RDC's ONE WILD NIGHT 2012
Mildenhall Stadium
Saturday March 24 2012 6pm
Unlimited Bangers 2012 BBA Supreme Championship
and BriSCA F2 Stockcars track championship round 1 

Click here for official meeting preview

Click here for our special promotional video for this meeting

Latest update March 21: In what is likely to be our final update ahead of RDC's One Wild Night at Mildenhall Stadium this Saturday night headlined by the Unlimited Banger BBA Supreme Championship we have the latest news for this meeting. Changes and additions to the Unlimited Banger BBA Supreme Championship entry (162 Brett Ellacott added to the line up), the last chance qualifier (45 Anthony Crowshaw, 60 Kyle Stevenson, 169 James Rushton, 287 Dean Quinsee, 427 Dean McPhilimey and 320 Darryl Wall all cancelled) and the support entry (209 Tom Waller cancelled and 356 Luke Radley and 422 Lee Hutton added) meaning we still have some places in the support class available for drivers wishing to book in leaving with over 145 cars now booked in for this meeting (it is also worth noting that we have managed to contact just over 130 of the drivers listed since March 1 and they have all reconfirmed their bookings). Plus we also have the latest BriSCA F2 Stockcar entries for the meeting with just over 40 drivers booked in for the opening round of their 2012 Mildenhall Track Championship. Don't forget our promotional video for the event which you can enjoy by clicking here

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MAIN INDEX

Meeting introduction

Official meeting preview   

One Wild Night Promotional Video

Unlimited Bangers BBA Supreme Championship (updated March 21)

BriSCA F2 Stockcars (updated March 21)

General Meeting Information  

MEETING INTRODUCTION 

We are counting down the weeks and days to what is usually one of the biggest nights of the year at RDC with RDC's One Wild Night 2012 headlined by the Unlimited Banger BBA Supreme Championship featuring many of the sports biggest names from across the country. 

And the 2012 staging of the event will truly be history in the making as for the first time at Mildenhall Stadium the event will be staged with unlimited bangers, this being the first time unlimited bangers have competed for the title since the maiden event at Hednesford Hills Raceway in 2000.

Joining the bangers on the bill will be the high speed and action packed BriSCA F2 Stockcars who make their long awaited return to the Suffolk shaleway for the first time since their incredible English Open Championship last October as they compete in the opening round of their 2012 track championship.  

The  BBA Supreme Championship has rapidly grown in stature after a slow start to the event which was first held in 2000 it's popularity and success has exploded since making Mildenhall's its annual home and the last seven years have seen over 100 cars turning out including many of the biggest names in bangers and the 170 plus figure from the 2008 meeting remains a record breaking figure for a Saturday night banger meeting at Mildenhall. 

This year marks a new era for this coveted event as the meeting becomes an unlimited banger affair and it's not just the cars which will be racing which will be chasing but also the meeting format as for the first time their will be an opportunity to qualify for the big race on the night via the new last chance qualifier race. However in keeping with the tradition of the Supreme Championship, even the last chance qualifier race will not be open to all drivers and only those who have been invited. 

And the championship winner joins a very elite club of drivers to win what is becoming one of the sports most prestigious titles and will also get to hold the annual trophy, a stunning cup which is an exact replica of the trophy which Damon Hill won when he won the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. 

Qualifying for the Supreme Championship is quite a feat in itself as all those on the grid have to earn a place either by recording a top finish in one of the designated BBA events from the 2011 season, by being the one seeded entry from their promotion or by being a former winner of the event. Qualifying has become even tougher in 2012 as the reserves system once used for each of the qualifying races from last year has now been dropped meaning an even higher standard of qualifiers for this years race.  

Subsequently many would argue that previous starting grid for the championship are among the greatest line up of big name talent seen at Mildenhall and they never disappoint with a highly competitive race. Last year's race saw Bro 247 Lee Clarke win his biggest race to date and it proved a catalyst for a great season as while wearing the coveted red, blue and white roof he was rated by many as one of the drivers of 2011 in the sport. 

Invitations will be sent to all the qualifiers and those eligible for the last chance race in the new year (that's over 300 drivers alone) and from that point things will start to take shape as we will look to try and establish which drivers intend to accept their invitations as well as trying to establish a list of drivers joining us on the night for the remainder of the programme. 

Adding to the occasion with be the sensational open wheeled BriSCA F2 Stockcars who make their eagerly awaited return to the shaleway after a superb last season of action in which 606 Andrew Palmer maintained his stranglehold on the Mildenhall track championship and he will be looking to make it four in a row in 2012. 

This page has been designed to bring you as much news and information on the big night as we can and will be updated regularly in the build up to March 24. Please use the index below to guide yourself around the page. 

If there is any information which you need and cannot find on this page please contact RDC either by calling 01268 412299 or 07850 683953 or by e mailing wastedmc@btopenworld.com

NATIONAL BANGERS SUPREME CHAMPIONSHIP

Introduction

Official meeting preview  

One Wild Night Promotional Video

The Qualifiers (updated March 21)

Driver preview (updated March 21)

The qualifying procedure (updated March 21)

Interview with defending champion 247 Lee 'Bro' Clarke  

Previous Supreme Championship reports (Mildenhall only)

Supreme Championship Roll of Honour

BBA Supreme Championship to go unlimited in 2012

Last Chance Qualifier entry (updated March 21)

The supporting cast (updated March 21) 

Full drivers list (updated March 21) 

National Bangers 2012 RDC RWD Championship series  

Introduction

The stage is set and the countdown has begun to one of the biggest banger events of the year at Mildenhall Stadium, at RDC Promotions and in the entire sport...the 2012 BBA Supreme Championship.

And this year's event is set to be even more important as for the first time at Mildenhall Stadium the event will be held for Unlimited Bangers. 

Once again the cards have been dealt during the 2011 season and during the course of the various BBA recognised championship races around the country and Europe drivers have earned the right to take their place on this star studded grid as well as earning a place in the new last chance qualifier race. 

On paper the race once again has the potential to be one of the most star studded line ups for a banger championship ever seen on the Suffolk shaleway and RDC firmly believes the starting grid has the potential to rival any banger race in the sport. 

There is no easy way into this race. You have to either secure a top result in one of the various championship races during 2011, finish near the summit of their promotions' points race or be a former champion or battle their way in on the night through the invitational only last chance qualifier. 

Put simply, everyone on the starting grid will be a player, whether they be title contender or party spoiler and this race has the ingredients to be an incredible affair as many of the sports biggest names do battle for one of its biggest prizes. 

For our special promotional video for this meeting please click here

The Qualifiers 
On this list we detail the qualifiers in numerical order and have also highlighted some of the championships currently held by the qualifiers just to show how much of a quality grid we could potentially have on our hands. With invitations now having been sent to all qualifiers we have begun the process of establishing who intends on competing in the race. Hopefully to make things clearer we have split the list into two. First is a list of drivers who have confirmed their intention to race and below is a list of those who we have yet to hear from or have confirmed they will not be attending. Please note that should a seeded entry be unable to attend they may be replaced by the next highest driver in their promotions 2011 points standings, providing they finished in the top six of their points. 

List updated March 21 with the latest confirmations highlighted in bold

Confirmed drivers for the Unlimited Banger BBA Supreme Championship
20 James Avison (PRI-PRI World Final qualifier)
21 John Riddell (Crimond -seeded entry)
22 Dave Vincent (TSR-TSR seeded entry)
56 Karel Eeckloo (CAMSO-seeded entry)
61 Darryl Theedom-PRI-seeded entry) PRI Points Champion
64 Barry Lee (RDC-British Championship qualifier)
67 Mark Whittaker (Barford-TSR World Final qualifier)
67 Rickie Beasley (Spedeworth-2Litre World Championship qualifier) 2Litre BBA World Champion
101 Keith Roberts (Incarace-Crash Attack UK Open Championship qualifier) King of the Fens Champion
119 Davey Cox (TSR-British Championship qualifier) BBA British Champion
148 Ian Redden (RDC-World Cup Championship qualifier) BBA World Cup Champion
158 Shane Davies (Spedeworth-Spedeworth World Championship qualifier) Spedeworth World, Arlington and Unlimited Spring Open Champion
160 Perry Willings (RDC-TSR World Final qualifier) Allstar Dash for Cash winner
162 Brett Ellacott (Autospeed-2Litre English Championship qualifier) Autospeed World, BBA English and St Day Track Champion
188 John Reeves (RDC-former Supreme Champion) Dover Track Champion
200 Steve Farrell (Buxton-Supreme Championship qualifier) King of the Peak and Buxton track Champion
204 Charlie King (Spedeworth-seeded entry)
208 Jimmy Randall (Autospeed-former Supreme Champion)
212 Karl Hodgson (Barford-seeded entry)
222 Colin Riddell (Crimond-World Cup qualifier)
239 Steve Carter (Autospeed-2Litre English Championship qualifier) Autospeed Points, Boneshaker and Taunton Track Champion
247 Lee Clarke (Spedeworth-Supreme Championship qualifier) BBA Supreme and Northampton track Champion
294 Lee Hughes (Spedeworth-PRI World Championship qualifier) PRI World, Essex and Hurricane Champion
317 Nick Wakeham (TSR-Crash Attack UK Open Championship qualifier)
321 Andy Newton (Skegness-seeded entry)
346 Scott Saunders (RDC-Masters Championship qualifier)
349 Lee Saunders (RDC-Masters Championship qualifier) Masters and Dover DD Champion
349 Lewis Price (PRI-European Championship qualifier)
370 John Cobbold (RDC-British Championship qualifier)
382 Jack Foster Jnr (Skegness-Crash Attack UK Open Championship qualifier) Unlimited Suffolk Open, Crash Attack UK Open, RDC Drivers, Mildenhall and RDC RWD Points and Wreckfest Champion
439 Danny Sutton (Spedeworth-former Supreme Champion)
450 Glyn Platts (GMP-King of the Peak qualifier) World of Shale Champion
451 Nigel Belfield (Autospeed-Seeded entry)
455 Rick Finney (GMP-World Cup qualifier) Euro 2011 Champion and Champion of Champions
516 Carl Gould (Spedeworth-2Litre World Championship qualifier)
517 Scott Weldon (Mendips-Seeded entry) Mendips Track Champion
528 Alan Hunt (Spedeworth-Autospeed World Championship qualifier) 2012 Unlimited Heavy Metal Classic and Blockbuster Champion
549 Phil Smith (PRI-European Championship qualifier) CAMSO Points Champion
589 Simon Smith (PRI-European Championship qualifier) BBA European Champion
682 Paul Sparrow (RDC-2Litre World Championship qualifier) Mildenhall Accumulator Champion
800 Tom Hannah (Incarace-seeded entry) Incarace points and Midland Champion
811 Kieran McIvor (Nutts Corner-Seeded entry) Nutts Corner Track and Nuttshaker Champion
898 Andy Battle (RDC-seeded entry)
998 Wayne Cotterill Jnr (Startrax-2Litre English Championship qualifier)

Drivers who have yet to confirm their place. 
(drivers shown with a strikethrough have confirmed they will not be attending)

27 Dale Hughes (Spedeworth-Spedeworth World Championship qualifier) Spedeworth (race) Points and Raid Champion
75 Steve Thacker (Buxton-King of the Peak qualifier)
190 Steve Bailey (Autospeed-Supreme Championship qualifier) 2Litre TSR World, 2012 1800cc and Mondeo Heavy Metal Classic, Spring Open (@ Ringwood) and 2010 Winter Open Champion
197 Jay Clarke (Incarace-King of the Peak qualifier)
264 Mark Welland (Spedeworth-Spedeworth World Championship qualifier)
409 Joey Collins (Spedeworth-Autospeed World Championship qualifier) Unlimited Tornado Champion
567 Gary Brown (PRI-PRI World Final qualifier)
572 Paul Scully (TSR-TSR World Final qualifier)
601 Lee Usher (Incarace-Autospeed World Championship qualifier)
617 Jack Overy (RDC-Masters Championship qualifier) National, RDC RWD, Birmingham Track and Mildenhall DD Champion

Seeded entries still to be confirmed from GMP and Startrax (with none of the top six in the 2011 Buxton points championship available there will be no Buxton seed)

Driver preview

20 James Avison (PRI-PRI World Championship qualifier)
A rising star on the PRI scene in 2011, Ministox graduate and former stockcar and hot rod pilot turned banger regular showed his form with a strong season in which he finished fourth in the final PRI points standings which is no mean feat, especially when you consider Arena Essex ran more National Banger meetings than any other venue in 2011. However he booked his place with a good drive to take fourth in the PRI World Final, just holding off 60 Kyle Stevenson in the closing stages for what would prove to be the final spot from that race in this year’s Supreme Championship. Enjoyed a few more unlimited outings towards the end of the season which could help his cause here but a lack of Mildenhall and shale form in general makes his chances somewhat unknown. 

21 John Riddell (Crimond-seeded entry)
One of the most exciting things in the early process of drivers confirming their places for this meeting was the news that for the first time ever drivers from Crimond Raceway would be represented in the Supreme Championship and we have not one, but two drivers expected in the big race, which we hope will mean similar opportunities for the sport's most northern raceways to be represented in major events such as this. The tracks seeded entry is the first of two members from the famous Riddell family and 21 John is perhaps not as much a fish out of water as you may first expect. No stranger to shale thanks to some visits to King's Lynn in recent years and no stranger to unlimited bangers with annual appearances in the World Cup at Cowdenbeath. How he will fare when the two are combined on unfamiliar turf remains to be seen but none the less it will be a proud night in his family's history and also that of his home raceway.

22 Dave Vincent (TSR-seeded entry) TSR Points Champion
2011 was a season of transformation for one of the all time greats of the RDC era as a switch to TSR saw former World and British Champion 22 Dave Vincent enjoy the most successful season he has had in some time. While the year did pass with a major championship race win it did end with him securing the TSR Points Championship, no mean feat given the volume of meetings at King’s Lynn last season and the variety of them as well. So his first unlimited meeting at Mildenhall in almost a year will see a once familiar silver roof accompany his trademark purple race car and certainly the switch to unlimited bangers will bode well for Vincent who remains eager to add this title to his CV. Was a heat winner in his last unlimited outing at Mildenhall last May and was also a heat and final winner at the 2010 Suffolk Open, a season where he was again a heat winner at the unlimited team meeting. With his form back to his best and in a format best suited to him he starts as a huge favourite. 

56 Karel Eeckloo (CAMSO-seeded entry)
One of the first drivers to confirm his intention to attend was continental star Vincky 56 Karel Eecloo which was justifiably exciting as not only did it signal the start of numerous long distance travellers confirming to the meeting but it should represent the first overseas racer in the Supreme Championship in some time and his presence will certainly help boost the stature of the event. A very established star on the CAMSO scene now where he has been one of the promotions front runners for several seasons and recent months have seen more frequent trips to the UK which is most welcome. However this is set to be his UK shale debut, but with some shale experience from Emmen he will still not be one to count out. Secured his place via the CAMSO points but also finished fifth in the European Championship last season which underlines his ability to survive hard hitting races, a quality which is likely to be needed here. 

61 Darryl Theedom (PRI-seeded entry) PRI Points Champion
Frequently referred to as a breakout star the truth is that after an even more successful season in 2011 Barrel 61 Darryl Theedom is now knocking around with some of the sports finest. His commitment in 2011 was second to none, well maybe two or three, as only a couple of others managed to rack up more National meetings that he although if you counted his Rookie meetings as well he may have topped the chart. Despite his incredible amount of track time, big meeting success was still hard to find, despite a great start when he won the Heavy Metal Classic title in the Mondeo class at Standlake. His best big race result in 2011 came on home turf in the PRI World Final where he finished sixth but ultimately it was his victory in the PRI points championship which earned him a place on this grid as the PRI seeded entry. By his own admission his unlimited and shale form is not the greatest so the combination of the two is set to be a challenge. 

64 Barry Lee (RDC-British Championship qualifier)
The first RDC driver on the preview and it is set to be something of a rare unlimited appearance for Barry the Bull 64 Barry Lee who secured his starting place on the grid with a fine and hard fought third place in the British Championship. Further success came with a fourth in the Masters Championship at Dover but he has a complete lack of unlimited form at Mildenhall in the last couple of seasons to measure him by which makes his chances somewhat difficult to gauge. Nonetheless when we have seen him previously in the big RWD machines on the Suffolk shaleway he has been as quick as anyone and should he find this form has not escaped him he may be something of a surprise package. 

67 Mark Whittaker (Barford-TSR World Final qualifier)
A winner of many championships over the years such as the Champion of Champions and BBA World Cup, Sparky 67 Mark Whittaker is no stranger to big race success in unlimited cars and is another leading name likely to embrace this switch to unlimited bangers for this championship, a race which he has been a regular in for some time. Booked his place with a close second in the TSR World Final last summer but displayed his unlimited shale form with another podium spot in the World of Shale a few months later. Has remained an occasional visitor to Mildenhall in the last few years and this includes some successful unlimited outings, in 2010 he finished third in the Suffolk Open Championship, a feat made more impressive when considered he was at the wheel of a Yank and May 2010 was a successful time with a third in the final plus a pair of seconds playing a big part in Team 22 winning the maiden Unlimited EA team title. One of the many leading contenders. 

67 Rickie Beasley (Startrax-2Litre World Championship qualifier) 2Litre BBA World Champion
Having been tipped as one to watch for the past few years, 2011 was certainly the season that young gun Sonny Black 67 Rickie Beasley stood and made himself known with a fantastic year which was highlighted by his victory in the 2Litre World Final at Hednesford which was no easy championship win. Despite being a 2Litre World Champion, many would argue his greatest strength is in unlimited bangers and a former winner of the Coventry Masters he is certainly one of the best in a big car round the Mildenhall shale. However as a member of Team Black his success rate is often dependent on the presence of his established rivals and with the Condoms expected it remains to be seen if he is kept too busy to mount a serious challenge for the title. Showed his loyalty to the team at Birmingham in November when he threw away his early lead in the Champion of Champions to join the Condom/Team Black wrecking train but sometimes when both parties are present, one slips through the net, if it's Rickie, you can expect to see him near the front.

101 Keith Roberts (Incarace-Crash Attack UK Open qualifier) Unlimited King of the Fens Champion
Veteran racer Nobby 101 Keith Roberts has been an occasional visitor to Mildenhall in recent memory but this is likely to be his first trip to West Row in an unlimited banger in some time and he is another fine addition to the Supreme Championship grid. This long serving racer has been most rejuvenated in recent times but it has been most pleasing to report that he has adapted to modern times very well and this is underlined in the fact that he qualified for this race at a trip to Skegness for the Crash Attack meeting which was a 2litre affair. Nonetheless remains a great talent in unlimited machinery and if this race proves as lively as many suspect it could be with the volume of cars expected it will benefit his years of experience. Should he be able to do the distance he could be a strong contender. 

119 Davey Cox (TSR-British Championship qualifier) BBA British Champion
Much like the rejuvenation of Dave Vincent in 2011, similar could be said of Cruncher 119 Davey Cox whose return to TSR a couple of seasons ago saw him bounce back to his very best form and he has maintained that form now for a good few years and last year was another cracker despite him losing his grip on the TSR World and Points titles. Making up for some of the disappointment saw him win the BBA British Championship for an amazing third time and the second time in three years although that was his only BBA Championship top 10 of 2011. Another who will not be phased by the switch to unlimited bangers because as one of the sports finest he excels in whichever format he competes in and his unlimited and RWD form at Mildenhall is quite impressive. He picked up a second at last year’s unlimited EA team meeting and in 2010 he won both of the Allcomers at the all Granada meeting. Always a threat whenever he visits Mildenhall and this will be no different. 

148 Ian Redden (RDC-World Cup Championship qualifier) BBA World Cup Champion
One of the biggest breakout stars on the unlimited scene in the last five years is long serving RDC racer Shorty 148 Ian Redden who notched up several big unlimited race wins including the Suffolk Open Championship, Psycho Mania final and Nutcracker before arguably his biggest win to date, the BBA World Cup at Cowdenbeath last April, a victory no doubt made a little sweeter because it proved his ability on tarmac as well as shale. Very much a RWD racer now and his first appearance in the Supreme Championship for a couple of years will be all the more excitable given the switch to unlimited bangers and combined with the shale surface he will start as another strong contender. His Suffolk Open Championship form is most impressive as alongside his championship win he has also won his qualifying heats the last two years, should he be there at the end of this, chances are he’ll be near the front. 

158 Shane Davies (Spedeworth-Spedeworth World Championship qualifier) Spedeworth World, Arlington and Spring Open Champion
Without question one of the sport’s biggest names and 2011 saw the chief Condom back to his brilliant best with a tremendous season, topped by his fine drive to win the Spedeworth World title for the second time and become the first driver to win the race at Wimbledon and Ipswich. The victory appears to have re-ignited the fire in this long serving racer which has been underlined by his busiest winter schedule in bangers for some years including a welcome return to Mildenhall for the first time in many months. A surprise guest appearance for the Predators at the November team meeting led to a superb one race performance against his Team Black rivals and his surprise visit on New Year’s Day showed he’s not forgot his way around the Suffolk shale. A contender wherever he goes but the smart money suggests continuing his rivalry with Team Black will be his number one priority. 

160 Perry Willings (RDC-TSR World Final qualifier) Allstar Dash for Cash winner
Repeatedly referred to as one of the breakout stars of 2011 at RDC, Pez 160 Perry Willings enjoyed many fine hours but arguably the finest came with a strong fifth, from near the back of the grid, in the TSR World Final which secured him a place in this event. On paper you would be forgiven for overlooking the Team Green young gun as a contender as it would be easy to overlook his achievements in the RWD/Unlimited meetings as he rarely, if ever competes in these type of meetings outside of Mildenhall. But his form is surprisingly decent. A seventh in the Unlimited Suffolk Open last summer, a fifth in the final at the Unlimited EA team meeting and in 2010 he registered a sixth in the maiden RDC RWD Series Final, all of which suggests he should not be discounted and if able to go the distance could be a dark horse for the top 10. 

188 John Reeves (RDC-former Supreme Champion) Dover Track Champion
The 2010 champion Victor 188 John Reeves once again returns to the grid as a former champion although in truth his excellent third place finish in the RDC Drivers Championship would have seen him in as RDC’s seeded entry had he not had the ex champions place. 2011 was a landmark season in Victor’s career as he finally captured a title which had long chased, the Dover track championship and will no doubt wear the silver roof with pride here. On paper many may overlook his chances being an unlimited event but his strong points performances in the RDC RWD points the last two seasons suggests otherwise and he finished a strong sixth in the championship last season. Furthermore showed his skill in an unlimited at Dover the last two years with four wins from the last two Kent Championship meetings and a second in the 2010 final. A solid outside bet. 

200 Steve Farrell (Buxton-Supreme Championship qualifier) King of the Peak and Buxton track Champion
Another of the sports modern greats, Noon 200 Steve Farrell is another who has been back to his best in recent months and he more than proved that point when he motored to an excellent runners up birth at the Supreme Championship last March to become one of the first to book his place here. The season would go on to see him lift the King of the Peak title and also capture the Buxton track championship, so it was certainly a fine season for the chief Blooz Boy on home soil and he also registered a decent eighth place in the Unlimited World Final at Ipswich. Despite his success in this race 12 months ago he is likely to be another pleased at the move to unlimited bangers as he too favours the big race as was proved with a trademark crash happy performance when he guested for Team Black at the unlimited EA team meeting in May. Remains to be seen what his intentions are here, if he is gunning for glory he could be a surprise but if it’s an action plan, expect fireworks. 

204 Charlie King (Spedeworth-seeded entry)
Yet another racer who has come in and leaps and bounds in the last couple of years, joining the ranks of the Condoms seems to really have brought the very best out of second generation racer Charlie Boy 204 Charlie King. However despite his superb form and commitment in the last couple of seasons, 2011 passed without a top 10 finish in any of the various BBA Championship events and had to rely on Spedeworth’s seeded entry place to book a return trip to this race. But having finished fifth in the Spedeworth points, one of the toughest in the sport, there is no denying he deserves his spot. Much of his lack of big race results is likely to be down to his team colours and the ongoing rivalry with Team Black, a feature which brought about his downfall in last year’s race and with both teams expected here, many predict him to be well involved again. 

208 Jimmy Randall (Autospeed-former Supreme Champion)
Another of the drivers to earn a place in this years event as a former holder of the title, the Finger 208 Jimmy Randall completed his rise to fame with his victory in this event back in 2010. Despite cutting back on his racing commitments in 2011 he remains a threat whenever and wherever he competes and certainly no stranger to racing unlimited cars or on the Mildenhall shale it would be a brave man to bet against him here. However some drivers who may disagree are likely to be the Gladiators who've been at logger heads with the Midnight Runners, as well as the Cream Team, for several months. It is perhaps somewhat unusual to have a race of this calibre and there only be one member of the MNR on the grid but this is the case here and while few would bet against Jimmy being joined by at least one team mate via the last chance race, at the moment he may well have his hands full with up to three Gladiator rivals which makes his presence on the grid all the more interesting. 

212 Karl Hodgson (Barford-seeded entry)
While officially representing Barford as the northern venues seeded entry, Kruncher Karlos 212 Karl Hodgson will in actual fact be representing little known club circuit Appleby Raceway in this year's championship, making more history as the first time this raceway will be represented in the championship. Finished second in last years points race at Barford and the promotion was happy for him to fly the flag for them in this race and deservedly so as this gutsy racer has started to make a reputation on the national scene including a visit to Mildenhall in the past although he will hope for more success this time. No stranger to big meetings and also racing at unlimited events but something of a stranger on shale but if this one does become a blood bath he could spring a surprise or cause some damage on the way. 

222 Colin Riddell (Crimond-World Cup qualifier)
Another of the long distance travellers who was very quick to confirm his intention to visit Mildenhall for this one which will not only mark his track debut but also the first time Crimond Raceway has been represented in the Supreme Championship which is another big step in the right direction for the growing stature of this event. Despite his most northern base, Colin does has a little shale experience having visited King’s Lynn for some big events in recent memory and will be looking to put that to good use here. Secured his spot with an excellent second place finish in the BBA World Cup in April, the best result for a Scottish driver in some time in the event. And anyone who can thrive a race as tough as that one, stands a more than reasonable chance here but whatever the outcome, his presence will make a small piece of history for himself and his home track. 

239 Steve Carter (Autospeed-2Litre English Championship qualifier) Autospeed Points, Boneshaker and Taunton Track Champion
West country hot shot Nemesis 239 Steve Carter will be more than eager to put behind him the disaster that was the 2011 Supreme Championship where transport issues meant Steve was a late arrival and missed the big race. With that in mind he may not be too worried about the championship no longer being the opening race of the night and likewise he will also probably welcome the move to unlimited bangers. Having said that much of BBA Championship success came in FWD events, a third in the English at Mendips securing his place here and he also enjoyed a sixth in the TSR World and a 10th in the PRI World but a seventh in the Autospeed World showed his unlimited form remains strong. Like his Team DWO stablemates it’s hard to judge his chances here as his unlimited meetings at Mildenhall are often spent more interested in crashing and who will ever forget his destruction of the Rover P5 of 223 Brett Harrison a few years back. And with a few well known enemies present here he will be one to watch. 

247 Lee Clarke (Spedeworth-Supreme Championship qualifier) BBA Supreme and Northampton track Champion
There is no disputing that the rise of Bro 247 Lee Clarke in the last 24 or so months has been one of the most impressive in the sport and his well earned victory in the BBA Supreme Championship last year was perhaps the race which cemented his status as one of the sports finest in the current era. Much like many champions before him, the win in the Supreme, heralded the start of a superb season which perhaps most noticeably saw him enjoy more frequent unlimited outings and with them came much more success. It wasn’t just his race craft which earned him credits, but his crashing side and in particular his battles with Pikey and ultimately most of Team DWO which included a fine display at the Champion of Champions. This rivalry restricted his big race success in 2011 and his attempt at a third consecutive English Champion was met with a modest 10th at Mendips. A third in the first ever RDC RWD Series Championship in 2010 underlined his talent in RWD cars here but it remains to be seen if his ongoing on track issues are too big of a roadblock to allow a serious attempt at retaining his title. 

294 Lee Hughes (Spedeworth-PRI World Championship qualifier) PRI World, Essex and Hurricane Champion
One of the biggest achievements of 2011 was that of Stuntman 294 Lee Hughes who made history by successfully defending the PRI World Championship at Arena Essex. While it could be argued that last year’s win was not as tough to come by as that in 2010 to successfully defend one of the biggest titles in the sport is no mean feat and he came close to achieving his ultimate goal by finishing second in the Spedeworth World Championship in October. While perhaps disappointed to have just missed the top spot it also marked his best finish in the race to date. No stranger to the Supreme Championship, he finished second in the rotten conditions back in 2009 but despite qualifying for the event we’ve not seen him since which is most likely because if his dislike for FWD types of racing. The switch to unlimited for this year’s event has likely influenced his decision to confirm his intention to attend and also establishes him as a strong contender for the podium once again. 

317 Nick Wakeham (TSR- Crash Attack UK Open Championship qualifier)
Perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the qualifiers to have accepted their invitation to compete in the big race is Mr Thug 317 Nick Wakeham who in recent years has not been best known for his unlimited outings but is reportedly eager to enjoy more big car outings in 2012 which bodes well for him here although this will certainly be a huge test for him. Qualified with a fine second in the Crash Attack UK Open at Skegness in the summer which was a brutal affair and anyone who can survive that has got to have a chance here as survival is likely to be a key element with such a large grid expected. Impressed at Mildenhall last June when he helped the Cambs and Lincs team win the Inter Counties event and will be gunning to go the distance at least here. 

321 Andy Newton (Skegness-seeded entry)
One of the sports many unsung stars, 321 Andy Newton is also an incredibly experienced racer who rarely gets the plaudits for his efforts. Received some well overdue recognition in October when a fine drive to a last chance qualifier victory earned him a spot in the Spedeworth World Final. Ultimately it was a sixth place finish in the Skegness track championship where he was also the highest place Skegness driver of 2011 which earned him another big race appearance here and it is likely that on shale he may fancy his chances of at least a top 10 finish here. Although we rarely enjoy his company at Mildenhall, he is no stranger to the Suffolk shaleway and his regular outings at King’s Lynn will boost his confidence and with plenty in his favour he could be a dark horse to watch out for. 

346 Scott Saunders (RDC-Masters Championship qualifier)
Another of the sports unsung stars, Muttley 346 Scott Saunders, has enjoyed a couple of seasons of doing what he does best, crashing. Therefore big race appearances have been somewhat few and far between but a superb meeting at Dover Raceway in September where he followed up a win in the last chance qualifier with an excellent third in the Masters Championship to secure his debut outing in the Supreme Championship. Always makes the effort for the unlimited Kent Championship at Dover and always enjoys racing big or vintage machinery, he will be looking to make the most of this although on paper he may not jump out as a leading contender for the podium but instead one of the forerunners to inject some action into the big race which means he could spoil the hopes of more than one. 

349 Lee Saunders (RDC-Masters Championship qualifier) Masters and Dover DD Champion
The second member of the Saunders family in this year’s race, Finbarr 349 Lee Saunders reminded anyone whose memory needed a nudge that he is one of the sports finest with an excellent drive to win the Masters Championship for the second time last September and with it earned his spot here. Capable of going well here, he proved his talent in RWD machinery at Mildenhall with a fine fourth in the maiden RDC RWD Championship in September 2010. But the truth is his visits to Mildenhall are usually spent more interested in what he can do on the crashing front and throwing a few spanners into other people’s works as was the case in the Accumulator Championship last season, His presence is most interesting and his intentions on the day could be even more so. 

349 Lewis Price (PRI-European Championship qualifier)
The first of the Gladiators to appear on our preview and the first of three members of the long running team to book their place in this year’s championship via the European Championship at Warneton in September. Noddy 349 Lewis Price remains one of the sport’s greatest characters with a never say die attitude which is rarely matched and certainly a quality which is very much valued in the Gladiators, especially in recent months where the team has often found itself outnumbered by their enemies. However this could be an interesting outing for the team as subject to the result of the last chance qualifier the Midnight Runners and Cream Team are a little short in numbers in the big race which could open the door for Noddy and his team mates to make their mark. 

370 John Cobbold (RDC-British Championship qualifier)
Another of RDC’s rising stars and the second member of Team Green on the grid which also underlines the rising form of this faction, especially when you consider their three drivers here qualified in different events. For 370 John Cobbold he booked his place on home turf with an excellent drive to second in the British Championship but as impressive as the result was it did reflect another near miss. Came close to the Accumulator title a couple of years back and was an eyelash from the Allstar Dash for Cash in October. Another whose chances could be overlooked as it is easy to mistake his unlimited form which is very much limited and restricted to Mildenhall. But his maiden unlimited outing was rewarded with a heat win at a Suffolk Open a few years back and more recently a fifth in the final at the 2010 EA Team Championship underlines his ability to spring a surprise here. 2011 saw further success with an eighth in his Supreme debut and the same again in the TSR World Final. 

382 Jack Foster Jnr (Skegness-Crash Attack UK Open Championship qualifier) Unlimited Suffolk Open, Crash Attack UK Open, RDC Drivers, Mildenhall and RDC RWD Points and Wreckfest Champion
The rise to stardom of Chubby 382 Jack Foster Jnr in the last two years has perhaps been the fastest ever seen by a teenage star in the sport and 2011 saw him follow up an incredible maiden season with even success to match his efforts. Much like 2011 he was a present factor in almost every major championship (he raced in 10 of the 13 BBA Championships) but he also impressed in many of them. Victory in the Crash Attack UK Open at Skegness secured his starting place here but elsewhere he was fourth in the World Cup and British, second in the PRI World and third in the Spedeworth World. And on top of that he won the Unlimited Suffolk Open at Mildenhall as well as the RDC Drivers, Mildenhall and RDC RWD points to complete a quite remarkable year. Will start as a contender but of course the Team Black and Condom battle could have a big say in that matter. 

439 Danny Sutton (Spedeworth-former Supreme Champion)
The 2008 Supreme Championship is still regarded as one of, if not the greatest championship race ever seen at Mildenhall and one of the finest in the sport in recent memory and it was Sutty 439 Danny Sutton who came through the carnage to take his biggest win to date. That victory, alongside taking the spoils in the London Open Championship a few months before, marked a wonderful purple patch for the second generation racer in the sport and last season saw a welcome return to form where perhaps his new found allegiance with the Condoms spurred him on to one of his best seasons to date but alas it came without much of an impression in any of the BBA Championship races last season. It’s been a little while since we saw Sutty in an unlimited at Mildenhall so it remains to be seen if that has any bearing in his performance but ultimately such is his experience in this format it’s unlikely to be an issue although the feud with Team Black is likely to have a bigger say in his success. 

450 Glyn Platts (GMP-King of the Peak qualifier) World of Shale Champion
The status of Team Stinkbridge was one of the biggest stories of 2011 and it all began with 450 Glyn Platts electing to go his own way and while many were disappointed it certainly led to a strong season for one of the sports leading all round racers. A second in the King of the Peak Championship at Buxton secured him a starting spot here but his finest moment of the year came in September when he lifted the World of Shale title at Lynn which certainly sent a clear message of his ability to win big races on shale in unlimited cars. Was in action at both unlimited meetings at Mildenhall in 2011 but was more busy on the crashing side of things but based on his World of Shale winning effort he will be yet another leading contender here. 

451 Nigel Belfield (Autospeed-seeded entry)
Having finished sixth in the 2011 Autospeed points, Sprout 451 Nigel Belfield had to wait patiently in line to hear the decisions of those in front of him in the line but ultimately when the opportunity to join this grid presented itself he snapped it up which underlines his enthusiasm at the moment. Has recently started to raise many eyebrows with a few high profile outings, quite often at the wheel of some impressive tin and he knows how to get stuck in on the action front. While no stranger to unlimited bangers, a lack of shale experience could hinder his chances although given the expected nature of the event this truly is anyone's race. However he will be eager to leave a mark one way or another and could be one to watch on the action front. 

455 Rick Finney (GMP-World Cup qualifier) Euro 2011 Champion and Champion of Champions
Alongside Glyn Finney, the departure of 455 Rick Finney from Team Stinkbridge last February was one of the main early season talking points but he too enjoyed much success last season, capped with a sublime drive to win the Champion of Champions at Birmingham in November which was surely his finest hour. Alongside that he also won the Euro for the second year running on the shale at Sheffield and in unlimited bangers to boot to underline his potential to impress here. Secured his place with a third place finish in the destructive World Cup at Cowdenbeath and also picked up a third in the King of the Peak at Buxton. Was last seen at Mildenhall at the Unlimited Suffolk Open where he again spent most of the night wrecking and should he have similar intentions he’ll be one to watch but his form suggests he could also challenge for the podium. 

516 Carl Gould (Spedeworth-2Litre World Final qualifier)
One of the last drivers to confirm their intention to compete in this year’s race, the plans of Gouldy 516 Carl Could for racing in 2012 have been somewhat scrambled by the arrival of his second child which will have either happened by the time the meeting arrives or could be happening any day, Gouldy will obviously be hoping it’s not today as that would result in him being elsewhere. A long time leader of the epic 2008 event, despite his superb dedication and form his best achievements remain the Spedeworth points crown and the hat trick of unlimited Wreckfest titles. Well over a major championship win and the switch to unlimited in 2012 will do nothing to hurt his chances here. 

517 Scott Weldon (Mendips-seeded entry) Mendips Track Champion
Another veteran racer added to the grid, long serving Warlord flag bearer 517 Scott Weldon enjoyed much success in 2011 in which he lifted the track championship at Mendips Raceway and that was more than sufficient to earn him a place here as the Mendips seeded entry. Has visited Mildenhall in the past but not for unlimited meetings and his shale form in big cars is largely unknown but a driver with such experience of racing in this format is unlikely to struggle for long before adapting. On paper his lack of shale form may make him something of an underdog which could in fact work in his favour and he is a leading dark horse to crack the top 10. 

528 Alan Hunt (Spedeworth-Autospeed World Final qualifier) Blockbusta and unlimited Heavy Metal Classic Champion
Every year long serving Spedeworth star Jethro 528 Alan Hunt seems to find a way of securing a place in the Supreme Championship although unfortunately we have not seen him on the grid for a couple of years as he has largely stuck to unlimited styles of racing and has reserved FWD meetings very much to Spedeworth. Seemingly the switch to unlimited bangers for this years event has prompted a welcome return to the grid which may make up for any disappointment of missing the Spedeworth World Final in October. Quite possibly an unlimited debut here although he has raced RWD at Mildenhall with a lively pre 70 appearance in an A60 in recent times. Cut his teeth on the dirt at Tadley so no stranger to racing on a loose surface and having won the Heavy Metal Classic title in incredibly slippery conditions at Standlake in January he'll cope fine here and is a strong bet for the top 10 at the very least.

549 Phil Smith (PRI-European Championship qualifier) CAMSO points champion
The second member of the Gladiators on our preview and the first of the rated Smith brothers, 549 Phil Smith enjoyed, along with his team mates, a superb amount of success on international soil at Warneton in 2011 where he won the CAMSO points championship, an especially impressive feat as an English driver. Despite the Glads visits over the water dropping off a little towards the end of the season they remained fairly dominant in the points standings as they did in the European Championship where they claimed three of the top four spots, Phil taking second in a race known for its high victim levels which is likely to be the case here. Maybe not the quickest but without doubt a real survivor and that might be more important come March 24. 

589 Simon Smith (PRI-European Championship qualifier) European Champion
The final member of the Gladiators to have qualified Smiffy Jnr 589 Simon Smith enjoyed quite the season in 2011, lifting the coveted BBA European Championship at Warneton and also shining in many on track battles with the Midnight Runners and Cream Team. It seems that sometimes being outnumbered brings the best out in some members of the Glads and this was certainly the case for Smiffy Jnr who enjoyed several fine one man stands against the odds. Be interesting to see what happens here where the Gladiators may have the numbers edge on their rivals or even a clear path to do as they chose. With a couple of useful team mates watching his back it would be no great shock to see Simon near the front come the end, especially as he is another likely to benefit from a blood bath of a race.

682 Paul Sparrow (RDC-2Litre World Championship qualifier) Accumulator Champion
The third member of Team Green to have qualified for this year’s race and that will no doubt please Sparra Boy 682 Paul Sparrow who continues to lead a group which once marked the future stars at RDC but are now the established stars. Making Paul’s qualification even more impressive was that it was secured on unfamiliar territory with a superb third in the 2Litre World Final at Hednesford. On top of that he managed a tenth in both the British and Spedeworth World Final as well as lifting the Accumulator title at Mildenhall, his maiden big race win. Another whose unlimited form is easy to overlook as he is much better known for his FWD type racing. However in September 2010 he registered a ninth in the RDC RWD Final and last season excelled with a third in the unlimited Suffolk Open and followed it up with a fourth in the RWD Championship to demonstrate he should not be overlooked here. 

800 Tom Hannah (Incarace-seeded entry) Incarace points and Midland Champion
2010 was a standout season for Romeo 800 Tom Hannah who put in maximum effort to triumph in the Incarace points and along the way he also secured the Midland Championship at Northampton. His number one goal last season was a place in the Spedeworth World Final but in topping the points he also bagged a place in the Supreme Championship as the promotions seeded entry. Had been eager to qualify ever since it was announced the 2012 Supreme would be unlimited and after his fine form here last May where on a guest appearance for the WI Engineering faction he won the opening heat and then claimed second in the final he should not be overlooked here. His shale form is often forgotten but usually does well at the big car meetings at Coventry and a former winner of the under 25 GB Championship at King’s Lynn he is another contender here. 

811 Kieran McIvor (Nutts Corner-seeded entry) Nutts Corner track champion
It was a happy day when Motorhead 811 Kieran McIvor confirmed his intention to make the trip from Ireland to take his place on the grid as his presence will make history as the first Irish driver to compete in the championship. A rising star from the increasingly impressive Team Buckle outfit, Motorhead’s shale experience is limited to a Saloon Stockcar World Final at King’s Lynn a few years ago but that is surely as good a training ground as you are likely to find and as a former winner of the Shamwreck title, one of the toughest races of the year, no one will deny his guts behind the wheel, something which may be needed in large amounts. Guaranteed to enjoy the occasion and his presence is another huge boost for the stature of this event. 

898 Andy Battle (RDC-seeded entry)
617 Jack Overy’s qualification for this race via the Masters Championship opened the door for a three way race to be RDC’s seeded entry between 53 Dave Palmer, 525 Wes Starmer and 898 Andy Battle and a late season push saw the latter force his way to seventh in the RDC Drivers Championship which as the highest non qualifier in the RDC points earned him a place on this star studded grid. Battle’s return to action was one of the biggest plus points of 2012 after disappearing from the scene half way through 2011 and it didn’t take long for him to get back to his winning ways, the highlight of his year coming with the blistering drive to win the Old Skool final for the Dover Boys. Will look forward to this return to the big stage and is another whose unlimited form is often overlooked as it is restricted to the odd big car meeting at Mildenhall. Nonetheless he was a runner up in his heat at the 2011 Suffolk Open and in 2010 he was fourth in his heat and fifth in the championship so don’t count out a repeat performance here. 

998 Wayne Cotterill Jnr (Startrax-English Championship qualifier)
The final driver on the preview and the final member of Team Black, Cotty Jnr 998 Wayne Cotterill is yet another former World Champion to be added to the star studded grid. No stranger to unlimited bangers or racing them at Mildenhall so it may surprise you to learn he qualified with a fourth place in the English Championship at Mendips which was a 2litre affair. Last year saw him triumph in the sixth heat at the unlimited EA team meeting which was without doubt the most destructive race of the night and with a chance that with such a large grid we might see similar scenes here that could bode well for his success but he, like many others, are likely to be thwarted by the Team Black v Condom war. 

The qualifying procedure
Qualifying for the National Banger BBA Supreme Champion is no mean feat and quite an accomplishment in itself as there are four ways to qualify and there is no last chance qualifying on the night. The methods of earning a place on the grid are

1. Record a top finish in a BBA championship event in 2011. Three drivers qualify from each race but they are not always the first three home as some drivers qualify twice. For 2012 we have scrapped the reserve system. In previous years if a driver was unable to attend his place was offered to the next driver from the relevant races result who had not qualified. However in a bid to make qualification even tougher for this race and to bring the qualifying system back closer to its roots the reserve system has provisionally been scrapped (should there be larger shortfall in confirmed qualifiers than hoped for it may be reinstated). The designated events are the Supreme Championship (at Mildenhall), World Cup (at Cowdenbeath), King of the Peak (at Buxton),  BBA English (at Mendips), TSR World (at King's Lynn), British (at Mildenhall), Crash Attack UK Open (at Skegness),  European (at Warneton), Autospeed World (at Taunton),  PRI World (at Arena Essex), Masters (at Dover),  2Litre World (at Hednesford) and Spedeworth World (at Wimbledon)

2. Each ORC/BBA promotion has a place for one seeded entry into the Supreme Championship. Ideally this driver should be their highest driver in their 2011 points chart who failed to qualify through a BBA Championship event but this driver MUST have finished sixth or better in their promotions points chart in 2011. If all of the top six (or more) have already qualified then the place is offered to the first available non qualifier but if they cannot attend the space will go unclaimed. 

3. The three most recent Supreme Championships who have yet to qualify in their own right are added to the grid (not including the defending champion who qualifies via the 2011 Supreme Championship)

4. Qualify via the last chance qualifier race. This race is only open to drivers who have competed in one of the designated championship races in 2011 or have finished in the top six in points in any ORC promotions points chart or from one of a selected few non ORC promotions (chosen either by location or driver base-Coastal Raceway, Emmen, Standlake and Warton). At least three drivers will qualify via the last chance race. 

To show how all this shapes up the Supreme Championship entry below is the complete breakdown of how this years entries have qualified including their place in the relevant championship races. 

With invitations now having been sent to all qualifiers we have begun the process of establishing who intends on competing in the race. Drivers whose names are shown in bold have confirmed their intention race in the championship while drivers whose names are shown strikethrough have confirmed they will not be attending. Please note that should a seeded entry be unable to attend they may be replaced by the next highest driver in their promotions 2011 points standings, providing they finished in the top six of their points. List updated on March 21

Supreme Championship at Mildenhall on March 26
1st 247 Lee Clarke
2nd 200 Steve Farrell
3rd 190 Steve Bailey

World Cup at Cowdenbeath on April 9
1st 148 Ian Redden
2nd 222 Colin Riddell
3rd 455 Ricky Finney

2Litre World Final at Hednesford on May 15
1st 67 Rickie Beasley
2nd 516 Carl Gould
3rd 682 Paul Sparrow

English Championship at Mendips on June 26
1st 162 Brett Ellacott
3rd 239 Steve Carter
4th 998 Wayne Cotterill Jnr
(67 Rickie Beasley finished second)

King of the Peak at Buxton on July 10
2nd 450 Glyn Platts
4th 197 Jay Clarke
5th 75 Steve Thacker
(200 Steve Farrell was first and 455 Rick Finney third)

TSR World Final at King’s Lynn on July 16
2nd 67 Mark Whittaker
3rd 572 Paul Scully
5th 160 Perry Willings
(190 Steve Bailey was first and 516 Carl Gould was fourth)

UK Open at Skegness on August
1st 382 Jack Foster Jnr
2nd 317 Nick Wakeham
3rd 101 Keith Roberts

British Championship at Mildenhall on August 14
1st 119 Davey Cox
2rd 370 John Cobbold
3rd 64 Barry Lee

European Championship at Warneton on September 4
1st 589 Simon Smith
3rd 549 Phil Smith
4th 349 Lewis Price
(379 Ade Clifton was second but is presented not permitted to race at RDC events and therefore ineligible to compete)

World Final at Taunton on September 11
3rd 601 Lee Usher
4th 528 Alan Hunt
5th 409 Joey Collins

PRI World Final at Arena Essex on September 18
1st 294 Lee Hughes
2nd 567 Gary Brown
4th 20 James Avison
(190 Steve Bailey was third)

Masters Championship at Dover on September 26
1st 349 Lee Saunders
2nd 617 Jack Overy
3rd 346 Scott Saunders

Spedeworth World Final at Ipswich on October 15
1st 158 Shane Davies
4th 264 Mark Welland
6th 27 Dale Hughes
(294 Lee Hughes was second, 382 Jack Foster Jnr was third and 190 Steve Bailey was fifth)

Previous champions
188 John Reeves (2009 winner)
208 Jimmy Randall (2010 winner)
439 Danny Sutton (2008 winner)

Seeded entries (position in brackets represents their final position in promotions points championship
21 John Riddell (Crimond-6th)
22 Dave Vincent (TSR-1st)
56 Karel Eeckloo (CAMSO-3rd)
61 Darryl Theedom (PRI-1st)
204 Charlie King (Spedeworth-5th)
212 Karl Hogdson (Barford-2nd)
321 Andy Newton (Skegness-6th NB Andy was the highest Skegness driver in the 2011 points chart at Skegness)
451 Nigel Belfield (Autospeed-6th)
517 Scott Weldon (Mendips-1st)
800 Tom Hannah (Incarace-1st)
811 Kieran McIvor (Nutts Corner-1st)
898 Andy Battle (RDC-7th)

Seeded entries still to be confirmed from  GMP and Startrax (Unlike other qualifiers the seeded entries can change from those listed above as if eligible driver cannot attend the place can be offered to next highest non qualifier in the points chart providing they are in the top six). With none of the top six in the 2011 points available there will be no Buxton seed

Interview with defending champion 247 Lee 'Bro' Clarke
In the lead up to the 2012 Unlimited Banger BBA Supreme Championship we spoke to defending champion Bro 247 Lee Clarke

If we can start with your victory in last year’s BBA Supreme Championship, what memories do you still have of that race?
It was a hard race to win. There is no such thing as an easy win but a race like that is always going to be tough. To be honest I still remember the 2008 championship very well when I was leading into the final bend and got stopped by Cruncher (119 Davey Cox), I probably remember that a little clearer actually! The Supreme is always a busy race, there is always so many cars in it and so much going on. That is often the case at Mildenhall because of the size of the track so it is usually quite hard to know exactly where you are what is going on around you, you just keep plugging away and hope for the best in the end. Last year’s (Supreme Championship) wasn’t quite as manic as previous years because there were a few less cars in it so you did have a better idea of where you were but it is still tough. I didn’t have the best of grid positions but the car was so good that night, it went like it was on rails, I just had to turn the (steering) wheel and put my foot on the throttle. When (Boxer) Jack went out (with a puncture) I thought I had a chance because from the front I don’t think anyone would have caught him and then I was able to catch and pass Jack (Foster Jnr) for the lead but even then you never know if it’s your race until it’s over. I was waiting for something to go wrong with the car or someone to stop me like what happened in 2008 but it didn’t so it was my night. 

Having come so close to winning the title in 2008, did last year’s victory make up for any disappointment from a few years back?
No not really because there wasn’t any disappointment. You can’t go into any race, especially one like that expecting to win or even do well, whatever you get is just a bonus, especially if you do well. So you cannot get disappointed when things don’t go your way because that is racing, you just move onto the next race or the next meeting and if possible you try and learn from it, in that I case I did learn that I would have been better to have gone for the hit (with 119 Davey Cox) instead of trying to avoid it. 

How does the Supreme Championship win rank among your accomplishments in the sport?
Very highly, it’s definitely one of the best things I have won. Another highlight was successfully defending the BBA English Championship which meant a lot to me. The great thing about a race like the Supreme is it carries a roof grade (the white, blue and red stripes) and so when you have that on your car people can instantly see that you are a champion which I think means a lot and championships with a special roof grade are more special than those without. It’s been nice having the roof for the past year, it’s looked good on the car, especially when I was England Champion as well and we came up with some different ways of merging the two roof grades. 

There are a few changes to the Supreme Championship this season, the biggest of course being the move to Unlimited Bangers, rather than National Bangers. How do you feel about the switch, is it good for you and the event as a whole?
I think it is definitely good for the championship itself but not so much for me because I’m not quite there with unlimited or rear wheel drive (RWD) cars yet so I don’t fancy my chances too much. Making it unlimited instantly gives the race greater importance for drivers I think because most will tell you that winning a race in a RWD car is a greater achievement than a front wheel drive (FWD) car. Don’t get me wrong, winning is always an achievement but the FWD cars are much easier to race and control so when you do well in a RWD or unlimited car you do get a bigger sense of pride, I do at least but I think it’s the same for a lot of drivers. The Supreme Championship was already a big deal when everyone was in (FWD cars) but now it’s unlimited, straight away it’s going to mean a lot to whoever wins it.

The stature of the Supreme Championship has grown over the years, do you agree it is an important race and why do you think that is?
It is definitely an important race, again any championship with a roof grade I think is important but this one is especially so because of the quality of drivers you get in the race. I think that is mainly down to the qualifying system. I don’t really understand it completely, I don’t think many do, but it does give you a grid of some of the best drivers who are racing at the moment and that is the most important thing. Even the drivers who qualify who might not be considered big names have still had to do something, somewhere to get in, everyone has really earned their place on the grid and there aren’t many races in a year like that.

The show of support by drivers for this meeting has surprised many, did you expect there to be so many drivers committing to the event?
I actually did think there would be a good turnout for this. The sport seems to be shifting back to unlimited racing again and I think a lot of the drivers much prefer racing (RWD) cars and I also think the fans prefer watching that kind of racing. The only problem is they tend to be more expensive so you would struggle to race them every week but more and more drivers want to race them as much as they can. I stayed away from unlimited racing for a long time which was mainly through the cost involved. I did an unlimited meeting a couple of years ago at King’s Lynn and really enjoyed it but I just didn’t have the budget to commit to that type of racing regularly. Thankfully I’m in a position now where I’m earning a little more money which has given me the chance to invest a lot more into my racing with cars and equipment which is just as important, having the right stuff and a good engine. Another big reason I think unlimited racing has become popular again is because the big cars which are available now are better. For so many years it was (Mk1/Mk2) Granadas, Volvos and Jaguars and the modern stuff like the Mk3 Granadas, BMWs and Mercs were just rubbish so not only did you rarely use them but it made the older stuff more expensive to get. But now we’ve stuff like Lexus’ and Frog eyes (Scorpios) which are a little easier to get and they are good and competitive so it has breathed a bit more life into unlimited meetings. 

The show of support for the Supreme Championship meeting starts with the title race itself which, somewhat surprisingly, could well be the best attended Championship race to date with over 45 qualifiers already confirmed, what are your thoughts of that?
To be honest I think it is too many, especially at Mildenhall and I’m certain it will be very messy. One of the things I enjoyed about last year’s race was that with a few less cars on track it wasn’t one big pile-up, there wasn’t even a stoppage and it is always good when a race goes flag to flag. I think it makes for a better race for both the drivers and the fans to avoid big stoppages when the cars can start to overheat and stuff. 

There are some who feel with such a large grid it will make a more even playing field and more of a ‘banger race’, is that something you would agree with?
Well there is some truth in that. You can have the best car, best equipment and best set up in the world and in a race like this it’s probably not going to count for too much and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing because it does mean that anyone in the race has a chance of winning if it’s their night and they have the luck. But I do think luck is going to play a massive part in who comes out on top. It will only take one or two cars to go out to trigger a blockage and that could wipe out half the field in one go, if you’re in the middle of that, your race is done.

On another side some would suggest that with a high level of top quality drivers, many of whom are unlimited and shale experts who will have their eyes on taking the win, the emphasis may be on racing and there could be a chance the race won’t be as destructive as some predict?
It is possible, but I really cannot see it. Like I said you only need a couple to go round at the same place and before you know it, with that many cars out there, you’re going to have a pile-up. I would be amazed if the race goes flag to flag and there isn’t a big blockage. But whoever wins it will have certainly earned it. It was a bit like that in 2008, the race was just carnage and things were kicking off everywhere and you just had to try and survive and keep going which I managed until the final bend. Surviving will probably be a lot harder this year in unlimited bangers as well so it’s certainly going to be tough. 

Heading into this year’s championship, there are many on-going rivalries which are present on paper and could feature in the race, one of them is your issue with Team DWO. Is that something you will be thinking about when this one gets underway?
Not really. You never go into races with a plan because nothing ever goes the way you plan, you just take it as it comes. With so many drivers in this race it could be that our paths never cross, I could get wiped out on the opening lap and so could they so who knows what will happen, you can’t plan for it, just worry about it when it happens. 

Do you fancy your chances of winning the title again this year?
I’m getting better and better at this type (unlimited) of racing so hopefully I will be ok but the race is anyone’s, you just cannot predict what is going to happen and who is going to do well.

With that in mind, who would you expect to see in contention for the win?
Pikey (190 Steve Bailey) is going really well at the moment wherever he goes and you can never bet against him. The only thing I suppose is he is quite as good on shale in unlimited bangers as he is on tarmac but he went well at King’s Lynn in December so I would expect him to do well. Although if he decides to come I think (162) Brett Ellacott will be a contender. This sort of race is likely to be right up his street. He has loads of experience and he’s won loads of times in heavy races so he’ll be right at home.

Is there anyone you would like to mention or thank?
Luke Parfitt especially who remains a massive help to my racing with help, cars and the use of the Lorry, Ben Smith for lending me his mechanic Rug who has also been a huge help and the reason I can do so much racing at the moment, my girlfriend Cassie who is a great support and everyone else who lends me a hand. 

Previous Supreme Championship reports
Through our library of RDC meeting reports we can bring you detailed accounts of the previous BBA Supreme Championship events at Mildenhall which can be accessed quickly by the following links

2011 championship on March 26

2010 championship on March 27     Click here for a video highlight package from the event

2009 championship on March 28

2008 championship on April 5

2007 championship on March 24

2006 championship on April 1

2005 championship on April 9

2004 championship on March 27

2003 championship on April 5

2001 championship on April 7

Supreme Championship Roll of Honour

2002 event held at Northampton and 2000 event held at Hednesford

BBA Supreme Championship to go unlimited in 2012 
(announced on the RDC website news page March 30 2011)
As hinted on the RDC website last week we had some important announcements to make last weekend at Mildenhall Stadium and the first was that in 2012 massive changes will be made to the annual BBA Supreme Championship which will be run to an unlimited banger format for the first time at Mildenhall next season. 

While the switch to unlimited bangers in 2012 was announced at Mildenhall last weekend, we didn’t announce the second big change which is that next year the meeting will also have a last chance qualifier race introduced to the programme. However, like the main event this will also be an invitational only affair and is explained further after we detail our move to unlimited bangers in 2012.

This change to unlimited bangers is something we have been considering for many weeks and months at RDC and while we admit it is something of a gamble, we believe it is a necessary step for this prestigious event to continuing growing in importance and popularity in the sport.

When the Supreme Championship was first conceived in the 1999 season (the maiden event was run in 2000 at Hednesford) the intention was always for the meeting to become one of, if not the most important race of the season in National Bangers.

This goal was certainly not achieved at first and after three somewhat disappointing years where the event was held at Hednesford in 2000, Mildenhall in 2001 and Northampton in 2002, the event came very close to being scrapped all together from the fixtures.

The history of the event has been documented before but for those unfamiliar with the story the Supreme was originally meant to be shared between RDC, Northampton and Incarace (this was prior to Incarace running Northampton) as these were the three original and main members of the BBA who did not run their own World Final. When discussions were held about the future of the Supreme and other BBA events in the closed season of 2002/3 Incarace opted to trade in both the National Championship at Hednesford, the European Championship at Northampton and their share of the Supreme Championship in return for the BBA 2Litre World Final which they now run at Hednesford.

As a result of this the Supreme Championship found a full time home at RDC and Mildenhall Stadium and with that in mind RDC set about working to raise the profile of the race and the whole event to the heights originally intended. 

It didn’t happen overnight. The 2003 championship was no more popular than the 2001 event at Mildenhall but from then on the meeting grew and grew and grew and last weekend’s Supreme Championship was the eighth event in a row to attract a triple figure entry of cars. Furthermore recent Supreme Finals have seen in excess of 40 of the sports finest do battle for the coveted championship, which is now regarded by many as one of the most elite races of the season. Certainly the 2008 championship is still regarded by many as the best banger championship race ever seen at Mildenhall and one of the best in the sport in the last decade. 

Over the years many changes have been made in order to try and improve the quality of the event. First we introduced a reserve system to boost the number of cars on the grid. We introduced and tweaked the previous champion qualifying allocation which ensured victory in the big race would result in a return appearance for several years at least. The race was moved to the start of the programme to give the seeded entries a greater opportunity to make the most of their trip to Mildenhall and this year we tightened the qualifying system further which while producing a smaller field of 32 cars resulted in an even higher quality of qualifiers.

Now it is time for the biggest change of all. 

Again when the Supreme Championship concept was first conceived the intention was always to make the race one of the most important in the sport. We believe the event has gone as far as it can go under the current format of National Bangers and essentially FWD cars.

Our goal is now to try and take the Supreme Championship to the next level and this means making the meeting an unlimited banger event. It goes without saying that this is a massive gamble. The Supreme Championship is now a very much established fixture and there is a saying that you shouldn’t try to fix something which isn’t broken but we are trying to make it even better. 

Many would argue that unlimited cc racing is, in the modern day, the pinnacle of National Banger racing and that big races run to an unlimited format carry more prestige and honour than those for National (FWD) style events. This is underlined in the fact that over the years more and more of the big races which help shape the starting grid for the Supreme Championship have been run to unlimited rules, another influence in our decision. 

It is our hope that by making the Supreme an unlimited affair will generate even more importance to this race, the meeting and of course the winner. 

But again it is a massive gamble. We do not expect this to be an over night success. For us this is almost like going back to 2003 and starting all over again from square one and trying to build the meeting up as we have done from 2003 to 2011. And of course there is a high chance that introducing another unlimited fixture to the RDC calendar could have an impact on our existing big car fixtures. But this is a risk we are willing to take and again we must stress this is a long term project and it will take some time for us to achieve our ultimate goal.

Switching the Supreme Championship to unlimited bangers in 2012 isn’t the only big change being made to the meeting as for the first time ever the meeting will feature a last chance qualifier. Over the years the Supreme has prided itself on being the only major banger championship in the sport to not have a last chance race but this will chance in 2012. 

However the last chance race will carry some similarities to the main event itself in that it will be an invitational only affair. While the meeting will remain open to all drivers from all promotions (in 2012 at least) the last chance race will only be open to drivers who may have qualified for the championship. 

The 2011 Supreme Championship was the first of 13 races this year which will shape the 2012 event. The following races all count towards next year’s championship

Supreme Championship at Mildenhall on March 26
World Cup at Cowdenbeath on April 9
2Litre World Final at Hednesford on May 15
English Championship at Mendips on June 26
King of the Peak at Buxton on July 10
TSR World Final at King’s Lynn on July 16
UK Open at Skegness on August
British Championship at Mildenhall on August 14
European Championship at Warneton on September 4
World Final at Taunton on September 11
PRI World Final at Arena Essex on September 18
Masters Championship at Dover on September 26
World Final at Ipswich on October 15

The first three finishers in each event which have not already qualified will be seeded directly to the Supreme Championship but in 2012 any driver who competes in any of the races above but does not qualify will be eligible to compete in the last chance race.

Joining the qualifiers in 2012 will once again be one seeded entry from every ORC promotion. This should be the highest finisher in their 2011 points championship who has failed to qualify in their own right but in accordance to the tightened qualifying rules in 2011 this driver MUST have finished at least sixth in the points to be eligible (unless all of the top six have qualified in which the place will be offered to the highest non qualifier). Any additional top six drivers who do not qualify will be invited to the last chance race.

Finally the three most recent Supreme Champions who fail to qualify in their own right for the 2012 event will also be added to the grid. Any further former champions may contest the last chance race as well.

The top three drivers (at least) in the last chance race will be seeded into the main event. 

While on one hand it is a shame that the Supreme will no longer be the only championship in the sport to not have a last chance event the introduction of this last chance qualifier under these stipulations we believe will be crucial to the continued success of the meeting and very important in our long term goals for the meeting.

However again we want to stress that next year’s Supreme Championship meeting will be open to all drivers but only invited drivers will be able to compete in the last chance race.

This is the dawn of a new era for the Supreme Championship. We have more ideas bubbling away at the moment which we intend to share in the coming weeks and months but in the meantime we would like to thank all the drivers and fans who over the last decade have helped make this meeting what it is and we hope you will support our plans to make the event even bigger in the future. 

Last Chance Qualifier entry
As well as the BBA Supreme Championship becoming an unlimited event in 2012 the second big change is the introduction of a last chance qualifier which will offer at least three final places in the championship event.

Previously the Supreme Championship was perhaps the only major National Banger event in the sport to not offer any last chance places for drivers to qualify on the night of the meeting.

However as we look to develop the event for the future we have now introduced a last chance qualifier event. However just like the main event itself, this too is an invitational only affair and invited drivers will have the chance to qualify for the Supreme Championship on March 24 2012.

Invitations have been sent to drivers who have competed in any one of the BBA Championship races which determine qualifiers for the Supreme Championship or have finished inside the top six in their home promotions points chart.

Furthermore in a bid to raise the profile and stature of the event further, invitations to race in the last chance event will also be offered to some non ORC promotions. At this stage the offer is not available to all non ORC promotions but ones based on location where there is no ORC venue nearby (Emmen and Coastal Raceway) and those with a strong National/Unlimited Banger base (Warton, Standlake and again Emmen).

Over 250 drivers are eligible to compete in the last chance event and while we do not expect the majority to accept the invitation we are hopeful of sufficient to make the maiden Supreme Championship last chance qualifier a competitive affair and should there be sufficient cars an additional race would be run.

Here is the list of drivers who are eligible for the last chance race and with invitations sent to all drivers we have started to establish who intends to compete in the last chance race as well as confirming those who do not intend on accepting their invitation. With such a long list of eligible drivers who have separated the drivers who intend to compete on March 24 and those who either do not or have not contacted us. 

List updated March 21 with the latest confirmations highlighted in bold

Confirmed drivers for last chance qualifier
17 Kyle Overy
27 Andy Reynolds
43 Nicky Bishop
54 Martin Lawton
57 Stu Cumming
70 Ant Long
72 Billy Bond
73 Dean Cruickshank
86 Alwin Grit
101 Ian Norris
101 Bob Peat
124 Ian Sharrat
128 Andy Shipp
143 Daniel Rose
143 Paul Russell
152 Jim Dillon
160 Shayn Winsor
170 Darren Teal
171 Tommy West
174 Dave Osbourn
180 Mark Foster
203 Darren Nash
206 Phil Milner
218 Rob Speak
222 Bas Eilert
226 Brian Youngson
257 Timmy Aldridge
269 Greg Mulligan
271 Dean Goodall
279 Andrew Swallow
312 Tom Reynolds
313 Craig Osbourn
331 Jason Jackson
337 Ashley Garrod
339 Jack Garrod
349 Michael Allard
384 John Golden
390 Dave Gibson
402 Albie Jenner
403 Marcus Sprawling
423 Danny Oliver
425 Martin Stopher
433 Ben Smith
440 Pete McVay 
443 Dave Harvey
498 Chris Wilcock
517 Sid Cooper
533 Richard Coe
542 Craig Oliver
570 Jordan Cumming
583 Dan Weeks
585 Kevin Giles
597 Andy Ashman
673 Darren Fendley
714 Paul Smaldon
715 Mick Prince
719 Chris Storey
730 Dean Mayes
753 Billy Cunningham
851 Adam Storr
880 Neil Naismith
887 Rob Browning
888 Lloyd Stark
945 Jeron Hoes
959 Martijn Joes

Drivers who have yet to confirm their place. 
(drivers shown with a strikethrough have confirmed they will not be attending)

04 Mick Croft
05 Carlos Perez
1 Maarten Steenbekkers
2 Georgie Lee
2 Luke Dawson
2 Paul Foulkes
3 Anto Grenden
4 Bob Barnes 
8 Maikel Kollenburg
11 Steve Matthews
11 Darren Race
11 Bjorn de Sutter
13 Aaron Kelly
16 Mike Flaherty
20 Wayne Brook
20 Andy Burbridge
22 Elliot Dowds
24 Mark de Laat
26 Jeroen Muller
29 Christian van der Most
30 Tanguy de Waele
32 Ricky Hughes
34 Jimmy de Waele
36 Jimmy Carmoy
37 Remon Hogendoorn
38 Tom Chilton
38 Craig Allen
40 Pete Stanley
41 Arjam de Witte
43 Bart Versmissen
44 Richard Steeghs
44 Mark Jackson
45 Anthony Crowshaw
46 Roelof van Veen
47 Guido Vrendenburg
47 Marcus A'Lee
49 Lawrence Dowds
50 Simon West
53 Dave Palmer
54 Tom Davey
55 Graham Smith
57 Max Stott
58 Martin Dalton
58 Mally Hughes
60 Ton van Haaren
60 Kyle Stevenson
61 Hendrik Dominee
68 Sven de Coensel
73 Frederick de Witte
79 Ricky Twell
86 Alec Savage
88 Ash Burton
88 Randy Mulder
98 Matt Harrison
98 Alex Gjoni
99 Steevie van Goetham
99 James Sellors
99 David Spooner
101 Klaas Troost
109 Leon Barton
112 Mike Simmons
114 Nick Courtier
123 Rob Smith
128 Mark Atkins
129 Lee Dalton
129 Jeffrey dan Dal
129 Alan Norris
136 Ant Yates
136 Ben Gasitskell
137 Jay Chilton
138 Jason Smy
141 Toby Tiddy
144 Wayne Thompson
153 Shaun Buckley
162 Mick Cocks
166 Willy Ogilby
166 Andrew Armstrong
169 James Rushton
172 Alan O'Neil
173 Steve Reynolds
174 Aaron Smith
175 Gary Mallinson
175 Jan Merkx
178 Andy Walsh
179 Stu Nightingale
182 Frank Dolan
182 Mike Maggs
192 Gregory de Luyck
196 Ben Harrison
197 Glenn Woodward
198 Dave Hughes
203 Russ McBain
205 Kieran Briddock
210 Paul Barnes
211 Dennis Vorkink
212 Richard Marion
212 Dennis Welmer
212 Garry Panton
220 Mike Stephens
220 Len Youngson
227 Niels Nijhuis
238 Jo Beale
240 Patrick Vekeman
241 Liam Cracknell
242 John Quinn
242 Rick Korpiela
244 Michael Bunyan
250 Gert Hoekman
252 Steve Bugler
256 Stuart Kelly
260 Eric Dalgarno
261 Dom Davies
267 Martin French
269 Dean French
271 Marc Dalgarno
275 Joe Morgan
277 Gavin Perryman
277 Sean Rowell
282 Lee Treasurer
287 Dean Quinsee
288 Stacey Griffiths
290 Scott Falconer
299 Dale Locker
300 Dan Kirkbride
303 Dave Vamplew
303 Scott Dale
305 John Kirkbride
306 Mitchell Hawkins
309 Paul Brown
310 Jon Nicholson
318 Wilf Speak
320 Darryl Wall
338 Terry Garrod
341 Andy Jones
352 Daniel Aeltermann
353 Dan Buckley
361 Chris Walden
363 Sam Trim
364 Darren Feltham
367 Josh Genders
385 Jason Todd
386 Wayne Sowerby
388 Steve McGrath
390 Dirk Audenarde
391 Ben Gibson
396 Graham Hyla
396 Callum Roberts
402 Charlie Callard
418 John Harris
421 Graham Aspinell
427 Dean McPhilimey
432 Mark Munson
442 Sean Crittenden
446 Jason Burt
449 Bill Crittenden
456 Steve Allen
456 Nathan Roberts
465 Andy Scarlett
473 Mark Nicholls
474 Matt Threlkeld
478 Chris Spiers
492 Dean Harper
500 Kieran Cannell
511 Dan Crosbie
520 Roy van Heel
525 Wes Starmer
525 Jonny Downes
527 Dan Gardiner
556 Pete Hollis
557 John Small
560 Gary Reynolds
577 Alfie Lee
591 Marc Blower
601 Chris Medler
614 Chris Hide
621 Scott Goodyear
639 Paul Vines
665 Didier Callewaert
687 Mark Cross
730 Anto Finnigan
741 Luke Parfitt
757 Tom Farren
757 Jo Van Rijsselberghe
777 Arian Vorkink
790 Dominic Gumbleton
791 Nicky Young
800 Luke Benn
801 Scott Mears
807 Chris Murfin
808 Jason Buckland
820 Martyn Perkins
841 Tom Perkins
843 Jacob Foster
862 Dave Kingston
885 Morice Katier
890 Leszek Malinowski
891 Darren Wade
908 David Brown
917 Derek Jones
928 Emmerson 'Prime
999 Scott Hill

The supporting entry

A further 40 places are available for drivers at this meeting as part of the support entry who will be introduced to the meeting after the Supreme Championship.

We must stress to any 'support' driver (who has not qualified for the championship and is not eligible for the last chance race) that we can only guarantee them two races on the night (the consolation and Accumulator qualifier/DD) although there would be the opportunity to qualify for a third race (the meeting final).  

The list was last updated on March 21 and with the latest additions and cancellations with now have 36 drivers booker here so there are four places available for any drivers wishing to book in

01 Kyle Shires
90 Adrian Harboard
95 Dave Ford
96 Amber Daniels
97 Jim Madsham
100 Russell Bull
107 Michael Seex
125 Roy Preece
149 Wayne Bailey
185 Lenny Smith
207 Billy Randall
209 Gary Haresign
225 Nick Bull
280 Simon Goodale
328 Daniel Lathan
347 Dave Bull
356 Luke Radley
357 Paul Reid
359 Simon Rolph
422 Lee Hutton
484 Darren Caple
502 Kayligh Dighton
508 Harry Bradbury
514 Marty Eighteen
622 Garry Webb
668 Wayne Goldsmith
690 Jack Wilkins
739 Wayne O'Hare
768 Danny McSweeney
781 Shaun O'Donnell
784 Liam Conway
822 Allan Webb
825 Luke Preece
837 Martin Wesby
862 Liam Reach
989 Dean Arm

Full Drivers List

As above we have divided the entry list into three sections, qualifiers, last chance qualifier entries and support cars we thought it would make a little sense to bring them all together and have one complete list of all the drivers who are booked in to compete at Mildenhall on Saturday, March 24. To try and highlight which races the drivers will be competing in, the Supreme Championship finalists are shown in black, the last chance qualifiers in blue and the support cars in red

The list was updated on March 21 and the latest additions are highlighted in bold

01 Kyle Shires
17 Kyle Overy 
20 James Avison 
21 John Riddell 
22 Dave Vincent 
27 Andy Reynolds
43 Nicky Bishop
54 Martin Lawton
56 Karel Eeckloo 
57 Stu Cumming
61 Darryl Theedom
64 Barry Lee 
67 Mark Whittaker 
67 Rickie Beasley  
70 Ant Long
72 Billy Bond
73 Dean Cruickshank
86 Alwin Grit
90 Adrian Harboard
95 Dave Ford
96 Amber Daniels
97 Jim Madsham
100 Russell Bull
101 Ian Norris
101 Bob Peat
101 Keith Roberts  
107 Michael Seex
119 Davey Cox 
124 Ian Sharrat
125 Roy Preece
128 Andy Shipp
143 Daniel Rose
143 Paul Russell
148 Ian Redden 
149 Wayne Bailey
152 Jim Dillon
158 Shane Davies 
160 Perry Willings 
160 Shayn Winsor
162 Brett Ellacott
170 Darren Teal
171 Tommy West
174 Dave Osbourn
180 Mark Foster
185 Lenny Smith
188 John Reeves 
200 Steve Farrell 
204 Charlie King 
203 Darren Nash
206 Phil Milner
207 Billy Randall
208 Jimmy Randall  
209 Gary Haresign
212 Karl Hodgson 
218 Rob Speak
222 Bas Eilert
222 Colin Riddell 
225 Nick Bull
226 Brian Youngson
239 Steve Carter
247 Lee Clarke 
257 Timmy Aldridge
269 Greg Mulligan
271 Dean Goodall
279 Andrew Swallow
280 Simon Goodale
294 Lee Hughes 
312 Tom Reynolds
313 Craig Osbourn
317 Nick Wakeham 
321 Andy Newton
328 Daniel Lathan
331 Jason Jackson
337 Ashley Garrod
339 Jack Garrod
346 Scott Saunders
347 Dave Bull
349 Lee Saunders 
349 Lewis Price 
349 Michael Allard
356 Luke Radley
357 Paul Reid
359 Simon Rolph
370 John Cobbold 
382 Jack Foster Jnr 
384 John Golden
390 Dave Gibson
402 Albie Jenner
403 Marcus Sprawling
422 Lee Hutton
423 Danny Oliver
425 Martin Stopher
433 Ben Smith
439 Danny Sutton
440 Pete McVay
443 Dave Harvey
450 Glyn Platts 
451 Nigel Belfield 
455 Rick Finney
484 Darren Caple
498 Chris Wilcock
502 Kayligh Dighton
508 Harry Bradbury
514 Marty Eighteen
516 Carl Gould
517 Sid Cooper
517 Scott Weldon 
528 Alan Hunt
542 Craig Oliver
549 Phil Smith 
533 Richard Coe
567 Gary Brown 
570 Jordan Cumming
583 Dan Weeks
585 Kevin Giles
589 Simon Smith  
597 Andy Ashman
622 Garry Webb
668 Wayne Goldsmith
673 Darren Fendley
682 Paul Sparrow 
690 Jack Wilkins
714 Paul Smaldon
715 Mick Prince
719 Chris Storey
730 Dean Mayes
753 Billy Cunningham
739 Wayne O'Hare
768 Danny McSweeney
784 Liam Conway
800 Tom Hannah 
811 Kieran McIvor 
822 Allan Webb
825 Luke Preece
837 Martin Wesby
851 Adam Storr
862 Liam Reach
880 Neil Naismith
887 Rob Browning
888 Lloyd Stark
898 Andy Battle 
945 Jeron Hoes
959 Martijn Joes
989 Dean Arm
998 Wayne Cotterill Jnr

National Bangers 2012 RDC RWD Championship series 
As the BBA Supreme Championship will mark the start of the third annual National Banger RDC RWD Championship series and will also produce the first two qualifiers for the championship final on September 29 (the winner of the BBA Supreme Championship and the winner of the evening's Grand Final) we have included full details of this year's series.

The following was added to the news page of the RDC Promotions website on February 8. 

For the third consecutive year RDC Promotions will run its season long National Banger RDC RWD Championship series which once again we hope to make bigger and better in 2012.

And with the BBA Supreme Championship now an unlimited banger fixture it means this year’s series grows again in size with no less than 10 meetings now featuring in the series making it one of the most important championships of the year at RDC. 

The series was created in 2010 to not only unify the somewhat limited number of events on the RDC calendar where the majority of drivers race RWD type cars but also to create a new type of event where drivers who prefer this kind of racing could put their efforts into and get greater rewards than before. 

In 2011 the nine round series culminated in the second annual RDC RWD Series Championship which was staged at the maiden all RWD National Banger meeting where 617 Jack Overy became the latestwinner of the sublime annual trophy kindly sponsored by Bathside Garage while 382 Jack Foster Jnr won the points chase and with it earned the right to wear a silver roof for the next 12 months. 

With the BBA Supreme Championship becoming an unlimited banger event in 2012 the RWD Series becomes a 10 round event in 2012 and once again the top points scorer after the 10 rounds will join the elite club to paint their roof silver for the next year. 

Once again adding to the importance of the RWD Series we have decided that it will be these points in 2012 which will determine which four drivers represent RDC in the Unlimited Banger World of Shale Championship at King’s Lynn in early September. Previously the RDC seeds were determined, like all major events, by the RDC National Points but in 2011 it was decided that to give the RWD Series added significance it will be these points which determine the four seeds. Therefore the top four RDC drivers in the RWD Series Points following the Unlimited Suffolk Open Championship on August 11 (round 8) will be offered the places in this big event at King’s Lynn. Please note that all remaining championship allocation, including the 2Litre TSR World Final and 1500cc National Championship at King’s Lynn, will still be determined by the RDC National Points Championship as per usual. 

Therefore here is the full run down of the dates and events for the 2012 National Banger RDC RWD Championship series. 

Round One Mildenhall Saturday March 24 6pm Unlimited Bangers BBA Supreme Championship
Round Two Mildenhall Saturday April 28 6.30pm Unlimited Bangers EA Team Championship
Round Three Mildenhall Saturday May 26 6.30pm Pre 70 Bangers
Round Four Dover Monday June 4 1pm Big Van Bangers
Round Five Mildenhall Saturday July 7 6.30pm Unlimited Van Bangers
Round Six Dover Sunday July 15 1pm Unlimited Bangers Kent Championship
Round Seven Mildenhall Saturday July 28 6pm 2Litre RWD Bangers
Round Eight Mildenhall Saturday August 11 6.30pm Unlimited Bangers Suffolk Open Championship
Round Nine: Mildenhall Saturday September 8 6.30pm All Mk1/Mk2 Granada Bangers
Round Ten/Series Final: Mildenhall Saturday September 29 6.30pm All RWD National Bangers

Qualifying for the Championship final on September 29 remains similar to 2011 but we have made some tweaks to again try and improve the season and full details are below. 

Firstly all 10 rounds will carry five attendance points to all drivers who race. Much like the British and Masters Championship qualifying points, these will only count towards the RDC RWD Series and will not have any bearing on the RDC National or track championships. It is hoped that these attendance points will reward those drivers who make the effort to attend as many rounds as possible. 

Qualifying for the 2012 RDC RWD Series Final on September 29 can be achieved by one of the following ways. 

The winner of the finals at the Unlimited BBA Supreme Championship on March 24 (both the Supreme Championship AND the meeting final), Unlimited EA Team Championship on April 28, Unlimited Kent Championship on July 15, 2Litre RWD meeting on July 28 and Unlimited Suffolk Open Championship on August 11.

We have also looked to incorporate other similar styled events which are held elsewhere in the sport. Therefore we are delighted to report that with the blessing of the promotions in question we will be offering seeded places to the winners of the finals at the following RWD style events. The 2Litre RWD events at Northampton (April 1), Aldershot (April 29), King’s Lynn (May 19) and Yarmouth (August 19), the 1800cc pre 76 meeting at Standlake (July 8), the 1400cc Vintage Tin meeting at Taunton (July 10), the pre 85 meeting at Grimley (June 24), British Beef at Mendips (June 23) and the all Cortina meeting at Swaffham (July 22). 

These seeded entries will be joined by the top 16 drivers from the RDC RWD Series points after August 11 (not including the all Mk1/2 Granada meeting) that have failed to qualify by winning one of the above Grand Finals. As always these places will be offered to the top drivers, regardless of which promotion they are licensed too. Please note that if there is any shortfall from the invited seeded entries detailed above, the next four drivers in the RWD points will act as reserves. However only the top 20 (not including any seeded entries) from the points will have a chance of competing in the series final. 

As we are not including the all Mkl/2 Granada meeting in helping to determine the 16 qualifiers via the RDC RWD points (we feel it is so close to the series final it does not give the qualifiers sufficient time to prepare so by not including it, it will allow us to announce the 16 seeds and reserves after August 11 giving drivers an extra three weeks to prepare), all race winners on September 8 who have yet to qualify for the RWD Championship will be extended a place on the grid.

Completing the list of pre meeting qualifiers will be defending champion 617 Jack Overy and the top two drivers (who wish to compete) from both the RDC National Points Championship and the Mildenhall Track Championship (up to and including August 11) who have failed to qualify already. The seeds via the Mildenhall points can include a visiting driver if they are high enough in the points. 

The grid will be completed by qualifiers from the last chance qualifier (which will be open to all drivers) and there will be a minimum of three places available from this race. Ideally we would like around 36 cars in the series final (although under the 2012 qualifying system there is potential for a bigger grid) so if there is any shortfall on the night, extra places may be available via the last chance race.

BriSCA F2 STOCKCARS 

No minors...no exceptions...This is where the big boys play
The fastest show on dirt at Mildenhall Stadium

RDC's One Wild Night 2012 will also play host to the long awaited return of the sensational BriSCA F2 Stockcars to Mildenhall Stadium as they compete on the Suffolk shaleway for the first time since the incredible English Open Championship on October 1.

After a near six month absence the open wheeled specialists will return to the raceway to do battle in the opening round of the 2012 track championship where 606 Andy Palmer will be looking to win the title for an incredible fourth time. 

Typically we do not print entry lists for the majority of our BriSCA F2 Stockcar meetings as drivers are usually always welcome to attend our events. Once again all drivers will be welcome to race at this meeting but given the importance of RDC's One Wild Night in 2012 we will be making an extra effort to try and establish an entry list and this is shown below 

As well as all the drivers looking to make a strong start to the season there will be some extra silverware up for grabs with two challenges laid down by RDC in 2011 which remain unanswered.

In recent months we have been describing the BriSCA F2 Stockcars as ‘the fastest show on dirt’ at Mildenhall Stadium with lap times sometimes faster than speedway racing at the track. On Sunday, July 31 2011 823 Sam Wagner set the fastest lap time of the year so far with a 13.176second lap in the Grand Final and we have now set the challenge for the first driver to break the 13 second barrier and a trophy awaits the first F2 Stockcar driver to complete a lap of Mildenhall in under 13 seconds. This challenge was not met at the English Open Championship meeting last season and will again be on offer on March 24 2012. 

Furthermore we have made a few references to the amazing run of different final winners at Mildenhall in the formula since April 2010 as now the last 15 Grand Finals (not including the 2010/1 White and Yellow Grade Series Final or 2010 World of Shale championship which each doubled up as heat one on the night) having produced 15 different winners. 

With that in mind we have a trophy ready and waiting for the first driver to snap the streak. There are of course 15 drivers in contention for this award and should any of them win the title race they will also receive this trophy. Will the season start with the streak being ended or will another name be added to the growing list on March 24 2012? 

The current contenders for this award are
52 Pete Robertson (July 25 2010 final winner)
77 John Davies (July 31 2011 final winner)
150 Mark Thomas (May 22 2010 final winner)
186 George Turiccki (April 10 2010 final winner)
326 Johnny Hall (June 12 2011 final winner)
377 Daz Shaw (April 9 2011 final winner)
379 Stu Cayzer (July 24 2010 final winner)
495 John Cayzer (May 21 2011 final winner)
599 Jon Lawrence (July 30 2011 final winner)
606 Andy Palmer (May 1 2010 final winner)
645 James Waters (June 19 2010 final winner)
662 Steve Wycherly (August 28 2010 final winner)
702 Allen Cooper (October 2 2010 final winner)
742 Nick Rogers (October 1 2011 final winner)
977 Dave Massey (June 18 2011 final winner)

As promised we are gathering an official entry list for this meeting. Our thanks to the drivers who have taken the time and trouble to contact us to confirm their booking for this meeting and they are listed below. Once again all drivers will be welcome on the night but we would be grateful if drivers planning to race could please book in (either by phoning 01268 412299, ideally between 9am and 12noon Monday to Friday) or e mailing wastedmc@btopenworld.com) so we have a good idea of how many cars to expect. Our intention is that should we have 34 or more cars competing we will run a full format of two qualifying heats, consolation, Grand Final and Grand National. However should we get 33 or less cars we plan to run an 'all in' four race format. Normally if we don't have sufficient cars for a full format we would run a three heat format. However on this occasion we feel an all in format would be better for the drivers as it would give them more regular racing during the night and less time between their races.

The list was added on March 21, the latest additions are shown in bold

13 Andy Ford
19 Martin Ford
70 Brian Shadbolt
81 Mark Clayton
145 Graham Mole
148 Gary Lusher
150 Mark Thoms
186 George Turiccki
198 Paul Nicholson
219 Chris Mitchell
226 Billy Webster
283 Gary Allen
330 Jack Thompson
376 Darren Seneschall
377 Daz Shaw
379 Stu Cayzer
380 Steve Cayzer
396 Dave Johnson
423 Neil Darby
426 Dickie Raymond
431 Andy Gibbs
449 Mark Dorrill
482 Dale Seneschall
495 John Cayzer
498 Derek Cayzer
555 Dave Bale
569 Chris Hands
588 Matt Pettit
597 Barry Clow
598 Jamie Taylor
606 Andy Palmer
615 Josh Coleman
696 Paul Chamberland
724 Tom Pell
742 Nick Rogers
798 Mark Sargent
860 Andy Brewin
871 Mark Simpson
886 Chris Bradbury
924 Nigel Pearson
905 Rob Mitchell

GENERAL MEETING INFORMATION

Meeting format 

Admission Prices    

Directions

Greyhound racing

Overnight Camping

Contact Details

Meeting format
(please note the meeting format is subject to change)

Race one: BriSCA F2 Stockcars Heat One
Race two: BriSCA F2 Stockcars Heat Two
Race three: Unlimited Bangers Last Chance Qualifier (first three to Supreme Championship)
Race four: BriSCA F2 Stockcars Consolation
Race five: Unlimited Bangers BBA Supreme Championship (qualifiers only)
Race six: Unlimited Bangers Consolation
Race seven: BriSCA F2 Stockcars Grand Final (qualifiers only)
Race eight: Unlimited Bangers Grand Final (qualifiers only)
Race nine: BriSCA F2 Stockcars Grand National (first 28 available cars)
Race ten: Unlimited Bangers Accumulator qualifier into Destruction Derby

Admission Prices
Adults £13
Children/OAPs/Concessions £6
Family ticket £30 (two adults and up to four concessions)
Admission prices include car parking and special souvineer programme

Directions
From the Barton Mills roundabout on the A11, turn towards Mildenhall on the A1101, follow the road to a small roundabout and then follow the sign for West Row. This road is 2.5 miles long and you pass RAF Mildenhall on your right, at the end of the road turn left towards West Row and then first right which is signposted Mildenhall Stadium. The stadium is a mile down the road on your left and the car park is the first entrance by the big tyre. For the pit area, go past the stadium and take the road down the side of the stadium.

The A11 can be accessed from the M11 at Junction 9 or use Junction 14 onto the new A14 (formerly A45) and follow the signs for Norwich A11. The A14 is also accessible from M6, M1 and Harwich.

The post code for the stadium is IP28 8QU

For more detailed directions to the stadium click here

GREYHOUND RACING

Anyone planning to travel to Mildenhall Stadium the night before Good Friday may be interested in joining us at the stadium on the Friday night (March 23) where there will be a greyhound meeting. 

RDC offer a fantastic deal with the stadium where drivers can get a reduced admission for themselves and their guests to the dog meeting.

By producing an ORC log book (or a Saloon Stockcar or BriSCA F2 Stockcar log book) drivers can get admission to the greyhound meeting for themselves and all their guests for just £2 a head which includes a race card. Normal admission for the greyhound meetings is £5. 

The greyhound meeting will be a great way to kick off the weekend and these meetings at Mildenhall and always an excellent night out for the whole family. The Fenman bar will be open as will the fish and chip shop and the restaurant is open although tables must be booked, for more information call RDC on 01268 412299. 

Overnight camping

Overnight camping is available at Mildenhall Stadium both on the Friday and Saturday night for no additional cost to racers, however we do ask that drivers intending to stay the night before of the night of March 24 to inform RDC by phone or e mail. 

Guests joining us on the Friday night may be interested to know there will be a Greyhound meeting at the stadium. 

Alternatively if you are looking for overnight accommodation in the local area please contact RDC and we will be able to assist in some contact details for local Bed and Breakfasts and hotels. 

Contact Details

If there is any information you have been unable to find about this event on this page then please contact RDC either by calling 01268 412299 or 07850 683953 or e mail wastedmc@btopenworld.com 

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