Mildenhall May 22 1999
National Bangers and BriSCA F2 stockcars

Mildenhall Stadium on Saturday May 22nd attracted 51 National Bangers plus some 47 BriSCA F2 Stockcars to the shale track, which believe it or not is the lowest Banger entry of the season at the track. Taking the Banger action first not much in the way of material in the pits beforehand with a few Volvo's, a Saab for 270 Fred Murkin, a pair of Sierra Sapphires plus a pair of Mk1 Granadas for Bad News team members 151 Justin Woolner and 291 Jason Giddins with 69 Clive Manvers racing a used Mk2 Triumph.

The meeting opened with a Novice of the year qualifying race with 20 white and yellow graded drivers on track, the first three past the post qualifying for the series final in October. Early action saw 223 Simon Royal and 002 Wendy Brinkworth both planted hard into the safety fence by 749 Paul Rice as 770 Paul Weaver steamed his Lada hard into the spun 26 Paddy Whyte only to roll himself on impact which resulted in a race stoppage although thankfully Paul exited unharmed. It was 309 Steven Biggs who led the way as the race restart planting the pairing of 685 Jock Whyte and Rice into the fence en route to the flag with 53 Dave Palmer second. However, both these drivers had already qualified for the series final so it was the next three home, namely 130 Mark Hurrel, 11 Pippa Cable and 29 Allan Copeman who qualified.

With a smaller entry than normal in attendance all the remaining cars were put into one qualifying heat with a huge 38 car race following, the first ten making it through to the nights Final. Straight away a monster pile up engulfed the home straight claiming many of the original field as 217 Will Chipchase blasted 22 Dave Vincent and Woolner landed a big T-bone hit on 625 James Murkin. Chipchase then took a large package from local Young Gun 20 James Medley as Woolner took a psycho lunge at 82 Wayne Quinn spinning his target but also fencing himself hard. 215 Michael Croxon had his Sapphire followed hard into the fence by Trackstar visitor 729 Colin Coker with Coker then blasting Manvers' Triumph as 285 Kev Burton came through to take the spoils from 2 Martin Brinkworth, 117 Dave Tuffen and 517 Roddy James.

Following the opening two races the entry for the consolation was greatly reduced with just 15 cars making it out in which 184 Rob Murchie went the wrong way to treat 19 Joe Mullarky to a big T-bone earning 184 the load up for the evening in a race won by Manvers.

Just 21 of the 26 qualifiers made it out for the final which was a very high paced affair with Hurrel and Palmer dicing it out for the lead throughout the race until Palmer made his strike with about three laps to go neatly spinning 130 aside. Palmer went on to take the win, 348 Sonny Sherwood crossed the line second, but it was then revealed he was a non qualifier so his place became void promoting a recovered Hurrel to second and 312 Tom Reynolds third. Superb action on the run down lap saw a lurking Giddings steamed full chat by 49 Billy King with Reynolds homing in for a head-on to 291 and then 007 Ian Laws landed a monster T-bone to 291. 

Accumulator qualifier race to close which turned out to be the best race of the night with Giddings turning round straight away to meet 499 Dave Perkins head on style as a excellent series of crashes at the end of the back straight saw 274 Paul Coker steam Whyte who was then jacked by Palmer. Palmer then took a big blitz from 729 Coker who was duly steamed himself by 81 Carl Scarrow with Scarrow then trashed by 489 Mick South, Laws then steamed South with Weaver completing the sequence aiding his Blobby team mate with a hit on Laws. Weaver continued to entertain attacking rice only for his Lada to be jacked hard by the much large Volvo Estate of 264 Ben Royal. A big start line blockage allowed 2 Brinkworth to pick up a lead he wasn't to loose as the closing laps were highlighted by a heated feud between 264 Royal and 158 Shane Davies which cumulated in several hard head-ons between the two.

Novice Of the Year QF(20 Cars): 1) 309 Steven Biggs 2) 53 Dave Palmer 3) 130 Mark Hurrel 4) 11 Pippa Cable 5) 29 Allan Copeman 6) 749 Paul Rice
HEAT ONE (38 Cars): 1) 285 Kev Burton 2) 2 Martin Brinkworth 3) 117 Dave Tuffen 4) 147 Andy Davies 5) 312 Tom Reynolds 6) 72 Gary Turner
CONSOLATION(15 Cars): 1) 69 Clive Manvers 2) 49 Billy King 3) 300 Tom Marston 4) 625 James Murkin 5) 132 Darren Snare 6) 158 Shane Davies
GRAND FINAL(21 Cars): 1) Palmer 2) Hurrell 3) Reynolds 4) 007 Ian Laws 5) Burton 6) Tuffen
ACCUMULATOR QF(20 Cars): 1) Brinkworth 2) Laws 3) King 4) Tuffen 5) 22 Dave Vincent

Onto the F2's with 47 cars in the pits including the brand new Taylor made machine belonging to 871 Mark Simpson which looked very smart indeed.

24 cars for the nights opener with 702 Allan Copeman taking the early lead until loosing it to 881 Sean Ward. However, Copeman soon had control back as Ward tangled and crashed out with 782 Stuart Rolph. Another crash involving 776 Chris Handsford and 885 Dave Tomlinson put paid to the 4th placed 756 Phil Kaye as Copeman became involved with the back marking 66 Danny Quinnen and tragically spun himself just shy of a lap to go allowing 771 Richard Park to pick up the pieces and take the win. 13 Andy Ford took second from the star grade with Copeman recovering for fifth.

977 Dave Massey led the pack away as heat two started but it was short lived as the red flags quickly followed for a loose wheel on the 266 Phil Griffin car following a big pile up on the pits bend. The restart wasn't to last much longer as a second pile up, again on the pit bend resulted in 544 Christian Meager crashing hard into the safety fence bringing the race to a halt but thankfully the second restart was the last with 404 Steve Flatt the early leader until Massey retook the number one spot. 228 Simon Ricketts, 732 Daz Kitson and 47 Richard Turnidge all crashed out on the road bend before Massey and 469 Ian Chalkley went in very hard indeed on the pits bend allowing Massey to take the lead back with 242 Martin Heath in chase. These two then tangled and both crashed out opening the door for 790 Mark Taylor to come through and take his first win of the season at Mildenhall followed him by Simpson and 48 Gary Fox for a Taylor Made cars 1-2-3.

It was Ward who led the early stages of the consolation race until he gave way to 456 Mark Meads who held on for the chequered flag with Heath taking second and 614 Richard Prince piping Ward for third.

Just 798 Mark Sargent absent for the Final so 29 cars were on track for a superb event with a early crash between 219 Christopher Mitchell and Quinnen causing Mitchell to loose a wheel resulting in another race stoppage. The first restart lasted a few more laps with Massey holding the lead until a second stoppage was called for when a pile up left several cars stranded on the racing line on the road bend. A lap sheet order restart saw Massey lead from Copeman from Baguley and Kaye. A spectacular crash at the start saw 71 Nick Hoyes, 103 Carl Issit and Ford pile hard into the home straight fence but all three managed to move themselves to safety and the action continued with Copeman now at the helm as Massey rode up the side of Issit and crashed out claiming Kaye as well. 824 Rob Johnson then overpowered Baguley to take second with Kitson soon behind Johnson but neither could catch Copeman who held on for a very well deserved victory with Taylor making a impact on the run down lap as he buried Park very hard indeed into the spun Massey car.

Grand National to close with Massey again the early race leader before Baguley moved through into the number one spot. A tangle with Copeman ended Park's chances whilst he was lying second allowing Johnson to step up and challenge Baguley soon after taking the lead. However, Baguley fought back and went for broke on the last bend connecting with 824 only to half spin himself whilst Johnson slowed dramatically with mechanical problems allowing third place 48 Gary Fox to dive up the inside and grab the race win.

HEAT 1(24 Cars): 1) Richard Park 2) Andy Ford 3) Jamie Baguley 4) Nigel Wiles 5) Allan Copeman 6) Dave Brennan
HEAT 2(23 Cars): 1) Mark Taylor 2) Mark Simpson 3) Gary Fox 4) Roger Mitchell 5) Danny Ward 6) Steve Jackson
CONSOLATION(20 Cars): 1) Mark Meeds 2) Martin Heath 3) Richard Prince 4) Sean Ward 5) Danny Quinnen 6) Simon Ricketts 
GRAND FINAL(29 Cars): 1) Copeman 2) Rob Johnson 3) Daz Kitson 4) Baguley 5) Taylor 6) Simpson
GRAND NATIONAL(24 Cars): 1) Fox 2) Baguley 3) Mitchell 4) Kitson 5) Simpson 6) Johnson 

Back to top