Arena Essex Raceway - Meeting 05/32 Sunday, September 18, 2005 Crashnet > Reports Index > PRI 2005 Index > Meeting 05/32

National Bangers 35th ORC World Championships SuperBangers

National Bangers
Matt Fuller became the 35th holder of the Banger World Championship trophy at Arena Essex on Sunday, September 18 in a race that was curiously subdued at the front but contained a number of thrills throughout where grudges were being aired. Indeed, the lead was hardly fought at all as Fuller sprang away from the front row after getting pole position next to Firecracker title holder Lloyd Isherwood, last seen at Arena Essex scoring the majority of the northern army points in the Civil War earlier in the year. Fuller was well away and suffered little as he almost cruised flag-to-flag to victory, not even getting involved in the team shinnanigans that 2004 RJK champion Jason Jackson was indulging himself with. For much of the heavier action, you needed to go back down the field as defending champion Wayne Cotterill did a little team inspired wrecking of his own, seeing pink as he took on the various Condom teamsters, eventually coming to a stop in a head on by the bridge with Shane Davies. There was a little light contact too as Jackson put himself about; hits on the Cream Team regulars were to be expected, but he also exchanged blows with former team mate Billy King, who would eventually finish in fifth spot behind Sonny Sherwood. Sherwood also hadn't forgotten his own grudge with the Gladiator team, though this didn't flourish until later in the meeting. Lee Madden came second, and may have even had a shot at the title had it not been for some major engine troubles towards the end of the race, his finish being in a cloud of smoke.

For the second year running, Richard Ahern managed to grab a back row place in the final by winning a last chance race though he blew his engine up doing it. The main final saw his pit crew struggle to put a replacement engine in, and they just about made it too, though there would be no fairy tale ending this year as Ahern never managed to finish the final, though he managed to sort out the problems in time to grab the Grand National Final later in the meeting. Another former world champion, John Harris, almost won the second last chance heat until he was taken out inside the last few laps by eventual winner John Millen. Harris, once spun, tried to take Millen out on the home straight but missed as Millen tricked him around the rubbish that lay around the circuit, the last chance races having their fair share of wrecking action.

The consolation race saw more of the grudge war between the Runners and the Cream team which has marked the season since the fourth PRI Team round with veteran Cream member John Harding nose to nose with more recent Runner recruit Lee Hughes, Wayne Byrne also getting involved. The race was taken by Dale Hughes ahead of a strong challenge by Shaun Dyer.

As already mentioned, the Grand National final was won by Richie Ahern ahead of smart car winner Sean Winchester (the two other smart car awards going to Matt Fuller and Mark Johns), Winchester breaking up the former and current gold tops that finished in the top five places including the new title holder Fuller who had already painted his roof! Meanwhile, Sherwood had backed up his promise made after the world final and took on the Gladiator team, most of the biggest shots being on turn two with Simon Smith and Sam Rigby, though some of the visitors also got involved, not to mention some old mates including Len Brinkley and Dale Hughes. Winchester later took the Rawlins Qualifier win as the wrecking got started early, then Harris took on Gary Greenland, both slaughtering each other as Lee Hughes managed to fight free of the ambush on the pit bend, then managed the few inches under power required after all fell silent to win the last car running award and entry into the October 23 final.

SuperBangers
It was a good day for Leigh Hussey in the SuperBanger meeting at Arena Essex on September 18, a heat and final double, almost a triple though his first trip to the track in the first heat ended up in the fence as he got trapped outside after leading most of the race afer shaking Lee Morrow off. Tubbs Butler would be left far behind in the second heat, however, Hussey putting as much distance between himself and the chasing field to win comfortably, though there was nothing comfortable about the win in the final as, again, Butler moved up to challenge in the last laps of the race. The last corner ambush, however, didn't work as Hussey managed to straighten up courtesy of a conveniently placed back marker, avoiding what would otherwise have been a spin as Butler pushed inside.

Last car: 24 Lee Hughes

Also see Matthew Bull's website for more pictures from this meeting!

© 2005 Chris Johnson (Crashnet) / Promotasport Raceways