Mildenhall Stadium Saturday July 2 2016
RDC's Another Wild Night
National Bangers BBA British Championship, Reliant Robins World Final and Grand Prix and Ministox British Championship

The 2016 National Banger BBA British Championship raised a most decent field of 77 cars which was actually somewhat up on the expected field with just five no shows (three of which disappointingly were seeded entries for the championship), these more than replaced by three times as many extras on the day. With a number of ORCi promotions not represented in the main event there were no especially long distance visitors but the field did include a few non Fords in the shape of two Vectras, a Celica and FWD Volvo estate.

Owing to the amount of extra drivers on the night an additional last chance qualifier was required but neither were very well subscribed with 20 for the opener and an explosive start saw 444 Charlie Jackson turn 508 Harry Bradbury into the wall with 7 James Mace homing in for a wicked hit on the latter which brought the reds out for the latter who was indicating all wasn’t well. A depleted field for the restart and 587 Adam Rolfe (Focus estate) butted heads with the spun 545 Karl Hough as in the race for the qualifying spots Jackson lunged at and span 622 Jack Barker which promoted 128 Andy Shipp in the Celica into the top three, Baker taking out his frustrations on 383 Shane Harvey as he span him into the infield blocks. Up front and the leading 148 Ian Redden span 720 Martin Webb who was collected by 220 Tom Pavitt (estate) which ultimately dropped the latter out of the transfer spots as 148 Shorty took the win from 128 Shippy and Jackson and they advanced to the main event, the latter also winning the entertainer trophy.

22 for the second last chance qualifier with the first half proving very quiet saw 233 James Carter stuffing both 116 Nat Cohn and 127 Helen Roberts. 349 Lewis Price triggered the increase in action in the second half as he span 108 Lewis Jefcote (Cougar) into the wall with 352 Ben Mynott (Vectra) collecting the latter head-on while the same thing happened between 37 Dave Lewis and 144 Jordan Godfrey with 319 Shaun Clarke (Vectra) stuffing 101 Ian Norris into 144 Bungle. 306 Nicky Bell then lunged at and span 101 Bam Bam as 349 Noddy continued to hound Roberts before he leaned 411 Matt Franklin (estate) into the fence hard. Noddy now turned round and stopped Bungle with a big hit on opposite as Bell blasted Franklin. Noddy again laid into Bungle before setting about Roberts which allowed Bungle to regroup and deliver a revenge hit on the Gladiator. In the mayhem on the final bend the leading 175 Karl Corbsy collected the wreckage and this allowed 116 Nat Cohn to snatch the win from 27 Terry King (Cougar) with Corbsy making it home for the final spot in the championship, Noddy the best entertainer.

Unfortunately Corbsy was unable to take his place on the grid for the championship leading 38 contenders with the Incarace draw among the seeded entries handing the front row to 204 Charlie King (estate) and 370 John Cobbold (Focus) with 271 Dean Goodearl and 592 Mark Marchant on row two and 196 Joey Palmer and 33 Gary Magewick on row three. A frantic start saw 337 Ashley Garrod make a beeline for rival 82 Tom Foster as 527 Michael Norman and 599 Matty Butcher hit the fence early doors, the former also spinning. 271 Deano muscled into the lead from Cobbold, 592 Mad Mark, 382 Jack Foster Jnr (row 4) and 204 Charlie Boy as 116 No Luck Nat span 817 Kurt Jacobs (estate) and 730 Brandon Mayes assaulted 841 Stu Carmen before Shippy was dumped out by 830 Lee White. 382 Chubby now raced into second with Mad Mark third as 328 Dan Lathan butted heads with the spun Norman and Mad Mark briefly got his nose into the lead but Deano fought back to regain it on lap four as 317 Callum Jacobs attacked 51 James Licquorice. 337 Pretty Boy again attacked and span 82 Big T as 898 Andy Battle (row 7) moved into fourth ahead of 326 Shane Lynn (row 8) and Charlie Boy. Lathan came under attack from 26 Robin Ash (estate) but an attack from No Luck Nat on the latter helped Lathan survive as 188 John Reeves was span into the infield wall by the pack. Chubby had now grabbed the lead ahead of Mad Mark, Deano, Battle and Charlie Boy as defending champion 313 Craig Osborne (Cougar) was removed by 196 Joey and he was removed in turn by Norman as 164 Jack Turner was flicked into the wall by the traffic. Mad Mark then retired from contention a 577 Alfie Lee had fellow PRI 552 Karl Douglas around. Chubby still led from Deano and Battle with Lathan up to fourth having started in row four with Charlie Boy, 247 Lee Clarke (row 8) and Cobbold next as the recovered Osborne dive bombed 841 Stu Carmen. Big T was taken out by Jackson and 339 Jack Garrod (Cougar) delivered a solid hit on the latter before 338 Terry Garrod administered a crushing head-on which finished them both. The race hit half way with Deano back in the lead from Chubby, Battle, Lathan, 337 Pretty Boy, Bro and Charlie Boy as 27 Telbert turned Licquorice into the infield blocks and a brief pile-up on the road bend claimed Chubby ending his challenge. Carmen meanwhile span 817 the Stig into the fence with 33 Magic lunging at and spinning the former. The chaos had allowed Deano to open a big lead with Lathan now second and Pretty Boy third with Bro and 399 Jon Atkins (row 10) the next to show after Charlie Boy had been dumped out. Carmen recovered to destroy Cobbold with a wicked hit on the road bend and No Luck Nat blasted the former in turn as the race entered the final third with the top three still the same. Chubby turned round and Jack Garrod was happy to meet him with a head-on as the race entered the final five laps, Deano still leading from Lathan and Pretty Boy, these now the only three left on the lead lap and they were now well spread around the track. Norman took a big lunge at Jack Garrod but fenced himself in the process as Licquorice destroyed Chubby with a savage head-on on turn two, Jack Garrod then turning round to plough into the Team Grey and Black man. Meanwhile Osborne emerged from the wreckage on the home straight to stop Deano on opposite with the finish line in sight and Lathan came from half a lap behind to take the chequered flag. However the reds flew seconds after Lathan crossed the line with concern for Chubby and so the remainder of the result was taken on laps completed, Deano therefore still collecting second and a subsequent check of the results confirmed Pretty Boy and Atkin in third and fourth, 599 Matty, 107 Michael Seex, 27 Telbert, 601 Chris Medler (estate), Bro and 830 Stretch wrapping up the top 10, Licquorice named the best entertainer.

The first Allcomers was fully subscribed and raised 33 cars and a big push into the first bend was highlighted by 178 Kieran Bowman (estate) burying the Volvo of 300 Jon Murkin as 620 Guy Whitehead nailed 545 Karl Hough and 220 Lurch and 459 Todd Archer found the wall, the former then T-boned by 725 Stephen Cooper before Matty thundered 178 Slim in big time with the recovered Lurch also clobbering the Predator as Magic and 913 Brett Osborne tangled and found the wall and Battle crashed through the infield blocks on turn one. 938 Adam Tutt meanwhile stuffed Franklin as Clarke did the same to 267 Richard Butcher before Craig Osborne turned round to assault 551 Brett Jackson who responded with a rear wheel hit on his attacker but it didn’t silence Osborne who stopped 551 Jacko Jnr with a big head-on next time with Lurch and Matty getting caught in the melee and the reds then flew with concern for Jacko Jnr and Corbsy was declared the winner from Shippy and 326 Shane Lynn, Matty the best entertainer.

With the second Allcomers open to all it raised a massive field of 48 and again started with an almighty push into the first bend and Norman set the action rolling by burying 817 the Stig with 548 Jamie Avery piling Ash into the latter before 164 JT followed Rolfe in hard and 326 Ratty cracked Noddy in the rear wheel which set the latter up for a wicked head-on from 508 Led Head and he was blasted in turn by 426 James Knight as 317 Stress stuffed Matty. Tutt and Bungle not met on the nose as Stretch stuffed Joey while 188 Victor homed in for a cracking shot on Tutt and Ash nailed Mace. Franklin turned round and met Bell in a massive head-on on the home straight, the former then clobbered by Clarke as Carman nailed Stig and Magic and Craig Osborne stuffed Mace before the reds flew to assist Franklin. A complete restart was needed with 551 Stu Franklin leaning Joey in before 247 Bro was hammered by shots from Butcher and 548 Magpie as Stig butted heads with Knight and Ash planted Telbert into Noddy’s wreck. Lathan blasted the spun No Luck Nat head-on to force a way through by the start line as 354 Josh Vowden powered into and span Carmen and Slim homed in for a big head-on to the latter as Stress stuffed Pretty Boy. Korbsy meanwhile nailed Franklin which in turn claimed 107 Michael Seex who brushed it off to bury himself in the boot of Carman while Bro thundered Stig in with a wicked hit which left him open to another hard hit from Butcher. Lathan turned Franklin into the wall before he clobbered the spun Craig Osborne on the nose. The latter fought back to lunge at and bury Stretch as Jack Garrod turned round to stop Big T with a head-on and Pretty Boy powered into the latter with Big T copping further abuse from Franklin as Lathan came through to win from Corbsy and Vowden, Butcher the best entertainer.

23 made it back for the Accumulator qualifier and DD and again there was a big first bend push which resulted in another pile-up in which Magpie found 620 Mr G for a T-bone, the latter then hammered by Ratty who took one in turn from Murkin as Lathan assaulted JT before the new champion homed in for a stiff hit on Archer while Craig Osborne cracked 16 Dan Fisher in the rear wheel. Matt Franklin now fenced Murkin on the road bend and Mr G zeroed in for a stonking hit on the latter which left him open to a fierce hit in turn from Tutt as Lathan fired 764 Stephen Edgley into the wall very hard while Osborne added Tutt to the wreckage on the pit bend and Ratty turned Matty into the infield blocks. Brett Osborne turned round and blasted 545 Huffy as Bro did the same to assault Knight with Franklin also laying into the latter before Brett Osborne smashed Bro with a heavy shot. Lathan completed his hat trick ahead of Shippy and Vowden and we moved into the DD with Stu Franklin firing into and spinning Jack Garrod before Matty turned round and nailed the determined Mr G. Franklin continued with a shot on Shippy as Lathan finished Mr G with a front wheel hit and Garrod weighed in on Matt Franklin and then set off on opposite to meet Franklin in a massive head-on on the road bend. Lathan hammered Matty as Garrod and Stu Franklin continued to enjoy another head-on while Matt Franklin burst into flames to bring the reds out. The event restarted with Stu Franklin blasting Matty which allowed Lathan to pick the former up and drill him into the wall before he blasted Garrod. This allowed the recovered Franklin to weigh in on Garrod as Lathan set about Matty only to come under fire from Shippy before the pair enjoyed a head-on. Matty arrived to hit 128 on the nose which gave Lathan the time to land a vicious head-on to Shippy finishing the Celica and leaving Lathan and Matty to settle it. They traded several blows with Matty refusing to surrender in his warped Mondeo but ultimately Lathan was able to disable him by the start line and deliver a series of passenger side hits to claim the win, Matty’s efforts earning him the entertainer award.

Last Chance Qualifier One: 148 Ian Redden, 128, 444, 913, 19, 220, 620, 426, 383 Best entertainer: 444 Charlie Jackson
Last Chance Qualifier Two: 116 Nat Cohn, 27, 175, 178, 459, 319, 101, 233, 108, 306, 37 Best entertainer: 349 Lewis Price
British Championship: 328 Dan Lathan, 271, 337, 399, 599, 107, 27, 601, 247, 830 Best entertainer: 51 James Licquorice
Allcomers One: 175 Karl Corbsy, 128, 326, 601, 390, 267, 19 Best entertainer: 599 Matty Butcher
Allcomers Two: Lathan, 175, 354, 313, 830, 196, 620, 317, 599, 339 Best entertainer: 267 Richard Butcher
Accumulator Qualifier: Lathan, 128, 354, 339
Destruction Derby: Lathan from 599 Best entertainer: 599 Matty Butcher

The 2016 Reliant Robin World Final raised 21 cars with 19 of them for the World Final which included Irishman 56 Ian Bolton on a return visit and 969 Bart Smeets representing Holland and once again it was pleasing to see such a high standard on the presentation front with some truly stunningly smart cars.

All 19 qualifiers gridded for the World Final with 03 Scott Russell lunging at 576 Colin Aldred which in turn rolled 9 Dale Russell onto his side but he landed on his wheels allowing the race to continue as 3 Danielle Ellis lunged at 576 Porkey with the latter sent spinning by 664 Ryan Sutcliffe as 385 Roy Gedge dropped to fourth from a half spin as pole starter 66 Steve Willis led from 143 Sam Begley and 16 Ray Layton. 96 Ian Robins lunged at and span Smeets and 885 Chris Bailey went round and was hit by 664 Gump as Ellis span and tipped onto two wheels Husband 85 James Ellis climbed to fourth with 03 Wigley and Gedge next as 514 Sherrie Martin span and James Ellis overcooked while the recovered 514 Blondie came under attack from Gump and 215 Michael Croxon also went round. 774 James Pomroy then span and rolled Blondie onto her roof to bring the yellow flags out for the first time. The race resumed with 33 Jordan Street and Gedge suffering spins as 66 Pork Pie led the race to half way from 143 Screamer, Layton, James Ellis and Bolton with the waved yellow flags showing shortly after when Smeets did a 1 ¼ rollover. The race resumed with Porkey lunging at 96 Ian Robins before Gedge did the same to Street launching him into a big double rollover which again brought the caution flags out. Pork Pie enjoyed a length of a straight lead as the race entered the last five laps with Screamer still second and Layton, James Ellis and Bolton battling for third. Bolton attacked Layton but was stuffed by James Ellis which also claimed the latter as Pork Pie fired Gump and the recovered Bolton out of the way and Screamer punted Porkey into the wall and he came back with an attack on Ellis. Pork Pie came through to finally become the first three time World Champion ahead of fellow double winners Screamer and Layton with Bolton recovering for fourth, the first of the lapped cars, the run down lap seeing Bailey spin and collected heavily by James Ellis as Pomroy rolled onto his side. The top 10 was completed by James Ellis, Porkey, Robins, Bailey, Pomroy and 185 Ben Oliver.

20 cars for the 24th annual Grand Prix race and Porkey set the early pace as Blondie span and Wigley removed Danielle Ellis for second before Scott Russell launched Street into a wicked double rollover with the yellows then flying when 47 Kerry Slater rolled Croxon onto his roof. The race resumed with Gump lunging at Bolton in the fight for second as Layton span and Gedge removed Pork Pie before Wigley attacked Blondie and Wigley performed a full roll only to then fall over again as he tried to recover, the yellow flags being upgraded to red with concern over the 03 car. The race resumed with Bolton taking the lead as the race hit half way with Gump soon into second as Gedge charged at Screamer, tipping him onto two wheels to claim third while Ellis span as James Ellis flipped Porkey into a 1 ¼ roll to bring the yellows out again. 270 Ashley Flegg span on the restart as the recovered Porkey lunged at and sent Layton into a 1 ½ roll and with the race in the final three laps the result was declared with Bolton taking the win with James Ellis inheriting second when Gedge and Gump were dropped one place for overtaking under the yellows to third and fourth.

19 again for the Allcomers but this was a much quieter affair, Wigley setting the pace as James Ellis dive bombed Layton and Robins span before Ellis fenced and span Bolton. Gedge raced into second as Slater was the next to spin with Gedge taking the lead by half way at which point Porkey was third while Robins span again. Pork Pie charged at Smeets while Danielle Ellis removed Layton and Gump then fenced and rolled Wigley which brought the race to an early conclusion with Gedge the winner from Porkey and Gump.

World Final: 66 Steve Willis, 143, 16, 56, 85, 576, 96, 885, 774, 185
Grand Prix: 56 Ian Bolton, 85, 385, 664, 66, 143, 96, 969, 185, 9
Allcomers: 385 Roy Gedge, 576, 664, 66, 3, 85, 143, 969, 16, 215

The 2016 staging of the Ministox British Championship raised a good, if somewhat unspectacular field of 31 cars although it was pleasing that it was a near 100 per cent accurate entry with just one late cancellation and one no show with some impressive travelling efforts with no less than seven from Scotland plus 180 Charlie Lobb from the west country, these the majority of the non Mildenhall regulars.

A full field for heat one which set a manic tone for the night with 229 Megan Petherick wasting no time in spinning 303 Jacob Bromley as 259 Bradley Eltham set the pace and 390 Nina Leigh span before 356 Harry Overy lunged at 368 Dan Santry as 308 Molly Smithson settled into second ahead of 342 Freddie Crittenden while 629 Euan Miller went round and was clobbered by 172 Michael Mitchell as 566 Steph Sore dive bombed 514 Abbie McGuinness. Crittenden muscled into second as 339 Harry Atkins climbed to fourth as the first non-white grade driver on the chart. The recovered Bromley charged at 126 Danny Whyte as Atkins raced into second and 327 Jolie Pettit battled into fourth with 328 Ben Nichols close behind and Brimley barged his way past Overy as Atkins took the lead on lap five with Smithson second an Eltham down to third ahead of brother 258 Craig, Pettit and Nichols. The aggressive Bromley barged past 031 Robyn Bruce and Atkins fired Leigh wide and 344 Danny Elbourn charged at Nichols and 304 Tony Elbourn got stuck into 315 Charlie Santry as the race hit half way with Atkins still leading. Danny Elbourn now barged past and span Pettit as Smithson came under fire from the back marking Miller, the waved yellow flags then flying to assist the stranded Pettit. Atkins led the restart with two back markers between him and the rest of the chasing pack who were almost all still on the lead lap. Sore wasted no time in barging past 370 Rowan Venni with the latter then spun by 060 Logan Bruce which also claimed Lobb as Miller forced his way past Atkins to get back on the lead lap and costing the latter time as the race entered the final five laps with Sore now fourth and 364 David Shearing fifth. Sore charged at Bradley Eltham and Smithson but came under immediate fire from Shearing which allowed the determined Smithson to hang onto second as Sore and Shearing fought for third. Elsewhere and Logan Bruce dive bombed Leigh and Sore muscled past Smithson for second as Tony Elbourn got stuck into defending champion 392 Charlie Morphey. Overy took a big swing at Danny Elbourn and the luckless Leigh was spun by Petherick and Dan Santry removed Logan Bruce. Sore then lunged at Atkins and it was good for the lead and she claimed a quality win, Atkins hanging on for second and Shearing third with Bradley Eltham just beating Morphey on the line for fifth.

All but Miller, who was in the process of changing a gearbox, for heat two which picked up right where heat one left off with Danny Elbourn charging at Shearing as 122 Gary Patterson attacked Dan Santry and Bradley Eltham again set the early pace from Crittenden and Smithson with Atkins the first of the yellow grade and behind Overy charged at 320 Luke Dorling and Whyte. Smithson dumped Pettit out for third and Dorling now came under fire from Patterson as Atkins climbed to fourth with Nichols into sixth. Charlie Santry got stuck into Venni as Bromley leaned Charlie Santry into the wall hard. Nichols moved into fifth with Venni on his tail as Shearing emerged as the first of the blue grade with Tony Elbourn on his tail. Nichols then charged at Smithson while Tony Elbourn attacked Craig Eltham and Venni and Bromley raced into fourth. Danny Elbourn now came under attack from Overy with Dan Santry charging at the latter while Petherick came under fire from Lobb. Bradley Eltham led the field to half way ahead of Crittenden, Atkins, Bromley, Nichol and Shearing as Tony Elbourn powered into Totham to force a way past and Sore did the same to Petherick as Tony Elbourn continued with a wild attack on Nichols and Bromley did the same to Atkins to claim third. Smithson was dumped out by Leigh as Atkins fought back and got past Bromey to take second as Crittenden started to drop down the order with five to run. Bromley came back with another big attack on Atkins which allowed Tony Elbourn and Shearing to pass the latter with Elbourn then getting stuck into Bromley, this all helping Bradley Eltham to continue his lead. Patterson charged at Sore and Petherick did the same to Craig Eltham but it was Bradley Eltham who held his nerve for the win from Tony Elbourn and a big last bend lunge from Shearing fencing Bromley and saw the former snatch third and behind Dorling squeezed Logan Bruce into the wall in a big impact.

The impressive efforts of Miller in the pits meant all 31 cars gathered for the championship but remarkably only 14 drivers managed to register a top 12 finish in the heats and the started at the front of the grid in points order and the three way tie at the top of the chart was settled by grades and so Bradley Eltham started on pole position with Shearing alongside and Tony Elbourn on the inside of row two alongside Atkins. As expected it was another wild start with Elbourn immediately firing into Eltham but he held his nerve as Pettit was sent spinning and was clobbered by Dorling and Elbourn muscled his way into the lead with Sore into second from row three while Bromley was spat into the wall by the traffic. Venni was then sent spinning into the stricken Pettit as Dan Santry fenced Morphey and with Pettit signalling all was not well the reds flew and a complete restart ordered. This proved even shorter lived as another big push into the first bend saw the front cars hit the ruts which had developed on the pit bend. This sent Sore out of control and she collected Atkins and they crashed into the fence very heavily, the latter indicating all was not well and the reds again flew and another complete restart ordered. With all but Pettit and Bromley making the first restart, the second attempt claimed many more casualties with Sore, Croittenden, 331 Archie Fryatt, Shearing, Logan Bruce, Craig Eltham and Atkins all out as well to leave 22 contenders. Overy wasted no time with a big attack on Morphey which in turn claimed Bradley Eltham and Dan Santry as Danny Elbourn attacked McGuinness and Tony Elbourn emerged in the lead, Overy’s aggressive start securing him second ahead of Charlie Santry while Patterson briefly got into fourth but an attack from Santry saw him take the place. Dorling now charged at Patterson and Mitchell attacked 100 Sean Naismith. The top three remained the same with Morphey now into fourth ahead of Dan Santry, Lobb and Dorling, the latter continuing his excellent start with an attack on the west country racer to take a spot as Leigh got stuck into Nichols. Dan Santry moved into fourth as Venni climbed to ninth and attacked Patterson in the race for eighth. Charlie Santry stepped up to challenge Overy for second on lap nine of 25 which helped Tony Elbourn edge further away as Morphey bested Dan Santry for fourth and Tony Elbourn began to encounter back markers. Petherick now got stuck into McGuinness as Patterson came back at Venni as they battled at the edge of the top 10, the former then coming under fire from Danny Elbourn with Miller moving in to attack Venni. Tony Elbourn led the field to half way ahead of Overy, Charlie Santry, Morphey, Dan Santry, Dorlin, Lobb, Danny Elbourn and Patterson before Morphey and Dan Santry charged at Charlie Santry which in turn allowed Dorling to close in and he then lunged at the ORCi Champion to move into fourth. This again allowed Tony Elbourn to extend his commanding lead with Overy second ahead of Morphey, Dorling, Dan Santry, Lobb, the recovered Charlie Santry, Danny Elbourn and Patterson, the latter then spinning Danny Elbourn for the spot as Mitchell came under fire from Petherick and Miller charged at Patterson as he tried to work his way into the top 10 and by lap 17 the GMP points champion was up to ninth. Overy then lunged at Nichols as he tried to hang onto second but it allowed Morphey to strike with a big attack which also opened a door for Dorling to snatch third. With five to run, Tony Ebourn led by some distance ahead of Morphey, Dorling, Overy and Dan Santry. Dorling stuck his bumper in on Morphey as Tony Elbourn fired Venni wide and Dan Santry powered through on the inside of Overy for fourth, Overy coming back as Santry and fencing him but in fact Overy lost more time and Santry edged away. Tony Elbourn meanwhile held his nerve to claim the win with a photo finish for second seeing Morphey just beating Dorling home, the latter a superb result having started almost at the very back. Dan Santry completed the trophy spots with Overy, Lobb, Miller, Naismith, Totham and Patterson completing the top 10, Miller, Naismith and Totham all having also started at the back of the grid.

Heat One: 566 Steph Sore, 339, 364, 304, 259, 392, 315, 308, 303, 180, 368, 356
Heat Two: 259 Bradley Eltham, 304, 364, 303, 368, 339, 356, 392, 180, 342, 566, 122
British Championship: 304 Tony Elbourn, 392, 320, 368, 356, 180, 629, 100, 561, 122

A very good evening’s racing with several moments of excellence. The National Bangers and Reliant Robins had a mixture of races, highlighted by the title races, the second Banger Allcomers and final race and Reliant Robin Grand Prix while the Ministox maybe had the more consistent evening although the stoppages in the final took a little away from the main event which while still a fine race was arguably overshadowed by the two super heat races and it was pleasing to see the 13 race programme which featured three full championship parades was still completed comfortably inside curfew.

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