Keith ‘Maverick’ Painter piloted his #46 National Banger to victory in the 2004 Banger Championship of the World in front of a sell-out crowd of fans and ahead of a pack of the best banger racers from around the UK and Europe at Wimbledon Stadium on November 14th.
With seventy immaculately prepared National Bangers (unlimited over 180cc specification) on hand to try to book a place with the qualified 46 finalists and to attempt to claim the title from defending champion Dave Vincent #22, the scene was set for a night of non-stop racing and wrecking.
The drivers set the tone for what was to follow with two crunching last chance-qualifying events. Cars were piled into the safety fence and each other without mercy, as only the first across the line would join the grid in the quest for the title. Race 1 was taken with a storming drive by 294, Lee Hughes.
Race 2 was an equally bruising affair, which was won by Lee’s brother Dale #27; despite bring hit head on by an opponent on the home straight in the closing stages of the race.
With the last chance qualifiers placed at the back of the grid, the top names in Banger racing took to the floodlit circuit for the ultimate race of the season. The pre-race draw for grid positions saw 69, Frankie Whitelock draw pole and he duly lined up in front of a pack of very determined drivers, with the defending champion having it all to do, starting from the back of the grid.
The pace and level of wrecking was intense from the second the pace car pulled off the track and the green flag fell. Drivers that had spent months building their immaculate cars saw their machines and their hopes of the world title demolished within laps as the safety fence began to resemble a scrap yard within seconds of the race starting. The lead swapped more times in the opening laps than it does in a season of F1 racing, as driver after driver battered their way to the front of the pack, only to be removed by an equally determined competitor.
As the race of attrition wore on the defending champion was blasted into the safety fence, where his car joined a line of fellow star driver’s machines left as smoking wrecks by the side of the track. Back in the action 46, Painter powered his way to the front of the pack and using his years of experience at Plough Lane managed to steer round the wrecks and avoid the attention of the remaining cars’ bumpers to take the flag and bring the crowd to their feet in appreciation of well-fought race. Painter was followed home by: 244, Michael Bunyan, 670, Richard Flockton and 264, Mark Welland.
The 2004 Championship of the World was brought to a suitable conclusion with an incredible demolition derby that saw 16 cars battle it out to be the last car moving on the night. The automotive blows landed thick and fast with 379, Adrian Clifton, being crushed at full speed on the pit bend and left perched on top of the attacking car. As cars were ground to scrap metal all round the track a massive head on resulted in a huge fire for 326, Paul Picton, which was swiftly extinguished as the driver escaped safely. The final two gladiators battled it out amidst a pall of smoke, until 702, ‘Jimbo’ Dodge battered 7, Colin Farley to a halt and brought to and end one of the most memorable Banger Championships of the World held at Wimbledon Stadium.
More action is on the cards when the National Hot Rods, Superstox, 2.0 Hot Rods and Stock Cars battle it out in the Best of Britain night at on November 28th at Wimbledon Stadium, Britain’s finest stock car racing circuit.
