The 2024 banger season started at King’s Lynn on Saturday and Wisbech’s top banger star James Licquorice was in the thick of the 2L banger action.
It was a typically explosive display by Licquorice, who ended up smashing the axle on his Mondeo in one of the heats only to replace it with one from an Astra for the final where he promptly went and put on another great display and picked up another entertainer award.
Licquorice only raced one of the national banger formulas but still scored enough points to currently sit in second place in the Entertainer League – could this be the year he wins a title?
Racing also came from the 1600cc bangers.
Brad Bartram had a good start to his season with a top-ten finish in each race whilst Joel Allen had the best finish of the Fenland drivers with a runner-up finish in the opening heat.
Joshua Gilbert was a new local driver to take to the Lynn track and he acquitted himself well with his best performance coming in the Destruction Derby which earned him an entertainer award.
In the 1300 stock cars, the night started with the White & Yellow Championship Final from last year where Sonny Wright put his new car through its paces and picked up a tremendous win.
Wright went on to get a fifth place in his second heat meaning a good points haul for the Wisbech ace.
Dean Moat was racing with the flashing lights of Superstar and it was a great display.
He was unlucky not to win the final when he forced his way from the very back to the front of the 30+ car grid only for Stowmarket’s Connor Sheldrake to pull off a “do or die” last bend hit to take the chequered flag with Moat still doing well to come home second.
Dean’s father John had two good heats which netted him a second and fifth-place finish but was involved in a spectacular incident in the final when Joe Bamford rolled his car which landed on the bonnet of John’s car.
Shane Moat also had some good results throughout the evening with Lee Green recording a fifth-place finish in his opening race and Barty Ketteringham getting the award for being the best white top finisher in the final.
The future of Wisbech-based drivers seems assured – there were no less than 10 Fenland drivers in action in the junior bangers, including several drivers making their debut.
Points champion Rhys Parrin had another good night recording a runner-up finish in his heat before going crashing in his other races.
Taylor Morton who was racing in his first points meeting showed he will not be white grade for long with a runner-up finish in the final.
Riley Crowson finished in fourth spot in the final with a good drive with Lincoln Douglas and Jade Ellis also getting in the places.
Newcomer Nicholas Bedford had a rough ride in the final when rolling his car.
Douglas had also been in the action as part of a double rollover with Keyan Murkin Everett also rolling his car in a separate incident.
Archie Horwood was in the middle of the action all night whilst Tommy Joe Cunningham put in the quickest laps he has so far around Lynn while John Taylor and Kiean Mays will be pleased with the solid performances they put in on their career debuts.
Two events take place this weekend with the unlimited bangers, 2L stock cars and junior bangers in action on Saturday (5pm) and the annual Wacky Races taking place on Monday with the 4x4 SUV bangers, Siamese bangers, micro bangers wacky races, Reliant Robins and 1300 stock cars all in action.
