We seem to say it every year, but once again it has flown by and we are already well into the second half of the season as we head into our upcoming meeting, this Sunday the 25th.  

2010 is already shaping up to be a year that will be well remembered for good racing from good entries, despite the difficult economic times that we currently live in.  Sunday promises to add to the good times, but of course it is tinged with poignancy as we remember one time Banger racer ‘Filo’ Phil Cleverley who was taken from us a few years ago after losing his battle with cancer.

The annual ‘Crashmania’ Banger team meeting was always one of Phil’s favourites, and it was decided to make it his annual memorial, but with a difference as it has become very much a fundraising event for Cancer charities too.   The raffle has been running all season, if you are a regular at the raceway you can not have failed to spot the pink Ford Mondeo you could win, or the large soft toy and as an added bonus for the day, our very own promoter 28 Graham Bunter, at the age of 60 (sorry Graham!) is going to make his National Banger debut, racing for the “Allsorts” team all in the aid of the charity.   Graham is of course no stranger to racing of course, having had a very long BriSCA F2 Stock Car career and still racing actively in the BriSCA Heritage cars.  There will be the opportunity to buy a raffle ticket to support Graham’s efforts, and predict how many laps he will do in his first three races.  Will they leave him alone, or go for him?  Make sure you are at Mendips Raceway on Sunday to find out.

Last years event was marred by weather that was anything but summer like, so hopefully nothing like that this time.  Last year’s winners ‘The Condoms’ are not defending, but we do of course have the current National Team Champions with us, as early last month our very own regulars in the ‘Impact Squad’ went to Hednesford and took the title.  They would dearly love to carry off this one though, and have two teams for the job and they will certainly be there or thereabouts especially as they have recruited a couple of guests too.   ‘The Wallies’ are also former winners, and are much more in the swing of things this year whilst there are two teams making the journey up from Cornwall and in ‘The Renegades’ there is an outfit that really will be worth watching in both the racing and crashing sense.

The rest of the racing will come from our non-contact classes, and they promise to be competitive and in their own different ways highly spectacular.  The all Sierra Special Rods is a budget class aimed largely at more locally based drivers to get out in the track and have a go.  And whilst the Sierra is now far from a modern car, there is still no shortage of interest.  The racing is always close and with what is quite a large car, incidents can happen.  Last time out for them at the end of May, the three drivers currently at the top of the point’s table shared the wins between them.  18 Russ Colenut has been going very well this season in what is his first full season in the class here at Mendips at least and he is being pushed hard by 198 Marcus Goldsmith and 173 Alan Cambridge.  Best of the newcomers this year is young 22 Jack Stuckey, who certainly looks to have a goof future behind the wheel.  So the question today is whether any of the lower graded drivers can get away, or, as last time will the drivers from the back forge their way through.

The Hot Rods had a bit of an unfortunate meeting last month, especially for 117 Dave Tossell and 262 Brian Loram who came together in a big crash in the opening heat.  Brian had been having a great return season until then, so hopefully he will be back in action and get it back on track in more ways than one, likewise Dave too.  

There was further controversy in the Final when 83 Andy Beaven and 718 Colin White got together, and following a subsequent Steward’s enquiry White has been removed from the results from that day, and also forced to sit out Sunday’s meeting.  It was 904 Wilson Hamilton who benefited most from all that went on, as he took the Final and comes into the meeting leading the points.  As for this time, we hope to see a few who couldn’t make it on the Saturday evening fixture and judging by the way he was going, Beaven, who was a former Banger racer will take some catching.