Mildenhall September 21 2002
National Bangers British Championship and BriSCA F2 Stockcars Novice of the Year 

Just shy of 100 cars assembled for the Banger British Final at Mildenhall on September 21 with 33 of the seeded entries arriving plus a further 61 for the support with loads of visitors from most of the countries promotions. Car wise a few brave souls out there including a Mk3 Escort and a Lada while 401 Steve Hemmings returned a Mk2 Granada Limo and 401 Ian Phillips a Scorpio. But for the third year running it was Mk1 mania with an outbreak of them from 47 Andy Davies, PRI's 116 Mark Want, 158 Shane Davies, 220 Andy Thacker, 249 Matt Frost, 273 Mad Mouse, 331 Jason Jackson, 364 Sean Winchester, a used one for 602 Billy Lee, 617 Jack Overy and 920 James Medley. Finally Incarace's 218 Lee Clelland provided the vintage with a Triumph Estate. As always many made the effort in the presentation department with the aforementioned Davies', 331 Boxer Jack, Winchester, 6 Steve Humphreys (Est), 811 Pete Winter (Cortina), 88 Speedy Reed (Mk3) and 10 Paul Whiteman collecting awards in the big race while 154 Stephen Heyward, 007 Ian Laws and 67 Mark Whittaker all looked the part for the support. 

28 for the first last chance qualifier with 85 James Ellis (Est) treating 70 Charlie Cunningham to a bone whole PRI's 425 Steve Ashworth met the limo as did 503 Daniel Hollinsworth with a spun 156 Micky Maskall (Cavalier) as 2 Martin Brinkworth (Bluebird) stuffed 314 Wayne Brown who was later T-boned by 619 Karl Turnbull. 23 Dave Stafford (Cortina) was sent into the wall by 557 Adrian Jackard in the Lada before 249 Frosty buried 401 Psycho but took a rated shot from 312 Tom Reynolds (Volvo Est). The leading Brinkworth was then cruelled spun on the last lap by 924 Matt Millen and TSR's 86 Charlie Haller nicked the place on the grid with 125 Lee Overy and PRI's 42 Jay Widlers next. The rest of the top 10 were all RDC. 

A couple less for heat two with 665 Stu Scarrlett (Est) buried by 35 Peter Lewis as an early pile up formed on the exit to turn three while 007 Dangerous Dill planted the Scorpio in the wall as PRI's 414 Lee Busby took a hit from 120 Shane Burbridge (Capri). The lively Dill continued with hits on Spedeworth young gun 533 Justin Garmand (Est) and then a big T-bone on Scarlett. 18 Rob Burbridge (Cortina) put away 207 John Randall before Medley beautifully dumped 268 Steve Searles (Mk3) into Dill and 207 Eyebrow concluded the race with a hit on 120 Fat Bloke. 49 Billy King (Est) held off Lews and 753 Billy Cunningham for the last place in the championship with Medley fifth for TSR, 533 Garmo seventh for Spedeworth and Eyebrow 9th for PRI.

Full grid of 35 cars came out for the British but sadly both Jack Overy and Haller were non starters and it was 12 Kenny Gabriel and 53 Phil Stevens who led them round with the former the early pace setter as 295 Graham Heywood became the first casualty at the hands of 119 Davey Cox and Shane Davies clashed with Stevens while Whiteman was buried by 148 Ian Redden. Winter had taken over up front from 777 Trevor Luff (Est) and 37 Dave Lewis (Prelude) before a luckless 295 Havoc was T-boned by 564 Mark Cooper and a small pile up formed on the home straight which quickly cleared. Lewis had taken the lead as 119 Davey Cox removed Luff to move into fourth before a huge pile up exploded on the back straight. Winter met his demise and Lewis was held up and 119 Cruncher took over. After being spun by 22 Dave Vincent, 446 Lee Greer homed in for a T-bone on Luff as 404 Rob Mills (Est) took a shot from King with the Autospeed man then pummelled by 297 Martin Tappenden and 6 Shagga with the latter taking a revenge hit from 57 John Broad as Vincent T-boned Mills and was rammed by Shane Davies with Clelland doing the English champ. 20 Andy Burbridge attacked Tappenden before King turned round and met 57 Basher Broad in a big head-on, Shane Davies firing up the back of the Autospeed man as Cruncher raced to the win, Andy Davies, Lewis and Whiteman completing the trophy spots with Speedy and Clelland also placing for the visitors in 8th and 9th. 

31 starters for the first Allcomers race with Eyebrow meet Fat Bloke head-on at the start as Millen fired in 557 Stalky and Ellis attacked the Ant Hill Mobster. 425 Gringo felt the sharp end of Garmo as 265 Troy Thiele put away 106 Clyde Williams' Cortina and the lively Garmo enjoyed a head-on with a spun 242 Ricky Korpiela only to take a hit from Searles in turn as 318 Terry Chapman had a go at Thiele. Scarlett stuffed 214 Marcus Ballard (Capri) and Fat Bloke and Searles went head to head with 67 Sparky turning round for a roof bender on the latter only to be hammed by Mad Mouse. 136 Mark Simpson put away 115 Gary Rose as 537 Martin Brunson enjoyed a head-on with 214 Mr Ballard and Winchester concluded the event with a stiffer version directed at Mad Mouse. Billy Cunningham took the win for Spedeworth, the aforementioned Winchester second and Williams third with just seven finishing including PRI's 242 Korps and Boxer Jack in 6th and 7th. 

A larger 36 car field for the second Allcomers event with 788 Darren Gathercole and Rob Burbridge going head to head at the start as Shane Davies zeroed in on Heyward and Dill gave the Clelland Trummy a T-Bone. Lee scored on Winchester as Speedy and spun 443 Joe Wenhold went head to head while Psycho fired up the back of Heyward. The Cream Team V Midnight Runner war continued as Boxer and Stevens met on the nose with the latter then wasted by a big hit from Boxer. Shane Davies again punished Heyward but took one himself from Winter with Winchester and 564 Coatie doing the TSR man as a luckless Whiteman was buried by Dill and T-boned by Andy Davies. 20 Baldy then turned round to meet Sparky head-on before taking a harder one from Winchester who was blasted by Shane Davies but this also claimed the leading Andy Davies and Cruncher beat 41 Willie Skoyles (Mk3) in the race to the line for his second win, PRI's 175 Stephen Thompson third and Clelland seventh for the visitors. 

21 came back for the Accumulator with Scarlett putting Garmo in setting the latter up for a hard blitz from 312 Turbo as 537 Bruno and Burbridge enjoyed a head-on as did Fat Bloke and Gathercole which spilled onto the centre with Scarlett also involved. 348 Sonny Sherwood won from Billy Cunningham and Vincent and 348 Mushy celebrated the face by putting in 466 Lee Hackett, Into the DD with Charlie Cunningham attacking Clellannd and 279 Colin Coker (Mk3) doing the former which set Cunningham up for a T-bone from Gathercole as Turbo nailed Coker. Billy Cunningham scored on Gathercole and Sparky and then gave Shane Davies a massive package on the back straight leaving him open for a revenge hit from Sparky. 72 Gary Turner then assaulted Sparky with Mushy doing him before Sparky finished himself with a hard hit on Shane Davies, Mushy polished of 72 Stan with a roof bender and then put away Shane Davies for the honours. 

Heat One: 1) 86 Charlie Haller 2) 125 3) 42 4) 265 5) 85 6) 619 7) 537 8) 318 9) 214 10) 23
Heat Two: 1) 49 Billy King 2) 35 3) 753 4) 64 5) 920 6) 67 7) 533 8) 18 9) 207 10) 268
British Final: 1) 119 Davey Cox 2) 47 3) 37 4) 10 5) 22 6) 158 7) 6 8) 88 9) 218 10) 564
All Comers One: 1) 753 Billy Cunningham 2) 364 3) 106 4) 265 5) 136 6) 72 7) 242 8) 331
All Comers Two: 1) 119 2) 41 3) 175 4) 22 5) 158 6) 47 6) 218 7) 007 9) 6 10) 10
Accumulator: 1) 348 Sonny Sherwood 2) 753 3) 22 4) 279 

Another good entry of BriSCA F2 Stockcars for their last outing of the year at Mildenhall with 47 cars in action with the meeting starting with the Novice of the Year Final which attracted a dismal entry of just 11 starters including Dutchman H36 Paul Hermkens. It was surprisingly lively though as 191 Jason Mackenzie attacked 38 Steven Polley from the off with the latter involved in a pile up the lap later with 858 Vinny Lawson and 41 Richard Leaning. Third placed 193 Adrian Smith then tangled with Mackenzie and clobbered the inner wall ending his race as 490 Anthony Dakin led from flag to flag for the title from 909 Richard Baldwin with Polley recovering well for third.

208 Dave Hemstock led heat two away before loosing the spot to 448 John Wright who never looked back and raced to the flag. The action picked up a bit a few laps in when 274 Trevor Bonnet went spinning into the pits bend fence hard as was collected at equally high speed by 482 Dale Seneschall. Wright won with 177 Alan Skayman and 599 Jonathan Lawrence the placemen after second and third placed 414 Mark Veall and 247 Zoe Baguley Skayman spun.

A spinning 101 Kelvin Whalley was collected by 49 John Davies at the start of heat three led flag to flag by 519 Stephen Lawrence with 13 Andy Ford the runner up after making a late charge

The consolation was problematic with an early stoppage as Leaning spun on the exit of the top bend and was unable to get going again and the second attempt barely started when 290 James Waterfall did a huge roll on the home straight to stop it again. 392 Mark Sharp led them away the third time as 366 Mick Kemp and Bonnet clashed violently with Veall taking the lead and going on for victory, Sharp an excellent second. 

27 of the 29 qualifiers returned for the final with Sharp the pace setter as 413 Lee Veall hit the fence and Mark Veall removed Hemstock. Stephen Lawrence had moved into the lead spot and kept his nerve for a superb heat and final double for the white grader. Davies had moved into second before a late swap for positions saw Skayman and 798 Mark Sragent leap up with Skayman getting past Sargent for second on the final lap. 

A huge pile up on the first bend of the 27 car Grand National brought the reds out again with 81 Mark Clayton removing 379 Staurt Cayzer on the restart as Mackenzie led the field before loosing the spot to 504 Matt Everard. Having repaired from his rollover Waterfall ditched Shadbolt as 833 Rob Kaye took over and took the flag, Smart bouncing back from a heavy clash with 219 Chris Mitchell for second.

Novice of the Year: 1) 490 Anthony Dakin 2) 909 3) 38 4) H36 5) 470 6) 771 7) 191
Heat Two: 1) 448 John Wright 2) 177 3) 599 4) 606 5) 208 6) 70 7) 511 8) 798 9) 60 100 284
Heat Three: 1) 519 Stephen Lawrence 2) 13 3) 977 4) 81 5) 101 6) 413 7) 905 8) 49 9) 744 10) 219
Consolation: 1) 414 Mark Veall 2) 392 3) 713 4) 219 5) 744 6) 833 7) 504 8) 376 9) 247 10) 379
Grand Final: 1) 519 2) 177 3) 798 4) 833 5) 219 6) 905 7) 13 8) 70 9) 448 10) 49
Grand National: 1) 833 Rob Kaye 2) 744 3) 977 4) 379 5) 290 6) 211 7) 702 8) 606 9) 519 10) 60

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