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What is banger racing? Well, banger racing emerged in the UK at sometime in the 1960s, but demolition derbies had been occurring in the United States from around the 1930s, after race promoters realised that the non-fatal crashes were the most popular attraction at their events. Unlike demolition derbies, banger racing is an actual race meeting, but on the more dirty side of motor sports.
Cars that have failed their MOTs for the last time are tuned up, sprayed up and kitted out for one last hurrah before they float off to car heaven. Old wrecks are brought back up to scratch; ready to be scratched to bits. All the car needs is a compulsory H Frame, protective plates (in the side of the doors, not over the number plates), impact bars, a mighty roll cage and then to be finished off with a spray of war colours, to get it ready for a battle. That may sound like a lot of work to do on a car that is no longer road worthy, but once you see a banger race, you’ll understand exactly why some extra safety precautions are required.
Banger racing is unlike a demolition derby because it’s an actually a lap-based race, but then it’s not like normal motor race either because well… it’s absolute chaos! Cars are smashed to pieces, flipped over, and crushed into walls. Dirt flies in through empty window frames, cars collide, doors fly off, smoke bellows out of bonnets, mud, mayhem and the crowd goes wild.
So you think that sounds mad but what about when you throw a caravan into the mix? That’s right, caravan banger racing is very popular in the UK too. Caravan banger racing actually pulls in bigger crowds than most lower league football matches (and often promises more entertaining spectacle too). The races have more of a demolition derby feel to them than straight banger racing, because it is a miracle if anyone manages to complete the laps required to win. When someone does manage the feat, they are rarely left towing anything that remotely resembles a caravan.
Due to the size of the track, when one caravan crashes, an enormous pile up usually follows. Many cars spend the entire race trying to manoeuvre out of a crash site, only for their caravan to be completely obliterated as they do. The basic rules are that you must complete the set amount of laps and that you must be towing something on the back of your car at the end; usually just a small piece of metal attached to the tow bar. To witness the carnage without getting too close to the danger, you can watch a fun video here.
Look like something you would be interested in? Well, many banger race promoters have a very open policy of who can take part. In fact, I’ve even seen children as young as 10 years old taking to the track for their first ever driving experience at a banger race. So if you have a caravan decomposing in your front garden, why not consider taking down and donating it to a caravan banger race? Or better still, get behind the wheel and race. It’s a good idea to speak to an insurance specialist such as Shield Total Insurance before taking your car to the racetrack, but there are no laws against smashing it to pieces once you’re there!
There is bound to be an event near to you very soon, so check below for a list of the UK’s best banger racing homes and locations. Caravandalism at Mendips Raceway is always worth a visit, purely because they have the insane banger race line up of caravans towed by the ever-ready, always amusing, Reliant Robins. Total carnage.
Arena Essex Raceway – Essex
Autospeed Motor Promoters – Honiton & Cornwall
Barford Raceway – County Durham
Mendips Raceway – Somerset
Buxton Raceway – Peak District
The Racewall Cowdenbeath – Fife
Grimley Oval Raceway – Worcester
Incarace Motorsport Live – Birmingham, Hednesford and Horton, Northampton
Nuttscorner Oval – Nutts Corner, County Antrim
RDC Promotions – Coombe Valley , Mildenhall Stadium, Suffolf, Kent
Skegness Stadium – Lincolnshire & Skegness,
Spedeworth Motorsports – Aldershot, Birmingham, Eastborne, Great Yarmouth, Hednesford, Ipswich, Northampton and Wimbledon
Standlake Arena – Oxordshire
Startrax Oval Racing – Coventry, Manchester, Sheffield & Stoke
Trackstar Racing – Norfolk
Warton Stock Car Club – Carnforth, Lancashire
