It’s the new year and a new era of Trackstar. The passing of Paul wasn’t easy to take, and left people wondering what was next for the promotion, but that’s been answered with Keith and Matt stepping-up to become Assistant Racing Promotions joining Graham in the running of the business. The year gets off to a bang once again with the Unlimited British Open Team Championship – Icebreaker XXXI sponsored by WFS Anglia. The meeting has fully cemented itself as the leading team meeting on the banger calendar in the UK and once again sees an impressive amount of bookings with 22 teams set to feature.
BRCM are back to defend their titles after a dominant display 12 months ago which saw 252 Steven Bugler and 262 Rob Bugler taking heat wins before 333 Charlie Randell won the final. 440 Macauley Mills makes up the fourth member of the team and played his value last year with a couple of top ten finishes. The Caged! Team of the Year for 2024 will certainly look for more of the same results to aid in their defence.
The TWT outfit look to mean business with an array of the leading names in the sport joining their ranks for the day. They have 5 teams and you’d be hard pressed to bet against them taking the honours. The A team features a strong line-up of 62 Harvey Webb, 146 Dan Wigman, 382 Jack Foster Jnr and 760 Joey Reynolds. Joey had a top display at the Civil War in the tanks class where he won a heat and final aiding the North in their overall victory in his first appearance in white since moving to Sheffield. Unlimited World Champion 414 Jimmy Craig heads the B team. He has a good start to his campaign as champion displaying the gold roof where possible with trips to St Day, Skegness, Standlake and Eastbourne already – the latter meeting seeing him take a 3rd place finish from the back of the grid. Jimmy is joined by 122 Mark Cooper Jnr, 181 Grant Doe and 622 Garry Webb. The C and D team have the capability to win races and also lay claim to the entertainers league that will be contested on the day. The C team features 114 Liam Lake, 555 Harry Gelsthorpe, 625 Joshua Gooch and 838 Jamie Peters, whilst the D team sees 180 Mark Foster, 239 Steve Carter, 360 Jack Reynolds and 623 Ricky Hutton. Fans will be excited to see the likes of Lakey and DWO pairing Nemesis and Peters among the ranks to mix it up with the BRCM outfit. The E team features 56 Ricky Clarke, 400 Lee Kingsnorth, Spedeworth Points Champion 670 Max Eaton and 714 Paul Smaldon – Ricky being among the race winners here at the Adrian Flux Arena last year.
The Aftermath have seen a rejuvenation over the past 6 months or so with the next generation coming from the Junior Banger ranks which appears to have prompted the rest of the team to be more enthusiastic. The team had two teams at the Unlimited War of the Worlds with both taking top two in the entertainer standings. 100 ‘Captain Cock’ Callum White topped the Unlimited World of Shale entertainer qualifier charts and will be one to watch. He’ll be joined by 150 Andrew Parrin, 604 Ross Cooper and guest for the day, 323 Dean Kelly. Youngsters 707 Alfie Nottingham and 750 Rhys Parrin have been impressive since their debut in the Unlimiteds; both faired well in the Best Newcomer Award in the annual Caged! Awards and will be ones to continue to keep an eye on. They will be joined in the B team by 84 Will Cole and 101 Cieran Harmer, both of whom are boding well in the entertainer standings for this year’s World of Shale.
Another driver sitting high among the entertainer standings is 1 Maarten Steenbekkers. The Dutchman has impressed already in the campaign with a cool 1972 Checker Aerobus Limosine at the Halloween Carnival Night and an impressive 1960s Oldsmobile Hearse at the Nutcracker. He links up with the Mad Hatters of 85 James Ellis and 611 Joe Geeves, and hopefully brings more material for the occasion. They have a very surprise addition of Superstox ace 60 Ben Marjoram.
2L Shale World Champion 577 Alfie Lee brings his own TCB gang for 2025. Alfie is joined in the A team by running mate 506 Danny Mitchell alongside 440 Lennon Phillips and 741 Charlie Daniels whilst the B team sees Manchester duo 132 Connor Dando and 526 Jak Denikiewicz combine with 327 Mick Maskell Jnr and 58 Joe Brown.
FBI are formed of a collective of drivers we are familiar with at the Adrian Flux Arena. 2 Jon Bricknell has probably been taking tips from daughter Chloe who had a couple of heat wins in the Unlimited Ladies here last year. He is joined by 111 Joe and 747 Eddie Cotton, as well as 927 Carl Lindsay.
CrashZone have been a lively team to watch over the years. The North-West team often put on impressive wrecking displays with 113 Lee Waller and 410 Jake Calvert bringing in 707 Jack Lilley for this year. Sharpe Boyz duo of 23 Sonny Parsons and 828 Jordan Sharpe will be among others to watch, but both have the capability to win races – Jordan an ex-World of Shale Champion. Nutcracker Champion 199 Shaydy Gough and Levellers man 476 Freddie Speirs have formed a team alongside 701 Riley Marsh. The first two showed improvement out on track last year but can also deliver a savage blow whilst Riley secured the Newcomer of the Year. Matt’s Mafia sees 313 John Cullingford, 458 Billy Bradford, 496 Matt Brady and 514 Charlie Taylor combine forces. ‘Cully’ is another who has been a bit of a material maestro over recent years. The Texas Tornadoes is a team name we haven’t seen on the list for several years – 271 Ashlun Woods heads the team and was a driver that stepped up a gear in 2024.
Speaking of teams that provide a historic feel to the event, The Demons make their Unlimited Icebreaker return. The Mullins brothers of 353 Sean and 355 Martin have been regulars here over the years, but it has been several years since we last saw 18 Ashley Law on the Norfolk shaleway. They will be joined by 285 Iain Nicklin. The team have been symbolic in Bangers for over 30 years and remain with similar attitudes as they did back then – enjoy their racing and put on a show for the sport they love. The Gravediggers are another team esteemed in Icebreaker tradition. Youngster 12 Coby Prestage joins 112 Daz Prestage, 110 Garrie Mirza and 114 Adam Jackson and they’ll look to warm things up on the action front. Throw in the Blooz Boyz featuring 46 Scott Starkey, 161 Steven Grant, 171 Tommy West and 882 Nathan Grant and Reel Steel pair 737 Ian and 747 Bradley Dee Crandon, as well as Barton Boys duo 279 David Rushton and 704 Connor Siddalls, this year’s event has a slight nostalgic feel to it.
The Junior Bangers have been a late addition to the fixture. 609 Levi Murkin secured the Trackstar National Points and will begin his final months in the formula. Several other star drivers have recently come of age – the likes of 920 Rhys Medley and 455 Lexi Finney having graduated which leaves the door open for some of the younger drivers to make an early impression.
Roll on the 2025 season…
