The Madman Writes - 25th April 2009
What goes through the mind of a Banger driver? Not even the great Sigmund Freud could get to the bottom of that one. I mean, who in their right mind would bring a car some 400 miles to Cowdenbeath, just to drive flat out into some stricken vehicle, then load the car up again and drive all the way back home. 100 of the top Banger drivers in the UK, that’s who. Yes, it’s time for the annual Banger World cup where every top name in formula descends upon the Racewall for the annual bash. If you are here for the first time, don’t expect a Scottish winner. Their English counterparts hold all the aces. They have an uncanny knack of being able to keep going when there is mayhem going on around them. Some of the hits are mind boggling but the drivers are used to doing it week in, week out, and they usually just walk away with nothing battered except their pride.
I don’t profess to know much about the formula. There are a few household names I recognise when I look down the list which is why I am always grateful for the invaluable assistance of Britain’s most knowledgeable commentator about them, Michael Coventry. Michael can be heard down at Mildenhall, a track that regularly can get a hundred plus cars at a domestic meeting. Make him welcome. He will be doing his best to ensure that everyone at the Racewall is part of the night and that your vocal chords are well and truly waxed as all the top names in the sport make their way out for one of the biggest titles in the formula.
As for winners, I could list 99 out of the 100 scheduled to appear and still not pick a winner. I will be happy at the end of the night if I have seen some big hits and all of the drivers are still in one piece. Good luck to all of them out there entertaining us. The Bangers usually save the best to last with the DD the most entertaining event regularly on these occasions. Ironically, it was the same last week in the Brisca F2’s where the Grand National turned out to be one of the best races of the night. There was an amazing piece of driving in the race by Robbie Dawson who had cars going in all directions in front of him but he shot through a gap that no-one else could see and got himself clear of the field. It all turned sour a couple of laps later when the yellows were called for when Gary Sime hit the wall with some force. After that there was only going to be one winner, Chris Burgoyne. Chris did the remarkable feat of winning both the final and Grand National. It is a feat nigh impossible to do even with the aid of a yellow flag so it made his achievement one of the best at the Racewall for a number of years given the number of times that drivers have tried and failed to do it. The starts in the formula are still coming under scrutiny with Paul Ford being the latest culprit to anticipate the start in the race. He ended up being docked down to last place where if he had waited until the green, it is likely that he would have passed a couple of cars fair and square and had more to show for his efforts.
With the first points period at an end, it is obvious that Chris Bradbury does not intend to give up his much deserved silver roof without a fight. When fellow superstar, David Polley, announced that he was planning to do 100 meetings this year, I thought that it would be a one horse race. Chris has matched him so far and by my calculations leads the points at the end of the first grading. The big test will come when there are solus dates north of the border with the driver who is the hungriest for the title being prepared to make the long trek for a few valuable points. There are no F2’s tonight at the Racewall but they are in action tomorrow up at Crimond where there should be another big turn out of Bangers in tribute to former driver Derek Dawson who was tragically killed in a road accident along with Road going Saloon star, Eddie Stalker, last November. The action as ever starts there at 1pm.
The Ministox provide tonight’s support formula although their performance over the last couple of weeks suggests that they might just steal the show. Three different winners in the formula for the second week running shows just how competitive it is.
If you are up from down South, don’t forget our next great weekend of action at the end of May when the Saloon British title is up for grabs. Defending champion Luke Grief shown his well being with a great performance to win the Irish Masters last weekend against a top class field. Meantime with my space up, sit back and let the action commence.