second entertainer’s award.

The meeting final saw the UK Masters up for grabs, and the earlier action meant that the field a little thinner than it might have been. Gibson delivered a big follow-in on 51 Gavin Wing to claim an entertainer’s award, while Winter went after everything he could to claim another. Gibson came from the very back of the grid to hunt down the leading White, but wasn’t able to quite catch him at the flag, while Lewis Stark once again completed the top three.

After a stoppage to assist Taylor in the all-comers race, Wilkinson followed in Winter to claim the race entertainer’s award. Out front, 511 James Licquorice raced to the win, with a red and chequered finish required as 78 Gavin Oakes rolled just before he reached the line, after clipping 386 Sam Evans’ car. Runner-up was 121 Lloyd Hook, while Stark completed a hat trick of third places.

Two-Litre Bangers

A decent showing for a non-Mondeo session, particularly with another Banger class in action, of 35 cars were in action, with those missing from the booking list supplemented by several additions. While many might have expected the Micros to be livelier, the Two-Litres certainly showed them how to crash in their first heat, where 392 Sam Baines, Bluebird-mounted once more, blitzed 164 Gary Shaw. That led to an explosive wrecking train also featuring 621 Scott Goodyear (also in a Bluebird), 457 Cruickshanks, Baino again a lap later, 149 Wayne Bailey, 888 Lloyd Stark, an unmarked Ford Focus and Baino yet again. Bailey and his aggressor then managed to break free and circulate as an eight-wheeled coach for a couple of laps, with Bailey and Baino deservedly earning entertainers’ awards. Out front, Cavalier-mounted 749 Todd Payne looked fast on his way to the win from 509 Richard Colk and 51 James Licquorice (Zafira).

Only about two-thirds of the field returned for a quieter heat two, dominated from the front by Payne. 116 Nat Cohn mad rapid progress from his red grade start, to be running second at the flag, earning an entertainer’s award along the way, while 287 Dean Quinsee completed the top three.

Those three were all well involved for the battle for the win in the title race. The smartly presented 897 Matt Battle led the early stages, with Payne once again impressing with his speed and soon making his way from the back of the white grade to join Battle up front. Cohn looked to be the fastest man on track but had a lot of ground to make up. He caught Quinsee and the leading pair with two laps to go, pushing through into second with exactly a lap left and then nosing inside into the lead on bend one of the final lap. The race wasn’t over though as all four leading runners charged down the back straight with little between them. Payne dived inside on the final bend to take second spot, but Cohn held his nerve to survive the last bend and hold on for the win. Battle and Quinsee completed the top four in that order. Action further back was also provided by Licquorice being jacked by 601 Chris Medler’s Focus, which was then blasted by 399 Jonny Atkin. Medler hobbled out of his wreck to give Atkin a hug after race, clearly appreciating the shot, despite taking a knock in the process.

Two-Litre Saloon Stock Cars

On their fifth outing at the track in little over a month, the Saloons again raised an excellent number, with 36 cars present to contest their Bumper Trophy and the boosted prize fund provided by a number of generous sponsors.

White and yellow grade specialist 214 Tom Yould resumed normal service in the lower grade race, recovering from a first lap spin to show great pace on a tricky surface and pass 389 Ryan Santry for the win on the penultimate lap. Yould then dominated heat one proper to win by a third of a lap from 6 Simon Welton and World Champion 499 David Aldous.

After a yellow flag to assist 74 Tam Tweedie in heat two, 26 Tommy Barnes passed Santry for the lead, while 306 Daniel Parker moved into second and erstwhile frontrunner 641 Willie Skoyles retired, continuing his recent wretched run of luck. Barnes pulled out a gap and held on to take the win, despite the lapped 304 Martyn Parker trying to intervene and help his son in the closing stages. Parker Jr closed right in, but Barnes held on, clearly enjoying being made to work for it.

Just under 30 survived for the Bumper Trophy final. The top two in the World Final, Aldous and Skoyles both suffered opening lap spins, severely denting their chances as 192 Robert Heanes led the early stages before 350 Tommy Parrin moved in front. Yould, who spun while making good progress in heat two, again looked threatening though and it didn’t take him long to make his way from the back of the yellow grade into the lead. But the hat trick wasn’t to be as Parrin came back at him and spun the 214-car out, before himself gyrating. That allowed 511 Craig Barnett, who seems to have re-found the key to success at the Norfolk Arena, into the lead. He didn’t look back, going on to win from 131 Timmy Barnes, 156 Darren Goudy and 149 Jamie Sampson. The latter’s brother 428 Lee, a frontrunner in the track championship standings, had a frustrating meeting, an early retirement in heat one ending his racing for the night. With Skoyles and 18 Jamie Clayton also being outscored by Aldous, the World Champion’s points lead has stretched to a very healthy 61. With only one more round to go, he looks set to take his fifth consecutive crown. Barnett has moved into fifth place in the country’s most competitive track championship, despite having only attended half of the 12 meetings – maybe as Aldous is closing in on his record, he is eyeing a ninth crown in 2015?