BRITAIN’S motorsport year began at a cold but dry Birmingham Wheels Raceway on New Year’s Day with four formulas putting on a fine show, the feature event seeing around 20 National Bangers in action.

A place on the grid for May’s 2 Litre Banger World Final was up for grabs, and after heat wins for 382 Jack Foster Jnr and 169 James Rushton it was a Scrapyard Screamer clean sweep in the final with 531 Toby Tropper winning and taking the World wildcard place ahead of team mates 999 Scott Hill and 199 Jacob Roff.

The Screamers provided plenty of entertainment along the way as did the Black Country Badgers team, while 129 Jono Brooke finished off Hill to win the DD on a good day for the 2 Litre class.

The Hot Fords meanwhile bowed out after 11 years with their last standalone meeting before merging with the Incarods for the new season. 3 Darren Anslow scored a faultless hat-trick, while in the Incarods 214 Graeme Clarke scored a heat and Final double with 22 Steve Blundred taking the other heat. Former Rebels driver and circuit race instructor 316 James Auld made his debut in the formula and came away with two second places.

The Ministox meanwhile saw two heat wins for 321 Marcus Skeels but he was an early casualty in the Final which went to blue top 225 Joe Parsons. White tops 280 Will Gibbs and 278 Liam Higgs impressed with their pace, the former taking second in heat two after leading to the last lap, while 236 Ryan Polley debuted a new car and took a best finish of third.

Polley also collected his 2012 points championship trophy, as did 792 Paul Davies (Bangers), 800 Tom Hannah (National Bangers), 4 Gage Ford (Hot Fords) and Incarod man Clarke.

Dave Goddard