Explosive!...That is the only way to describe the jaw-dropping entertainment served up by the Unlimited National Bangers at Foxhall Stadium in undoubtedly the best World Final for a very long time, writes KEVIN WEGG.

It looked very promising before racing had even started with a record-breaking two hundred cars booked in and the car park bursting at the seams as spectators from across the UK and Europe squeezed in to every possible space on the terraces. The winners from three last-gasp qualifying heats would join the other fifty-two starters on the grid and anyone expecting the races to be nip and tuck affairs were soon choking on their lager as one of the biggest-ever crashes in the history of the sport punctured the night sky. Right from the flag in heat one the action was breathtakingly ferocious with turn three looking more like a breakers yard. Kyle Stevenson was one of many to go steaming in to the mass of tangled wreckage and he was sensational value all-night. Billy Cunningham eventually took it and showed just how much it meant to make the big race when he punched the air with glee as he crossed the line. Earlier in the year turns three and four witnessed Joe Palmer stand his car on it’s nose but even that amazing feat was eclipsed by the biggest – certainly the tallest – jacking possibly ever seen when a whole train of cars ploughed in to the armco. Dutch driver Bas Schiphurst had already slammed in to the back of a Banger “Conga” and was then on the receiving end of an absolutely mega monster hit from Sam Wyatt with cars following-in behind him for good measure. Such was the archway that the cars formed you could have driven a No. 9 bus right through it! Brett Harrison survived the devastation to snatch his golden ticket and Dave Vincent did likewise with a flag-to-flag victory in the last heat which again had a memorable smash when Sean Parratt blitzed the rear end of Mark Paton just past the starters rostrum who in turn had already demolished Ben Harrison.

Golden Drama
Defending champion Paul Tompkins was bravely strapped up following a back injury sustained at the Aldershot raceway a few weeks previously and amazingly boosted his chances of retaining the title by drawing grid position number two. Pole sitter Lee Usher in the unusual Rover SDI was spun out as the cars crossed the line for the start but luck was on his side as a turn four smash involving Tompkins and the stranded Chris Murfin resulted in a complete restart. All drivers were then given just ten minutes to complete any repairs with eleven failing to make it. Tompkins made the restart however it was almost over before it had begun for the champion when he half-spun. Former points champion Carl Gould yet again had the car-of-the-show with an immaculate Mk1 Granada Coupe yet sadly suffered the indignation of the wrong kind of repeat when his big race hopes quickly evaporated. Davey Cox was going well from row three only to perish as Tompkins was in no mood to relinquish the title and completed a neat spin-out. His own chances started to fade though when he tangled with Steve Carter and allowed Usher to pull further away. With a big lead Usher looked well set only for a huge cloud of steam to billow out of the car, yet the car was still going well. Meanwhile Dale Hughes was roaring through the pack from his grid nineteen start and starting to look very ominous as he has done all season. Usher lost valuable time when making a meal out of spinning Mark Atkins and with just four laps to go Hughes duly sent Usher spinning and took a text book victory. User kept his composure well to recover and claim a valiant runners-up spot.

Stonking!
The biggest field of the night lined up for the first allcomers race(59) which after further superb devastation saw only seventeen cars left running when the cars were eventually restarted with six laps to go. Keith Painter took a popular win before another mind-blowing smash went in to Banger folklore during the last race when Maarten Steenbeekers(Belgium) flattened the back of Nicki Young, only for his own rear-end to be sent skywards by Kyle Stevenson. Alex Humphrey then added the first roll-over of the night to the mix which was merely a taster for the exciting climax to come. Phil Smith pushed race leader Adrian Clifton wide with just two laps to go only for Jack Overy from way back to catch him on the penultimate bend of the very last lap to take it with Smith crossing the line backwards for second. Rounding off arguably the best Banger Banquet ever, we then had a Destruction Derby to truly savour with Stevenson again on the money as were several others including the Gladiators. Craig Oliver was simply superb landing several stonking blows one of which literally destroyed Chris Bull. That just left Callum White and Shane Davies to orchestrate a crunching head-on to share the spoils and finish things on the highest-of-highs and send the crowd home positively buzzing over a meeting that quite rightly will be talked about for many years to come – you just had to be there!

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