The Bangers have raced at Ipswich Spedeweekend for years over numerous different formats. We’ve had 2Ltr National Banger 4-man teams, Micro National Banger 4-man teams, 2ltr National Bangers North vs South, Bangers Suffolk Championship (which saw 100 cars on the same track once!), Yanks, Limos and Hearses and all Jaguar Bangers to name a few. And this year saw the Bangers North vs South team event return. They have run the event in previous years, but that was always run to National Banger rules, instead of Banger rules. The format saw two heats, a final and a DD to finish off, with all events being all available cars.
Heat 1
Heat 1 of the day saw roughly 80 cars start. It started with cars getting spun and punted everywhere before Joe Hubbard of the Northern army followed in 271, James Vockins on turns 3 and 4. Shortly after, the red flags were called due to a Northern car having rolled onto its roof over at turn 1, and for Kieran Greenway of the Northern army having a small fire. The restart also began with cars going all over the track from both armies as Martin Kent followed in Southern driver, 114 Liam Lake over on turns 3 and 4. A small scuffle on the home straight saw the red flags come out to check on Southern driver, John Appleton in 569. The 2nd restart saw 141, Jake Stewart get spun on turns 3 and 4 by Joey Reynolds of the South, as Stewart then received a hit over the front left wheel by 364, Nathan Olding of the South and also receive a shot over the rear left wheel by Southern driver Terry Boxall in 525. Southern driver Pete Osbourne in 243 slowed up a big group of Northern cars on the home straight only for Southern driver, Jason ‘Boxer Jack’ Jackson in 331 to come ploughing into the Northern cars. As ‘Boxer’ ploughed into those Northern cars, he spun all by himself leaving him to receive a massive head on by the North’s Shane Tilley in 405 at the end of the home straight. Martin Kent then slowed on turn’s 3 and 4 only for 525, Boxall to deliver a stiff shot to the rear of the Martin Kent people carrier. Boxall was then subsequently jacked by 688, Steven Collings of the North who was in turn jacked by the South car of Pete Osbourne in 243. This brought out the red flags for a second time to extinguish the fire under 525’sbonnet. The third restart saw Southern driver Micky Cornish in 455 get followed in on turns 1 and 2 by Northern driver Ryan Anderson in 290. Cornish in 455 was pushed into the graveyard of soldiers by the Armco in the middle of turns 1 and 2. The rest of the race saw Osbourne of the South keep reversing out on Northern cars on turn 4, meanwhile, Craig Thurlow of the North in 385 kept getting jacked by the South cars as he tried to slow them leaving his estate a poor state. First blood went to the North as 400, Lee Kingsnorth came through the stoppages and all the action to win.
Heat 2
Despite all the action from heat 1, both armies managed to raise a good field of soldiers for the second battle. The second heat also started in manic fashion with cars going all over the track. Southern driver 321, Kieran Fry got stuck on the marker tyres on the apex of turn 3 and received a massive T-bone from Northern driver, 548 Alex Utting bringing out the red flags. Meanwhile, a wrecking train also occurred over on turn 2 involving a couple of cars from both armies. On the restart, Pete Osbourne of the South followed in Ryan Anderson in 290 on turns 3 and 4. The World Champion, Lee Strudwick of the South then span Northern driver, 886 into the Armco on turn 3 who then received a big head on from Southern driver, 130 Tony Webb. That brought out the race’s second red flag. Lee Strudwick then spun Northern driver, Josh Vowden in 354 out on turn 3, but as Vowden’s car came back on, he was T-boned by Strudwick. 104, Paul Brown of the North pushes the Southern car of 471, Anthony Oak into turns 3 and 4 and spins him as he is then hit over the rear right corner by the Southern driver, Darren Terry Brand in 106. Oak in 471 is then met with a solid shot over the front Left by 143, Dan Rose of the North. Lee Strudwick is then given a head on at turn 3 by 738, Dan Offord of the North who was the jacked by Jack Strudwick in 183. On impact, the steering wheel of Offord’s car actually came out, causing the race to be red and chequered. 415, Scott Cornish won for the South.
Final
The final saw another big field of cars and began with cars going all over the place. A wrecking train formed on the exit of turn 4 with Scott Cornish delivering a massive jacking on 876, Ronnie Hammond of the North, really shortening his estate. Meanwhile, over at turn 2, there was another big wrecking train with Joe Hubbard in 409 well involved for the North. The race was then red flaggedforcing both armies to rethink their battle plans. On the restart 41, Dale Fairless pushed the Northern car of 224, Lewis Canham into the Southern car of 320, Luke Hardy spinning both cars over on turns 3 and 4. Ryan Anderson was spun on the entrance to turn 1 and then received a head on from 74, Patrick Mulroe of the South. Steve Anscombe then jammed on the brakes on the back straight to slow up the Northern car of 141, Jake Stewart who then got hit on the rear by 415, Scott Cornish who won heat 2 for the South. Stewart then received a head on from 183, Jack Strudwick of the South bringing out the red flags. Joey Reynolds took the race win for the South which also meant the Southern army won the whole event.
Destruction Derby
With no team points on the DD, it was a battle of pride for the last remaining soldiers. It raised just over 10 cars. The first few laps were very ‘roddy’, despite the aim being to destroy the opposition. It actually got to a point where drivers were actually being given black crosses for not making any contact. Martin Kent in 307 turned it round and caught the passenger side of Scott Cornish’s car as he got spun on the entrance to turn 3. Steve Anscombe then got spun on turn 2 by Ryan Anderson in 290, only for him to receive a shot to the rear by Pete Osbourne of the South in 243. Steve Anscombe eventually won the DD which was surprisingly, the quietest race of the day for the Bangers.
Overall though, the Bangers provided some very heavy action in the two heats and final with the Southern army coming out on top.
