Mildenhall Stadium
Good Friday March 25 20156
1400cc Bangers Suffolk Open Team Championship and Ministox
AL=Allsorts, BB=Team Blue and Black, BD=BDSM,
BH=The Betters Halves, BR=Team Black and Red, BT=Bits and Bobs, BW=Team Blue and
White, CR=Crunchers, DS=Desert Rats, DV=Dover Boys, EX=The Export Club, GC=Gypsy
Crew, GD=Grave Diggers, GR=The GRT, GY=Team Grey and Black, HB=HBDSM, JK=The
Jokers, MB=Team Motorbitz, MH=Mad Hatters, MT=Team of Mates, TM=Team of Mates,
OD=The Odd Ones, OK=Old Skool Krew, OS=One Shot, RM=Team Reem, SG=Team Stig, SH=SHB,
SQ=The Squad, SS=Seasiders, ST=Stinkbridge, SW=Team Sowter, TP=TPL, TR=Trailer
Trash, TT=Thattadoo, TW=Twisted Metal, UD=Underdogs, UN=United Nations, UT=Team
United, WD=Wild Boyz
The 2016 1400cc Banger Suffolk Open team championship raised
another massive field although it wasn’t perhaps as big as hoped for with 39
teams represented following the cancellation of the Unwanted two days before the
meeting while barely half the tams raised a full squad of six the rest managing
to raise at least four save the Squad who could only muster three leaving a
field of 209 cars. There was a smattering of interest on the car front, the bulk
from the HBDSM team who had a Marina van for HB72 Billy Bond, an early Civic for
HB632 Callum Reed, a 1970s Cherry for HB932 Rhys Reed and a Datsun Sunny estate
for HB170 Chris Shipp while welcome returnee TR179 Jamie Phillips had an Escort
invalid carriage, these five among the day’s smart car award winners.
34 for the opener and Bond immediately picked up AL48 Foppe Minnema who
latched onto and ran in UN390 Dan Stacey as BB113 Dan Wright went round and was
pasted by the pack. Minnema came back with a shot on TW36 Ricky Lewis and took
another hit from Bond as DV898 Andy Battle nailed TP622 Jack Barker before DV188
John Reeves buried the luckless 113 Wrighty and was blasted in the rear wheel by
AL827 Sjirk Hansma. The latter continued to blast the stricken SQ345 Karen Lown
on the back straight as Bond turned round and ploughed into Baker and DV349 Lee
Saunders but was T-boned by AL51 James Licquorice for his troubles and WD223
Daniel Bear then butted heads with 349 Finbarr. The leading BW195 Luke Wagstaff
stuffed team mates Battle and 188 Victor in one go as JK949 Tony Fideo grabbed
hold of 223 Dingo and stuffed him into Minnema on the pit bend. TP623 Eddie Lane
turned TW26 Dan Holmes into the wall only to suffer a similar fate from BR395
Dave Goldsmith as Dingo was reintroduced to the pit bend wreckage by UN319
Dirjke Trepstra. WD811 Pete Winter turned Lane back into the wall as damage
magnet Dingo was picked up by JK902 Rhys Mills who smashed him into Lown. BW281
Lewis Tingle then followed Finbarr nicely and the recovered Dingo again rammed
the latter in the front wheel with Battle ending things by smashing 319 Little
Monkey into Minnema as 195 Wag raced to the win from TW322 Thomas Fox and
Tingle, Bond named the best entertainer.
34 again for heat two but it was a far superior affair with the first
half nothing short of stunning. Things started with a bang as a big push into
the first bend saw EX122 Mark Cooper pick up OD650 Phil Barker who grabbed hold
of OS419 Laura Quadling and she was run in hard with OK316 James Cushion
whacking the former in turn as OS420 Matthew Jode buried UD313 Scott Elden which
also claimed BH818 Tiff Collins and SS205 Mike King. MH390 Dave Gibson then
thundered in EX187 Jack Goodey which also claimed BD878 Luke Rowland and the
recovered Baker homed in with a wicked hit on Goodey which was eclipsed when he
took a savage shot from GD112 Darren Prestage. BD868 Jorji Stark stuffed MH392
Sam Baines and SS206 Dave King and 420 Maff zeroed in to flatten 112 Daft Daz
with a storming hit. Cush now nailed the fenced Collins as the recovered 205
Gava buried 313 Scottie Dog who rallied back to thunder 316 Cush into Daft Daz
with another rated hit which left him prone to a cracking shot from Baker before
the recovered Collins stuffed EX161 Billy Smith into Cush. Things quieted down
at half way but exploded again when BD88 Lyndon Stark trashed the limping Baker
only to then be smashed into some dead cars by MT175 Karl Korsby as 390 Gibbo
thundered Smith into the wreckage with 88 Fat Face then bursting into fire to
bring the reds out immediately and the result was declared with UD223 James
Carter the winner from SS204 Charlie King and MH399 John Atkins, Maff the best
entertainer.
Another 34 car field for the third heat but this was a much quieter race
although it started in style as UT385 Craig Thurlow was on the wrong end of a
massive push into the pit bend which saw him run in hard while behind GC87
Justin Kappert stuffed ST122 Lee Waddington and SH573 Sam Bloomfield then ran in
GR325 Craig Lathan. MB328 Dan Lathan attacked TR95 Anton Martin which in turn
buried TM10 Ben Collins as the luckless Craig Lathan was struck in the front
wheel by TT590 Darren Smith. TR115 James Martin clobbered Waddington and took a
revenge hit from ST410 Jake Calvert before TM527 Michael Normam homed in for a
bruising rear wheel hit on the fenced GC64 Alice Kappert. 573 Rambo stuffed
welcome returned TM145 Colin Dickens as Smith turned Calvert into the wall
before SW403 George Tickner turned round to attack SH502 Tyler Bloomfield and
MB328 Dan Lathan stuffed SW757 Tom Farren into the wreckage by the pit gate.
CR730 Brandon Mayes fired the leading GC273 Kevin McClagish into the stricken
145 Sonic while Farren turned round to attack Calvert who rammed his attacker in
reverse before Calvert set off on opposite to meet TR161 Jack Collins in a solid
head-on with the reds then flying for 730 Bubba who’s rolled on turn one. The
race was again declared with 273 Mad Mouse hanging on to win from GR123 Kieron
Grey and Dan Lathan, Rambo the best entertainer award winner.
One more for heat four with WD17 Aaron Gray piling TW159 Darren Scarrow
into the spun BR361 Chris Walden as a pile-up quickly formed on the pit bend
with BT47 Archie Butts adding 322 Foxy to the misery as the luckless 361 Wally
took one in the rear wheel from GY382 Jack Foster Jnr and Tingle nailed TL619
Mike Knight. SG292 Harry Airey copped it from WD43 Nicky Bishop before the
former took an even bigger hit from Gray. UN59 John Hendy Jnr added BW9 Tom
Jordan to the wreckage on the pit bend while BT246 Jimmy Butts found BW269 Tom
Morris for a package and Foxy was reintroduced to the heap by BR744 Brad White
with Jimmy Butts then smashing Gray into the infield blocks. The race hit half
way and things stepped up massively as TP271 Ashlun Woods buried 744 Bradderz
into 619 Chingey and TP620 Guy Whitehead added DS63 Shane Bullen to the growing
mess which also claimed Hendy Jnr and BT512 Sean Cooper and BR289 Gary Haresign
homed in for a belting hit on the latter. The coming pack piled in to block the
track with SQ311 Gary Lown nailing Jordan before 269 Mozza turned round to
assault Bullen and 620 Mr G found Little Monkey for a shot. HB321 Kieron Fry
then zeroed in for a wicked hit on Airey which was eclipsed by a storming hit
from GY275 Joe Morgan on 321 Chatty Man with Jordan then flattening the former
with a fierce hit as 43 Bish smashed UN828 Kev Richie with a T-bone. Lown now
turned round to drill Mozza with a big shot as Mr G added 382 Chubby to the
chaos and he took one in turn from DS197 Sean Chapman and he was pasted himself
by Bradderz who copped it from Jimmy Butts who continued to stuff Little Monkey.
Lown was still on opposite and nailed Jordan before the leading Chubby also
turned round to trash Jordan with a stonking hit, the former World Champion then
assaulting Mozza on two consecutive laps as GY312 Brad White won from Foxy and
Chubby, just seven finishing with Jimmy Butts named the best entertainer.
35 again for heat five with DV116 Nat Cohn hitting the infield blocks
from the start as JK231 Alex Smith span UD352 Ben Mynott into the concrete,
things then exploding at the end of the home straight with OS319 Shaun Clarke
T-bonedMT723 Joby Smith and was trashed by JK232 Steve Pope and OD760 Harry
Spencer with Smith flattening the latter in turn as OK538 Curtis Salvage found
DV294 Lee Hughes for a big T-bone and DV673 Darren Fendley hit back for the
Dover Boys by running in OK46 Wayne Pecker. Salvage then nailed SS209 Oliver
King as BB743 Kevan Barton rolled in the middle of the heap to bring the reds
out and a complete restart was ordered. Things started in style as 294 Stuntman
squared up the on opposite Clarke for a belting head-on as OS562 Gavin Barnes
fenced 116 No Luck Nat with a wild attack before MT330 Karl Jones fenced Mynott
and Stuntman used his battered Almera to hammer JK284 James Head. Clarke
meanwhile leaned EX921 Timmy Aldridge into the fence and 562 Gavo homed in for a
cracking hit on the latter which was eclipsed when he took a brutal hit from No
Luck Nat. Stuntman turned round to fire into and drill the recovered 562 Gavo
into the fence and Salvage arrived to past Stuntman. Gavo was still fighting and
stopped No Luck Nat with a stiff head-on and BB551 Brett Jackson piled 46 Pecker
into the latter with Nat fighting on to again ram Gavo on the nose which left
him open for a stiff T-bone from Salvage as AL212 Jack Maryon span Korsby which
flipped him into a roll to bring the race to en early conclusion, EX837 Martin
Wesby was the winner from SS426 Mark Pope and BD3 Toby Bond, just seven
finishing again with Gavo named the best entertainer.
33 for heat six with RM588 James Bailey leaning in TM430 Andy Jones as
GD467 Mark Studd, GR87 Damien Matthews and Rambo all crashed into the fence in a
heap and ST211 Jordan Hall cracked 179 the Leg-End with a T-bone. ST156 Dan
Beckwith lunged at and span TR115 James Martin and Hall then planted SH165 Ben
Randell into the latter before MB339 Jack Garrod stuffed GD110 Garrie Mirza into
the spun BH95 Jade Harboard. CR119 Davey Cox put away TR290 Ryan Anderson and
Rambo came back with a shot to BH899 Vix Battle as MH611 Joe Geeves scored on
GR123 Kieran Gray while CR566 Tony Pallett turned 467 Mad Mark into the wall.
The race hit half way with mixed fortunes for Stinkbridge as Waddington fenced
899 Vix and the stricken Beckwith was clobbered by SH571 Mark Quinsey. 566 Zippy
Jnr turned round to trade hits from MB337 Ashley Garrod while Waddington turned
TM142 Jack Lower into the fence before CR9 Ben Cox destroyed Martin with a
belting hit and Rambo happily powered into the reversing Leg-End with a
crunching hit as Hall leathered the fenced Vix on the back straight which
brought the reds out to check on the latter. The race was again declared with
CR60 Dan Rea the winner from MH439 Danny Sutton and Waddington with Rambo taking
a second entertainer trophy.
Another 33 car field for heat seven and things began with BW210 Callum
McKee attacking Jimmy Butts who in turn flicked SG428 Ben Airey into the fence
as on the road bend SG313 Toby Trenter nailed GC723 Jake McClagish and was
pasted in turn by TW159 Darren Scarrow who was then flattened by GC411 Daniel
Pegg. GY840 Dan Waddingham then ran in SW884 Tom Filmer as BT517 Sid Cooper
fired DS97 Andy Chapman into the wall and GY10 Leeson Briggs-Price thundered in
UT138 Jason Smy a treat. Chatty Man turned round and found SW388 Taylor Sowter
for a head-on with DS297 Paul Chapman blasting the former to boot as the
luckless Smy took more abuse from Butts only to take one in turn from TT585
Kevin Giles. SW883 Jack Filmer powered into Andy Chapman but took one in turn
from Scarrow as Tom Filmer found Chatty Man for a head-on, the reds then flying
with concern for the latter but not before Scarrow could bury Shipp with 883
Chunk homing in for a big hit on the former only for his Ka to then burst into
flames. The restart was short lived as TW26 Dan Holmes was spun by the pack and
rolled onto his side leading to another stoppage and complete restart. This
started with Tingle running in TT590 Darren Smith, the latter fighting on to
attack GC664 Ryan Sutcliffe with Tingle duly stuffing them both into the fence
which allowed Shipp to nail Tingle in turn with a hard hit. Price then buried
UT141 Jak Steward as BW04 Mike Croft T-boned the spun Airey and Steward fought
back to nail Tingle before he was hammered and turfed out of the way by SG317
Callum Jacobs. Croft then turned round on turn two and stopped Garry Lown with a
head-on before repeating the move on GY374 Chris Collins which caused a pile-up
in which the leading BT303 Wayne Linsdell nailed 317 Stress as he fought a way
through. Waddingham smashed Tingle with a T-bone before TT291 Mick Turner
happily met the lucking Croft on the nose with 374 Chipmonk hammering the latter
in turn. Shipp found 664 Gump for a head-on as 517 Sidderz and Turner also
chared a head-on. Waddingham then assaulted Croft before Smith fired into and
fenced Sidderz as Linsdell raced to the win from Chipmonk and Sidderz, Scarrow
named the best entertainer this time.
Heat eight would also see 33 cars on the grid but it was a much quieter
race this time, Victor stuffing Chingey into the infield blocks before Fat Face
flattened the spun BR361 Chris Walden which brought the reds out to check on the
latter and a complete restart was ordered. This began with Victor butting heads
with 878 Rocket while Stark assaulted Haresign and 723 Hot Dog Joe buried 113
Wrighty. 551 Jacko Jnr then did the same to UN547 Tony McNeil before Jacko Jnr
butted heads with the spun Hot Dog Joe and TP704 James Street turned round to
blast the lurking Fat Face but it didn’t stop him landing a well-placed hit on
opposite to the passing Goldsmith which span his victim and Fat Face then roared
in for a head-on. Chingey nailed Fat Face in turn as Streety now assaulted Jacko
Jnr on opposite before AL511 Jack Licquorice turned round and smashed the latter
with a hard T-bone which was swiftly avenged by a solid hit from BB121 Aaron
Colbert. The finals proved quiet with Battle getting the better of UD400 Mark
Gibbons in the closing stages to take the win with UD452 Paul Sweet third, again
only seven finishing with Fat Face the best entertainer.
The penultimate heat was the first to not raise 30 cars with 29 and it
was the quietest race of the day by some distance with MB313 Craig Osborne
piling BH96 Amber Daniels into team mate BH127 Helen Roberts before the reds
flew with concern for EX161 Billy Smith on the road bend. An early push on the
restart saw SS558 Rob Haynes buried TM10 Ben Collins, the latter then fenced a
second time as a result of Spencer’s attack on RM405 Shane Tilley, the only
other action coming when MH392 Sam Baines stuffed BH95 Jade Harboard as TM142
Jack Lower took the win from 390 Gibbo and Mark Pope, Spencer claiming the
entertainer trophy.
Remarkably the final heat was another to raised 33 cars and began with
Ben Airey nailing Alice Kappert as a huge pile-up formed on the road bend in
which Filmer cracked DS197 Sean Chapman in the rear wheel and Waddington
connected with a T-bone to the luckless Kappert. Hall met the spun 388 Lump on
the nose before Filmer zeroed in for a belting hit on the fenced Stress by the
start line and on the pit bend Darren Smith followed Paul Chapman a teat. Sean
Chapman turned round to smash 585 Big Ears with a head-on and Filmer arrived for
a bruising hit to the latter which saw him clobbered by Calvert before he was
destroyed by CR119 Davey and Ben Cox. Quinsey then buried Farren into Big Ears
with the SHB man becoming the latter driver to burst into fire and again the
race was stopped and an early result declared with UT688 Steve Collins the
winner from Ben Cox and Steward, Filmer the entertainer award winner this time.
The top eight teams at this stage advanced to the final with the Mad Hatters
leading on 44 points ahead of Team Grey and Black on 34, Crunchers and Seasiders
on 31, Team United on 28, the Underdogs on 27 and Team MotorBitz and Twisted
Metal on 25.
Before the final came the first Accumulator qualifier which was fully
subscribed with 36 cars and began in manic fashion. Salvage immediately attacked
Battle as Victor struck Croft in the front wheel and Salvage continued to attack
Shipp, the latter then taking a head-on from Cush as Jimmy Butts and WD78 Lee
Macey combined to bury 632 Reedy Jnr. Fendley then smashed RM297 Aston Leathers
into Cush, he latter then having Wag planted into him by Fat Face. Chingey found
Croft for a T-bone before Minnema destroyed Shipp with a savage T-bone which was
far too close to the wall bringing the reds out immediately for a very shaken
Shipp but not before Tony Bond could deliver a revenge hit on Minnema with Mozza
nailing Battle and Wag blasting Chatty Man and then Salvage before ordered was
restored. The restart proved short lived as AL51 James Licquorice buried Mozza
into Billy Bond which saw a wheel come off on the pit bend and again the reds
and a complete restart were called for. BD135 Jamie Batchelor set things in
motion as he zeroed in on the limping 704 Streety from the off as 311 Helm found
the fenced Victor for a massive hit on the back straight which was swiftly
avenged by an equally savage hit from Stuntman and Battle delivered a head-on
for good measure. Wright then powered into and fenced Jordan before 78 Mad Mace
crashed into Billy Bond’s wreck but he battled back to turn round and hammer
Jordan as Mr G stuffed Stuntman. Jordan turned round but caught Toby Bond in the
driver’s side but this produced a superb ending as Little Monkey got caught up
and was pasted by Battle who was leathered by a storming hit from Wrighty. No
Luck Nat arrived for a wicked revenge hit on Wrighty and he was pasted in turn
by 811 Pistol Pete before 405 Rudey thundered Wag into Pistol Pete. Fendley then
drilled Rudey with a hard hit as Tony Bond found Mr G for a head-on. BD759 Chris
Oldcorn turned round to attack Battle as Stuntman assaulted Reedy Jnr on
opposite and 135 Spud also turned round to set about Mad Mace. Wright then fired
into and ran in Wag as the leading Pistol Pete showed no hesitation in blasting
Rudey in style only to take a crushing hit in turn from No Luck Nat. With no way
through by the start line and one not coming any time soon the race was declared
early and in a unique result with the leading pair of Pistol Pete and No Luck
Nat together in the heap a joint verdict was awarded with Wrighty the best
entertainer in another superb contest.
Another full grid of 36 for the second Accumulator qualifier with things
exploding on the road bend where Norman blasted Waddington and Alice Kappert met
the spun Andy Jones in an almighty head-on which triggered a massive pile-up on
turn one with the field all happy to pile in with some massive hits. AL317 Nick
Wakeham drilled SG817 Kurt Jacobs into the mess before the reds flew with
concern for 112 Daft Daz who’d been collected in the driver’s door in the misery
but thankfully he was able to walk away. A much depleted field meant a less
lively restart but when the hits came they were good ones. It started with
Calvert unwittingly blitzing Baker’s empty car but he was trashed in turn by
Mills and then a few laps later Cooper picked up 817 the Stig who latched onto
BB662 Dalton Smith and smashed him into Calvert. The final action came at the
end but was again worth waiting for as Mills buried Stress and was duly
flattened by GD110 Garrie Mirza who copped hard hit from RM400 Lee Kingsnorth
who was then trashed by Cooper. TR95 Anton Martin took the win from Waddington
and Finbarr with Ben Collins ending things by pasting Kingsnorth, Cooper taking
the entertainer award.
Quite remarkably the top eight teams returned every one of their cars for the
final which subsequently had the day’s biggest grid of 45 but again the reds
were out early when 611 Bieber managed to climb all over 730 Bubba leaving him
perched on top of him for a stoppage and a complete restart. The race resumed at
a manic pace with a big push claiming several on the home straight while another
into the pit bend saw 390 Gibo stuff 312 Whitey into TW36 Ricky Lewis with an
almighty impact, the latter taking a second brutal shot when Dan Lathan
thundered Bubba and SS206 Dave King into him. MB339 Jack Garrod found the spun
275 Rusty for a massive head-on on the back straight and 337 Pretty Boy also
weighed in on the latter with Rusty’s rough ride concluded when 400 Gibbo
thundered Osborne into him in another almighty impact. GY840 Dan Waddingham
turned Foxy into the fence as a pile-up formed on the road bend with 400 Gibbo
adding Garrod to the mess but he rallied back to land a hit on Whitey. Steward
then met UD452 Paul Sweet on the nose before another big push into turn three
resulted in another savage impact, this time between the aforementioned Steward
and the spun SS204 Charlie King with MH601 Chris Medler arriving to leather Ben
Cox at the pack of the pile with MB338 Terry Garrod able to stuff TW37 Dave
Lewis into the carnage to grab the lead. Lewis recovered but was picked up by
400 Gibbo who, with an assist from Cox, thundered him in big time on the last
bend as 338 Wingnut won from Dan Lathan with Dave Lewis somehow making it across
the line for third but a fourth, fifth and ninth for Atkins, 390 Gibbo and 439
Sutty meant the Mad Hatters claimed the title from Team Motorbitz with Twisted
Metal just beating the Seasiders for third. Garrod was named the best
entertainer of the race while Team Blue and White, the Dover Boys and Old Skool
Krew were named the day’s most entertaining teams.
After announcing a third Accumulator race would be added after the final it was
then deemed there wasn’t sufficient interest for the extra race and so we moved
to the DD and this proved a wise decision as despite limited repair time
after the final 34 cars returned for the demo and ended the afternoon in simply
epic fashion. 390 Gibo fired the first significant shot when he picked up 405
Rudey and Gray and planted them into the spun 704 Streety which triggered a
quite magnificent pile-up. GD114 Adam Jackson followed in 319 Little Monkey
before Waddingham thundered in UN828 Kev Richie which also claimed 619 Chingey.
BB743 Kevan Barton arrived to flatten Jackson but he was nailed a split second
later by TP620 Guy Whitehead and MH392 Sam Baines was right behind to blast him
and he duly copped it from AL827 Sjirk Hansma. Filmer now zeroed in for a
cracking hit on Waddingham and was trashed himself by a storming blitz from Cush
who was pasted in turn by RM307 Martin Kent. EX161 Billy Smith lunged at and
span Reedy Jnr and collected 110 Tenmen on the nose as AL212 Jack Maryon weighed
in on Kent only to be crushed by a belting hit from Osborne who was destroyed by
a wicked blitz from AL51 James Licquorice. RM191 Kieran Greenway turned round
and trashed Reedy Jnr as Gibbo picked up and thundered 467 Mad Mark into the
wreckage. 113 Wrighty continued the train by leathering Licquorice and Rambo
powered into him to conclude a quite sublime minute of full on crashing. The
event continued with MH439 Danny Sutton turning round to blast Tenmen and he
continued to nail Reedy Jnr only to come under fire himself from 191 the
Entertainer as Rambo laid into the wrecked but still battling Reedy Jnr. EX122
Mark Cooper arrived to smash Tenmen with a hard head-on as Barton nailed the
Entertainer and was flattened in turn by RM400 Lee Kingsnorth as Smith continued
on opposite to administer a massive hit on Reedy Jnr which almost rolled the
latter. TR115 James Martin weighed in on 439 Sutty but took one in turn from 405
Rudey with Chatty Man then blasting Cooper which left him open to a destructive
hit from Kingsnorth. Gibbo got caught in the heap and was blasted by Rudey with
Rambo zeroing in on the latter as Smith smashed Kingsnorth in the rear wheel.
Martin tried to negotiate the wreckage which allowed Rambo to grab him and smash
him into the pit gate heavily before Rudey buried himself in the back of Chatty
Man and Gibbo blasted Rambo. The Mad Hatter backed off and them met the latter
again, this time with a crushing head-on which saw Rambo burst into fire on
impact which brought the reds out immediately but not before Kingsnorth
delivered a crushing hit on Gibbo. With the flames proving harder than hoped for
to extinguish and many drivers climbing from their cars and onto the track
believing the event to be over and with only two cars remaining, the event
wasn’t restarted and Gibbo and Kingsnorth shared the victory, the former also
taking an entertainer trophy as did Smith while Rambo and Reedy Jnr collected
entertainer points.
Heat One: BW195 Luke Wagstaff, TW322, BW281, JK949, WD78, DV898, DV188, TW26,
SQ311, DV349 Best entertainer: HB72 Billy Bond
Heat Two: UD223 James Carter, SS204, MH399, MH392, BH96, EX161, GD110, OK538,
BD878, OS712 Best entertainer: OS420 Matthew Jode
Heat Three: GC273 Kevin McClagish, GR123, MB328, RM191, MB326, MB313, UT688,
TR95, TR161, CR619 Best entertainer: SH573 Sam Bloomfield
Heat Four: GY312 Brad White, TW322, GY382, SG817, DS197, BT246, SQ311 Best
entertainer: BT246 Jimmy Butts
Heat Five: EX837 Martin Wesby, SS426, BD3, JK284, OK46, BB551, AL212 Best
entertainer: OS562 Gavin Barnes
Heat Six: CR60 Dan Rea, MH439, RM297, ST122, MB338, CR119, TM830, MH611, MH601,
GR110 Best entertainer: Bloomfield
Heat Seven: BT303 Wayne Linsdell, GY374, BT517, SG317, UT141, DS297, TW26,
HB170, TT590 Best entertainer: TW159 Darren Scarrow
Heat Eight: DV898 Andy Battle, UD400, UD452, AL212, WD811, TP619, MT723 Best
entertainer: BD88 Lyndon Stark
Heat Nine: TM142 Jack Lowe, MH390, SS426, RM400, TM527, SS558, MH392, BH95,
MH399 Best entertainer: OD760 Harry Spencer
Heat Ten: UT688 Steve Collins, CR9, UT141, GY275, CR619, ST410, SG817, SH573,
ST122, SG428 Best entertainer: SW884 Tom Filmer
Accumulator Qualifier One: DV116 Nat Cohn and WD811 Pete Winter Best
entertainer: BB113 Dan Wright
Accumulator Qualifier Two: TR95 Anton Martin, ST122, DV349, EX161, EX47, TM10,
RM400, EX122 Best entertainer: EX122 Mark Cooper
Grand Final: MB338 Terry Garrod, MB328, TW37, MH399, MH390, SS205, UD400, CR9,
MH439, TW322 Best entertainer: MB339 Jack Garrod
Destruction Derby: MH390 David Gibson and RM400 Lee Kingsnorth Best
entertainers: Gibson and EX161 Billy Smith
Round five of the Ministox Mildenhall Track
Championship raised another fine field of 24 cars which was swelled by four
visitors including yet another long distance trip for both 902 Brad Compton-Sage
and 629 Ewan Miller while 342 Freddie Crittenden made his debut.
A full field for heat one and 303 Jacob Bromley had 328 Ben Nichols round
before the reds flew to assist 349 Lewis Saunders who had come to a halt on the
back straight. The race resumed with 315 Charlie Santry not only taking the lead
but breaking away as well with 308 Molly Smithson leading the chasing pack as
Miller lunged at 304 Tony Elbourn while 364 Dave Shearing did the same to 350
Liam Webster to take third and 902 Buster Jnr likewise to Nichols which shunted
the latter to the fence. Nichols rallied back to spin 327 Jolie Pettit as 259
Brad Eltham lunged at 311 Mike Dobney with Miller moving in to spin the latter
as 344 Danny Elbourn traded paint with 301 Josh Rayner. Santry continued to lead
at half way by which point Shearing had overhauled Smithson for second but the
leader came under fire from the back marking 320 Luke Dorling as Bromley barged
past Webster for fourth place and Dorling did the same to Miller. 342 Critter
Jnr and Eltham crashed out on the road bend as 304 Tony Elbourn lunged at 399
Cole Atkins in the race for eight, the latter replying by doing the same to
Buster Jnr to gain a place as Shearing lunged at and fenced Pettit as he tried
to chase Santry down and Rayner barged past Eltham aggressively in the final
stages but it was Santry who held his nerve to take the win from Shearing and
Smithson.
One less for the second heat with Atkins wasting no time in dive bombing
Miller as Bromley hooked out Shearing and Santry battled past Pettit for the
lead. 356 Harry Overy charged at 258 Craig Eltham to take a place while 390 Nina
Leigh lost time with a half spin before Rayner lunged at Danny Elbourn which not
only fenced him but launched him into a very spectacular rollover on the home
straight which brought the reds out with a complete restart required. Pettit
broke away on the restart as behind Dobney, Santry and Smithson enjoyed an
excellent scrap for second with the latter breaking away in the place while 320
Luke Dorling charged at Rayner and Shearing expired with a flat tyre. Smithson
reeled in and challenged Pettit which allowed Santry to close and Smithson edged
into the lead only for the reds to fly again for the stricken Craig Eltham. This
was a life line for Pettit as with the order taken from the last completed lap
she was reinstated as the leader but sadly at the first attempt Miller expired
and the reds remained out but the field got completely out of order meaning a
few minutes were required again to reline the field up. Tensions were high on
the restart with one of two too eager to get going on the restart and the
post-race video deemed Buster Jnr and Overy the most guilty and they lost two
places at the end. Santry was slow off the mark and lose places as Overy fired
Buster Jnr into Webster but Buster Jnr emerged from the fight in the lead with
Overy second and 368 Dan Santry in third with Smithson and Pettit hanging tough
behind before Overy dumped out Buster Jnr who was then hit by Smithson which
straightened the west county driver out and he held onto his lead with Tony
Elbourn now battling into second and Dorling close behind as a second attempt
saw Overy finally dispose of Buster Jnr who was hit by Tony Elbourn with Bromley
and Pettit also getting caught up. The upshot was Dorling emerged from the chaos
in the lead ahead of 392 Charlie Morphey and Dan Santry as Atkins lunged at
Overy and rattled him into a half spin, the latter then also coming under fire
from Tony Elbourn with Buster Jnr collecting the spun Overy who recovered to
attack Atkins only to again come under fire from Tony Elbourn. Dorling raced to
the win in another superb Ministox race with Morphey withstanding a last bend
challenge from Dan Santry for second and Rayner lunging at Buster Jnr on the
last bend to snatch sixth.
22 for the final but Charlie Santry was an early retirement as Pettit
again made the running from Smithson, Critter Jnr, Dobney and Buster Jnr with
Smithson rattling Pettit into a half spin to claim the lead with Critter Jnr was
able to nip into second as Buster Jnr lunged at Dobney to move up another place
and Rayner dive bombed at Leigh. Shearing climbed to second with Bromley hot on
his heels but Smithson had broken away while Critter Jnr was dumped out by
Pettit and Bromley stuck the bumper in on Shearing but the latter held on with
Buster Jnr fourth ahead of the rapid Rayner, Overy and Tony Elbourn. Bromley
squeezed past Shearing for second only to have Buster Jnr lunge at him for the
place which allowed Shearing to come back and barge up the inside of them both
in a titanic battle for second which helped Smithson edge away further and
Rayner to close In on the lead group. At half way Smithson not only led, but she
led comfortably ahead of Buster Jnr, Shearing, Rayner, Bromley and the Eltham
brothers as behind Dorling barged past Dan Santry for a place and Buster Jnr
again worked his way to second but Shearing was quick to charge at him and take
the spot back as Overy came under fire from Harry Overy. Rayner was now in the
mix and lunged at Shearing to take second with five to go as Overy was punted to
the wall by 339 Harry Atkins. Buster Jnr, Shearing and Bromley were battling
again, this time for third with the former getting shuffled down the order which
saw him come under fire from Tony Elbourn which saw him lose another spot as
Overy barged into Leigh who also came under fire from Cole Atkins as Smithson
took a fine win from Rayner and Shearing, the efforts of Pettit and Critter Jnr
seeing them pick up the day’s white grade awards.
Heat One: 315 Charlie Santry, 364, 308, 303, 301, 344, 304, 399, 902, 390
Heat Two: 320 Luke Dorling, 392, 368, 304, 303, 301, 390, 328, 902, 315
Grand Final: 308 Molly Smithson, 301, 364, 303, 320, 368, 304, 629, 902, 259
A fantastic day of action with the 1400cc Banger Suffolk Open team championship
more than delivering as while there was one poor heat and a couple of quieter
ones among the day there were many more belting races concluded with the simply
epic DD with the Ministox also on form, their second heat in particular standing
out and it was pleasing to see the event concluded in reasonable time as well,
the massive 17 race programme completed in under seven hours despite the number
of big grids, race stoppages and action levels.