Sonny Sherwood retained the National Banger London Open title at Wimbledon Stadium on Sunday February 12th after a last minute dash to victory in the closing stages of a very tough race.
After a series of very hard fought qualifying races, which saw massive damage inflicted on the cars, 48 of the country’s top drivers assembled on the grid to attempt to claim the title for 2006.
The early leader John Dodge, 201 was setting a cracking pace until his race came to an abrupt end as he was rammed into (and almost over) the safety fence on the pit bend. From that point on the race would see several lead changes as the infield and track began to resemble a scrap metal yard with smoking wrecks littering it.
The 2005 champion was making his presence felt and was soon up to second place as the laps wound down. A very hard charging James Bully, 363 was hot on his back bumper in third as the drivers began to weave their way through the back markers.
As the leading car went out, Sherwood was caught in a pile up on the back straight allowing Bully to storm ahead with just 5 laps to go. Sherwood, however, is not a driver to give up easily. He managed to extricate his car in record time and set off in hot pursuit of Bully.
From then on in it was a nail-biting chase to the chequered flag. In the closing stages of the last laps Bully caught a glancing blow from a driver intent on starting the demolition derby a little early on the pit bend and Sherwood closed the gap.
Bully recovered well and planted his foot very firmly to the metal for the last lap of the race. He went slightly wide on the very last lap and Sherwood was through and stormed across the line to retain the coveted London Open title for 2006. Bully followed him over the line, with Paddy Coneley, 136 in third.
More racing action is one the cards on February 26th when the Superstox, 2.0 Hot Rods, lightning Rods, and Rookie Rods take to the track at Wimbledon Stadium, Britain’s finest short circuit racing venue.
Full details from Spedeworth South on 01252 322 920
