With the season now in full swing we hit the Bank Holiday May Day meeting, a day in which the forecast promised drivers they’d be best in boats, rather than race cars. However in true Warton fashion, not a drop of rain fell during the meeting. The other forecast that didn’t hold up was the low Banger numbers, a healthy crop of cars filling the pits. So with dry and possibly the grippiest conditions of the season so far, who would be the ones setting the pace?
Ministox
The Ministox so far this season have seen some of the closest racing in many seasons, and the formula has found another great addition who’ll likely be challenging for wins for many seasons to come. Starting off at Heat 1 though and just like the previous meeting 180 Declan Johnson was powering through the field to take another Heat win. Further back the top three in the points were making their way through the field well. 163 Nevaeh Matterson led the charge but was spun by 262 George Ellison for what must be the fifth or sixth time this season in the same spot on the home straight. 433 Oscar Whitham took advantage to move up to third. Onto Heat 2 and once again 163 was taken out early, this time at the hands of 325 Harvey Dempster, making a poor attempt to get around the pit corner. Nevaehs Brother 164 Kayden Matterson was having a much better time of it, setting off on what would be a flag to flag victory, his first win in only his second meeting!
A very slippy track greeted the Ministox for their Final and it began with 325 making a similar mistake to the one he made in Heat 2, entering turn 3/4 way too quick. Luckily 163 was there to prevent him going into the wall but the move still put both drivers sideways, 163 coming off worse. At the other end of the track 473 Devon Southward found herself facing the wrong way. This brought out the yellow flags, cutting down what had been a massive lead for 164. 164 would get a good start and it took a few laps for 262 and 433 to get by. Unlike the previous meeting though when we had a photo finish, 262 managed to keep a gap between himself and Oscar to take the win. 164 would round out the podium. 164 capped off a great day with another flag to flag win and will immediately shoot up the grades. It’ll be interesting to see how he copes from the higher grades. One driver whose overdue a win is 412 Harrison Fisher and he had to settle for second. 262 produced a great driver to finish fifth from a lap handicap
Senior Minis
Heat 1 began with issues for 52 Derek Twist, parking on the infield before the race started. Once underway the Heat produced one of the best races of the season so far. 183 Chris Molyneux set the pace with 59 Mark Brook hunting him down. 7 Shaun Yeats was trying to get by 59 but couldn’t find a way through. Once up behind 183, 7 got briefly by both, but 59 nipped back up the inside only to find 191 Harry Leece right behind him. A big push into the next turn led to 59 sideways and 7 sneaking back into the lead on the inside of 191. 7 would go on to take the win but was kept honest for the remainder of the race by a closely following 191. Heat 2 began with blue graders 52 and 183 battling for the lead for around 5 laps. 59 was once again the pace setter moving into the lead as the lap boards dropped. 969 Arron Mercer had returned this meeting after mechanical issues at the opening meeting, however the issues seemed to return bringing him to a stop down the back straight. Back to the front and 7 made his move for the lead into turn 3/4, as he exited the corner both cars came together, resulting in the 7 car spinning and clouting the wall on the home straight. 59 kept his car in a straight line to take the win, followed home by 191.
So into the Final and with only blue and red grade drivers left, 52 took up an early lead. As the laps ticked down, 7 slowly caught and then passed 52 for the lead. This brought 191 into the battle for second now and he set about trying to get passed 52. With a few laps to go 7 slowed to a stop on the home straight, meaning the battle between 52 and 191 was now for the win. In a classic case of experience overcoming youthful exuberance, after swapping places for a few laps, heading onto the final lap 52 made sure he was on the inside down the back straight and kept 191 on the outside, taking a hard fought win. 59, with a very smoky car finished third. A low turn out of 6 cars arrived on track for the Grand National and it was 183 Chris Molyneux who got the best start and he never looked back, taking a welcome win. 191 finished his day of seconds off with another second, and heading home third for the first time was 188 Jamie Barlow.
Stock Cars
The opening race was once again a quick one for the Stock Cars! 58 Chris Hardy continues to get to grips with his new car and led the opening few laps but he was soon caught and passed by 282 Richard Ellison, whose car looked to be back to its best. 424 Joel Harris was the best of the reds getting up to third, with 195 Bobby Lewney and 123 Stephen Hoggarth right behind him. A similar story took place at the front in Heat 2, but further back 108 Kevin Park and 195 tangled on turn 1/2. 58 spun on the exit of turn 1/2 and took an almighty hit to the front wheel by 123 Stephen Hoggarth, leaving only three wheels on the 58 car. That also brought out the red flags and a single file restart. That would prove no issue though for 282 who got away to the win, followed home by 123 and 718 Craig Morphet. 292 Chloe Ellison just pipped 424 across the line for fourth.
282 would make it a hat-trick of wins in the Final after a fairly straight forward race, with 718 chasing him down in second. The race to watch was the battle for third, 424 and 123 swapping places throughout the race. 424 looked to have done enough but 123 went for it on the last bend, just making contact. That sent 424 very wide, dropping him behind 195, who had been watching the battle for the majority of the race. The Grand National saw another new name on the winning list for the Harris-Hoggarth dynasty. 244 Riley Harris looked to have his car hooked up and spent the full race with 718 not far behind to take a very well deserved win. 718 did look to have a go on the final lap but wasn’t close enough, however that attempt was enough to put 424 on his back bumper and Joel took advantage of that heading into turn 3/4, pushing Craig wide to pinch second place.
Ladies Bangers
Heat 1 began with 92 Julie Lomas opening up a big lead. Further back opening meeting sensation 906 Nancy Booth spun 238 Ellie Byram on the exit of turn 3/4, allowing 686 Eleanor Morphet passed and into second. That would soon be upgraded to first after 92 got all out of control. 185 Hannah Macneal was making her first appearance of the season and she left it until the final half lap to make her move for the lead. As both 686 and 185 hurtled down the back straight they went either side of backmarker, 682 Beth Morphet, who drifted wide, putting her sister up briefly on two wheels and giving Hannah a clear run to the line for the win. Heat 2 was a fairly quiet race, 682 having a spin down the home straight and a good battle for second between 686 and 906 being the highlights. 185 stormed to her second win of the day.
An early retirement for 274 Emma left her stranded on the Home straight in the Final. The top three, 185, 906 and 686 battled in the early laps but 185 just had a bit too much speed and was away chasing down 92. There was a close call later on in the race when 682 was spun across the path of 185 but she dealt with it well. The incident slowed 92 and 686 though allowing 906 to leapfrog both for second place. The Helter Skelter delivered a much deserved flag to flag victory for 92, whose smile said it all on her lap of honour!
1600 Bangers
The Bangers were in the mood for a crash early in Heat 1, 8 Charlie Mason getting stuck into 425 George Willan straight from the get go. 313 Kian Zak was spun into turn 1/2 before 425 got more attention, this time from 792 John Proctor. That left John stranded though and he took big hits from 252 Finley Bentham and 448 Jay Byram. Out front it was a three way battle for the lead between 79 Michael Byram, 128 George Smith and 28 and with only a few laps to go 425 rolled his car on turn 1/2. The race was declared, with the win going to 128. Heat 2 began with a big push from 660 Dan Croskell into turn 3/4, this led to him being pushed by 448 down the home straight. 8 and 181 Jordan Cadman both looked to be circling wanting hits but nobody was obliging. 474 Jamie Noon took the win and celebrated by sending 138 Daniel Capstick into the turn 3/4 wall. He took a hit from 448 who then got one from 664 Danny Nuttall.
The final saw 175 Kelvin Hodgson out early on and stopped on the home straight. 165 Dan Lambert was also rattled into turn 3/4 courtesy of 128. 316 Shane Ollerenshaw was picked up and pushed by 181, but managed to keep himself out of the wall. 660 and 79 battled early on for the lead, but 79 would see his pace drop off, giving 660 the win and allowing 252 and 474 onto the podium spots. 660 would go on to take the Dash for Cash as well, before four cars lined up for the DD. 474 set about attacking 316 before taking a hit from 181, but it was, as is often the case, 252 who was doing the damage with his biggest hits reserved for 316 to finish off the DD.
And that was that for the May Day meeting, a meeting that promised little both weather and numbers wise, but over delivered on both. The Ministox currently look like being a two horse race for Gold, however it’s anybody’s guess who comes next. The Senior Minis have gone the opposite way and 20 points now separate the top 5. The top three in the Stock Cars are near enough nose to tail both on the track and the points charts, but with a few drivers picking up big points that could all change at Metal Mania. Speaking of which, the next meeting out is Metal Mania, the biggest Banger meeting of the year at Warton and with a good amount of cars already booked in it should be a great day! We’ll see you all there!
