The annual Ipswich Spedeweekend took place across Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th July for the 1996 staging of the event; the first occasion the East Anglian and South divide was highlighted with a head to head between the two divisions of Spedeworth, whilst the second biggest title for Spedeworth bangers, the English Championship was contested once again on the Sunday.
Heat 1 for the teams started in chaotic fashion, as EA445 Smith jacked S130 Laney. EA117 Kamikaze got buried on the entrance of the home straight by the pushing pack and went airborne where he remained for the rest of the race. EA131 tboned S206 Kingy; S283 Webby drove through EA131 and was done in turn by EA444 Cannell rolling him and bringing an early pause to proceedings. The restart saw a pile up trigger down the back straight almost immediately in which EA410 Nutty became the second man to roll, bringing out another yellow flag but not before S108 Mr Softie caught the former in his roof. EA287 Gizmo attacked S202 Jimbo as the yellows were called and was given an instant revenge jacking courtesy of S25 Tombo. It was third time lucky as S264 Wellard set about EA9 Easter. S46 Maverick took out EA33 Magic, as S122 Sticko did the same to EA444 Cannell. S623 The Badger then tboned EA444 Cannell, who took further punishment courtesy of a jacking from S7 Wally. The Southerners then set about themselves as S85 Stumpy done S264 Wellard head on. EA155 Kerrage took out S84 Bleach, the latter then going on oppo to take out EA307 Hayworth. EA41 Skoyles snookered a pair of South drivers as he dispatched of S310 The Legend and S7 Wally in one foul sweep at the end of the home straight. EA307 Hayworth by this point had turned it around to administer some revenge hits to S84 Bleach. EA445 Smith jacked S84 Bleach. S138 Cookie tboned EA307 Hayworth and was duly jacked in turn by EA330 Went; S736 Krafty Kockney homed in on the latter to complete the train. The leading EA440 Gerbil tangled with S194 Cecil, which allowed S108 Mr Softie to move in and take him out. EA151 Warner was on hand to set about S194 Cecil and keep him at bay, although he soon came under pressure from S623 The Badger, who went on to dispatch the Ipswich based driver. The action continued with EA509 Gray delivering a back wheel shot to S194 Cecil. S108 Mr Softie took out EA33 Magic, although by this point the East Anglians were looking favourites to take the spoils. S7 Wally tried his best to upset the apple cart however with an inside out attack on EA440 Gerbil. This left him open to a blitzing from EA’s designated captain EA41 Skoyles; EA155 Kerrage driving through S7 Wally to silence him and round off a lively opener. EA410 Nutty Whayman kept the first win on home turf and he was followed home by EA309 David Lane with S108 Michael Barrett scooping third.
Heat 2 again started in manic fashion as EA770 Beaumont set about S320 Duell and EA41 Skoyles buried S202 Jimbo. S221 Birdy set about EA385 Thurlow, and S82 Winkle did likewise to EA41 Skoyles. S202 Jimbo has rejoined the fray, marking his intentions with a jacking to EA117 Kamikaze. The EA team fought back though with EA440 Gerbil delivering a head on to S283 Webby and S509 Gray went in on S202 Jimbo, only to be taken out himself by S506 Mitchell. EA155 Kerrage attacked S138 Cookie on the shale, the latter recovered to jack EA33 Magic. S264 Wellard went in on EA33 Magic to add further punishment. S122 Sticko went on a lively spree as he set about EA126 Derbyshire and then took out EA41 Skoyles half a lap later, before EA309 Laney ended his charge with a spin. The leading EA309 Laney then tangled with S7 Wally which slowed his charge allowing S202 Jimbo to attack the former. EA34 Onslow went in over the front wheel of S202 Jimbo, as S206 Kingy jacked 41 Skoyles. The South’s numbers were proving strong as it became evident that the East Anglian charge was dwindling. S245 France put away EA385 Thurlow on the turnstile bend. S108 Mr Softie went on a lively spree jacking EA509 Gray on the shale before homing in for a shot on Stock Rodder EA135 Mann. EA770 Beaumont ran into S202 Jimbo and EA309 Laney attacked S84 Bleach as they looked to keep a glimmer of hope for the locals. EA131 went in on S7 Wally to round off the action but it was a Southern ‘red wash’ as S194 Steve Anscombe took the win followed home by S108 Mick Barrett and S169 Jason Thompson; all of the points places going to the South team securing them the win.
The DD was a singles affair although South and EA affiliations were still on display. 34 Onslow set the action going by attacking 736 Krafty Kockney. 89 Elden set about 320 Duell, but was spun aside in turn by 202 Jimbo who had been lively all day. 736 Krafty Kockney delivered a hit on oppo to 256 Goudy. 138 Cookie rammed 410 Nutty, as 245 France attacked 34 Onslow. 410 Nutty was pummelled by Southerners on the shale, before 245 France silenced 61 Flash on the back straight to end the chance of an East Anglian win. 82 Winkle blitzed 736 Krafty Kockney. 194 Cecil turned his attention to 108 Mr Softie with a couple of hits, and then going on to deliver a jacking to the latter. 245 France tboned 221 Birdy and copped one in turn from 283 Webby. 108 Mr Softie set about 194 Cecil. 283 Webby was the next to get some attention – 245 France tboned the former, and then copped a head on from 194 Cecil. 108 Mr Softie homed in with a shot on 194 Cecil, the latter coming under further abuse courtesy of 245 France. 108 Mr Softie went in on 245 France before sticking in reverse to administer attacks on 194 Cecil and 310 The Legend. 245 France jacked 194 Cecil and continued on to trade hits with 221 Birdy. 108 Mr Softie treated 310 The Legend to a head on. 245 France delivered a front wheel shot to 221 Birdy, France then establishing a build up to jack 221 Birdy to take the DD honours.
