A BRUTAL Destruction Derby capped a magnificent day at Arena Essex last Sunday as the National Bangers provided many a highlight.
It was a fairly gentle start to the meeting, with the entry split into two for the opening heats. Spedeworth visitor Alec Savage and Scott Cornish took the wins whilst each bend did attract some action with the pit bend seeing the destruction of the Ford Focus of Pete Bristow, courtesy of Jason Jackson, whilst turn one saw a heavy exchange as Jim Harding run in Andrew Milner, Harding then getting destroyed by Liam Hard, Hard in turn getting comprehensively finished off by hits from Nathan Roberts and Ricky Hutton. Hard’s debut at Arena being shortlived but enjoyable.
Milner found himself in the wars in the consolation, first getting a big hit from Anthony Kirk, then from Nathan Roberts before Kirk took another lap run up to destroy him with another heavy hit which left Kirk open to an accidental hit from Nick Andrews, which left Kirk in trouble, although he was ultimately able to climb out of his car under his own steam. Ricky Korpiela booked himself a place in the final with the win.
Dutch racer, Justin Kappert, showed admirable courage in the final, a sequence of hits left him battling his own car as it slewed sideways all over the track with a wobbly wheel, but he kept on going for a good while until attacks from the Korpiela brothers, Ricky and Paul, effectively finished him off. As Alfie Lee led the way all eyes were on a superb battle between team mates Paul Whiteman and Jason Jackson a little further down the order. Each took it in turns to knock each other wide on each bend and it was a great battle all the way to the flag. They passed the line alongside each other before Jackson pulled back and turned Whiteman into the fence, perhaps indicating that he didn’t appreciate the battle quite as much as Whiteman had.
Jack Tuffen won the allcomers race before the Destruction Derby kicked off with some heavy impacts. Darren Haines entertained by taking some high speed trips along the armco before succumbing to hits from Cornish and Lewis Barber. Paul Korpiela looked to have finished off Jackson on the home straight with a bit hit but Cornish destroyed Korpiela with an even bigger impact and then released his team mate, Jackson. Jackson was subsequently able to finish off Cornish for the win.
A heat and Final win for Paul Hunter in the Stock Rods grabbed the headlines, but the race of the day was undoubtedly the Helter Skelter allcomers race which saw Gary Hicks lead all the way until the last lap when he was tagged into a spin by Spedeworth visitor Lee Ribbans. As the pack scattered on either side of the spun Hicks car, it was a mad dash to the flag and it was Darren Clements who got their first with Ribbans attracting a disqualification.
Karl Douglas dominated the SuperBangers class, winning all four races with ease.
