Mildenhall Stadium Saturday March 23 2013
RDC's One Wild Night 2013
Unlimited Bangers BBA Supreme Championship and Saloon Stockcars

The 2013 staging of the unlimited banger BBA Supreme Championship went ahead as scheduled at Mildenhall Stadium on March 23 despite much of the country being hit by snowy conditions in the days leading up to the event which prompted several other events around England being cancelled over the weekend. Sadly the decision to press ahead as planned was not rewarded as while the raceway avoided almost any bad weather until around 12noon of race day, once it arrived it not only stayed but progressively got worse making for some of the most difficult conditions ever seen at the track and completely spoiling the superb racing surface which had been prepared for the occasions. Ultimately a both disappointing but decent considering the circumstances field of just under 50 drivers braved the elements to attend, less than half what was booked in 24 hours prior to start time and of those not present most disappointingly only two thirds took the time to cancel their places. Of those on hand maximum credit was deserving of everyone but especially the long distance travellers and there was plenty including 222 Colin Riddell (240 estate) and 279 Andrew Swallow (240 estate) from Scotland, 265 Stewart Foster (240 estate), 517 Scott Weldon (estate), 714 Paul Smaldon (Mk2) and 989 Dean Arm (240) from the west country and 275 Rene Tippe (740 estate), 945 Jeron Hoes (740 estate) and 959 Martijn Hoes (Mk2) from Holland. On the car front there were a few cars of interest with 959 Matty’s Mk2 Granada saloon fresh as was 312 Craig Osbourn’s while 322 Thomas Fox made his unlimited debut in a very smart Mk3 limo and 768 Calvyn Girling paraded a beefy Mercedes 300. As mentioned Foxy’s limo was smartly presented as was the aforementioned Matty and they alongside 17 Kyle Overy (240 estate), 209 Tom Waller (estate), Tippe, 116 Nat Cohn (240) and 279 Swall received smart car awards for their efforts. All cars are Granadas unless otherwise stated, if no model information is given the car is a Scorpio, ‘240’ and ‘740’ refer to Volvos and ‘400’ refer to the LS400 model of Lexus’.

While the falling snow and rain had more than spoiled the racing conditions, the quality of the track meant racing conditions were not only much better than expected and held up tremendously well throughout the night. 21 contested the last chance qualifier and with around a third of the seeded entries not on hand as expected, six places became available in the main event rather than the originally planned three. 327 Mick Maskall Jnr butted heads with 349 Lewis Price (740 estate) early doors before 525 Wes Starmer (estate) clobbered the spun 160 Perry Willings (740 estate). 516 Carl Gould (240) rattled 532 Chris Walsh (XJ) into the wall on the road bend, the latter then spinning and T-boned by 525 Wes as 327 Little Legs attacked Matty. The recovered 160 Pez met the spun 837 Martin Wesby on the nose before the race turned quiet. The action returned towards the end when the leading 116 No Luck Nat fenced 533 Richard Coe (740 estate) and 207 Billy Randall (estate) attacked 237 Gary Nash (240 estate). No Luck Nat held off the closing Wes to take the honours ahead of Little Legs, Pez, 207 Blockhead and Coe and they advanced to the championship while 516 Gouldy claimed the entertainer trophy. 

Sadly in the process of qualifying Little Legs suffered a blown engine and so his place in the final was offered to 898 Andy Battle (Omega estate) who had finished seventh and he joined the remaining 26 qualifiers for the championship. Owing to the conditions the driver introductions was rushed through with the majority collecting their qualifiers awards after the race but still the additional presentation effects were played out with the qualifiers greeted by flame throwers at the pit gate as they made their way onto the track and a fireworks display during the two rolling laps. The random draw for grid positions placed former champions 188 John Reeves (Mk2 estate) and 247 Lee Clarke (400) on the front row with 331 Jason Jackson (Supra) and 17 Chiefy on row two and 49 Billy King and Blockhead behind while the draw proved unkind to 945 BB Man and Coe who started at the back. Cruel fortune for Tippe whose Volvo expired before the green feel leaving 331 Boxer to take a big lunge at 188 Victor on the first bend to motor into the lead with Chiefy battling into second ahead of Blockhead, 247 Bro, 730 Dean Mayes and the recovered Victor. 10 Paul Whiteman (Mk2 estate) was the first to spin as 730 Deano moved up to second and Victor continued to rebound from his bad start and moved into fourth. BB Man found the spun 439 Danny Sutton for a solid head-on as 382 Jack Foster Jnr (400) started to show progress and moved to fourth despite starting on row 10. Disaster then for Chiefy who collected the spun Blockhead and a hit from Pez sent him crashing into the infield blocks and by the time he recovered he’d been lapped by Boxer who was now comfortably clear with Deano second ahead of Chubby, Victor, 597 Andy Ashman and 22 Dave Vincent (Mk2). Riddell was now starting to appear on the lap charts and removed Ashman as Vincent sent Whiteman round. Deano had retired while a spin for Victor dropped him down the order and so while Boxer continued to enjoy a comfortable lead, Chubby remained second by which point Vincent was third and Riddell fourth with Wes now starting to feature despite starting only a couple of rows from the back. Vincent then clobbered BB Man and came under fire from Riddell with the latter then cruelly retiring. The delay to Vincent allowed Wes and Chiefy to pass although Boxer had by now lapped them both and Bro was also back into the top six with Waller just outside despite also starting almost at the back but a spin for the latter promoted Victor up a place. With the race entering the final stages a rare mistake and his first of the race saw Boxer spin on turn two on the penultimate lap. Such was his lead that he re-joined still in front of Chubby but as he scrambled to regain his stride he was dumped out again by Wes who was now up to third. King meanwhile turned round to nail BB Man on opposite with Wes whacking the former in turn as Chubby held off a fired up Boxer for his biggest title win to date, Wes taking third and Chiefy completing the trophy spots while Vincent, Bro, Victor, BB Man, Waller and 53 Dave Palmer wrapped up the top 10.

With the consolation race held immediately after the title race, it was intended very much for those that were not a part of the main event and a dozen made it out and managed to provide some decent entertainment. 480 John Willis (Supra) was the first to show as he ran in Walsh while 673 Darren Fendley (740 estate) fenced 76 Terry Mansfield (240 estate) before Matty fired into and span 206 Phil Milner although Gladiator revenge was swift when 349 Lewis Price (740 estate) moved in and fenced Matty. Girling then found the spun 714 No Show for a thumping head-on which triggered a blockage by the start line in which 90 Adrian Harboard (XJ) weighed in on Matty with 76 Top Gun homing in for a hit on the former in turn. Willis then blasted Girling as No Show enjoyed another hard head-on, this one delivered by 90 Joe Ninety. Fendley then scored on Foxy in the midst of the chaos with Top Gun delivering a destructive hit to the former before 22 Matt High (XJ) blasted Walsh. No Show took more head-ons from Joe Ninety and 22 Matty as Top Gun turned round to attack Willis who shrugged it off to blast Joe Ninety. Fendley took the flag with Foxy second as the only other recorded finisher, things ending when Willis gave Top Gun a big revenge hit in the rear wheel and 22 Matty turned round to pound namesake 959 Matty. Joe Ninety and Willis’ efforts were rewarded with entertainer awards.

Despite the weather showing no sign of improving 14 came back for the Grand Final which was made an all in affair with the planned Allcomers race scrapped. No Show continued to battle Joe Ninety and delivered a hit on the road bend at the start but this left him open to a roof bending shot from 989 Deano. Willis then found the spun Joe Ninety for a solid head-on as Wesby assaulted Deano. Tippe had expired at the end of the back straight and duly copped a hard hit from Pez with Walsh trashing the latter in turn. Wesby also powered into Pez before 347 Dave Bull (240 estate) helped Joe Ninety smash into the World of Shale champion. Deano continued with a destructive hit on 349 Noddy before Coe attacked 959 Matty which left the former open to a storming hit from Deano which confirmed him as the best entertainer. Boxer made up for his earlier disappointment by racing to the win from 265 Disco Stu and 347 the Bull. 

Sadly the conditions finally took their toll with just two drivers both willing and able to return for the Accumulator qualifier but they were good on their word and began the DD immediately. Joe Ninety turned round for BB Man to deliver the first head-on and a series of head-ons by the pit gate left the former immobile but he sat tight for the Dutch man to deliver a bruising hit over the rear wheel and he duly sealed his win with one final hit on opposite. 

Last chance qualifier: 116 Nat Cohn, 525, 327, 160, 207, 533, 898, 714, 237
Supreme Championship: 382 Jack Foster, 331, 525, 17, 22, 247, 188, 945, 209, 53
Consolation: 673 Darren Fendley, 322
Grand Final: 331 Jason Jackson, 265, 347, 945, 989
Destruction Derby: 945 Joern Hoes from 90

Much like the Unlimited Bangers, the Saloon Stockcar entry was decimated by the awful weather conditions with just 13 drivers assembling for round two of the track championship but sadly 698 Danny Colliver was unable to race all evening and unable to overcome whatever mechanical problems kept him in the pits all night.

The remaining 12 contested heat one with 158 Shane Davies an early spinning while 738 Gary Munns led from 369 Liam Santry and 538 Jake Swann before the latter was spun for the spot by 306 Daniel Parker while the recovered Davies came under attack from Munns. Liam Santry then span from contention promoting Parker to second with 217 Sid Magewick now third and he soon climbed to second. 360 Carl Waterfield had 570 Simon Venni around as Swann and Davies suffered spins on the road bend. Magewick removed the recovered Venni but this allowed Parker to reclaim second place by which point Munns had opened a commanding lead. Swann suffered another spin and was this time joined by 730 Dean Mayes but Munns then made a mistake and span on the road bend. He was able to recover and took the win as Parker span Mayes en route to taking second and 389 Ryan Santry claimed third. 

10 returned for heat two and Mayes quickly had Swann around as Venni suffered a spin as well. Munns again set the pace from Parker with Magewick then putting the bumper in on the latter as they fought for the spot. Likewise Ryan Santry and Waterfield battled over fifth before Mayes challenged Magewick for third. Parker then caught and span Munns for the lead at half way while Magewick and Mayes continued to scrap for second and Waterfield was now up to fourth. The recovered Munns slipped past Ryan Santry for fifth as Waterfield span and dropped down the order. Parker added another win to his collection as a superb finish for second saw Mayes lunge at Magewick and they crossed the line sideways together with the latter just getting their first for the spot. 

Eight braved the worsening conditions for the final with Munns quickly passing Liam Santry for the lead with Mayes moving into second ahead of Parker and Magewick before Parker moved into second and Magewick lost vital time with a half spin. The second lap saw Parker ease into the lead and a lap later Mayes also passed Munns for second while Waterfield quickly battled his way to fourth. Munns reclaimed second from Mayes on lap five as Waterfield and Ryan Santry battled for fourth and behind Magewick and Swann scraped over fourth. Waterfield and Santry then joined Mayes to make a three way scrap for third as Parker raced to his third final win in four weekends ahead of Munns. Meanwhile behind Waterfield lunged at Mayes which allowed Santry to pass them both but on the final bend the former pair passed Santry but were deemed to have used the concrete to do so and so Santry was reinstated in third. 

Heat one: 738 Gary Munns, 306, 389, 360, 217, 115, 233, 538, 730
Heat two: 306 Daniel Parker, 217, 730, 738, 389, 360, 538
Grand Final: Parker, 738, 389, 360, 730, 217, 538, 369

Much like the unlimited team meeting last year this meeting fell into the bracket of being both one of the most disappointing nights in RDC history but also a meeting which was perhaps far better than it had any right to be given the conditions. Full credit to all the drivers for not only making the effort to attend but also showing such determination to produce as entertaining a meeting as possible. 

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