240 General: valve frendly engines ?

[LankyTim]

Im not even going to try to explain. Banger racing is a way of life, a passion.

I guess you either "get it" or you dont....

I havent raced for a year or so and cant see myself racing again for the forseeable future due to work and home commitments but given half the chance id be strapped back into a rotted out cavalier in double quick time.

Unless youve tried it you cant appreciate just how fun it really is.

[Chris1Roll]

Originally Posted by Rich 264

I'm very very enthusiastic about all motorsport, apart from banger racing! I think building and tuning a car to go faster and handle better than the next guy/gal, and learning to drive it faster and control it better than the next guy or gal is fantastic. Look at the technology the motor industry has gained from the track, every car on the road probably has some innovation which wouldn't be there but for motorsport of some form. However i doubt that banger racing has made much contribution to this, i know its great fun if you're into it, but lets be honest, is it anything more than dodgems with real cars?!

And on that note i think i'd better disappear...

The problem with this argument, is that "real" motorsport, is populated with people who were pushed into it at a young age by parents who had plenty of money to spoil their children with; (karting for example, see how some of them behave when they lose) regardless of whether or not they displayed any natural talent. No of course some of them do, and its those that go on to be famous. Lets take Jensen Button, for example. His parents named him Jensen FFS! There was never any doubt from the moment he was concieved as to what he was going to be pushed into.

The "beauty" of banger racing, is that anyone, from any walk of life can take part, I reckon over 5 years of racing i probably spent a total of 2 grand or so, 3 tops - £50 if you buy a car, £100 helmet, £50 harness, some scaffolding for a roll cage, £30/yr race licence and a fiver to get in each day, plus fuel and parts.... try doing "real" motorsport for that money.
And therein lies the great pity, on that grass oval, is a lot of natural talent that has gone unnoticed. Watch 8 sierras all drifitng in unison on mud in the pouring rain (its like driving on a sheet of ice) for example.
The juniors non-contact class can be joined from ages 10-16. Sure, some kangaroo round the track before stacking it onto a tire, but hell, some of those kids can drive better than you or I ever could; (and when they lose/crash they usually just shrug and get on with it, rarely is there a tantrum) but they will never be spotted, never be given the opportunity to make a living from that talent because their parents do not have the many thousands of pounds required to join all the rich kids on the karting circuit and join the usual route into professional motorsport.

And personally I think thats a great shame.

Regards,

Chris

[LankyTim]

Originally Posted by Chris1Roll

The problem with this argument, is that "real" motorsport, is populated with people who were pushed into it at a young age by parents who had plenty of money to spoil their children with; (karting for example, see how some of them behave when they lose) regardless of whether or not they displayed any natural talent. No of course some of them do, and its those that go on to be famous. Lets take Jensen Button, for example. His parents named him Jensen FFS! There was never any doubt from the moment he was concieved as to what he was going to be pushed into.

The "beauty" of banger racing, is that anyone, from any walk of life can take part, I reckon over 5 years of racing i probably spent a total of 2 grand or so, 3 tops - £50 if you buy a car, £100 helmet, £50 harness, some scaffolding for a roll cage, £30/yr race licence and a fiver to get in each day, plus fuel and parts.... try doing "real" motorsport for that money.
And therein lies the great pity, on that grass oval, is a lot of natural talent that has gone unnoticed. Watch 8 sierras all drifitng in unison on mud in the pouring rain (its like driving on a sheet of ice) for example.
The juniors non-contact class can be joined from ages 10-16. Sure, some kangaroo round the track before stacking it onto a tire, but hell, some of those kids can drive better than you or I ever could; (and when they lose/crash they usually just shrug and get on with it, rarely is there a tantrum) but they will never be spotted, never be given the opportunity to make a living from that talent because their parents do not have the many thousands of pounds required to join all the rich kids on the karting circuit and join the usual route into professional motorsport.

And personally I think thats a great shame.

Regards,

Chris

Put it better than I ever could! Theres alot of opinions about "grass roots" motorsport such as grasstrack racing or bangers that dont seem to have much grounding in fact.

[Rich 264]

I didn't know grass track and bangers were the same category?
I don't have a snobby attitude to motorsport, and it is a wrong that cost excludes most people from the 'top' categories, but theres plenty of "grass roots" categories apart from bangers which require driving talent over and above deliberately smashing cars into each other, i think that was the point i was trying to make. (eg a colleague of mine is heavily into mini stox)
In as far as i would rate driving talent and being able to build cars up over driving round a tarmac oval deliberately smashing other drivers into the concrete then i am a snobby *&%$*! But i do appreciate that like dodgems bangers is great fun and i would'nt want to take that away from anybody, just don't destroy our motoring heritage in the process!

One last point, anyone who watched the grand prix today it was commented that Michael Schumacher's father was a brick layer. So maybe its a case of you don't have to be rich, but it helps?!

[LankyTim]

Banger racing is still racing. The winner is the first driver to complete a set amount of laps, but theres the added dimension that the racing is "full contact" that is drivers can push and spin opposing cars out of the way to gain advantage. Its as much about avoiding collision as deliberately hitting an opponent.

Theres a great deal of technical ingenuity in the cars construction as well, maximising a car within the strict construction rules, its not simply a case of "dodgems with cars" and the skill level of some drivers is incredibly high, if you were to take time out to go to a decent track and watch im sure youd soon be eating your words! There is so much more to banger racing than alot of people think. Its just that people have pre conceptions of the sport and dont take the time to actually find out more about it.

Ive been part of some similar threads on other websites with people demonising banger drivers, accusing us all of being thieves, stupid, too inept to take part in any "better" sport and generally scum of the earth and it really gets on my t*ts!!

[CTCNetwork]

Hi,

Originally Posted by LankyTim

gets on my t*ts!!

You got T*Ts???

TIM's Got T|TS!!!!

Des. . .

[LankyTim]

Originally Posted by CTCNetwork

Hi,

You got T*Ts???

TIM's Got T|TS!!!!

Des. . .

Of course I have.... doesnt everyone........?....

Seems my parents have been lying to me.

[kamikaze !]

love the fintail tim !!!
yes banger racing for us is a way of life !
you do get more applause from the crowd for the big hits,
rather than some who rod round all the time
this will always get you in the mags
specialy if you have somthing rare or get a realy bent car out for one last race
the crowds love it
as for the cars... were averageing £300 a car ! no means cheap !
with the fuel for lorry & car, paint,etc
and we cant compete with those who use raceing engines
some who spend up to £2000 on a pinto !!!!

cheers for all you for & againsts


any one whos intrested in watching bangers try
ARENA ESSEX
5th NOVEMBER 1 O'CLOCK
FOR FIRECRACKER
get ther early though as ther will loads of cars
loads of spectators with some comeing from holland & belgium !!

[kamikaze !]

GUESS WHAT !!!
B200e engine broke key way off in crank pully
wont start ha ha !
i take this one aint valve frendly !

bangar racing is NOT a sport, its a excuse for mindless destruction, plus theres a hell of a lot of classic cars stolen to be used in this infantile pastime ,id ban it asap