The much anticipated East Anglian Reunion for Unlimited Veteran National Bangers took place at Yarmouth Stadium on Sunday 9th August 2015 in front of a packed capacity crowd. The meeting suffered in the month leading up to the event with several unbooking, on top of no-shows on the day but a respectable showing of 45 drivers took to the track in some pukka machinery; no mean feat considering lots of drivers hadn’t raced in years.
9 Titch Mancini – Ford Granada Mk3
22 Dave Vincent – Ford Granada Mk2 Estate*
33 Gary Madgwick – Mercedes E Class
65 Shaun Randell – Ford Granada Mk2*
70 Charlie Cunningham – Ford Granada Mk1
85 James Ellis – Mk3 Chevrolet Caprice Estate
88 Alan Read – Austin A135 Princess Hearse
99 Terry Hall – Vauxhall Omega
116 Mark Want – Nissan 300c*
160 Shayn Winsor – Jaguar XJ
167 Kevin Ling – Mk3 Chevrolet Malibu
170 David Rust – Rover P5*
176 Ralph Emmerson – Ford Granada Mk2
239 Eric Pearson – Mercedes C Class
262 Peter Robertson – 1992 Nissan Skyline R33
273 Kevin McClagish – Mk3 Chevrolet Caprice Estate
282 Julian Buck – Ford Granada Mk2
321 Nick Cook – Ford Granada Mk2
326 Paul Picton – Jaguar XJ Series 3
327 Darren Mallett – Jaguar XJ Series 3
333 Bob Foreman – Ford Granada Mk2
336 Nigel White – Cadillac Fleetwood Limo
346 Scott Saunders – Daimler DS420 Hearse
352 Stu Brooks – Mercedes C Class Estate
364 David Burcham – Mercedes C Class Estate
367 Barry Beevor – Volvo 740 Estate
372 Barry Overton – Jaguar 420G*
412 Danny Sharman – Daimler DS420 Hearse
425 Wayne Balls – Ford Granada Mk2
433 Ben Smith – Jaguar XJ Series 3
434 Carl Smith – Ford Granada Mk1 Coupe
439 Daniel Sutton – Ford Granada Mk2
518 Paul Charbonneau – Ford Granada Mk2
528 Alan Hunt – Ford Granada Mk1*
620 Guy Whitehead – Jaguar X300*
627 Terry Coke – Ford Granada Mk1 Coupe*
666 Graham Long – Ford Granada Mk1
715 Andy Woods – Volvo 240 Estate
731 Sean Dyer – Nissan Cedric Y30 (pillarless)
753 Billy Cunningham – Ford Granada Mk2
818 Chris Collins – Jaguar S-Type
829 Jason Amis – Ford Granada Mk2
916 Mark Boggis – Ford Granada Mk2 Estate
960 Tony Eveleigh – Jaguar XJ Series 3
*denotes used vehicle
After a grand parade to showcase the top efforts by many, the individual car awards were given out. There were three smart car awards available which went the way of 176 Ralph Emmerson, 434 Carl Smith and 666 Graham Long. The material awards were given to 262 Peter Robertson for his rare Nissan Skyline R33, 731 Sean Dyer for proper rare pillarless Nissan Cedric Y30 and 88 Alan Read’s Austin A135 Princess Hearse – the two Daimler DS420 Hearses of 412 Spike and 346 Muttley were also close contenders.
It was All Granadas for the first Heat of the day which was sponsored by Michael Lane Carpentry and Carl Smith Salvage. 9 Titch Mancini came under early pressure from the southern visitors as 528 Jethro and 627 Cokey took it turns to spin him. 666 Cooter spun on the pits bend, before 9 Titch followed in 333 Bad Bob full chat in front of a packed pits bend crowd. 916 Reggie got posted down the caister bend, as 627 Cokey again dealt with 9 Titch. 518 Charbonneau gave a front wheel shot to 9 Titch, the latter then jacked by 321 Cookie. 528 Jethro jacked 321 Cookie in turn, as 425 Balls and 65 Randell tangled. A few quiet laps went by before 627 Cokey put away 425 Balls, 65 Randell then homing in to jack 425 Balls. Meanwhile, 434 Carl Smith raced to the win and his own prize money, ahead of 22 Dave Vincent and 176 Ralph Emmerson. 9 Titch Mancini controversially being awarded the entertainer award in that one.
434, 22, 176, 439, 627, 829, NOF
Heat 2 was up next and was sponsored by Freshwater Estates. This heat mainly being for the more British and Volvo orientated cars although a couple of more basic prepped modern cars were allowed out too. 715 Animal Andy and 170 Rusty were early spinners. 433 Smith put away 620 Mr G, as 239 Evil Eric buried 960 Eveleigh. 239 Evil Eric spun aside 372 Overton. The lively 239 Evil Eric again attacked 960 Eveleigh. 327 Mallett set about 433 Smith, 620 Mr G then weighed in on for a revenge shot on 433 Smith. 327 Mallett attacked 715 Woods. 170 Rusty removed 818 Grumpy. 433 Smith buried 346 Muttley and then continued on to once again set about 620 Mr G. 170 Rusty went for a ridiculous hit on 88 Speedy, and although he got a connection on his target, the former ended up hitting a post hard ending his day. 88 Speedy delivered a revenge head on to 170 Rusty as he rejoined the action. 239 Evil Eric put away 364 Madness. 620 Mr G jacked 364 Madness and was done in equal manner himself by 433 Smith. The latter doing plenty enough to earn himself the entertainer award, whilst 160 Shayn Winsor took the win from 239 Eric Pearson and the recovered 88 Alan Read; only 5 cars going the distance.
160, 239, 88, 372, 818, NOF
The TB Electrical and Barry’s Antiques sponsored Heat 3 was for modern cars and yanks so raised a much more depleted field and showed within the action. 33 Magic spun 731 Dyer immediately to take up the running. 262 Robertson attacked 116 Wanty. A fair quiet laps passed before Gypsy Crew man 85 Ellis spun 167 Mr Mardy aside. 33 Magic raced to the win, lapping the whole field on route. 352 Stu Brooks and 262 Pete Robertson came through as his place men. 85 James Ellis being deemed the entertainer after being the only one to go out of his way to launch attacks.
33, 352, 262, 85, 336, 116, NOF
The Final sponsored by Yarmouth Stadium and Chris Martin Motor Engineers raised a great field of cars. 116 Wanty was the first casualty, as he was flicked fence-wards into 88 Speedy, rolling on impact to bring the reds out, but not before 829 Amis went through the back of 88 Speedy’s Hearse and 818 Grumpy caught a post attempting a revenge attack. The restart saw a first bend skirmish which saw 176 Emmerson lean 439 Sutty in, allowing 273 Mad Mouse to stick the boot up on the latter’s Mk2 Granada. 753 Gypsy Boy put in 352 Mr Bilge, allowing 273 Mad Mouse to deliver another jacking. 627 Cokey set about 367 Beevor, as 753 Gypsy Boy spun 731 Dyer. 434 Smith ran head on into 282 Julian Buck, who was racing Northy’s car after the latter fell unwell before the meeting start. 367 Beevor set about 273 Mad Mouse, and was duly jacked in a revenge shot by the on form 85 Ellis. 627 Cokey posted 167 Mr Mardy, who then had 262 Robertson ran through the side of him by 528 Jethro to add to his troubles. 425 Balls set about 336 White, but left himself open to be destroyed by a shot from 85 Ellis. 627 Cokey spun 715 Animal Andy. 336 White dived across the curb to do 434 Smith, which caused 753 Gypsy Boy to get caught on an errant marker tyre. 434 Smith delivered a large shot on 336 White, which allowed 85 Ellis to home through the former’s Mk1 Granada. 85 Ellis ran 336 White through 425 Balls’ wreck, as 33 Gary Madgwick raced to his second win of the evening ahead of 22 Dave Vincent and 176 Ralph Emmerson. 85 James Ellis and 434 Carl Smith took the entertainers and all trophy winners were joined by a trio of legends in the shape of 168 Malcolm Girling, 349 John Allard and 152 Basho, Graham Poulter to present them.
33, 22, 176, 160, 715, 85, NOF
In a change to format their was just one Alcomers after the Final took its’ toll which was sponsored by C&N Autodismantlers and MOT610.com. 9 Titch spun 960 Eveleigh from the off. 916 Reggie ran head on into the spun 753 Gypsy Boy, as 9 Titch got tangled up with 282 Buck. This allowed 333 Bad Bob to go in for a revenge attack on 9 Titch, who then copped further punishment courtesy of a jacking from 85 Ellis. 99 Hall then jacked 85 Ellis in turn commencing the start of a nice little jacking train – 620 Mr G went in on 99 Hall and was jacked himself by 273 Mad Mouse. The race continued on with 433 Smith jacking 627 Cokey. 346 Muttley homed in on 433 Smith. 327 Mallet weighed in on 346 Muttley, pushing him down the home straight and dumping him into 960 Eveleigh who had caught a post on the pits bend. 627 Cokey jacked 327 Mallett. The leading 160 Winsor buried 627 Cokey in massive fashion on the pits bend absolutely destroying the latter’s rotten Mk1. 433 Smith tboned 346 Muttley. 916 Reggie ran into the pile up on the caister bend which left him open to a jacking from 433 Smith, who had been on form all day. 160 Shane Winsor took the win but the limelight was far off of him; 70 Charlie Cunningham was the only other finisher in a fantastic race and 346 Muttley’s long trip north was rewarded with an entertainer award, but it was fellow Southerner 627 Terry Coke that was deemed the entertainer of the day; although 433 Smith and 85 James Ellis would have been equally deserving of the award.
160, 70, NOF
The DD sponsorsed by David Yarham Salvage, Savage Auto Repairs and CM Roofing Services concluded the day’s events. 829 Amis was the first to show as he attacked 239 Evil Eric. 9 Titch set about 336 White and then continued to attack 273 Mad Mouse. 313 Cully, who appeared in 364 Madness’ car, jacked 85 Ellis. 433 Smith went in on 85 Ellis. 9 Titch homed in on 433 Smith. 239 Evil Eric ran 282 Buck into 85 Ellis; 9 Titch also going in on 85 Ellis to attempt to kill the Gypsy Crew yank. 829 Amis set about 336 White and was jacked in turn by 85 Ellis. 326 Picton blew up 336 White; 239 Evil Eric homed in on 326 Picton and ran the pair into 85 Ellis head on. 273 Mad Mouse delivered a light shot on 239 Evil Eric. 433 Smith jacked 336 White. 829 Amis went in on 326 Picton. 433 Smith and 829 Amis were the last two drivers running but tried to land blows on one another but struggled to do so with their battered motors so the DD was declared with them sharing the honours.
Overall, an incredibly good meeting which helped raise money for a top charity in the form of the East Anglian Air Ambulance, and although the early hype and no-shows may have offered a negative spin on proceedings, the drivers definitely delivered the goods.
