Northampton – 24/6/23 – 2L Bangers British Championship – Meeting Report

Northampton played host to the British Championship for the first time on Saturday 24th June, the meeting switching from Mildenhall due to the Suffolk shaleway obtaining the 2L World Final. Around 50 2L Bangers assembled with the field mostly made up of Mondeos or Cougars with the odd exception of an Astra or Zafira. 174 Tom Lindgren braved it with a used Honda Civic coupe and 585 Luke Holdsworth had a Toyota Celica.

The British Championship was the first race of the afternoon, and started with two rolling laps. 243 Pete Osborne was an early casualty, as 370 Jonny Cobbold rattled 699 Aaron Nelson around the armco. 111 Joe Cotton and 521 Lee Dace suffered offs along the back straight. 298 Carl Locker attacked 512 Matt Armstrong. 201 Phil Milner set about 51 James Licquorice. 595 Drew Burdett and 126 Daniel Bowley leathered 911 Toby Wilson along the back straight, before 28 Fred James and 542 Craig Oliver tangled on the entrance to turn 1. The red flags then came out due to a wheel falling off of 732 Macauley Free’s Mondeo. 459 Blake Platts lead them away from 440 Lennon Phillips and 284 James Head. 170 Darren Teal set about 542 Oliver before 17 Billy Taylor laid into 51 Licquorice. 246 James Butts set about 510 Daniel Newman. 51 Licquorice buried 284 Heady, who was then jacked in turn by 720 Kenny-Joe Gabriel. 29 Jamie Locker rolled before landing and then coming under fire from 201 Turkish. 699 Nelson was spun aside courtesy of 577 Alfie Lee. 521 Dacey spun 720 Keno. Keno responded with a hit on the nose to Dacey, which took 577 Fonzo, 51 Licquorice, 28 Mac Bell and 510 Newman out. 114 Liam Lake turned 510 Newman fence-wards. 201 Turkish turned 246 Buttsy left. 126 Bowers ran 348 Sonny Sherwood into Buttsy. 459 Platts collected 348 Mushy ending his charge, opening a nice gap for 440 Lemon in the lead. 720 Keno homed in on 459 Platts. 123 Kieran Gray and 4 David Wilde crashed out on turn 3/4. 111 Cotton Eye spun 36 David Lewis. 610 Devon Usher attacked the leading 440 Lemon on oppo, before he was joined by 299 Dale and 29 Jamie Locker on the last lap – the latter stopping 440 Lennon Phillips with an inside-out shot having already black flagged for numerous laps previous. 298 Carl Locker crossed the line to take the chequers, but a lengthy steward’s enquiry then took place, opting to apply the ‘Malcolm Girling rule’ seeing the race put back a lap with 440 Lennon Phillips inheriting the win, albeit with a broken wrist – 327 Mick Maskell Jnr and 114 Liam Lake his placemen whilst the three Scrapyard Screamers alongside 298 Carl were loaded for the meeting.
Further investigation after the event saw 298 Carl Locker reinstated to second place.

440, 298, 327, 114, 246, 201, 352, 111, 17, 817

The first Alcomers commenced with several drivers crashing out along the back straight whilst 830 Lee White and 494 Jack Harris squabbled for the lead. 720 Keno was spun and rejoined by attacking 47 Archie Butts over the front wheel. The pair exchanged small hits on turn 4, before 178 Slim delivered a solid jacking to Keno. 47 Butts then jacked Keno against the flow. 327 Maskell Jnr put away 111 Cotton Eye. 178 Slim leathered the spun 510 Newman, before 743 Jake Bond spun 542 Oliver. Gladiators revenge was swift, as 201 Turk turned 743 Bondy fence-wards a lap later; this almost costing the leading 830 Stretch. Stretch survived this to take the victory, with 327 Maskell Jnr getting spun before the line by 512 Armstrong.

830, 370, 114, 248, 494, 352, 348, 577, 521, 51

The second Alcomers started with 114 Lakey running in 246 Butts, with 111 Cotton Eye putting away 28 Bell behind. 126 Daniel Bowley attacked Lakey, and came under fire himself from 111 Cotton Eye. 327 Maskell Jnr spun 352 Ben Mynott. 28 Bell got set about along the back straight, with the reds coming out to assist him. The restart saw 178 Slim lead them away. 126 Balers laid into 830 Stretch. The back-marking 595 Drewboy pulled across in the path of second placed 170 Darren Teal, sending him across the infield, where the latter rejoined to try and hold up the leading 178 Slim in revenge. 459 Platts turned 595 Drewboy fence-wards, and copped a head on from the Predators man in revenge a lap later. 178 Slim dispatched of 170 Teal. 595 Drewboy and 327 Maskell Jnr met in a head on. 246 Butts put 327 Maskell Jnr away. 246 Butts and 595 Drewboy clashed, with 111 Cotton Eye attacking the former in turn. 327 Maskell Jnr weighed in on 595 Drewboy. 459 Platts attempted an oppo attack on 178 Slim but didn’t connect. 2L World Champion 348 Sonny Sherwood raced to the win. 126 Balers jacking 595 Drewboy to end the action. 
348, 178, 830, 126, 494, 246, 111, 327, NOF

Into the DD, where Drewboy took more punishment courtesy of 114 Lakey. 327 Maskell Jnr laid into 111 Cotton Eye. Maskell Jnr spun aside 114 Lakey. 111 Cotton Eye and 114 Lakey set about 178 Slim. Slim responded by jacking 111 Cotton Eye. 327 Maskell Jnr and 178 Slim shared a couple of head ons, before the former copped one from 114 Lakey. A fire broke out on one of the cars seeing the DD red and chequered.