Mildenhall Stadium - Saturday 11th August 2012 - Unlimited Bangers Steamer Memorial & Suffolk Open Championship

190 Steve Bailey had this awesome Mk9 Jaguar Estate (Paul Toward/Northern Bangers)

The passing of Iain ‘the Steamer’ House, left a massive hole in the banger community, so when it came round to the staging of his memorial meeting, it came as no surprise that it broke the record for an Unlimited Banger meeting held by RDC Promotions, with just over 160 drivers in attendance at Mildenhall on Saturday 11th August, in what was a lovely summer’s evening.

Team V man 252 Wibbs, John Wibberley, always turned out a pukka looking motor, and this Mk1 Granada Coupe was no exception! (Paul Toward/Northern Bangers)

One of my personal favourite cars on the day was this sublime Toyota Crown Custom Coupe courtesy of 239 Steve Carter (Paul Toward/Northern Bangers)

811 Pete Winter made his return with this rare Austin Princess Fastback (Paul Toward/Northern Bangers)

On the driver front, all corners of the UK were covered with a strong showing of Westcountry and Scottish drivers, as well as drivers from Wales and across the seas from Ireland and mainland Europe. The material front was outstanding; with a lot of the pre-meeting hype being centred around DWO pilot 190 Steve Bailey’s Mk9 Jaguar Estate, with several online enthusiasts slating the fact it raced. The return of 811 Pete Winter was viewed in positive limelight, and he piloted a cool Austin Princess Fastback. There was an outbreak of American machinery. Team Green man 682 Paul Sparrow had a Chevrolet Biscayne, 155 ‘Mr Demolition’ Craig Boyle piloted a Chrysler Cordoba, 501 Ste Kaye had a Cadillac Seville and there was a Plymouth Grand Fury for 67 ‘Sparky’ Mark Whittaker. 127 ‘Challo’ Mark Challis had a proper cool Ford Thunderbird. There were 17 fresh Rover P4/P5s, including a handful of coupe variants of the latter. 152 James Dillon had an Austin A135 Princess Limo, and there was a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow courtesy of 282 Bobby Daniels. Several drivers opted for an Austin Westminster or Vanden Plas 4 Litre, and the British tin continued with a pair of Mk2 Ford Granada Hearses for Predators legend 401 Steve Hemmings and 182 Mark Thompson, whilst 384 John Golden boasted a Ford Granada Mk2 Limo. 252 John Wibberly had a stunning Mk1 Ford Granada Coupe. 821 Rob Bennett had a stunning Daimler Majestic, 39 ‘Peanut’ Steve Moore had a trademark Daimler DS420 Hearse, and continuing the British theme was 583 Dan Weeks’ Austin 3 Litre. There was a sprinkling of fresh Jaguars - Barton Boys driver 104 Mick Siddalls a Mk10, 243 Jamie Millen a 420, and 168 Calvyn Girling had an S Type. 90 Adrian Harboard piloted an Armstrong Siddeley Whitley. On the Asian front, there was a pukka Toyota Custom Crown Coupe for ‘Nemesis’ 239 Steve Carter. Extreme pilot 555 Ben Williams had a stunning Toyota Crown S110, and 439 Daniel Sutton had a Datsun 300c Estate. No Mildenhall meeting is complete without it’s Volvos, and beside the 2/7 series variants, 63 Lee Moore of Coalpower had a 740 Limo, 690 Jack Wilkins a 960 Limo and ‘Humps’ 587 Alex Humphrey had a 164. There was even a bit of French bilge, as 27 Will Longford has a Peugeot 604.

401 Steve Hemmings had this Mk2 Ford Granada Hearse, fitted with added axe (Paul Toward/Northern Bangers)

‘Sparra Boy’ 682 Paul Sparrow had this smart Chevrolet Biscayne (Paul Toward/Northern Bangers)

Lush Toyota Crown for 555 Ben Williams (Paul Toward/Northern Bangers)

Car/Driver List (courtesy of Toward)

8 Dale Woolnough - Volvo 740 Estate
10 Ben Collins - Rover P5
19 Joe Mullarkey - Mercedes 300 Estate
27 Will Longford - Peugeot 604
32 Matt Small - Jaguar XJ
33! Simon Reed - used Rover P5 Coupe
36 Ben Hamilton - Volvo 240 Estate
37 Jay Chilton - used Scorpio Estate
39 Steve Moore - Daimler DS420 Hearse
42 Nick Manners - Rover P4
54 Martin Lawton - used Rover P5
57 Stuart Cumming - used Scorpio Estate
63 Lee Moore - Volvo 740 Limo
64 Norman Moore - Cadillac Fleetwood
67 Mark Whittaker - Plymouth Grand Fury Mk7
70 Ant Long - Jaguar XJ
72 Billy Bond - used Jaguar XJ
73 Frederick de Witte - Vanden Plas Princess 4 Litre R
79 Ricky Twell - Ford Scorpio Estate
86 Alec Savage - used Volvo 240
88 William Stawiarski - Volvo 740 Estate
89 Joe Barratt - Volvo 240 Estate
90 Adrian Harboard - Armstrong-Siddeley Whitley
91 Jay Hewlett - used Mk2 Ford Granada
97 Dave Brown - Rover P4
97 Jim Madsham - Volvo 240
101 Richard Rayner - Volvo 240 Estate
104 Mick Siddalls - Mk10 Jaguar
110 Garrie Mirza - Volvo 740 Estate
111 Jeff Street - Jaguar XJ40
114 Adam Jackson - used Volvo 240 Estate
117 Karl Dack - used Daimler DS420 Limo
122 James Woodley - Volvo 240 Estate
127 Mark Challis - Mk2 Ford Thunderbird
128 Andy Shipp - Volvo 240 Estate
133 Marc Paton - used Rover P4
140 Mark Lee - used Austin A90 Westminster
141 Andy Neale - used Mk3 Ford Granada
142 John Kavanagh - used Jaguar XJ
148 Ian Redden - Volvo 240 Estate
149 Wayne Bailey - used Volvo 940
152 James Dillon - Austin A135 Princess Limo
155 Craig Boyle - Chrysler Cordoba
156 Michael Maskall - Rover P5
158 Mark Morgan - Series 5 Jaguar
160 Davey Patton - Volvo 240 Estate
160 Shayn Winsor - used Mk2 Ford Granada
165 Richie Jarrod - Volvo 240 Estate
168 Calvyn Girling - Jaguar S Type
170 Chris Shipp - used Ford Scorpio
171 Tommy West - Ford Scorpio
176 Ady Gibbs - Mk3 Ford Granada
179 Jamie Phillips - Ford Scorpio
179 Shaun Rushton - Volvo 240 Estate
182 Mark Thompson - Mk2 Ford Granada Hearse
183 Bobby Wilmer - Lexus LS400
190 Steve Bailey - Mk9 Jaguar Estate
192 Stu Warby - Jaguar XJ
196 Ben Harrison - used Ford Scorpio Estate
203 Darren Nash - used Toyota Supra
208 Jimmy Randall - Vauxhall Omega
209 Ben Hayward - Rover P5 Coupe
209 Tom Waller - Ford Scorpio
220 Tom Pavitt - used Volvo 240 Estate
225 George Coates - used Jaguar XJ
226 Dave Marsh - Jaguar XJ
227 James Saunders - Ford Scorpio
230 Dean Moljourd - used Ford Scorpio
231 Reece Fields - Volvo 240 Estate
239 Steve Carter - Toyota Crown Custom Coupe
243 Dougie Thompson - Jaguar XJ
243 Jamie Millen - Jaguar 420
244 Michael Bunyan - Rover P5
252 Gareth Griffiths - used Daimler DS420 Limo
252 John Wibberley - Mk1 Ford Granada Coupe
266 Alan Roskell - Volvo 240 Estate
277 Gary Staples - used Rover P5 Coupe
282 Bobby Daniels - Rolls Royce Silver Shadow
287 Paul Totham - Mk2 Ford Granada
295 Graham Nunn - Rover P5
303 Brian Cope - Volvo 940
310 Chas Lee - Rover P5
310 John Nicholson - Rover P5
311 Lee Bradbury - Rover P5 Coupe
312 Tom Reynolds - used Ford Scorpio Estate
313 Craig Osborne - Volvo 240 Estate
325 Craig Preece - used Volvo 240
326 Shane Lynn - Mk3 Ford Granada Limo
327 Michael Maskall Jnr - Rover P5 Coupe
328 Dan Lathan - used Ford Scorpio Estate
331 Jason Jackson - Jaguar XJ
339 Adrian Lightbrown - Mk2 Ford Granada
346 Scott Saunders - Austin A110 Westminster
347 Dave Bull - Volvo 240 Estate
349 Lee Saunders - Vanden Plas Princess 4 Litre R
352 Ben Mynott - used Rover P4
356 Lee Basham - Jaguar XJ
356 Luke Radley - used Rover P5 Coupe
357 Paul Read - Volvo 740 Estate
359 Simon Rolph - Rover P5
363 Sam Trim - used Toyota Crown Super
366 Mark Wrenn - used Mk2 Ford Granada
380 Trevor Wright - Rover P5
384 John Golden - Mk2 Ford Granada Limo
390 David Gibson - Lexus GS
399 Jonny Atkin - used Toyota Previa
401 Steve Hemmings - Mk2 Ford Granada Hearse
402 Albie Jenner - Volvo 240
411 Simon Pegg - Rover P4
428 Richard Regan - Austin A110 Westminster
439 Danny Sutton - Datsun 300c Estate
440 Pete McVay - used Mk2 Ford Granada
442 Sean Crittenden - used Volvo 240 Estate
450 Glyn Platts - used Lexus LS
451 Willy Blackwell - used Ford Scorpio
455 Ricki Finney - used Ford Scorpio Estate
473 Mark Nicholls - used Rolls Royce Silver Shadow
480 Kane Caple - used Vanden Plas Princess 4 Litre R
484 Darren Caple - used Vanden Plas Princess 4 Litre R
501 Ste Kaye - Cadillac Seville
508 Harry Bradbury - Jaguar XJ
512 Dan Jackson - Volvo 240 Estate
513 Shaun Harvey - Volvo 940
514 Chas Taylor - Series 5 Jaguar
514 Marty Eighteen - used Austin A110 Westminster
515 Tommy Lee - Volvo 740 Estate
517 Sid Cooper - Vauxhall Omega
525 Wes Starmer - used Jaguar XJ
537 Martin Brunson - Rover P5
555 Ben Williams - Toyota Crown S110
557 John Small - Volvo 240 Estate
557 Paul Bowen - Rover P5
570 Jordan Cumming - used Ford Scorpio
583 Dan Weeks - Austin 3 Litre
587 Alex Humphreys - Volvo 164
602 Shaun Cooper - Volvo 740 Estate
620 Guy Whitehead - Volvo 240 Estate
673 Darren Fendley - used Ford Scorpio Estate
682 Paul Sparrow - Chevrolet Biscayne
690 Jack Wilkins - Volvo 960 Limo
695 Mark Mason - Volvo 740 Estate
714 Paul Smaldon - Jaguar XJ
715 Mick Prince - Volvo 240
730 Deane Mayes - used Jaguar XJ40
768 Danny McSweeney - Volvo 940
781 Shaun O'Donnell - Vauxhall Omega Estate
791 Nicky Young - used Vauxhall Omega Estate
804 Ben Small - Vanden Plas Princess 3 Litre
811 Pete Winter - Austin Princess Fastback
814 Mark Millen - used Wolseley 6/110
821 Rob Bennett - Daimler Majestic
830 Lee White - Jaguar XJ40
837 Martin Wesby - used Ford Scorpio
880 Neil Naismith - Rover P5
888 Shane Emmerson - used Volvo 240 Estate
898 Andy Battle - Vauxhall Omega
912 Keiran Greenway - used Rover P4
917 John Millen - used Rover P5
924 Matt Millen - used Rover P5 Coupe
925 Aaron Preece - used Volvo 240
989 Dean Arm - Volvo 240 Estate

804 Ben Small had this smart Vanden Plas Princess 3 Litre in the Stinkbridge livery (Paul Toward/Northern Bangers)

The Armstrong Siddeley Whitely of 90 Adrian Harboard was another top material contender (Paul Toward/Northern Bangers)

714 Paul Smaldon completed an impressive fleet for DWO with a stunning Jaguar XJ (Paul Toward/Northern Bangers)

With nearly a third of the field being Pre 70, the evening began with two Pre 70 Heats. Heat 1 saw 27 cars hit the shale to kick things off. 327 Little Legs being the first to show by burying Gladiator 54 Splat. 244 Bunny ran 39 Peanut into the concrete blocks. 924 Millen followed in 583 Weeksy on the road bend. 252 Mr Blobby destroyed 244 Bunny, before 282 Mr Mad and 682 Sparra Boy tangled with 811 Pistol Pete. 349 Finbarr spun 97 Dusty, as 282 Mr Mad administered a rear wheel shot on 811 Pistol Pete. 682 Sparra Boy spat 924 Millen fence-wards down the home straight, and 912 the Entertainer suffered the same feat courtesy of 168 Girling. 346 Muttley tangled with 359 Mr Mint, the latter being clobbered by 327 Little Legs. 804 Small tboned the luckless 359 Mr Mint, before 811 Pistol Pete singled out his revenge attack on 282 Mr Mad, backing him into the barrier. The Management boys turned the pace up a notch on the action button, with 349 Finbarr removing 352 Mynott, before 346 Muttley laid into 912 the entertainer; continuing on to spin 359 Mr Mint. 583 Weeksy tboned the spun 359 Mr Mint, as 484 The Boss took a wild lunge at 349 Finbarr to set the first jacking train of the day off. 912 The Entertainer jacked 484 The Boss, and was done in turn by a solid hit courtesy of 346 Muttley. 804 Small homed in on 346 Muttley, and copped a revenge hit from 349 Finbarr who had gone against the flow. 168 Girling attacked 349 Finbarr. Team V man 310 ‘Eno’ John Nicholson guided his Rover P5 to the win amongst the chaos, with 917 John Millen and 349 Lee Saunders the place men. 484 Darren Caple took the entertainer award after the Metal Wreckers set the tone going.
310, 917, 349, 804, 682, 352, 168, 73, 311

Heat 2 saw another Pre 70 heat, beginning with several drivers storming in along the home straight, with cars going everywhere. 117 Kamikaze took the brunt of the abuse, as his DS420 Limo took a series of hits courtesy of 140 Sass, 104 Siddalls and old foe, 537 Bruno. 190 Pikey blasted 880 Naisy. 152 Mr Grumpy delivered a rear wheel shot to 156 Micky Boy, taking one in turn from 127 Challo, the latter copping more of the armco however. 473 Nicholls couldn’t resist the opportunity to steam in on 127 Challo, throwing his lead away to do so. 190 Piked then buried 428 Grumpy into the back of 473 Nicholls, causing a great auto-sculpture but snapping Challo’s Thunderbird massively, bringing the red flags out. 42 Manners set the tone, with a shot on 310 Lee. 190 Pikey once again latched onto 428 Grumpy, this time running him through the side of the spun 133 Chins. 295 Nunny dispatched 209 Minge into 133 Chins. 209 Minge then took a series of hits with 156 Micky Boy driving through him, before the lively 42 Manners leathered 209 Minge. 428 Grumpy nailed 133 Chins with a solid hit, before coming under fire from 190 Pikey for a third time, setting him up for a stiff head on from 514 Marty. 190 Pikey continued on to home in on 480 Caple. 814 Millen set about 152 Mr Grumpy, as 42 Manners and 209 Minge shared a head on. 190 Pikey completed another lap before jacking 480 Caple again. 814 Millen blasted 190 Pikey, and then set about 428 Grumpy - Grumpy again copping a hit from 190 Pikey. As this was going on, 356 Luke Radley paid no attention to the chaos going on around him, taking the race win from 514 Marty Eighteen and 190 Steve Bailey; 428 Grumpy the only other finisher showing how destructive a heat it was. Ant Hill Mob man, 814 Mark Millen was awarded the race entertainer.