Sunday 15th January 2023 marked the 23rd staging of the Civil War. The format undergoing a revamp with the introduction of the 1600 Bangers to the Infantry task, with the 2L Bangers being promoted to the Tanks. Another change for this year was for the Micro Bangers, which were Nissan Micras and Ford KAs only.
Plenty of drivers made the effort on the paint front, although the North certainly won that battle. The Micro Bangers class saw stand out paint jobs for 84 Jack Ansell, 622 Harvey Webb, 24 Jaiden Gamble, 50 Aiden Gamble, 99 Lee Clarke, 203 Cameron Innes, 617 Danny Everett and 920 Kaelan Blakeman. Turning the attention to the 1600s, Wickson pairing 325 Adam and 333 Bradley having a pair of smart Mk5 Vauxhall Astras, with an Estate and Saloon variant. 682 Korben Quinn had a very tidy Volvo C30. 171 Jamie Strange was another to have a smart Mk5 Vauxhall Astra Estate for the Southern Army. The Northern Army had several smart cars, including 17 Shane Heath, 296 Thomas Jennings, 267 Danny Grady, 83 David Loakes, 182 Ryan Knight, 197 Glen Woodward, 60 Daniel Croskell, 227 Gavin Taylor, 21 David Watson, and 564 Jack Priest. The Tanks also had their fair share of top paint, with Predators pairing 178 Kieran Bowman and 595 Drew Burdett having typically smart examples alongside 171 Tommy West, 46 Scott Starkey, 73 Dean Cruickshanks, 123 Kieron Grey, 38 Jon Waite and 118 Kane Shaw. It was 687 Mark Cross who once again had the smartest of the them all, with his typical tribute to the troops in a very smart Mondeo Estate.
The Light Brigades had the task of setting the tone for the day with their first Heat. S512 Kieran Rowe put the bumper in on N284 Liam Challender. N164 Gary Shaw had a tumble on the exit of turn 4, as N99 Lee Clarke spun S84 Jack Ansell. S414 Jimmy Craig spun N24 Jaiden Gamble, with S625 Joshua Gooch going in on the latter. N284 Spud was turned fence-wards along the home straight, as N203 Cameron Innes dived at S921 Jack Aldridge, but came off worse. N421 Josh Mayo took a pop at S28 Craig Cooper. S921 Aldridge spun N55 Tam Melrose. S266 Bradley Wells put away N13 Mark Watson. N617 Danny Everett came under attack from several South. N50 Aiden Gamble came under fire from S921 Aldridge. N14 Will Walmsley Jnr spun S542 Craig Oliver, before N284 Spud followed in S28 Super Cooper in, which rolled the latter. The red flags then coming out for S28 Super. The restart saw N14 Rocket lead them away from S333 Charlie Randell. S333 Chaz soon moved into the lead, with N14 Rocket tried to ensure the former didn’t get away by diving in for a lunge as they came into the west bend. N50 Gamble spun S161 Billy Smith. N617 Danny set about S542 Oliver. South tactics began to shine through as a couple of drivers moved in to block N14 Rocket. N21 Gavin Robinson spun S921 Aldridge, which rolled him at the end of the back straight, as N50 Gamble buried S333 Chaz into the pile of dead cars, with the reds coming out to assist S921 Aldridge. The restart saw the South hold the top three positions, but N14 Rocket soon dispatched of S512 Rowe. S622 Harvey Webb secured the win from S414 Jimmy Craig. N14 Will Walmsley Jnr battled through for a strong third place with the final point scoring position going to S625 Josh Gooch. It all kicked off after the chequered flag, with N14 Rocket burying S414 Craig. S106 Darren Terry-Brand leathered N14 Rocket, with S174 Tom Lindgren steaming in for a head on before the red flags came out.
622, 414, 14, 625, 321, 670, 383, 301, 224, 512
The first ever 1600 Banger race at Civil War got underway, with the Infantry first heat. S91 Sam Voller was the first to show, burying N919 Liam Cooley hard, with N21 Dave Watson also falling by the way side. N392 Tyler Rice put the bumper in on S236 Clyde Williams Jnr, which sent S682 Korben Quinn spinning in turn. S194 Steve Anscombe thundered in N291 Aaron Witton. S327 Mick Maskell Jnr got rid of some North drivers, before early leader N296 Thomas Jennings clipped a park South car along the home straight taking him out of the running. S325 Adam Wickson attacked N257 Ben Waddingham, with both cars going off onto the infield. S760 Joey Reynolds turned N83 David Loakes fence-wards along the home straight. S992 Brad Tout delivered a rear wheel shot to the spun N588 Peter Bland. The red flags then coming out to assist a driver along the home straight. S327 Little Legs lead them away on the green. N198 rattled in S91 Voller. S194 Cecil continued his lively spell, following in N474 Jamie Noon at some pace. The reds came out on track once again, this time for N190 Ben Germany who was among the pile of dead northern cars whom Noony was buried into. The restart was short-lived, with N269 Kai Cox burying S717 Harvey Devall Jnr into the dead cars bringing another stoppage. S817 Toby Hodgkinson wasted no time getting stuck in on the resumption of play, blasting the lurking N379 Shaun Turner. The pair then exchanged light hits before N588 Blandy went in on S817 Beanz. Several drivers went in various directions along the back straight. N181 Craig Allen drove through S817 Beanz. S992 Tout turned N257 Benji left at the end of the back straight. A well-timed block by N257 Benji on the leading S327 Little Legs on the last lap was enough to allow N60 Dan Croskell to slip through and take up the running, surviving a last bend attack to take the win for the North.
60, 327, 760, 70, 440, 267, 325, 94, 392, 992
The 2L class had now graduated to the Tank division, and their first heat begun with S720 Kenny-Joe Gabriel taking a pop at N710 Cameron McBain. There were several drivers coming to grief on the exit of turn 4, before 38 Jon Waite set about? N16 Ryan Shuttleworth weighed in on S38 The Bullet. It all kicked off on turns 1/2, with most of the field piling in. N16 Shutti steamed in on S961 Brad Deeprose. S720 Keno went flying in before the bend became completely blocked. N477 Jack Spiers ran S449 Bradley Green into the melee. Drivers continued to weigh in, with N171 Tommy West and S917 Andrew Tew dishing some particularly heavy hits amongst them. N477 Wacko managed to hold onto the lead for several laps; successfully synchronising his way through the pile up. Wacko, alongside N129 Jono Brook, put up a valiant effort against the South onslaught, but the numbers game was far too much, and eventually, S49 Blake Macdowell came out the other side of the pile up with the lead. N477 Wacko came under fire from S917 Tew, before S662 Jamie Harding delivered a head on to the former, as S49 McDougall took the win.
49, 917, 410, NOF
The second Light Brigade saw a quick pause to proceedings with the red flags coming out to check on S414 Craig, who didn’t emerge on track for the rest of the day, so we extend our well wishes to him. The restart saw S43 Luke Maynard follow in N910 Jake Croft, before the North set among themselves. N381 Jade Challender weighed in on S17 Anthony Baldwinson. S625 Gucci homed in on N910 Croft, before getting done by N428 Nick Ashbridge. A temporary track blockage formed on turns 3/4, before S161 Smith decided to smash his through with N99 Spud copping the brunt of the force. S622 Webb came to a halt tangling with S512 Rowe, allowing N920 Blakeman to weigh in on the heat 1 winner. N460 Luke Tongue drove through S266 Brows. N479 Dale Jakubowski and N330 Jackson Whitehead combined to set about S678 Steven Lillywhite. N129 Will Morphey then jacked S678 Lillywhite, before S161 Smith ran into N920 Blakeman. N381 Grumpy Jnr and S266 Brows sharing some light head-ons on the inner curb before the reds came out for S678 Lillywhite. S305 Alfie Cornish sent N265 Karl Gant spinning on the restart; S622 Webb then spinning him as he rejoined. N617 Everett, although heavily outnumbered, was putting up a superb fight. He immediately rejoined after being spun left by S224 Lewis Canham, whilst Northern teammates were dropping rapidly around him. S41 Paul Pentecost buried N330 Jackson Dude. S333 Chaz spun N205 Max Bull. N331 Mackenzie Whitehead fought back, turning S622 Webb left, before N617 Everett followed in S41 Pentecost. The reds having to be called for a fray seatbelt on the 617 KA, with the race being declared in favour of N55 Tam Melrose.
55, 262, 333, 301, 305, 321, 921, 670, 460, 622
Heat 2 for the Infantry got underway with a push into turn 3 leaving N83 Loakesy facing the wrong way, with drivers from both sides facing all sorts of directions along the home straight. N268 Damian Bush followed in S236 Williams Jnr. S194 Cecil his lively performance by putting away N227 Gavin Taylor and N269 Cox. N460 Tongue weighed in on S194 Cecil, as S333 Brad Wickson met the spun N231 Alex Smith on the nose. S561 Ben Payne delivered a solid hit to N269 Cox, before taking one himself from N246 Dylan Ward. S94 Anscombe set about N460 Tongue, as N268 Damo continued the South onslaught by running in S327 Little Legs. N83 Loakesy set about S525 Nik Andrews. S561 Payne attacked N291 Witton before the red flags came out. The restart saw S49 McDougall the first casualty, getting spun aside by N246 Meerkat. S760 Joey spun N919 Cooley. A superb move from S94 Anscombe saw him block turns 3/4 which stopped the momentum of half a dozen North drivers. S194 Cecil delivered a front wheel shot to N444 Harvey Law. N246 Meerkat delivered a hit to S94 Anscombe. S194 Cecil set about N20 Josh Machlin and came under fire from N17 Heathy. S452 Eyles went in on N17 Heathy, with N296 Jennings and S817 Beanz also joining the train. N246 Meerkat had a pop at S817 Beanz. S194 Cecil continued to lead by example, setting about N392 Rice, as S682 Korbz put the bumper in on N246 Meerkat. N20 Golden Boy jacked S817 Beanz, whilst S440 Lennon Phillips took the victory in a ‘red wash.’
440, 452, 12, 194, 682, NOF
The second Tanks heat started with several bouncing off the plating on turn 3. S38 The Bullet weighed in on N140 Joshua Judd, before copping one himself from N16 Shutti. N123 Kezza put away S183 Simon Goodwin. N171 Westy Jnr buried S160 Jamie Warr; the latter ending up leathering S183 Sexpot. N477 Wacko caught S252 Steven Bugler with a front wheel shot which left the Levellers man sat prone on the middle of turns 3/4. S341 Jonesey spun N353 Mullins. S440 Macauley Mills had a pop at N178 Slim before the red flags came out due to a loose wheel off the back of S49 Macdougall’s Mk5 Astra. The restart was short lived. N595 Drew Burdett buried S355 Aaron Dark, and copped a hit in the drivers’ door from S662 Harding who was immediately apologetic as the red flags were waved once again. S662 Harding was in the midst of the action once again as the race resumed, burying N710 Rugrat which also claimed S114 Lakey. N299 Knocka set about S355 Dribbler, before S662 Harding tboned N16 Shutti. N732 Archie Cullum rattled S727 Kieran Ritson around the plating exiting turn 4. S720 Keno then set about N732 Cullum Jnr. N342 Critter laid into S114 Lakey, as S720 Keno had a pop at N16 Shutti. S662 Harding buried N178 Slim. S720 Keno thundered in N732 Cullum Jnr, with S87 Jason Harvey setting about N214 Shane Rawlins. N342 Critter tboned the spun S662 Harding, with N178 Slim delivering a front wheel shot to Harding before the reds came out on the raceway. The restart saw N126 Balers lead them away. S87 Harvey had a go at N178 Slim but couldn’t garner enough momentum to do any damage. The laps went by with no action, although S114 Lakey and S720 Keno did attempt to stop N126 Balers on the last bend, but he read through that to secure the win for the North.
126, 123, 355, 178, 720, 87, 114, 410, NOF
The Light Brigade Final started with a few early spins, before N666 Sam Duckett delivered a head on to the spun S670 The Man Jnr. S625 Gucci went in on N666 Duckett. N205 Reece Moran came under fire from S266 Brows. S922 Aldridge leathered N330 Jackson Dude. N117 Lee Rennie jacked S242 Ricky Korpiela on the exit of turn 2 as the action picked up a notch. The leading S333 Chaz steamed into the pile up, with N920 Blakeman and S84 Peach also going in hard. S333 Chaz followed in N24 Jaiden. S921 Aldridge weighed in on N428 Ashbridge. The red flags came out with the race lead remaining with S333 Chaz. He wasted no time getting into the North, jacking 666 Duckett, with running mate S262 Roona now taking up the lead. S962 Pidgeley jacked N381 Miss Grumpy, with N109 Fezz going in on the former. Roona won and celebrated by jacking N381 Miss Grumpy at the end of the home straight.
262, 333, 301, 321, 241, 625, 622, 355, 161, 962
Into the DD, with N55 Melrose going on oppo into the pile up, blocking it off and getting pasted by the South. S301 Jack Botfield laid into N284 Spud. S161 Smith completed the length of the home straight on oppo to jack N284 Spud. S301 Garfield jacked N284 Spud, as S927 Bambi homed in for a solid head on to N24 Gamble, before the South set among themselves. S962 Josh Pidgeley leathered N284 Spud, and copped one in turn from S625 Gucci. S333 Chaz jacked N24 Gamble. S622 Webb jacked N55 Melrose. N284 Spud refused to give up and limped around the track only to cop a solid hit from S262 Roona. S333 Chaz then blitzed N284 Spud before the reds and chequers came out with only South remaining.
The Infantry Final commenced with S668 George Colvin getting spun along the home straight and he copped one from N197 Microchip. S325 Wiggles spun N197 Microchip, as several drivers went off along the way. S49 Macdougall laid into N444 Law. N379 Turner followed in S668 Colvin. N268 Damo jacked S817 Beanz. S440 Lemon turned N246 Meerkat left at the end of the back straight, with N20 Golden Boy getting in wrong and doing the latter over the front wheel. S682 Korbs had a lively lap, firstly setting about N83 Loakesy before jacking N919 Cooley. S59 Tom Greenstreet spun N83 Loakesy. S325 Wiggles then set about N83 Loakesy. S440 Lemon ran N246 Meerkat into S817 Beanz. N219 Ben Lewis-Thompson attacked S452 Eyles. N564 Jack Priest and N219 Benny combined to set about S194 Cecil. N551 Brett Jackson took the victory ahead of N20 Josh Machin and S59 Tom Greenstreet.
551, 20, 59, 564, 452, 194, 246, 760, NOF
The DD begun with N219 Benny setting about S682 Korbs. N564 Priesty Jnr then weighed in on Korbs. S59 Dob removed N564 Priesty Jnr. S452 Eyles set about N268 Damo. N551 Jacko Jnr spent a couple of laps holding off the attack from S59 Dob, before eventually getting turned fence-wards. N268 Damo set about S59 Dob and was done in turn by S452 Eyles. N20 Golden Boy took a pop at S59 Dob, which slowed him enough to allow S452 Eyles to follow him, bringing the red flags out. The DD got back underway with both sides having two drivers remaining. N564 Priesty Jnr tboned S682 Korbs, with N551 Jacko Jnr then going in on the joint Rookie Banger Driver of the Year. S452 Eyles had a go at N551 Jacko Jnr, before a lengthy gap where they played cat and mouse. N551 Jacko Jnr weighed in on S682 Korbs, with S452 Eyles then attacking the final winner. Eyles landed a heavy a blow on Priesty Jnr. Eyles set about Jacko Jnr, with the latter putting the breaks on to allow Priesty Jnr to deal a heavy shot on the South driver. Eyles remarkably survived the attack with Priesty Jnr expiring, throwing the numbers game into the favour of the South. S682 Korbs blasted N564 Priesty Jnr. Korbs then laid into Jacko Jnr, spinning him onto the infield. Jacko Jnr then drove across the centre green and rejoined down the home straight to earn a disqualification, creating a very anti-climactic end to proceedings. 452 Eyles and in particular, 682 Korbs, putting up valiant efforts to take the DD honours with the latter’s Volvo C30 looking very used by the end of proceedings.
The Tanks concluded the day’s action. S114 Lakey blasted the spun N118 Kane Shaw, and was then rattled into the armco himself by N245 William Bush. N171 Westy Jnr set about S403 DJ. S87 Harvey got his timing all wrong and delivered a head on to S403 DJ. N710 Rugrat blasted S87 Harvey. N126 Balers rolled, bringing out an early red flag. S592 Marchant attacked N178 Slim as the greens came out. S720 Keno attacked N214 Sparky. S355 Dribbler got air time off of N178 Slim. S961 Deeprose jacked N214 Sparky, and was done in turn by N478 Chucksy. The majority of the pack then steamed in to the growing melee on the entrance of the home straight. S720 Keno leathered N353 Mullins, and then went on to blast N374 Chippers. S440 Big Mac laid into N477 Wacko, with the latter then getting buried into the pile up by S961 Deeprose. The pile up took a second wave of action as several broke free from the front, before piling in once they got back round including heavy shots from S592 Marchant and S178 Bailey Bradshaw. S961 Deeprose weighed in on N478 Chucksy, as S720 Keno homed in for a heavy head on to N118 Shaw. N910 Rookard went flying into the pile up, and unfortunately caught someone in the drivers’ door resulting in a red and chequers. Due to time restraints getting close, the DD was duly abandoned. The race being declared in favour of S114 Liam Lake, with N178 Kieran Bowman and S440 Macauley Mills being the placemen.
114, 178, 440, 714, NOF
Overall, a solid meeting from start to finish with the new revised format certainly providing a new lease of life to the meeting. The atmosphere and pace of the day slightly being ruined by track clearance, but a great building block to ensure the future of the event.
