Banger racing
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Banger Racing (or in North America either Street Stock or Enduro Racing and in Australia, "stock car racing") is a tarmac or dirt track racing type of motorsport event popularised in both North America and Europe and especially Great Britain, Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands in which drivers of old vehicles race against one another around a race track and the race is won in terms of the first car to the chequered flag. The race tracks are usually oval, around 440 yards (400 metres) but on occasion are constructed in a figure eight design (some NASCAR-sanctioned street stock tracks are up to 1,000 metres). Street Stocks are often the entry-level form of motorsport at many NASCAR Whelen All-American Series circuits, allowing for younger drivers to race with the "Learner's Permit" licence NASCAR began offering 14-year old drivers for such classes in 2010.
Banger racing vehicles are normally scrap cars (various classes have 4, 6, or 8 cylinder engines), but they can be constructed from almost any powered wheeled vehicle with bizarre versions of the sport using cars towing caravans or trailers happening as special events at some tracks. "Siamese" banger racing where two cars are chained together for the race but each car independently driven is also practised. In addition, there is a variation where one car is placed on the roof of another, with the driver of one car steering and the other controlling the gas pedal and brake, and another ("train racing") where three cars—one vehicle with an engine but no brakes, a second vehicle with no driver, engine or brakes, and a third vehicle with no engine but a driver who operates the brakes—are tied together and the race is distinguished by "teams". There are different events for different vehicles, often with prizes for the best presented / rarest vehicle.
From humble beginnings, the sport has become the premier formula in Short Oval racing in the UK, regularly drawing the largest numbers of both competitors and spectators. The Unlimited Banger World Final was held at Wimbledon Stadium in London from 1974 until 2007.From 2008 it was relocated to Ipswich due to the low emission zone in London. The peak number of cars to compete was in 2003 when around 13,000 cars raced, of which around 9,500 were "fresh" (not previously raced). Around 1989 - 1990 promoters began hosting "open" meetings with significant prize funds; the first of these being held at Ringwood Raceway and Arena Essex. The "Icebreaker", held at Swaffham on February 8, 1998 is widely regarded as the "best" ever event, drawing 209 competitors in a day of heavy action. However, the annual "Heavy Metal Classic" event in January of each year at Standlake Arena in Oxfordshire has beaten this on several occasions with as many as 270 cars being raced. In 2009, the HMC Meeting attracted 253 cars booked in to race.
There are further dimensions to this sport apart from the actual racing - one is the quest for interesting vehicles to wreck and race. In addition to this there is a recent trend for high quality professional car preparation both in terms of performance and physical appearance. These developments move the sport away from the "scrap-car", cheap motorsport area and provide a higher profile entertainment spectacle. This aspect of the sport is explored on the website http://www.atozofbangerracing.co.uk, although most of the cars used are still rust buckets bought for around £200. At "important" or "title" events, the cars are meticulously prepared to high standards. In recent years, top drivers have invested significantly in race-tuned engines, "sticky" tyres and even suspension set-ups, especially if they are intended to move up to higher levels of motorsport (either to a Limited Sportsman or Late Model division at the track or a Late Model touring series, such as PASS, Central Racing Association, the SRL Southwest Tour, NASCAR K&N Pro Series in North America, or the European Late Model Series or Pickup Truck Racing in Europe). In North America, as this is specifically an entry-level class, many tracks will restrict tyres to specification tyres specifically listed in the rule book, and restrict engines, gearboxes, and axles to specific types per manufacturer (NASCAR provides a uniform set of specifications for tracks they sanction) and limit the types of cars used depending on Street Stock type based on engine size. On occasion, a motor racing superstar from another discipline will race, as in November 2010, the Polar Bear 150, a 150-lap enduro held at Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina, featured 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kurt Busch.
Banger racing is distinct from Demolition Derby as the objective of that motorsport is not to turn laps, but to simply smash and destroy and ultimately immobilise the opposition, until only one vehicle is left, which is deemed the winner. On many occasions, though, the last event of the day at a banger racing event may be a demolition derby, and unlike the American version the cars are well used before being smashed to death. In Street Stock racing, however, the drivers are racing for a track championship, and the cars are usually repaired and raced the next weekend.
In a Banger or Enduro format, at times over 50 cars start a race. In a Street Stock format, if car counts are high, cars will be placed in heat races where the top finishers advance to a feature, but most will feature 15-24 cars for the feature. In either format, the cars are gridded across the track in a rolling start for the race, which usually has a finite number of laps (15-30 laps for Street Stock, up to 300 laps for the Banger or Enduro format).
In a Banger or Enduro format, yellow flags are used during the race to warn drivers that caution is required. Cars which stall or are stopped by opposing drivers are usually left on the course while the race continues. If it is deemed necessary to move them or if a driver is in particular danger (including fire), the safety car may neutralise if permitted by rules, or a red flag used to stop the race. Races are then usually restarted when the situation has been cleared.
In a Street Stock format, most tracks will neutralise the field upon any imminent danger with the safety car automatically because of the short nature of the races, which may often be run with only green flag laps counting (no safety car laps count). Drivers who intentionally crash into other cars, cause multiple safety car situations, or drive in a hazardous manner may be disqualified from the race on the spot by marshals.
Some vehicle enthusiasts object to banger racing on the grounds that it is responsible for the destruction of countless classic cars, and the reason why many models, such as the Ford Cortina are a very rare sight on the roads these days.
There are a few cars that have tended to dominate the banger scene in the UK. In the 1970s the BMC Farina range comprising the A60 Cambridge, Morris Oxford, Riley 4/72, Wolseley 16/60 and MG Magnette were the car to be in. Also Jaguar XJS, XJ6, XJ40, many other models, Rover's P4 & P5 saloons, Triumph 2000, Volvo 240, Volvo 740 and Volvo 940 (normally estate models) the main one being the Ford Granada Mk1 and Mk2. The Granada Mk3 wasn't such a success as they do not seem as strong, a trait that the Mk3 shares with the Sierra. For the smaller meetings, often referred to as "Unders" meetings, the Ford Cortina and Capri were the usual weapon of choice. "Unlimited" meetings tend to attract big American cars, known as "Yanks." However, these days, with the older vehicles diminishing from British roads, newer vehicles have been pressed into banger racing service. The Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Cavalier and the Nissan Bluebird have developed a following and are used almost everywhere. The fact that they are front wheel drive also gives a substantial advantage to the older rear wheel drive vehicles which are becoming increasingly rare on UK raceways.
A high turnover rate in the sport leads to a short lifespan for the cars involved, but newer cars such as the Ford Mondeo have provided a ready supply of vehicles to competitors.
The newer vehicles are often used in more entry-level divisions of Street Stock racing, often called Pure Stock, Mini Stock, Hornet, or 4-Cylinder classes, typically an entry-level class lower than the traditional Street Stock eight-cylinder category. The Street Stock scene in North America has been dominated by the General Motors A-Body and G-Body cars of the 1970s and 1980s, with some Ford and Chrysler products involved. The 1979-93 Ford Mustang dominates the 4-cylinder Street Stock classes but some tracks are now legalising front-wheel drive Street Stocks, with the General Motors J-Body also being used, as are the 1980s Dodge Daytona. As the scarcity of the cars continues, many Late Model chassis companies are now providing aftermarket replacement parts for Street Stocks, and often the cars are sold to entry level racers when they either stop racing or want to advance to a higher division at the local race tracks.
World Final Winners
1974 Blondie Melbourne - Austin A60
1975 Chris Medler - M.G. Magnette
1976 Chris Medler - Volvo 122S
1977 Terry Thomas - Austin A60
1978 Dick Dawkins - Austin A60
1979 Darwin Melbourne - Austin A60
1980 Darwin Melbourne - Austin A60
1981 Nick Linfield - Austin 3 Litre
1982 Chris Colliver - Austin 1800
1983 Graham Lashley - Austin 3 Litre
1984 Shaun Liddiard - Austin Princess
1985 Paul Shepherd - Jaguar XJ6
1986 Sean Gallagher - Austin Westy
1987 Roger Wilko - Jaguar XJ6
1988 Terry Coke - Rover P5
1989 Tim Coates - Jaguar XJ6
1990 Dougie George - Triumph 2000
1991 Dave Day - Ford Granada Mk2
1992 Nick Courtier - Ford Granada Mk2
1993 Terry Harris - Ford GranadaMk2 2door
1994 Richard Martin - Ford Granada Mk2
1995 Mark Holdsworth - Ford Granada Mk2 estate
1996 Colin Farley - Ford Granada Mk1
1997 Gary Madgwick - Ford Granada Mk2
1998 Colin Farley - Ford Granada Mk2
1999 Alan Reed - Jaguar XJ6
2000 Danny Hunt - Ford Granada Mk2
2001 Willie Skoyles - Ford Granada Mk2
2002 Mark Simmonds - Ford Granada Mk2 estate
2003 Dave Vincent - Ford Granada Mk2 estate
2004 Keith Painter - Ford Granada Mk2 estate
2005 Shane Davies - Ford Granada Mk2
2006 Jason Jackson - Ford Granada Mk2 estate
2007 Jason Jackson - Ford Granada Mk2 estate
2008 Dale Hughes - Ford Granada Mk2
2009 Paul Tompkins - Ford Granada Mk2 estate
2010 Dale Hughes - Ford Granada Mk2
See also
