BANGER RACING: DAVID Aldous became the Saloon Stock Car ORC Champion at Arena Essex on Sunday after one of the most thrilling races of the season.

A three way battle for the lead between Darren Goudy, Shaun Webster and Joe Gladden in the early stages was split up when Murray Jones spun Gladden out of the running.

It was Aldous, pictured below, who emerged from the pack to close on Goudy and Webster he crept up the inside of both to take the lead. But the race was far from over and Webster attacked Aldous again. This time Aldous launched a big attack on the rear of Webster and as both went wide, Goudy slipped up the inside. But Aldous was not finished. He bumped Goudy into Webster, only to miss his target and lose out to Goudy in the final yards.

Three packed qualifying races were required to determine the ORC Championship grid and these were won by Murray Jones, Shane Brown and Shaun Webster.

Stanford Le-Hope racer, Paul Tuppen was out of luck. He was spun aside in both his heats and nearly rolled his vehicle too. The Junior Mini Stox ORC Championship got off to a false start with one of the top names, Sophie Fasey, immediately out with damage.

At the restart, Harry Steward and Will Morphey clashed on the run to the first corner. Morphey looked to be under pressure from Joe Marquand for some distance and his lead see-sawed as some oil went down round the track which made for some interesting cornering styles from many of the youngsters. Eventually Marquand was delayed by a backmarking Alfie Jones, enough for Morphey to not have to worry about any last lap attack. The earlier heats were won by Jones and Marquand, the latter taking his first victory of the season.

For years the ORC Championship for the National Bangers had been run to team rules and its first attempt at an individual title obviously did not capture the racers imagination, making it a low key ending to a great season. Ricky Hutton was one of a few racers determined to put on a show and he can count Andy Ashman and Rob Browning as his main victims, both getting piled into the pit bend fence.

Dale Hughes won heat and final with Jack Tuffen and Lee Hughes in second and third places. South Ockendon’s Sonny Sherwood winning the other heat. A short Destruction Derby was won by Jack Foster Jnr as Ricky Hutton did much of the damage to the few other competitors but then strangely pulled to the infield when faced with Foster.

Arena Essex now has its traditional winter break with the new season starting with the big Banger Shakedown which kicks off 2014 racing at Purfleet on March 9.

For banger racing and all motorsport see teh THURROCK Gazette every Thursday.