Discussion
Me and a few friends have been considering banger racing recently. Now obviously id need a car, but my knowledge really ends there. I did a bit of googling, couldn't even find any banger racing tracks near me (south coast UK). So i come to the PH collective for advice. Any particular rules+regs ect. Any info welcome.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Spedeworth International is worth a google.
I used to race stock rods (many moons ago!) and Bangers was always part of every meeting.
Tracks we used to go to (may have changed now as I havn't been for ages) Arlington (Eastbourne), Wimbeldon (London) and Ipswich.
We had friends that were banger drivers....a mad bunch!
One word of warning, not as cheap as it may appear! (Spending £300 - £400 on a 'good' banager car weekly was not unheard of in my day's of racing!) Lots of prep time as well.
Never did bangers myself however, I was always told that it was well worth the time & money! Helped out in the pits a few times, it was amazing what you could fix with a big hammer!
Great for spectators, everyone loved them and the DD's were great to watch when they went out for the 'demolition' not the winning
I used to race stock rods (many moons ago!) and Bangers was always part of every meeting.
Tracks we used to go to (may have changed now as I havn't been for ages) Arlington (Eastbourne), Wimbeldon (London) and Ipswich.
We had friends that were banger drivers....a mad bunch!
One word of warning, not as cheap as it may appear! (Spending £300 - £400 on a 'good' banager car weekly was not unheard of in my day's of racing!) Lots of prep time as well.
Never did bangers myself however, I was always told that it was well worth the time & money! Helped out in the pits a few times, it was amazing what you could fix with a big hammer!
Great for spectators, everyone loved them and the DD's were great to watch when they went out for the 'demolition' not the winning
South Coast you have Angmering, Arlington, Matchams (Bouremouth maybe?) Essex Arena.
It's a sport full of car breakers smashing up the wrecks they get in.
If I were you I'd go and watch a few races close up and try and get in the pits before going for it.
There was a guy called Cecil who did rent-a-rookie for a while. £550 got you a car ready to go and you got to keep the car (not the saftey kit) after. They give full race support too (putting engines back on mounts, reattaching driveshafts, beating body panels. The only downside is everyone knows who you are as the cars are liveried up...... Hence you get picked on.
HERE
It's more expensive now than when it first started.
It's a sport full of car breakers smashing up the wrecks they get in.
If I were you I'd go and watch a few races close up and try and get in the pits before going for it.
There was a guy called Cecil who did rent-a-rookie for a while. £550 got you a car ready to go and you got to keep the car (not the saftey kit) after. They give full race support too (putting engines back on mounts, reattaching driveshafts, beating body panels. The only downside is everyone knows who you are as the cars are liveried up...... Hence you get picked on.
HERE
It's more expensive now than when it first started.
Mendips raceway is another well known banger venue,they have two types of bangers National bangers which goes from small engines to the big banger class 'unlimited anything goes'both full contact, the Rookie bangers are for the smaller cars with less contact as the radiator stays in the front and you keep the orginal loom to make things easier this maybe a good starting place for you but there's nothing stopping you doing both a lot of the drivers do to try to save a few cars but as with any banger racing most end up getting trashed
try this link
www.mendipsraceway.com
try this link
www.mendipsraceway.com
Have you been to see it before? I have only been a few times but I was quite shocked at how dangerous it 'appears'. I saw some accidents and I really thought they would be removing a corpse and to their credit, after the jaws of life, the guy stumbled out. Even so, I wouldnt fancy it but each to their own!
Go and do a day with OvalSport at Essex Arena (just by Lakeside shopping centre). http://www.ovalsport.com/
Not been for years but it was good fun when I did it. Old escorts with scaffolding inside, you race in a few heats and then a final. They do the full works - you get a commentator on the PA who knows your names and his Murray-Walkeresque delivery really adds to the atmosphere.
Cracking day out for about the price of a trackday. Be warned it does hurt if you get punted into a wall because the cars have no crash structure so when the steel bars in the car hit the concrete wall its the squishy bit in the driver seat that absorbs the impact!
Not been for years but it was good fun when I did it. Old escorts with scaffolding inside, you race in a few heats and then a final. They do the full works - you get a commentator on the PA who knows your names and his Murray-Walkeresque delivery really adds to the atmosphere.
Cracking day out for about the price of a trackday. Be warned it does hurt if you get punted into a wall because the cars have no crash structure so when the steel bars in the car hit the concrete wall its the squishy bit in the driver seat that absorbs the impact!
White-Noise said:
Have you been to see it before? I have only been a few times but I was quite shocked at how dangerous it 'appears'. I saw some accidents and I really thought they would be removing a corpse and to their credit, after the jaws of life, the guy stumbled out. Even so, I wouldnt fancy it but each to their own!
injuries in banger racing are relatively rare (all things considered) as the crumpling of the body tends to absorb most of the shock. they also remove the dahsboards which tend to cause most of the injuries. if you look in a prepped banger, you will see that even in the most 'mashed up' of states, the drivers cockpit is actually quite roomy. most of the injuries i have seen tend to be in formulas such as 1300 stock cars, 2 litre stock cars or superstox (or F2 if you're up north). the cars have no give due to the armour, so the impact goes straight to the driver.
Dont underestimate the amount of money and prep time it takes to get together anything that is even half decent these days!It isn't just a matter of stripping a car and racing it anymore ,just installing the safety kit ,bolting the doors shut ,petrol feed ,water tank ,plating where needed takes a LOT of time .
If you are new ,you will get picked on by the other drivers - "Following in the rookie" is a popular activity!
If you are new ,you will get picked on by the other drivers - "Following in the rookie" is a popular activity!
instead of doing bangers that usually last 1 meeting (if you are lucky) why not look at stock rods or lightening rods or even 1300 saloon stock cars. i know up here we have the stock rods which are novas/corsas/ax's with a cage and are supposed to be non contact
wouldnt do bangers as a lot of the "racers" are just psycos that hit anything that move
wouldnt do bangers as a lot of the "racers" are just psycos that hit anything that move
petergb said:
You may find Grass Track racing a cheaper and less labour intensive option.
Now that depends on what you choose to race on the short grass ovals.Something like NASA Class2 with it's restrictions will require not much more than panel beating from time to time.
Something like Class 10 where it's nutter mental machinery will keep you busy!
What you won't get on grasstrack is start money, and probably no prize money either.
Though something like Class2 with a Mk2 Escort is fun fun fun
Rollcage said:
eliot said:
And dont you need to own a scrapyard, 7.5 tonner with a Hiab, Alsatian dog, Tats, Sovs and a petrol disk cutter?
The above are mandatory,its in the rules!A ferrous metals recycling facility
A fleet of recovery vehicles
A pack of pedigree Dobermans (and two Manchester Terriers with attitude)
A Hugo Boss suit
Membership of the local golf club
The very latest "frag" machine, and a very efficient crusher
Don't forget that your 9 bedroom mansion set in 10 acres of landscaped grounds.
(and a couple of sawn-offs in the safe for good measure, so as not to forget your heritage)
On a more serious note to the OPs original question
In 1980-83 amate & I were involved in Stock Saloon car running an Alfa Guilia saloon. This had loads of steel in it but the basics were the same as bangers. This was Spedeworth at Aldershot. We also did Wimbledon twice & the World Championships (!) at Wisbech. Part of the issue is that finishing work at say 5:30,getting home, towcar hitched & loaded & off to the circuit for 7:30 sign on was a big challenge. Also the HIAB equipped scrappers wagon made the cars much easier to work on. Most of the bangers are many times more thought through than they look.
Personally I'd go towards hot rods in one of the standard type classes. I suspect it'll be a lot easier to run without massive backup & easier to break into.
In 1980-83 amate & I were involved in Stock Saloon car running an Alfa Guilia saloon. This had loads of steel in it but the basics were the same as bangers. This was Spedeworth at Aldershot. We also did Wimbledon twice & the World Championships (!) at Wisbech. Part of the issue is that finishing work at say 5:30,getting home, towcar hitched & loaded & off to the circuit for 7:30 sign on was a big challenge. Also the HIAB equipped scrappers wagon made the cars much easier to work on. Most of the bangers are many times more thought through than they look.
Personally I'd go towards hot rods in one of the standard type classes. I suspect it'll be a lot easier to run without massive backup & easier to break into.
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