Monday August 3, 2009 at 12:16pm
After a wonderful weekend's racing on sunny Anglesey, John Holden and Andy Winkle (D&A Walmsley LCR Suzuki) scored a double victory to move closer to their first Yokohama/ACU sponsored British Championship. They were followed home in both races by Ian and Carl Bell (Ian Bell M/cs LCR Yamaha), their best results since Ian returned to the championship two years ago.
Holden had been fastest in qualifying from Gary Bryan and Robert Bell (Drury Engineering Baker Yamaha) and although both made good starts in Saturday's opening race, it was Bell who got between them going into the first corner. Roy Hanks and Dave Wells (Dorwingear Ltd Molyneux Suzuki) were fourth ahead of Conrad Harrison and Lee Patterson (Printing Roller Services Shelbourne Honda), Steve Coombes and Gary Partridge (Dave Hudspeth Carpets Ireson Honda) and Simon Neary and Stu Bond (Neary Racing Baker Suzuki).
By lap three, both Hanks and Harrison had got by Bryan while Neary had moved ahead of Coombes. Gradually Holden and Bell opened a gap on the chasing pack and then Holden began to edge away from Bell, establishing a three second lead at half distance. Harrison was now up to third and Neary had taken fifth from Bryan. By lap 15 of the 20, Holden's lead was over 4 seconds but he had to hold off when lapping backmarkers and suddenly Bell was only just a second behind with two laps to go. That difference was halved on the penultimate lap but Holden held on to take the win. Harrison took his first ever podium in third while Bryan got ahead of Neary for fourth when the latter had passenger Bond tumble out of the outfit on the last lap. Bond got back on and they just took fifth from Hanks, who was suffering from a foot injury.
Stephen Kershaw and Robin Wilson (Blinkbonny Quarry LCR Suzuki) took the FII Cup honours for the first time this season when finishing seventh ahead of Bill Currie and Robert Biggs (LCR Yamaha) with Cup leaders Dean Henry and Ian Smith (Magnam Racing Windle Suzuki) and Tony Baker and Fiona Baker-Milligan (Team Cumbria Express Baker Suzuki) completing the top ten.
The second race on Sunday saw a similar start but this time Bell got through to lead after the opening lap from Bryan, Holden and Neary. The latter pair soon relegated Bryan to fourth and Holden took the lead a lap later. Once again, Holden began to build a lead and with the fastest lap of the weekend on lap five, soon led by two seconds. By half distance the gap had doubled as Bell came under pressure from Neary. Holden maintained his lead through the second half of the race and with no problems this time round getting past the backmarkers, he won by over five seconds. Bell held off Neary while Harrison got ahead of Bryan. The latter was pipped on the line for fifth by a tremendous late charge from Currie. Again Kershaw finished seventh and a FII Cup maximum, with Hanks bravely taking eighth. Dean Lindley and stand-in passenger Simon Dawson (Motorcycle Parts Leeds Bellas Yamaha) were ninth and second home in the Cup ahead of Cup leaders Henry and Smith in tenth.
With two races to go, Holden leads the championship on 169 points from Neary on 122 with Bell moving from ninth to third with 95. In the FII Cup Henry has 201 but Kershaw has moved closer with 182, Lindley third on 123.
RESULTS: Race One. 20 Laps, 31 miles.
1. John Holden/Andy Winkle (Suzuki) 25m 4.256s 74.189 mph.
2. Ian and Carl Bell (Yamaha)
3. Conrad Harrison/Lee Patterson (Honda)
4. Gary Bryan/Robert Bell (Yamaha)
5. Simon Neary/Stu Bond (Suzuki)
6. Roy Hanks/Dave Wells (Suzuki)
7. Stephen Kershaw/Robin Wilson (Suzuki)
8. Bill Currie/Robert Biggs (Yamaha)
9. Dean Henry/Ian Smith (Suzuki)
10. Tony Baker/Fiona Baker-Milligan (Suzuki)
11. Matt Dix/Shaun Parker (Honda)
12. Dean Lindley/Simon Dawson (Yamaha)
13. Dave Atkinson/James Neave (Suzuki)
14. Nick Dukes/Mike Aylott (BLR)
15. Miles Bennett/Kevin Perry (Honda).
Fastest Lap: Holden/Winkle 1m 14.071s, 75.333 mph.
Race Two. 20 Laps, 31 miles.
1. Holden 24 mins 56.987s. 74.55 mph.
2. Bell
3. Neary
4. Harrison
5. Currie
6. Bryan
7. Kershaw
8. Hanks
9. Lindley
10. Henry
11. Baker
12. Atkinson
13. Dukes
14. Bennett
15. Steve Ramsden/John McWhir (Jacobs)
Fastest Lap Holden/Winkle 1m 13.658s, 75.756 mph.