Foxhall geared up for action

AS last year, there is a Christmas bonus for the area's motor sport fans with an all Rookie Banger meeting at Foxhall Stadium, Ipswich, on Wednesday, December 28 (start 1pm).

More than 100 cars have been booked for what should be an all-action meeting featuring most of the top stars from the Swaffham, Yarmouth and Ipswich circuits.

Several newcomers are also expected to join the fray in this good-fun formula where most cars up to 1,600cc are allowed.

The cars are more or less standard road cars minus the passenger seats, glass, lights, windscreen and so on, and while the first three laps of all races are non contact, drivers are allowed to push and shove after that.

The big names need to as well, since they start at the back of the grid and with around 40 cars in each race, a certain amount of barging through is needed.

As a result, there is always plenty of spins, crashes and pile-ups - and even the occasional overturn. Sometimes there is so much going on at Foxhall that it's a job for spectators to know where to look next.

Racing at this time of the year often means a wet and slippery track, which makes it more difficult to control the cars and inevitably adds to the number of collisions.

Despite what often appears to be terminal damage to the cars, its amazing how many of them manage to get back on track for their next race, and of course everybody tries to make it out for the trophies on the day's final.

Not all of them make it, but 60-car finals are not at all uncommon at Foxhall, and with this many cars on track at once things often get even more lively.

The beauty of this type of racing is that spectators don't need any knowledge of motor racing to enjoy it.

The drivers take it seriously of course, and many have reputations to maintain, but for those watching on the terraces it is more about entertainment.

Many of the drivers race about 60 meetings a year, but despite their busy schedule, they keep coming back for more simply because it is such good fun for a very modest outlay.

Dull moments are few and far between.