23/10/2005 - Arena Essex - National Bangers Grand Slam Bang on 70 motors for this years Grand Slam meeting, with visitors from RDC in the from of 364 Sean Winchester and 119 Davey Cox, the latter once again in full Midnight Runners livery.  9 drivers opted to bring 2 cars, having qualified for 2 Finals, please refer to the Car List to see this.  On the car front big Volvo’s numbered 5 with all examples coming from the Gladiators.  On the other end of the scale 306 Rob Marwood had a hardcore Maestro!  242 Ricky Korpiela turned out a late Primera Est, which was originally diesel, whilst 345 Craig Hewitt topped the billing with a Mk 1 Granada Estate. A couple had made the effort with presentation, 105 Billy Standing, 291 Barry Wenhold and 456 Nathan Roberts all had smart efforts, whilst 600 Mark Johns completed his line of World Final prep motors at National sessions this season. The Champion of Champions race was up first, with 17 qualifiers out on track.  From the green 27 Andy Reynolds spun 94 Howard Martin, with 91 Bart then repeating the move on Reynolds, causing Reynolds to clonk out and move no further!  49 Billy King had 326 Woolner out as 91 Bart spun 549 Phil Smith.  A lap later 549 Smith attacked 91 Bart inside out, fortunately not making contact, and getting himself stuck, allowing 91 Bart to do a lap, and duly blow the Gladiator up, snapping his own car in the process, as 171 Skid came through to win. 1st 171 Lee Madden, 2nd 550 Rob Farrington, 3rd 105 Billy Standing, 4th 183 Paul Hunter, 5th 67 Gary Greenland, 6th 331 Jason Jackson, 7th 47 Andy Davies, 8th 188 Matt Fuller, 9th 567 Gary Brown, 10th 49 Billy King Next we had the Rising Stars Final, with 24 white tops out on track for it.  306 Rob Marwood used the Maestro to spin 344 Lee Callis from the start, with 267 Steve Carter repeating the move on 26 Buzz Kelsey seconds later.   On the top bend 306 Marwood leant 345 Chewy into the fence as 187 Alan Pavely gave 249 Jimmy Harding a stiff shot over the back wheel, allowing 498 Jason Curtis in on Pavely, and 345 Chewy was only to happy to destroy the latters Cavalier on the way past.  187 Pavely and 249 Harding then exchanged shots including a rock hard head which finished the pair of them. 1st 466 Lee Hackett, 2nd 491 Barry Wenhold, 3rd 19 Dave Edwards, 4th 39 Jack King, 5th 344 Lee Calli, 5th 345 Craig Hewitt, 6th 264 Steve Wilson, 7th 367 Danny Greenland, 8th 71 Richard Davies, 9th 245 Colin Burnham The Rawlins 2000 was up next and had the biggest grid of the day so far, with 32 out for it.  From the off a bit of Glad on Glad action as 438 Paul Dobson turfed aside 332 Kelly Wilson, but not before 207 Rocket Randall met 160 John Harding on the nose on the bridge bend.  242 Korpiela did 160 Harding over the back wheel as 207 Randall turned his attention to 105 Billy Standing with a shot over the rear quarter.  174 Dave Osbourne spun 183 Paul Hunter as 507 Danny Brown turned round to do the leading 600 Mark Johns over the front wheel.  438 Dobson was progressing wel and flicked out 264 Boonie as 207 Randall continued his good performance by doing 200 Skippy over the back wheel, which was a little close to the door, but no harm done.  200 Skippy was doing his best to stop 364 Sean Winchester but had no steering.  105 Bad Boy Bill came in and jacked the lone Menace driver before giving 438 Dobson a big t-bone on the top bend, causing Dobson to turn round and give 364 Winchester a t-bone.  589 Simon Smith spun 208 Jimmy Randall but got caught up, allowing 119 Cruncher in on Smiffy Jnr.  364 Winchester then flicked out 438 Dobson on oppo and got caught up by the traffic, allowing Dobson to spin it round and deliver a big shot to the RDC man.  A rather unexpected battle was kicking off between the Runners and Glads, as 207 Eyebrow did 589 Smiffy Jnr over the front wheel, 119 Cruncher once again more than happy to jack up Smith.  457 Dan McCormack was straight in on Cruncher as 171 Skid completed the double. 1st 171 Lee Madden, 2nd 188 Matt Fuller, 3rd 331 Jason Jackson, 4th 49 Billy King, 5th 10 Paul Whiteman, 6th 208 Jimmy Randall, 7th 105 Billy Standing, 8th 423 Danny Oliver, 9th 264 Steve Wilson, 10th 323 Sam Rigby The annual ‘Spinners Special’ race was up next, where you cannot pass the car infront without taking it out, a rule which suited some more than others!  106 Phil Pratchett spun 249 Jimmy Harding early on, allowing 208 The Finger in for the head on, with 160 Ginger John also turning round, meeting 10 Paul Whiteman in a mammoth head on, stopping both motors dead!  188 The Smoker t-boned 249 Harding Jnr on oppo before jacking him as well.  208 Jimmy Randall jacked 160 Ginger John on oppo leaving his back wheels off the deck, as 331 Boxer finished the Cream Team star with a hefty t-bone.  331 Boxer spun 332 Kelly Wilson, allowing 326 Woolner to put the Runners skipper in the Armco hard, as 264 Boonie saw the race out with a decent shot on 332 Kelly Wilson. 49 Billy King Just the Grand Slam Final into DD to finish, with 10 Whiteman on oppo from the off with 160 John Harding, who had worked wonders to get his motor back out, more than happy to oblige with one on the nose, which left him open to a fierce jacking from 242 Korpiela, who was proving that the modern stuff is pretty solid!  207 Randall jacked 160 Ginger John on oppo, as 291 Barry Wenhold followed 600 Mark Johns into the rapidly growing pile up on the pit bend.  331 Boxer t-boned 245 Clumsy on oppo, whistl elsewhere 264 Boonie did 106 Phil Pratchett before t-boning 332 Kelly Wilson.  207 Randall gave 264 Boonie a few hits before attacking 567 Gary Brown inside out on 2 occasions, luckily not making contact.  567 Brown found himself blocked in on the pit turn, with 207 Randall administering the head on, and 242 Korps the jacking as 208 Jimmy Randal spun 67 Greenland, 171 Skid taking his 3rd victory of the day.  Into the DD and 67 Greenland attacked 106 Pratchett, as 242 Korpiela got back in his motor, presumably thinking the race was over.  171 Skid gave 106 Pratchett one on the nose, as 291 Barry Wenhold jacked 119 Davey Cox against the flow.  188 Matt Fuller took a length of the straight run up on 291 Wenhold, meeting him over the front wheel finishing himself, and Wenhold’s steering!  119 Cruncher dished out a head on to Skid, allowing 291 Wenhold in for one final jacking, before Skid dished out a series of t- bones, and finally silenced 119 Cruncher with a big jacking, to end a highly successful day. 1st 171 Lee Madden, 2nd 188 Matt Fuller, 3rd 119 Davey Cox, 4th 291 Barry Wenhold, 5th 67 Gary Greenland. Last Car Running – 171 Lee Madden Car List 17 – Malcolm Mortimer – Mk 2 Granada 19 – Dave Edwards – Mk 2 Granada Est * 26 – Buzz Kelsey – Mk 3 Granada* 27 – Andy Reynolds – Mk 2 Granada 36 – Del Waterman – Mk 3 Cavalier 39 – Jack King – Mk 2 Granada* 47 – Andy Davies – Mk 2 Granada* + Mk 3 Cavalier* (DNR) 49 – Billy King – Mk 2 Granada* + Mk 3 Cavalier (DNR) 67 – Gary Greenland – Mk 2 Granada + Mk 3 Cavalier* 71 – Richard Davies – Mk 3 Cavalier* 91 – Dave Barwick – Mk 2 Granada Est 94 – Howard Martin – Mk 2 Granada Est 105 – Billy Standing – Mk 3 Granada + Mk 3 Cavalier* 106 – Darren Pratchett – Mk 3 Cavalier* 119 – Davey Cox – Mk 2 Granada 143 – Paul Russell – Mk 2 Granada 160 – John Harding – Mk 2 Granada 171 – Lee Madden – Mk 3 Granada* + Mk 2 Granada* 174 – Dave Osbourne – Volvo 240 Est 183 – Paul Hunter – Mk 3 Granada* 187 – Alan Pavely – Mk 2 Granada Est 188 – Matt Fuller – Mk 2 Granada* +  Mk 3 Cavalier 200 – Wayne Holton – Bluebird* 207 – John Randall – Mk 2 Granada 208 – Jimmy Randall – Mk 2 Granada 242 – Ricky Korpiela – Primera Est 245 – Colin Burnham – Mk 2 Granada* 249 – Jimmy Harding – Bluebird* 264 – Steve Wilson – Mk 2 Granada* 267 – Steve Carter – Mk 3 Cavalier* 291 – Barry Wenhold – Bluebird 303 – Jody Walker – Sierra 306 – Rob Marwood – Maestro 307 – Dave Harris – Mk 3 Cavalier 319 – Darren Fuller – Bluebird 321 – Lee Caunter – Volvo 740 Est 323 – Sam Rigby – Mk 2 Granada 326 – Mark Woolner – Mk 3 Cavalier* 329 – Dean Theisinger – Mk 2 Cavalier 331 – Jason Jackson – Mk 2 Granada* + Mk 3 Cavalier 332 – Kelly Wilson – Volvo 240 Saloon 344 – Lee Callis – Mk 2 Granada* 345 – Craig Hewitt – Mk 1 Granada Est 346 – Kirk Bodnar – Mk 3 Cavalier (DNR) 356 – Luke Radley – Mk 2 Granada 364 – Sean Winchester – Mk 2 Granada Est* 367 – Danny Greenland – Mk 4 Granada* 423 – Danny Oliver – Mk 2 Granada* 438 – Paul Dobson – Mk 2 Granada 453 – Ivan Clarke – Capri* 456 – Nathan Roberts – Mk 3 Cavalier 457 – Danny McCormack – Volvo 740 Saloon 466 – Lee Hackett – Mk 3 Cavalier 498 – Jason Curtis – Mk 3 Cavalier* 507 – Danny Brown – Primera* 508 – Harry Bradbury – Mk 4 Granada 549 – Phil Smith – Mk 2 Granada + Mk 3 Granada 550 – Rob Farrington – Mk 3 Granada Est* 560 – Steve Ward – Volvo 240 Est 567 – Gary Brown – Mk 3 Cavalier* 589 – Simon Smith – Mk 2 Granada 600 – Mark Johns – Mk 2 Granada