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 An intentional crash at a banger race atHednesford Hills Raceway inHednesford,Staffordshire,England in 2010 | |
| First played | 1960s |
|---|---|
| Characteristics | |
| Contact | Yes |
| Type | Outdoor |
| Venue | Oval tracks and courses |
| Presence | |
| Country or region | United Kingdom,Ireland,Belgium,Netherlands |
Banger racing is a type ofmotorsport event in whichautomobiles, traditionally derelict ortotalledclassic cars fromscrapyards, areraced onoval,tri-oval, orfigure-eightrace tracks over several laps. The distinguishing feature of banger racing is that it permits and encouragescontact between the participating vehicles, with the intent being to damage them over the course of the race.
Banger racing is similar toBritish stock car racing anddemolition derbies, and is popular in theUnited Kingdom (where it originated in the 1960s),Ireland,Belgium, and theNetherlands. It is also known for being divisive amongcar enthusiasts regarding the motorsport's poor treatment of rare classic cars, the rare unchecked use ofstolen vehicles at race events, and the dangers of crashing old cars with minimalsafety features.
Banger racing within the UK is usually held to one of three rule presets that consist of varying degrees of contact during races. 'National' banger racing is the only one which is full-contact. Drivers are allowed to pull off aggressive hits like 't-bones', 'head-ons', 'follow-ins' and 'jack-ups'[1] that are not allowed in other types of banger racing. Meetings held to National rulings are very popular and usually more destructive.
'Rookie' banger racing is a format designed to prolong the life of driver's cars with limited contact between drivers. The idea was brought about in the mid-1990s for those wishing to race bangers across the course of a season on a small budget. The reduced costs and crashes mean it is a safer and less aggressive environment for drivers, but not as popular with fans. The 'Rookie' banger format is commonly seen as a stepping stone for drivers who are looking to step up to the 'National' banger scene, with many drivers stepping up or partaking in both throughout their careers.
'Back to Basic' banger racing is an emerging part of the banger world, that is growing in success and popularity by acting as an entry-level way for fans to break into the sport. Racing is often held in the same style as the 'Rookie' banger division, but car preparation is scaled back, with drivers being able to leave in dashboards and on-key ignition, that would normally have to be removed. Drivers are also not allowed to protect their vehicles as much, with cars usually being stripped-down versions of how they appeared on the road. This is currently seen as the cheapest and easiest way to race bangers and harks back to the sport's roots of simple preparation and large grid sizes.
A banger race is distinct from a destruction derby, as the objective of the latter is not to turn laps, but to smash, destroy and ultimately immobilise all of the opposition, until only one vehicle is left. On occasions, though, the final event at a 'National' or 'Back to basic' Banger meeting may be a demolition derby where the cars that have raced compete to be the last one standing. At special events,caravans or small boats may be towed by racers during the demolition derby for added destruction during the event.
At regular banger events, cars are gridded across the track, sometimes in a graded order of driver success, and then sent away to give a rolling start for the beginning of a race.
Despite the racing element of the sport, the community often categorise drivers into two different groups. There are those who are regarded as 'rodders', a term derived from theHot Rod formulas that also commonly race on short ovals. These drivers aim to win races by any means possible. There are also those who are known as 'wreckers' and compete with the intention of destroying their own and other racer's cars. Wreckers are often more popular with the crowd, although drivers who win races and qualify for the world final are also respected.
Along with trophies for race winners and podium finishers, there are often trophies presented to the 'Best wrecker', 'Best entertainer' and 'Demolition derby winner', in order to attract drivers of both persuasions. Another trophy often given is a 'best car' award which is usually either given to the best-presented vehicle or the rarest car, with the latter being the subject of much controversy with classic car enthusiasts.
In a banger race, yellow flags are used during the race to warn drivers that caution is required. Cars which stall or are stopped by opposing drivers are usually left on the course while the race continues. In recent times, drivers have been encouraged to remain inside a disabled car while the race continues, as this is adjudged to be the safest option. The largest association of European promoters has indeed mandated this, it is now a punishable offence to leave a car during 'green flags' unless deemed an emergency situation. If it is deemed necessary to move them or if a driver is in particular danger (including fire), a red flag may be used to stop the race. Races are then usually restarted when the situation has been cleared.
Banger racing vehicles are normally scrap or written-off cars in varying states of disrepair, usually not newer than 10 to 20 years. In modern banger races, there are different events held for different vehicle classes.
The "Unlimited" class is the most common, where no limits are placed onengine displacement. Despite the high running costs, this is usually one of the most competitive classes and is favoured by most drivers because of the high speeds and car strengths. Its main stipulation is that the vehicle must berear-wheel drive, unless it is from theAmerican automotive market. This ruling makes car selections quite flexible for drivers, though certain models such as theSsangYong Rodius andChrysler Imperial are prohibited due to their disproportionate strength compared to other vehicles in the same class.
The "Under 2000cc" class requires an engine displacement of under two litres. This class is particularly dominated by certainFord models such as theFord Mondeo andFord Cougar, prompting some events to add additional constraints that force drivers to use different makes and models.
The "Under 1300cc–1800cc" class, also known as "Domestic Bangers", has an engine displacement cap that varies based on the track or promotion that is holding the event. It is most common in the Rookie and Back to Basic formats.
The "Micro" class consists ofA-segment,B-segment, andC-segment vehicles that are too small, underpowered, or uncompetitive to compete in the other classes. "Micros" have become increasingly popular due to the ubiquity of these types of cars in Europe and their cheap running and repair costs compared to the larger, older vehicles in other classes. Newer vehicles from the late 20th century and early 21st century, such as theFord Ka,Nissan Micra, andVolkswagen Golf, are more common in this class.
Other banger classes exist that are mostly only applied for special events, including those forSUVs,4x4s,vans,lorries,large goods vehicles,buses,coaches,double-deckers, "Siamese" cars (two car bodies welded together, usually with an empty shell atop the other or a shell on the back or front), or "pre-" age-limited classic cars.
Banger racing is said to have started in the early 1960s in the United Kingdom, after a race promoter observed the most popular features of race meetings were the crashes. Drivers began using vehicles with very basic preparation, such as removed windows and headlights. Safety regulations improved in the 1980s with compulsory roll cages, driver's door plates, and interior-repositioned fuel tanks.
As the sport's popularity exploded during the 1970s and 1980s, many tracks in the UK and Ireland began to host banger events, building a strong driver and fan base in the process. These tracks and promotions began to host championship events, the first being PRI's Wimbledon World Finals in 1971 atHarringay Stadium inLondon. The Spedeworth Unlimited Banger World Final was another major championship event, first held in October 1974 atWimbledon Stadium; since 2008, it has been held atFoxhall Stadium inIpswich.
Around the late 1980s and early 1990s, promoters began hosting "open" meetings with few car limitations and large prize funds, the first being the British Open atRingwood Raceway inHampshire and the Firecracker 500 atArena Essex Raceway inEssex. These meetings began to attract large turnouts and drivers from across the UK and Europe, with the annual Firecracker 500 becoming so popular that it became the venue's biggest meeting for fans and drivers alike until Arena Essex's closure in 2018. Rookie banger racing was introduced in the mid-1990s as a way to reduce damage and preserve cars for new drivers.
The peak number of cars to compete in one season was around 13,000 in 2003, of which around 9,500 were 'fresh' and had not been raced at any previous meetings. As for individual meetings, the largest turnouts vary depending on the banger class racing.
Meetings with 200+ bangers in attendance would be considered some of the biggest in the sport's history. The Unlimited "Icebreaker" meeting held atSwaffham Raceway on 8 February 1998 drew 209 cars, making it the first turnout with over 200 competitors. The largest accurate meeting turnout on record was the 2017 Spedeworth Unlimited National Banger World Final in which 269 cars were in attendance.[2][unreliable source?] The largest team meeting in the Netherlands was the Unlimited teams event held at Oval Emmem in 2016, which produced a turnout of 240 cars.
Turnout records have also been made within specific categories. The 2013 Olly Moran Memorial weekend held atArena Essex Raceway in 2013 was the largest single-make turnout in the sport's history, with 232 drivers required to attend in a Mark I or Mark IIFord Granada. The 2018 Stan Woods Memorial meeting atStoke had a similar requirement of only accepting cars produced before 1975, with 192 cars in attendance.
Many vehicle enthusiasts, particularly classic car enthusiasts and automotive historians, object to banger racing, claiming it is responsible for the wanton destruction ofrestorable classic cars and their difficult-to-acquire parts, and is the reason why mid- and late-20th century vehicles fromFord,Austin,Rover,Jaguar, andMercedes-Benz among other marques, along with uncommon special-configuration cars (such ashearses) and even somepre-war cars, have become increasingly rare.[3][4][5] Banger racing enthusiasts claim that most of the vehicles used for banger racing are already damaged, destined for scrap, or otherwise beyond restoration, and that their use as a banger is a more fitting "send-off" than typical, "unceremonial"vehicle recycling methods such ascrushing,shredding,abandonment, or intentional destruction ininsurance fraud schemes. Regardless, many members of the banger racing community aim to assist preservation where possible by selling intact parts such as interiors and spare parts to owners, or placing age limits on the cars they use to avoid destroying older, rarer vehicles.[3][4][5]
Criticism has also been aimed at banger racing regarding the uncommon use of stolen cars and car parts, even restored vehicles, and the lax efforts at some events to confirm proof of ownership. For example, in August 2022, a stolen 1985Ford LTD Country Squire and 1965Pontiac Grand Prix were destroyed at the last banger race at the former Ringwood Raceway. The drivers and vehicles were apparently not checked beforehand, and their identity as stolen vehicles was only determined after both had been repainted and destroyed.[6][7][8]
Governing bodies
Race promoters
Independent venues