Report by Mark Paulson

Brandon-based 22 Dave Vincent’s Team 22 outfit were victorious in the 1500cc Icebreaker at the Norfolk Arena, King’s Lynn on Sunday afternoon, 2 February. Consistent scoring from Vincent and his team-mates 597 Andy Ashman, 730 Deane Mayes and 869 Sam Steele gave them a healthy margin of victory over Team Grey & Black ‘A’, led by the irrepressible 382 Jack Foster Jr, on a day of relentless hard-hitting action.

For Vincent, it was a successful defence of the title he won last year as part of the Crunchers squad and goes alongside his pair of triumphs in the Unlimited version of the event. He certainly knows how to lead his team to victory, as the squad are also the reigning 1500cc East Anglian team champions. While for Mayes, the triumph represented a new record fourth success in the event for him personally. Of the eight 1500 Icebreakers he has contested, his team have never been placed outside the top two. That is some track record.

The entertainers league section of the event was won by the Mad Hatters ‘A’ team, after a very lively display. Although in truth, all 160+ drivers played their part in providing a day full of action.

On the material front there was very little to write home about, but the oldest/rarest car award went to 621 Scott Goodyear (Giddy Army ‘A’) for his Nissan Pulsar NX which was also very smartly turned out, as were several of his team-mates’ machines. All four Mr Men teams also had nicely painted motors, but it was their ‘D’ team who won the best presented team award.

The 44 teams were split four ways for the first round of heats, each featuring grids around the mid-30s, as some cars weren’t scrutineered in time. In the first, Vincent started as he meant to go on by motoring to the win. Before that, 141 Nathan Pursglove (Scunny Blue Crew ‘A’) delivered a big follow-in to 316 Darren Lovett (Spoons) to earn himself the race entertainer award, while 11 Ryan Leeks (Mad Mob) walloped the spun 229 Sean Riddell (Junkyard Dogs) on the nose.

In heat two, 391 Ben Gibson (Mad Hatters ‘A’) blasted 757 Callum Gill (Grey & Black ‘B’) before taking a shot from 743 Kevan Barton (Messers ‘B’) just as he was about to get out. With his belts clearly undone, if not broken, he was unavoidably clobbered a few more times by the pack, before red flags came to his rescue. Barely half the cars were still running for the restarted race, which saw the leading 138 Ant Timmins (Trent Raceway ‘A’) gradually reeled in by a pacy 312 Brad White (Giddy Army ‘A’). The latter was ahead when a loose wheel brought the race to a slightly premature end, while 2008 champion 311 Garry Lown (also Giddy Army ‘A’) was named race entertainer.

Second generation racer 666 Liam Gelsthorpe (Mr Men ‘D’) had his very smartly turned out machine spun by the pack at the start of heat three. He was done head on and also accidentally in the door before a stoppage was called to assist the stricken youngster. Skegness Rookie Banger Gold Roof champion 323 Billy Storr (Team Scooby) also received some attention and sadly it would be the last we saw of the legendary driver. On the restart, 715 Mick Prince (Starky ‘B’) followed in 52 Steven Dean (Dark Tribe) very hard to claim the entertainer award, but the race was otherwise relatively quiet. 322 Nicky Denman (Team Scooby) led, before being spun by one of the Scottish visitors, 220 Leonard Youngson (TYO ‘B’). The latter then spun himself and, after rejoining, got caught up and stranded mid-track on the home straight, leading to a red-and-chequered finish. Denman had resumed the lead and was declared winner from team-mate 93 Danny Nieuwenberg.

Mad Hatters ‘B’ entrant 394 Tom Baines was turned into the bend four fence at the start of heat four and ended up on the middle of the track, facing the traffic. There he got clobbered multiple times, but commendably sat tight and let the race continue. A wrecking train then developed in front of him, with 394 Lofty’s team-mate 393 Pete Annells delivering the biggest hit to 807 Chris Murfin (Grey & Black ‘A’) before taking a couple of heavy ones himself. 382 Jack Foster Jr raced to an untroubled win from team-mate 86 Alec Savage, while 164 Gary Shaw (Demons) took the race entertainer award.

Standings after first round of heats: Team Grey & Black ‘A’ 25 points; Team Scooby 21; Giddy Army ‘A’ 20; Trent Raceway ‘A’ 16; Wild Boyz ‘A; 13; Team 22 12.

A three-way split for the next round of heats again saw mid-30s grids of cars in each race. In the first 392 Sam Baines (Mad Hatters ‘A’) blitzed 785 Brendan Bird (Clowns). The Mad Hatters and TYO ‘A’ had some good scraps, with 390 David Gibson brutally squashing 465 Steve Allen’s motor. Ant Timmins again looked pacy as he raced to an apparently easy win, while 880 Anthony Kerr (BS Motors) was named the entertainer this time.

Some lively opening laps to heat six featured 230 Dean Moldjord (Mr Men ‘D’) follow in 732 Gavin Sharpe (Scunny Blue Crew ‘B’) hard. Meanwhile, Team Scooby and Team 22 steered clear of the trouble to score some big points, filling the top five places between them. 221 Jordan Storr and captain Nieuwenberg delivered a 1-2 finish for Team Scooby, while team-mate Denman was named the race entertainer.

The round of heats was completed with another win for Foster after a red-and-chequered finish. A big pile-up formed on the power station bend, with 791 Nicky Young (Mad Mob) going hard into 96 Liam Brinton (Predators) before being blasted himself by 79 Ricky Twell in some Predator revenge. A pile-up also developed on the exit of bend two, with some big shots going in, including from 89 Joe Barratt (Predators), earning him the race entertainer award.

Standings after second round of heats: Team Scooby 42 points; Team Grey & Black ‘A’ 37; Trent Raceway ‘A’ 36; Team 22 34; Giddy Army ‘A’ 28; Team Starky ‘A’ 22.

A three-way split remained for the penultimate round of heats, each again featuring over 30 cars. 44 Craig Law (Mr Men ‘C’) and 621 Scott Goodyear (Giddy Army ‘A’) both went in hard on the first bend, while Law’s fellow Mr Men 256 Mark Ginders (‘C’) and 357 Paul Read (‘B’) were also involved. The former very nearly rolled before coming back down the right way up, while the latter took a pasting from Garry Lown and 469 Michael Scally (Wild Boyz ‘B’). That left 357 Mr Mischief’s passenger side ripped to shreds and an inevitable red flag. Such was the carnage that only 15 remained for the restart. The impressive Trent Raceway ‘A’s hopes of challenging for the title reduced when Ant Timmins added himself to the pile-up, while 851 Adam Storr (Mr Men ‘C’) delivered a massive follow in to 271 Ashlun Woods (Smurfs) near the pit gate, claiming himself the race entertainer’s award, before getting done himself by 214 Paul Noble (TYO ‘A’). White raced to his second win of the day to put Giddy Army ‘A’ into a strong position in the standings.

Heat nine was somewhat quieter as the Team 22 pairing of 869 Sam Steele and 730 Deane Mayes dominated the race out-front, pretty much leading from start to finish. With team captain Vincent fifth, that lifted the squad to the head of the standings. Jordan Storr gave up third to blast 274 John Taylor (TYO ‘B’) on the home straight and claim the entertainer award. But with Nieuwenberg inheriting third, Team Scooby were managing to pile up the points in both the race standings and the entertainers league section.

The tenth was also quiet, livened up at the end by Twell’s big shot over the rear wheel of 12 Troy Cobbett (Randoms). That led to a red-and-chequered finish, with 144 Ash Weston (Trent Raceway ‘C’) taking the win.

Standings after third round of heats: Team 22 61 points; Team Grey & Black ‘A’ 56; Team Scooby 50; Giddy Army ‘A’ 40; Trent Raceway ‘A’ 36; Team Starky ‘A’ 34.

Next up were a pair of semi-finals. The biggest field of the day so far, 42 cars, took part in the first. Predictably, there was carnage and some relatively early red flags, after which just over half the original field were left for the restart. A wrecking train on bend four, with the Mad Hatters well involved, as well as Team Scooby, led to a brief track blockage and lots of good hits as everyone piled in. As that cleared, Steele raced clear for another good win, while Vincent’s third put the team in a commanding position. The action continued around them, with 390 Gibbo and team-mate 399 Jonny Atkin extracting themselves from the wreckage and hitting anything that moved, while commentator Matt Black, guesting for the Wild Boyz ‘A’ team also got well stuck in. Gibbo dragged his crippled car round to take sixth place and with it, a well-deserved race entertainer award.

The second semi wasn’t going to live up to that, but the 37-car field still entertained. Nicky Young took plenty of hits in his Astra Estate, including a big one from Kerr who scooped the race entertainer award. Meanwhile, a small train formed on the road bend, finished off by 790 Nathan Young (Mad Mob) and 89 Panda. That led to red flags, but not before National Points and National Champion 338 Terry Garrod delivered a huge follow in to Leeks. 297 Paul Chapman (Messers ‘B’) took the win, and as Foster could only manage seventh this time, his team’s chances of overhauling Team 22 looked slim as we headed towards the meeting final.

Standings after fourth round of heats: Team 22 81 points; Team Grey & Black ‘A’ 60; Team Scooby 50; Team Starky ‘A’ 47; Trent Raceway ‘A’ 45; Giddy Army ‘A’ 40.

The 47-car final inevitably provided further carnage. Ant Timmins managed a complete roll on the back straight, while Gibbo blasted the late arriving 340 Wes Freestone (Team Jackpot) just as an engine fire broke out on the latter’s machine. Red flags and a complete restart saw around 25 cars remaining. Foster caught and passed the leading Mayes, who then slipped to third behind Law, but with none of 382 Chubby’s team-mates scoring, it wasn’t enough to make the difference. Indeed, with Vincent fourth and Ashman fifth, Team 22 extended their advantage to win by a convincing margin.

Result:

1	Team 22	105
2	Team Grey & Black ‘A’	76
3	Team Scooby	50
4	Team Starky ‘A’	47
5	Trent Raceway ‘A’	45
6	Giddy Army ‘A’	40
7	Mr Men ‘C’	31
8	Trent Raceyway ‘C’	27
	Wild Boyz ‘A’	27
10	Messers ‘B’	25