Sunday 8th July - Arena Essex - National Bangers Report by BangerBash The latest National Banger session at Arena drew just under 40 cars to the track including Northampton visitor 377 Ashley Tompkins. The majority of the field were in Mk2’s in which 8 of those were fresh. 183 Paul Hunter having more stunning paint work on his estate. The Volvo’s numbered 10 with 9 of those being the Gladiators, the other one being a 240 for 460 Lewis Barber. There were also a handful of Cavalier’s and the ever populating Mondeo. Top motors of the day (both used) were the Mk1 Granada of 162 Charlie Shanahan and the Mk1 Coupe of 508 Harry Bradbury. The war was going to be pretty level now with the 3 Team Black members now not joining in. There were 10 cars in each side. 19 cars out for Heat 1 and instantly 206 Phil Milner (Volvo 240 Est) held up 508 Led Head (Mk1 Coupe) long enough for 589 Simon Smith (Volvo 940 Est) to blast into the back of him. Turkish then swung round on oppo to connect with 200 Wayne Holten head on and 250 Carl Howard (Volvo 740) fired into the back of the latter. Skippy sat tight and took another solid hit from 336 Ian Smith (Volvo 940). 589 Smiffy Jnr picked up Bradbury and followed him in ending his day early. 374 Paddy Palmer then nailing the 589 Volvo. Smiffy Jnr recovered and turned it round and went through the side of 539 Micheal Outen (Mondeo) nearly causing the Mondeo to roll. 552 Karl Douglas (Mondeo) then gave Smiffy Jnr a massive hit up the back of the Volvo. Turkish was still lurking and connected with Paddy Palmer head on while 250 Joey hammered into Black Nuts. 26 Buzz Kelsey finding the wrong racing line and also piling in. Turkish continued his battler with Paddy and nailed him again before Paddy nailed the Gladiator into submission with a couple of big hits then a t-bone to finish him off. Meanwhile new Team Black recruit 557 John Small raced to the win in his rapid Mondeo with 567 Gary Brown (Cav Mk3) and 592 Mark Marchant following that. 1st: 557-John Small, 2nd-567, 3rd-592, 4th-331, 5th-193, 6th-27, 7th=26, nof Same again for Heat 2 and 507 Danny Brown fired into the back of 332 Kelly Wilson (Volvo 740 Est) and they both ended up on the shale. 457 Danny McCormack (Volvo 740 Est) was on oppo and aimed for 460 Lewis Barber (Volvo 240) but missed. 542 Criag Oliver (Volvo 940 Est) also turned it round and went for a dubious inside out attack on 456 Nathan Roberts and connected over the drivers side front wheel. 174 Dave Osbourn (Mondeo) then nailed Roberts. 183 Paul Hunter then went through the side of Oliver and 549 Phil Smith (Volvo 740 Est) hammered Roberts again giving him a nice roof bender. Whipper and 513 Sean Harvey then both taking shots at Lewis Barber. 183 Paul Hunter then nailed Harvey after spending several laps on the shale and Danny Boy and Whipper had a head on for which Brown got black flagged for as he was on the shale most of the race too. 113 Ian Beaumont (Cav Mk3) made a last bend lunge at the leading 103 John Seex (Cav Mk3) but 10 Paul Whiteman (Mk3) and 188 Matt Fuller sneaked through to take the top 2 spots with Beaumont third. 1st: 10-Paul Whiteman, 2nd-188, 3rd-113, 4th-103, 5th-395, 6th-242, nof 25 cars made it back for the Final and 539 Michael Outen mauled Smiffy Jnr before finding Turkish head on half a lap later. 303 Jody Walker (Cav Mk3) took out 27 Andy Reynolds while 557 John Small nailed 113 Beaumont. Black Nuts then hammered Turkish before Whipper picked him up a lap later and followed him in with an all Mondeo encounter. Oliver nailed Black Nuts while 557 John Small turned it round looking for a head on and gave it to visitor 377 Hammer. The last action saw 271 Dean Goodearl take out 567 Brown en route to winning miles in front of 188 Matt Fuller and 10 Whiteman. 1st: 271-Dean Goodearl, 2nd-188, 3rd-10, 4th-113, 5th-592, 6th-242, 7th-250, nof 21 for the Rawlins/DD including 162 Charlie Shanahan (Mk1) in his first race and he wasted no time by nailing Oliver from the off. 513 Sean Harvey firing into the back of the Mk1 giving it a big roof bender. Roberts (Who’d done well to repair) then made it count with a shot on Harvey and Smiffy Jnr nailed the Bad Co man. 557 John Small then took out 567 Brown while Smiffy Jnr t-boned Roberts. 395 Steve Hale then nailing the Gladiator only for Paddy to pick up 250 Joey and plant him into the former. Palmer then nailed Oliver while 567 Brown picked up 557 Small and followed him in. Meanwhile Whiteman took the win and we were into the DD and there were 2 Glads and 2 Runners left. 331 Boxer ran in 250 Joey and 242 Korps nailed McCormack. Boxer and Joey had a head on and 242 Korps nailed the latter. It was down to the 2 Runners and they shared a head on to which Korps backed off to take the win. 1st: 10-Paul Whiteman, 2nd-271, 3rd-592 Last Car Running: 242-Ricky Korpiella Car List 10-Paul Whiteman-Granada Mk3* 26-Buzz Kelsey-Granada Mk2* 27-Andy Reynolds-Granada Mk2 103-John Seex-Cavalier Mk3* 113-Ian Beaumont-Cavalier Mk3 162-Charlie Shanahan-Granada Mk1* 174-Dave Osbourn-Mondeo* 183-Paul Hunter-Granada Mk2 Estate 188-Matt Fuller-Cavalier Mk3* 193-Frank Skinner-Cavalier Mk3* 196-Stu Palmer-Granada Mk2 Estate* 200-Wayne Holten-Granada Mk2 Estate* 206-Phil Milner-Volvo 240 Estate 242-Ricky Korpiella-Granada Mk2* 250-Carl Howard-Volvo 740 271-Dean Goodearl-Granada Mk2 303-Jody Walker-Cavalier Mk3* 331-Jason Jackson-Granada Mk2 Estate* 332-Kelly Wilson-Volvo 740 Estate 336-Ian Smith-Volvo 940 356-Luke Radley-Granada Mk2 (DNR) 374-Paddy Palmer-Granada Mk2* 377-Ashley Tompkins-Granada Mk2* 395-Steven Hale-Granada Mk2* 456-Nathan Roberts-Granada Mk2 457-Danny McCormack-Volvo 740 Estate 460-Lewis Barber-Volvo 240 507-Danny Brown-Granada Mk2 508-Harry Bradbury-Granada Mk1 Coupe* 513-Sean Harvey-Granada Mk2 527-Danny Gardiner-Calibra* 539-Micheal Outen-Mondeo 542-Craig Oliver-Volvo 940 Estate 549-Phil Smith-Volvo 740 Estate 552-Karl Douglas-Mondeo 557-John Small-Mondeo* 567-Gary Brown-Cavalier Mk3 589-Simon Smith-Volvo 940 Estate 592-Mark Marchant-Granada Mk2