Report by Jake Hughes
Around 34 cars made it to the track for the ‘Back 2 Basics’ Bangers meeting at Arlington on Wednesday 2nd August – a meeting that was unfortunately marred by absolutely horrific weather as the rain poured down all day and for most of the evening, bar a couple of dry patches. Most cars were used, with 522 Tim James returning his Mazda 323F while 205 Michael King brought along his Suzuki Ignis Micro Banger from last week. On the fresh car front, 72 Graham Potts was in a Ford Escort, 357 Jason Barrow had a Seat Leon, 360 Jack Reynolds drove an old-shape Nissan Micra, and 467 Sheldon Grimes piloting a new-shape Nissan Almera.
All-in for heat one and it was exceptionally quiet, bar a few spins, until the midway through the race. 723 Jack Weeks ran wide and clipped an obscure piece of armco on the exit of turn 4, spinning his car. 860 Lauren Thompson went in head-on before Potts went wide into the wall and Weeks’ rear wheel a lap later. A couple more laps went by before 982 Steven Turner went into Potts, the MilkyBar Kid taking one in return from 250 Dave Preston, who was then done by teammate 18 James Friston. Turkish reversed off and circulated to give Potts a rear-wheel shot before lunging one of the Track Rats into turn one. 360 Jack Reynolds came through to win in shocking conditions.
Heat Two was one of the quietest races for a long while. After a couple of spins, 784 Tommy Killick latched onto the back of Scrapyard Dave and pushed his Fiesta around track for a lap before conking out. 414 Jimmy Craig spun the latter into turn four, Scrapyard Dave then going on to attack 110 Shaun Bagguley in reverse. 86 Reece Hook accidentally put 737 Kyle Lelas into the turn one wall where he was done by Weevil. Hook went in on Preston, 128 Daniel Allen doing the same a little later on. In the end 360 Jack Reynolds claimed his second win of the evening.
Things well and truly livened up in the Final with Team Forehead going after Killick and Team Wonkey Donkey having a DD amongst themselves. There was commotion on the home straight from the start as a few were spun. 784 Killick lunged 250 Preston into turn three, taking 60 James French with them. Killick was done over the rear wheel tamely by Turkish, seemingly totalling the former. Preston did a lap before firing into the rear of Killick’s dead car, backing off to allow Friston to go in also. 205 Michael King started backing out into traffic in his Micro Banger, his first victim being Thompson. The action was repeated, this time with Allen being clipped. 776 David Newman rubbed 751 Laurence Wells around the armco and into the back of 713 Lauren Annets. Potts was put into the wall up on turns one/two and jacked. Wells got payback for earlier by following-in teammate Newman, while at the same time Turkish did Killick over the front wheel. Newman recovered to have Hook shoved into the back of him after being done by 757 Tom Farren. 831 Simon Crittenden went in over the rear wheel of King. Wells deposited Farren into the back of Scrapyard Dave, causing King to be shoved into the passing Craig. 467 Sheldon Grimes won to deny Jackstar his hattrick.
The DD came up straight after the Final and was slightly dulled due to the rain. Hook began the activities by sliding into Wells, Friston doing the same to the former. Allen attacked Hook under the starter’s podium while Wells did Farren, putting him in the back of Killick’s dead car. Jackstar went in on someone up the top. Weevil did Turkish and Wells in quick succession. Allen clipped 14 Ben Parnaby on the home straight, before the DD was finally settled with a tame head-on between Hook and Wells – 86 Reece Hook being declared the winner.
Unfortunately the whole meeting really suffered at the hands of the weather, but a great final helped showcase the best of the ‘Back 2 Basics’ formula.
