Barrow, 29th October, Unlimited Bangers Chig Memorial


A decent showing of 27 motors greeted us for the last ever meeting at the excellent Roosecote Raceway. A few visitors did make that extra special journey for one last time including 944 John Price from Essex and 19 Joe Mullarkey making the trip from Mildenhall, these already having seen action at the track this year. 05 Carlos Perez also made one final trip back to one of his favourite tracks and brought along with him team mate 200 Noon who was making his track debut and did so at the wheel of a 300c. Also 300c powered was 810 Rugrat whilst 331 Jay Roberts had the pick of the Granadas with a Mk2 hearse. The big Volvo numbered 8 while 4 Jags were on hand including an XJ40 for 190 Banjo and 265 Waldo Jnr provided the modern stuff in the shape of an Omega. This just leaves a trio of top motors which were 59 Blower in a hanging 4R, 862 Dave Kingstons Fintail Merc which was also a little rough around the edges while 310 Eno did it again with a gorgeous A110 Westminster.

The Chig race was first up and as usual it was run as more of a race and to nudge & spin rules. Hits did comes however with 300 Dog End Dan walling 74 Cleggy Snr Merc estate while Eno was getting carried in his Westy and took out team mate 340 Jay Atkinson. The yellows then appeared for what we presume for 143 Sceamer who hadn't got set away but had done by the time the flags appeared. Anyway, we continued and it was Screamer who put 246 Flan in on the restart before 303 Scotty delt the spun 4R of 59 Kearsleys Bitch a stiff head on as Mullarkey made the journey worth while by taking the flag, a touching moment as he crossed the line Chigs mother dropping the chequered while 341 Beaver and Atkinson followed him home. Chigs Mother also presenting the trophys.

14 appeared for heat 1 which began with Perez taking out 917 Mr NSD before Kingston took Scotty and 298 Tall Paul in as Atkinson run 720 Rogs super banger in hard but this set him up for a shot from Blowers vintage tin who had Screamer nail him inturn, the latter taking a shot from Banjo before 200 Noon put Flan in and Perez arrived with a t-bone to the 4R. Roberts blasted the Blooz Boy XJ before taking a shot from Atkinson as Blower exited the pile up and made it count with a revenge shot on Perez before Atkinson arrived with a day ending jacking to Blower. The Team V man backed off to be the last car running but they went back to the last completed lap and it was Flan who was declared the winner.

The second heat started off badly for Cleggy Snr who was put in at the hands of Waldo Jnr before Beaver had 944 JP out and the bad luck continued for Cleggy who was wasted by Mullarkey at the end of the back straight, the RDC young gun destroyed inturn by the General before 16 Pob also weighed in with a hefty shot. Beaver removed Waldo before 688 Wayne Morphet run Eno through the back of Cleggys estate. Morphet again weighed into the vintage Westy a lap or so later but this time Beaver was swift with some Team V retribution en-route to taking the flag from Pob and Dog End Dan.

It was wasn't a good start to the consi for Roberts who put himself in and was then buried by Tall Paul on turns 3-4. Mullarkey had worked hard to get his motor back out but soon had his wheels off the deck again thanks to Morphet as NSD weighed into Perez and Eno got mixed up again, taking out Atkinson again(!) allowing 808 Tosh to set about the Team V veteran before JP arrived with a stiff head on. Noon now buried NSD before Beaver steamed Waldo and then delivered a head on to Rugrat on the centre as Noon dished out a big head on to Eno who had tried to take him out a lap previous. Noon and JP then went head to head before Beaver weighed into the Essex man. This just left Noon running and he celebrated his win with another head on delivered to Eno.

The final started in lively fashion with Flan taking out Tall Paul before the General went for a big roll on the back straight with the yellows appearing but the action continued for a while with 71 Herman running Flan in, Tosh going in on Atkinson before Noon blew up NSD with Morphet arriving to put the roof up on the Blooz Boy skipper. Order was restored and we were soon underway again with Screamer t-boning Eno on the centre before Noon had the Crash Zone man out. Screamer recovered however and again stuck it to Eno before coming under attack from Perez, Noon now steaming Dog End Dan with Morphet again applying the revenge shot. This set the Leveller up for a portion of XJ from Atkinson who was blasted inturn by Screamer before Eno arrived to waste the latter with a stiff shot. Perez was the next man in and he destroyed the Westy with a quality jacking before Rugrat landed the final shot on the BriSCA F1 man to end an excellent pile up, true Barrow style.

6 motors limped back for one final crash on the hallowed tarmac and Noon got us underway with a shot on Mullarkey who had again resurrected his broken Volvo, though he recovered for a shot on Rog as Atkinson and Waldo met in a huge head on on turn 4. This just left Noon as the last remaining runner and he celebrated his win with a full lap run up shot on Pob who was sat gladly waving him in.

This brought to an end an excellent meeting and a perfect way to bow out for the best action track in the country. It remains to be seen if it will return as rumours keep on circulating and they will do for some time, we can only hope that it does but if not then she certainly went out in style.