Pre-meeting Champion of Champion Qualifiers
2 Harrison Staples – Honda Civic Aerodeck* – West of England Champion
15 Jack Maddox – Mk1 Ford Focus – 1600 Northampton Gold Rush Winner
23 Barry Staples – Honda Civic EK6* – Mendips Points Champion
NI40 John Goligher – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra* – 1600 Irish & Irish Open Champion
NI44 Lucas Goligher – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra* – 1600 World Champion
90 Joey Holmes Jnr – Mk1 Ford Focus* – Defending Champion + St George’s Champion
194 Steve Anscombe – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra – 1600 Mildenhall Gold Rush Winner
305 Alfie Cornish – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra* – 1600 World of Shale Champion
317 Tommy Devall – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra* – 1600 Arlington Cash or Card Winner
385 Craig Thurlow – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra* – 1600 Ipswich Gold Rush Winner
452 Harry Eyles – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra – 1600 British Champion
512 Kieron Rowe – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra* – Spedeworth Points Champion
531 Brent Tropper – Mk7 Ford Fiesta – 1600 Hednesford Gold Rush Winner
564 Jack Priest – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra* – 1600 Ipswich Cash or Card Winner
716 Alfie Painter – Mk1 Ford Focus* – 1600 Southern Shakedown Series Champion
817 Toby Hodgkinson – Vauxhall Zafira C* – 1600 Yarmouth Gold Rush Winner
Non-Qualifiers
(2)3 Mathew Fayers – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra
06 Thomas Rawsthorne – Mk1 Ford Focus*
08 Finlay Damon – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra
(4)9 Billy Crittenden – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra
11 Matthew Harper
12 Bradley Peters – Mk1 Ford Focus*
17 Reece Cook – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra
18 James Friston – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra*
19 Callum Bryant – Mk1 Ford Focus*
27 Harry Long – Mk6 Ford Fiesta
33 Charles Green – Mk1 Ford Focus
44 Samuel Flood – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra*
45 Adam Ricketts – Mk1 Ford Focus*
(4)48 Alfie Crittenden – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra Estate*
53 Cole Tropper – Mk1 Ford Focus*
(5)51 Brett Jackson – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra Estate*
59 Tom Greenstreet – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra
69 Ben Finnie – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra Estate*
73 Cray Ingram – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra*
79 Liam Penberthy – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra
81 Jake Bailey – Mk1 Ford Focus
83 Garry Bugg – Mk2 Ford Focus
84 Jack Ansell – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra*
87 Aaron Coomber – Mk1 Ford Focus*
93 Jordan Kettlety – Mk1 Ford Focus*
94 Jack Anscombe – Mk6 Vauxhall Astra
122 Reece Humphries – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra*
126 Ben Collier – Honda Civic EU3*
127 Kieran Andrews – Mk1 Ford Focus*
131 Harley McCarthy – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra
157 Reece Brown – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra Estate*
172 Kenton Walker – Mk1 Ford Focus*
174 Tom Lindgren – Vauxhall Zafira B
186 George Turiccki – Mk1 Ford Focus
190 Riley Holmes – Mk1 Ford Focus
198 Thomas Gumbleton – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra Coupe*
206 Daniel Farmer – Mk1 Ford Focus
209 Zac Pears – Mk1 Ford Focus
210 Harry Andrews – Mk1 Ford Focus*
217 Harrison Devall – Mk1 Ford Focus*
218 Shane Sandy – Mk1 Ford Focus*
222 Kieran White – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra*
227 Maddison Lewis – Volvo S40*
230 Kevin Stahr – Mk1 Ford Focus*
236 Clyde Williams Jnr – Mk1 Ford Focus*
243 Josh Lee – Mk1 Ford Focus
250 Dave Preston – Vauxhall Zafira C
270 Brian Stanney – Mk1 Ford Focus*
287 Jason Mills – Vauxhall Zafira B
292 Harry Airey – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra*
301 Jack Botfield – Mk1 Ford Focus
304 Harry Botfield – Mk1 Ford Focus Estate
325 Adam Wickson – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra*
333 Brad Wickson – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra Estate*
336 Lincoln Williams – Mk1 Ford Focus*
343 Owen Powell – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra
345 Reece Keeping – Mk2 Ford Focus
349 Daniel Copland – Mk1 Ford Focus
351 Adrian Martins – Mk1 Ford Focus*
354 Josh Vowden – Mk1 Ford Focus*
355 Haydon Wood – Mk1 Ford Focus Estate*
363 Billy Jarvis – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra*
378 Kalam Bowles – Mk1 Ford Focus Estate
406 Brooklyn Parker – Mk1 Ford Focus*
415 Scott Cornish – Mk1 Ford Focus*
417 Danny Perrin – Mk1 Ford Focus
419 Alfie Spokes – Mk1 Ford Focus
438 Jason Greener – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra
441 Tyler Barnes – Mk1 Ford Focus*
442 Tyler Ivins – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra Estate*
444 Charlie Jackson – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra
447 Nyall Hardingham – Mk1 Ford Focus*
448 Luke Farrington – Mk6 Ford Fiesta*
449 Billy Crittenden – Mk1 Ford Focus
450 Owen Pearce – Vauxhall Zafira C
456 Joey Roberts – Mk1 Ford Focus
480 Kane Caple – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra*
483 Lewis Penny – Mk1 Ford Focus
485 Keith Richards – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra*
491 Steven Phillips – Mk1 Ford Focus
506 Chris Woolgar – Mk1 Ford Focus*
537 Lesley Brand – Ford Focus C-Max
557 Lewis Sharman – Mk1 Ford Focus*
568 Ben Jenner – Mk1 Ford Focus*
570 Jordan Cumming – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra Estate*
579 Jack Bland – Mk1 Ford Focus*
613 Chris Davies – Mk2 Hyundai Coupe*
621 Gareth Parker – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra*
623 Ricky Hutton – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra
651 Jamie Brightman – Mk1 Ford Focus*
652 Harvey Eyles – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra*
666 Lewis Bailey – Mk1 Ford Focus*
708 Charlie Covey – Mk1 Ford Focus
717 Harvey Devall Junior – Mk4 Vauxhall Astra booted
725 Joshua Evans – Mk1 Ford Focus
726 Ross Dyer – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra*
739 Aiden Glover – Mk1 Ford Focus
743 Ben Rogers – Mk1 Ford Focus*
772 Jack Farley – Mk1 Ford Focus*
775 Kendal Carpenter – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra
826 George Smith – Mk1 Ford Focus*
895 Joshua Page – Mk6 Ford Fiesta
899 Nathan Page – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra Estate
926 Kieran Whitmore – Mk5 Vauxhall Astra*
The annual Champion of Champions for the 1600 Bangers took place on Saturday 1st February at a very cold Eastbourne. An impressive 118 drivers competing for the first taste of silverware of 2025. A few made the effort on the paint front with fresh cars, but most opted for used cars, mostly ones that originally appeared at the World Final. The format saw 3 heats with the top 8 going through, before a pair of last chance races with the top 4 proceeding to the main race.
The first heat saw 93 Kettlety and 926 Whitty off of the front row. A few drivers had a rough ride around turns 3 and 4 on their first go round, with most coming out unscathed, although 613 Davies ended up facing the wrong way. 537 Brand had a pop at 87 Coomber, whilst 926 Whitty set the early pace up front. 579 Bland made the move up the inside of Whitty to take the lead, with 172 KennyG, 448 Helmet and 557 Sharmo close behind. 826 Smudger Jnr laid the bumper in on 419 Spokes, with 537 Brand collecting the latter. A big moment at the head of the field saw the leading 926 Whitty go round the outside of the back-marking 537 Brand, getting leant into the lame 419 Spokes in turn. 579 Bland collected Whitty, with 172 KennyG tangling with the former seeing them spin off onto the shale handing 448 Helmet the lead. 557 Sharmo collected 93 Kettlety. 537 Brand continued his lively streak to set about 27 Long. The leading 448 Helmet clipped the back of Brand’s C-Max causing him to rollover and bring the first stoppage of the evening. 551 Jacko Jnr took them away from the restart from 354 Sherman and 06 Tommy. 826 Smudger Jnr spun 351 Martins. 447 Nail held the front runners up before duly being spun onto the shale down the home straight. This allowing 06 Tommy the opportunity to work his way past 551 Jacko Jnr to take up the running. The young lad from the North-West holding on to take the win as the top 5 all crossed the line bumper-to-bumper; the top 8 qualifying for the main race. (Rawsthorne subsequently failing post race checks for a missing rubber on the rear anti-roll bar seeing him taking out of the result, and the evening’s remaining races.)
551, 354, 45, 172, 579, 59, 826, 351, 739, 190
725 Evans and 218 Sandy found themselves off of the front row for Heat 2. The drivers having been told at the briefing that the front row dictates the start, albeit they mustn’t go until they were at the end of the pit gate. Evans must have forgotten this, reaching full pace half way down the back straight earning himself a black cross before the race begun. 417 Perrin and 12 Peters tangled on the back straight which caused 623 Tricky to spin 456 Roberts – the latter was then collected in turn by 250 Preston. 441 Barnes spun 652 Eyles along the back straight. Tricky himself took a visit to the armco on turns 3/4, and was done by the passing 772 Farley and 441 Barnes. 122 Humphries spun 157 Gru. Preston was again involved in the action as he tangled with 243 Grumpy down on turn 1. 186 Turriccki had taken control of the field up front. 651 Brightman and 210 Hazza combined to remove 19 Calpat. With 2 laps to go, 570 Dino Jnr took his opportunity to strike spinning 186 Turriccki for the lead on the back straight – the Hot Rod and circuit man recovering well to hang on to second place.
570, 186, 218, 483, 18, 717, 725, 217, 415, 23
Heat 3 saw 345 Keeping and 270 Ginge find themselves off of the front row. It didn’t take long for 33 Green to be facing the wrong way getting spun aside by the pack, whilst 333 Beachball had soon worked his way in to the lead from row 2. 230 Little Bad Boy attacked 775 Carpenter as 304 Botfield spun. 345 Keeping ran head on into the spun 899 Page. 301 Garfield rattled in 126 Collier. 127 Andrews and 206 Farmer tangled leaving the latter stranded facing the oncoming traffic on the entrance to turn 3. 49 Critt ran 450 Pearce in. A couple of drivers went for the same gap which wasn’t there around the stricken 127 Andrews which triggered a melee of cars in all directions seeing offs for 301 Garfield, 442 Ivins, 230 Little Bad Boy and 345 Keeping among others. The leading 333 Beachball barged his way through with 270 Ginge and brother 325 Wiggles in tow. 450 Pearce and 84 Peach exchanged some tame hits in their ongoing feud; more a game of kiss chase on the breaks than anything substantial. 345 Keeping and 230 Little Bad Boy got attached together. 94 Anscombe drove through 174 Lindgren with 69 Finnie going in on the Dreamers driver in turn. 270 Ginge tangled with 895 Page and 345 Keeping on the back straight which cost him time in the battle for the positions. 94 Anscombe steamed in on 174 Lindgren once again before delivering a head on a lap later. Up front, it was all about the Wickson brothers, with 333 Beachball taking the win from 325 Wiggles.
333, 325, 270, 131, 69, 345, 301, NOF
The first last chance saw 438 Greener and 926 Whitty off the front. 621 Gruff spun 222 White. 537 Brand and 210 Hazza collided. 73 Ingram dispatched 483 Lew fence-wards. 12 Peters clattered the armco and opted to drive into the lame 775 Carpenter. 506 Woolgar went in on Peters, with 613 Davies laying into Woolgar. All drivers were shown a black cross at this point; 73 Ingram being the only one to avoid the penalty as he braved the tight outside line around the jacking train whilst everyone else opted to drive to the shale. The battle for the final opportunities to qualify for the main race saw some brilliant battling, but that was all relative as 73 Ingram was credited as the only finisher. 448 Helmet putting himself in on the final bend seeing him not finish. Ingram spinning 406 Parker with 23 Fayers steaming in on 613 Davies to conclude the action.
73, NOF
122 Humphries and 198 T-Man were the front row starters for the second Last Chance. 726 and 93 Kettlety clattered the armco hard on turn 1. 621 Gruff spun 49 Critt. 79 Liam ran 899 Page into 726. 743 Rogers tangled with 739 Swifty and 230 Little Bad Boy. 227 Mads jacked Rogers. 209 Pears collected 227 Mads with 568 Jenner and 49 Critt also crashing in. Critt recovered to run 456 Roberts in to the parked car of 227 Mads. 230 Little Bad Boy laid into 33 Green. Green later coming under fire from 49 Critt to conclude the action. 19 Calpat taking the win – the top 7 going through due to the previous last chance result.
19, 406, 8, 292, 84, 198, 456, 730, 568, NOF
Outside – Inside
44 Lucas Goligher – 317 Tommy Devall
15 Jack Maddox – 2 Harrison Staples
716 Alfie Painter – 452 Harry Eyles
817 Toby Hodgkinson – 305 Alfie Cornish
531 Brent Tropper – 90 Joey Holmes Jnr
512 Kieron Rowe – 385 Craig Thurlow
23 Barry Staples – 194 Steve Anscombe
40 John Goligher – 564 Jack Priest
Behind those drivers came all that made it through the heats and last chance races. Ex-World Champion 40 Goligher was the first casualty getting spun aside by 717 Devall Jnr. 570 Dino Jnr spun 198 T-Man aside. World Champion 44 Golly tangled with 2 Staples as British Champion 452 Eyles set the early running with World of Shale Champion 305 Cornish behind and pole sitter 317 Dukes settling in to third place. It was the curse of the ex-World Champions, with 354 Sherman the next to be spun aside ending stranded along the home straight. 447 Nail, 579 Bland, 59 Greenstreet and 551 Jacko Jnr among those having to take avoiding action along the home straight shale. Spedeworth Points Champion 512 Rowe and West of England Champion 2 Staples combined to remove the World Champion. 717 Devall Jnr drove through 354 Sherman causing 351 Martins to crash out onto the infield. 84 Peach buried the leading 452 Eyles, which also claimed 406 Parker. Eyles looked to have come out of it unscathed, but a lap later began to really slow and drop down the order before being spun aside by 292 Harold on the back straight. 305 Cornish now lead from 317 Dukes and defending champion 90 Spud. 40 Goligher crashed in to the pit gate under pressure from 564 Priesty, stopping him dead, and he was collected by 456 Roberts. The following pack bounced Roberts out the way as the race had developed quite a frantic pace. 18 Turkish spun 194 Cecil. 69 Finnie turned it on oppo and was met on the nose by 817 Hodgkinson. 73 Ingram and 292 Harold crashed out on turns 3/4. 456 Roberts punted 531 Snapper into 483 Lew. The red flags then coming out. 305 Cornish leading from 317 Dukes and 564 Priesty. A 2 lap shootout to the finish saw the Devall brothers and 415 Corndog look to get involved to help their respective family members in the places, but 317 Tommy Devall’s Astra began to overheat seeing him having defend his place rather than attack the lead. 564 Priesty turned 717 Devall Jnr left. A last bend push for the minor places saw 15 Maddox buried into 40 Goligher’s motor ending his charge. 131 McCarthy put the bumper in on 456 Roberts, but it was all about 305 Alfie Cornish who raced to the title, adding to what has been a superb 12 months – World of Shale Champion, 3rd in the 1600 World, Caged! Rookie Driver of the Year and now Champion of Champions. 564 Jack Priest came second and last chance winner 570 Jordan Cumming took third place.
305, 564, 570, 317, 512, 2, 716, 172, 186, 826
The first Alcomers saw 441 Barnes spin 93 Kettlety. 222 White turned 301 Garfield fence-wards. 172 KennyG opened up a sizeable lead early doors, this helped even more when 93 Kettlety delivered a shot on oppo to second placed 209 Pears. 537 Brand went in on Kettlety. 449 Critt put Brand away a lap later and then turned it to connect with 81 Bailey. 83 Buggy G ran 708 Covey into Critt. 243 Grumpy connected with an attack on oppo to the leading 172 KennyG, the latter having a big enough margin to rejoin without losing any places. He bounced back to spin 491 Laserboy. 12 Peters spun 81 Bailey to conclude the action as 172 KennyG took the win.
172, 53, 351, 270, 301, 304, 491, 12, NOF
The second Alcomers concluded the night’s action. 826 Smudger Jnr spun 349 Copland. 33 Green connected hard with the pit gate. 452 Eyles spun 84 Peach. The pack piled in to 33 Green, which saw 456 Roberts and 292 Harold become tangled together. 564 Priesty dumped 23 Maty into 40 Goligher. 570 Dino Jnr put the bumper in on 448 Critt. 301 Garfield spun 23 Maty which claimed new champion 305 Cornish. World Champion 44 Golly dumped 53 Tropper fence-wards. 94 Anscombe slowed to hold up rival 84 Peach, allowing 194 Cecil to steam in on the latter. All this unfolding in front of the leading 442 Ivins costing him dearly, with 570 Dino Jnr taking his opportunity to pounce and take up the running. Ivins then blowing up in a cloud of steam and smoke, as 305 Cornish drove through 84 Peach. 448 Critt followed in 452 Eyles. 194 Cecil delivered a solid jacking to Peach as the reds came out due to the fire on Ivins’ Astra Estate. 570 lead from 198 and 826 with 3 laps to go. 230 Little Bad Boy set about 131 McCarthy. 270 Ginge spun 292 Harold, as 826 Smudger Jnr had a nibble at 198 T-Man in the battle for second place. 349 Copland tangled with 15 Maddox as 570 Dino Jnr took his second win of the evening.
570, 198, 826, 194, 44, 415, 301, 270, 304, 53
A top night seeing some very close, competitive racing as well as action throughout. The Dreamers continuing their ongoing rivalries whilst 305 Alfie Cornish made further claim to establishing himself among the names at the top of the sport. Attention turns to the qualifying to this year’s World Final, with the first Gold Rush round taking place at Aldershot on Sunday 6th April.
