KingsLynnIcebreaker
Kings Lynn, 8th February, Unlimited Bangers Icebreaker
Big Cheers to Al Oxby for sending us this report through from the rearranged Kings Lynn Icebreaker where the track held up well and produced some good action as a result

AH    Ant Hill Mob
AL    Allstars
AR    Aherns
BA    Banana Bunch
BRA    Bears A
BRB    Bears B
FL    Flying Squad
HMA    Hitmen A
HMB    Hitmen B
IP    Impact
LZ    Luniz
RK    Rinky Doos
ST    Steam Team
TBA    Team Black A
TBB    Team Black B

The eleventh staging of the Icebreaker raised a 78-car entry at Kings Lynn on 8 February with the drivers spread across 15 teams.  Most of the teams managed to field either 5 or 6 cars with only the Aherns (3) and the Rinky Doos (2) looking a little short of support.

As expected, there was a fair bit of beef on show including used Crowns for AR592 Mark Marchant and HMA312 Tom Reynolds.  ST537 Martin Brunson returned a Rover P5B whilst AL471 Terry Freaks completed the second hand line-up with Barrty Hennessy’s Buick Riviera Coupe from the Firecracker.  Onto the fresh stuff and the pick of the Volvos was a 760 Estate for AL19 Joe Mullarkey whilst top Jag was the XJ-S of BRB41 Paul Pentecost.  TBA617 Jack Overy had a smartly presented Crown and BRA821 Brett Fry produced the only Datsun in the shape of a 300C Estate.  FL303 Brian Cope campaigned a Bentley T2 and teammate 210 Paul Latokowski had the sole stretch of the day in the shape of a Mk2 Limo.  Turning the clock back further LZ417 Dan Davey had an early Mk1 Granny (complete with Consul badges), BRB29 Dave Marsh turned out a P6 Rover and there were a further two fresh P5s - both P5B Coupes for HMA133 Karl Day and AL85 James Ellis.  Top vintage honours went to captain of the Bears, BRA421 Nigel Riley whose Riley Pathfinder was immaculately presented.  Moving onto the Yank stuff, BA21 Mark Quinsey sported a mid-eighties Buick Electra whilst the Hitmen and the Bears had one each - a Chevrolet Malibu for BRA803 Gareth Woolven and an Oldsmobile Delta in the hands of HMB728 Tim Dray.  The real head turners were in the hands of the Flying Squad however, with 272 Gary Murrell getting the nod for biggest car with his Chrysler Town & Country Station Wagon and returnee 5 Wayne Rathbone racing the much anticipated Buick Special from 1957.

Prior to the start of the meeting, there was a parade of cars from which the smartest teams were selected with the Flying Squad and Bears A runners up, but the locals scooped the top paint honours as the impressive looking Team Impact received the verdict.  Material awards (in no particular order) were given to Rathbone, Murrell, Dangerous Brian, Nutty Nige and Spike.

Moving on to the action, the format was a simple six-heat affair with all teams in each heat and two cars per team.  25 cars gridded for Heat One which saw an early trip to the wall for TBB229 Ritchie Holmes (Mk2) courtesy of the similarly mounted IP776 Ady Groom.  Surprisingly, there were a couple of quick laps before HMA279 Colin Coker (Vole 240 Estate) was run in by the ultra smart IP402 Gavin Misson (740 Estate).  Coker recovered only to be hooked out in Turn One by BRA422 Nick Allam (240 Estate) with a few other cars then getting caught up in the blockage including the leading AH917 John Millen (Mk2 Estate).  BA51 Ian Castle (Vole 240) went in on Millen whilst TBA789 Rob Taylor (3XJ) took a shot from the Joey of BRB29 Dave Marsh and HMA311 Gary Lown (Laurel) hit LZ221 Mick Whitelock’s Mk2.  As the traffic cleared, ST537 Martin Brunson found himself at the front whilst BRB28 Neil Osbourne (240 Estate) was sent fenceward by Taylor who then dished out a stiff shot to the Volvo 240 Estate of 106 Roger Blything.  422 Nicko now sent the Rover of AL85 Ellis into the wall but lost it himself allowing Ellis to recover and blast him over the back wheel.  AH341 Ricky Williams (Mk2) punted the luckless 279 Gizmo into the marker tyres as 537 Bruno completed the laps to give the Steam Team the first victory ahead of Millen and BRB28 Ozzie.  Top of the leader board were defending champions the Ant Hill Mob who also notched up fourth place for Williams.

Result: ST537 Martin Brunson, AH917 John Millen, BRB28 Neill Osbourne, AH341 Ricky Williams, TBA789 Rob Taylor, AL85 James Ellis, BRA821 Brett Fry, BRA422 Nick Allam

One extra for Heat Two which started out with a few innocent spins before HMB153 Albert Keogh (3XJ) blasted the Mk1 of LZ417 Dan Davey after Davey had fired into the 240 Estate of HMA274 Paul Coker.  BA21 Quinsey fired into Keogh in turn but then took a solid package from the Crown of HMA312 Turbo as the entrance to the back straight started to block up.  BRA521 Ashley Riley (Volvo 240 Estate) fired up the back of the Limo of FL210 Kosski as most of the field became involved although against the sun it was hard to see who was doing who!  As things became more visible again, AL119 Davey Cox (Volvo 740 Estate) took a package from the Mk2 of AH69 Marshall Bowmaker who was done in turn by TBA998 Wayne Cottrill (3XJ) whilst TBA431 Shaun Abra (Mk2) suffered a shot from the Series 2 Jag of IP879 Reggie Reed.  The sequence was completed by BRB424 Jason Pollard (Volvo 240) who piled into Cotty.  With the track now blocked, a few cars took to the infield whilst some emerged from the front of the pile with 312 Turbo completing a lap before going in on Cotty whilst 521 Ace Ash went for a big one into the pile which didn’t quite work out and he felt the force of Cotty instead.  BRA803 Stress lined up RK956 Mick Maskall (Mk2 Estate) to deliver a decent jacking with Kosski then blasting Stress.  Another lap was completed before Cotty ran Bowmaker hard into the pile once again with AL19 Dove Toe Joe then giving Cotty a shot and it was some time before Ace Ash arrived on the scene to go in on Mullarkey.  Still there were one or two survivors that were game for it and AH841 Frank Williams (3XJ) battered his way out of the pile to complete a lap before hitting the XJ40 of BA157 Michael Piggott.  Last crash came courtesy of Ace Ash with a hit on the long-stationary motor of 274 Coker as AL119 Cruncher took the victory and fenced himself hard trying to connect with the Mk2 of second placed TBB383 Andy Chisholm.  TBB206 Terry Pinches (Mk2) was the third of just five finishers.

Result: AL119 Davey Cox, TBB383 Andrew Chisholm, TBB206 Terry Pinches, ST172 Andrew Bonsor, BRA803 Gareth Woolven

The numbers were still growing as 29 cars took to the circuit for Heat Three.  FL303 Dangerous Brian was immediately in trouble as he was turned into the back straight fencing hard and copped a T-bone from the Mk2 of ST811 Pete Winter.  No more would be seen of the Bentley.  LZ465 Andy Scarlett (3XJ) also hit Brian and was then struck by FL272 Murrell with BA51 Cass then attacking the Chrysler before taking a much more meaningful package from the Series 3 Jag of BRA169 Jason Thompson.  BRB721 Grant Butler (240 Estate) delivered a solid package to TBA200 Steve Farrell (3XJ) and continued to bury himself in the back of Murrell with IP776 Ady Groom then burying AL211 Barry Franklin (3XJ) in the Turn Three plating.  Once again, the vintage was at the front with BRA421 Nutty Nige leading the way until AL372 Martin Scully (Mk2 Estate) turned him into the fence and more old car action came as HMA133 Karly put the roof up on TBB159 Darren Scarrow (Mk2).  AR592 Mark Marchant now gave Nutty Nige a shot over the back wheel before IP401 Steve Hemmings (Mk2) blasted the Volvo 240 Estate of AR211 Chris Howe.  TBB385 Roy Gedge (240 Estate) now came against the flow looking to reach the safety of the centre green but was met in a shuddering head-on by Nutty Nige snapping the Volvo whilst 169 Thompson turned it round for a half hearted attack on AR271 Dean Goodearl (Mk2).  AH917 Millen now hooked out HMB428 Richard Regan (MK2 Estate) setting him up for a cracking T-bone from TBA617 Overy which the Granada soaked up amazingly well, Grumpy turning it round but failing to catch Overy as the Ant Hill Mob scored a maximum with Millen taking the victory ahead of 341 Williams and 401 Psycho.  Thompson and Scully exchanged hits after the reds but order was soon restored.

Result: AH917, AH341, IP401 Steve Hemmings, HMB428 Richard Regan, AL372 Martin Scully, TBA617 Jack Overy, ST536 Annette Nicholls, BRA169 Jason Thompson

Heat Four still had a good field of 23 cars but not many survived the opening lap!  TBB383 Chiz found the fence hard whilst BRA422 Nicko walled AL119 Cruncher impressively and HMA279 Giggler gave TBA334 Gary Madgwick (Mk2) a stiff shot.  BRA821 Wingnut powered into Giggler and was then pounded by AL85 Ellis whilst IP007 Ian Laws (3XJ) walled the recovered Chiz once again.  HMB77 Darron Austen (Mk2 Estate) blasted the Volvo 740 of ST070 Trevor Cooper over the back wheel whilst 422 Nicko ran 007 Dangerous Dill into the fence.  ST537 Bruno was once again leading but still found the time to follow in Wingnut decently allowing Austen to move to the front.  However Austen got caught up as Dill blasted Ellis over the front wheel and ran himself into the fence taking the Hitman with him.  Bruno fired up the back of Austen and was done in turn by the Series 3 XJ of HMB584 Mark Harding whist Chiz suffered more at the hands of the Mk2 mounted BRB141 Dale Fairless.  All of this just left two runners - AH841 Williams and HMB584 Sharky and Williams suffered steering damage squeezing through the wrecked cars allowing Sharky to take the victory with just two recorded finishers.  The Ant Hill Mob were well clear at the top of the points table by this stage.

Result: HMB584 Mark Harding, AH841 Frank Williams

The fifth Heat attracted another 22 cars and started with a bang as AL471 Terry Freaks was turned into the fence by the traffic giving TBB206 Claude an opportunity to blast him over the back wheel but BRA803 Stress had the last laugh as he decimated Claude with an enormous shot that stripped the floor pan of the Granada from the axle and suspension and wrapped it either side of the drivers seat headrest.  Simply superb!  IP776 Groom continued the momentum with a burial of BA21 Quinsey but soon after he took a roof-bender from the Recovered Freaks.  Freaks then suffered a hit from BRB424 The Wizard who then took the bone from Dove Toe Joe and HMB728 Spike fired into BA157 Piglet.  TBA617 Overy scored on the Bears with a follow-in on Stress but this was avenged by 521 Ace Ash who blasted the Crown over the back wheel and Overy then took a big head-on from the Wizard.  AR592 Marchant delivered another good follow-in on the XJS of BRB41 Paul Pentecost and continued to bury the Wizard into the empty car of Freaks shortly after.  AH917 Millen pulled off a last bend attack on ST172 Andy Bonsor (3XJ) to take his second victory of the afternoon with Bonsor recovering into second spot.  ST701 Kevin Cooper (Mk2) was third with AH341 Ricky Williams the only other finisher.  Needless to say, the Ant Hill Mob extended their lead at the front of the team chart.

Result: AH917, ST172, ST701 Kevin Cooper, AH341

Not surprisingly, the sixth and Final Heat was reduced to just 12 cars and saw a change of fortunes for the Ant Hill Mob as HMB428 Grumpy punted Millen into the tyres and then hooked 841 Williams out to the fence within the first lap.  ST536 Annette Nicholls (3XJ) steamed HMA311 Lown and was hassled by Grumpy as a result whilst HMB584 Sharky ran LZ221 Whitelock to the wall.  Grumpy moved ahead of Annette to the front of the race and charged away from the rest of the field with a brilliant display of opposite lock driving.  BRA169 Thompson found the back of Williams who hit the brakes and eventually span out as Grumpy continued to stamp his authority on the race with a text book follow-in on Whitelock.  Grumpy took the victory with Millen spinning out enough cars to make his way back up to second and Annette third.  The points haul put the Ant Hill Mob 30 points clear of the Steam Team with only the final remaining.

Result: HMB428, AH917, ST536, BRA169, AH841

35 cars for the Final and once again the Power Station Turn claimed many of the cars before they reached the green flag.  BRB141 Fairless went in hard as did AL19 Dove Toe Joe with rear assistance from BRA169 Thompson whilst IP776 Groom took a head-on from HMA133 Karly.  Grumpy put ST811 Winter into the back straight fence and AH69 Bowmaker steamed AL211 Bazza as BRB28 Ozzie gave BA157 Piglet a package.  The action continued with BRB721 The Thug giving HMB153 Albert Keogh the bone and Thompson fired up the back of Bazza.  AH917 Millen had found his way to the front again as the action hotted up on the back straight with Piglet giving ST070 Cooper a bit of a shot before Ozzie went hard into Cooper putting the roof up on the Volvo 740.  IP401 Psycho came against the flow for a shot on TBA200 Noon as the waved yellows came out for Cooper.  A lengthy delay followed as the emergency services removed the roof of the Steam Team car to extract Cooper with a suspected neck injury, but thankfully he was released from hospital 24 hours later with no serious problems.  The restart was much depleted and saw little action as Millen continued to take the flag ahead of Winter and ST701 The Hitman.  The closing moments saw HMB77 Austen go on opposite to fire up the back of Thompson.  

Result: AH917, ST811 Pete Winter, ST701, HMB728 Tim Dray, AL211 Barry Franklin, ST172, ST536, FL210 Paul Latokowski

Scenes of confusion followed as the Ant Hill Mob thought they had won the event and set off on a lap of honour.  However, the Steam Team had four finishers in the places and their total score of 52 points was enough to deal with the 30 point advantage the Ant Hill Mob had brought to the race and the 20 points they scored.  The Hitmen B finished in third.

Just six cars made it back for the DD but it was still a cracker.  665 Stu Scarlett (3XJ) met Nutty Nige in a head-on which stopped both cars straight away whilst 312 Turbo was hassled by 803 Stress.  The two set off in opposite directions meeting in a monumental head-on by the pit gate which snapped both cars impressively.  Tom was waving the remaining two cars in but 428 Grumpy picked up 521 Ace Ash and followed him in instead with Ash then finding himself propelled the length of the straight before getting buried again at the other end.  Both cars fell silent but Grumpy fired his back up straight away to claim the win and Ash then waved him in for a couple of shots over the front wheel to end proceedings.

Clearly this wasn’t the biggest Icebreaker in the history of the event.  However, the consensus of opinion was that everybody went home impressed with the extensive track preparation work, well entertained by a mix of racing and wrecking action and of the opinion that the Icebreaker deserves a bigger entry next year to continue upward the status of the meeting.