Thursday June 9, 2011 at 10:18am
There was glorious Sunshine at round four of the British Supermoto Championships, and this round was kindly sponsored by Dave Clark Racing. A busy schedule for Saturday saw over a hundred riders out on track, and as ever there were battles in every race. A similar scenario on Sunday, but the weather wasn’t so kind and the racing was a mixed bag of wet and dry races.
Quads
Gareth Thomas was the fastest of the quads out on the track in race one and he secured the first win from Aaron Ebbitt, and despite these two running close for the whole race Aaron never got the chance to pass Gareth. Mike Taylor was then lying in third spot from Cathal McCarten, while Matt Lawry and Colin Forsythe battled for fifth place. In race two Aaron and Mike would be the two riders who were battling at the front with Gareth only a couple of tenths of a second away from the leaders. The top three would remain unchanged while this time it was Cathal McCarten who Colin Forsythe would be locked in battle with for the fifth spot. Sam Hodgson crossed the line in ninth position, though he was also the first of the 450 riders over the line with a two second cushion from Chris Wright and Luke Holman; the next quad of David Holman was ten seconds adrift. In race two Sam would have to follow Chris Wright over the line though once again he would be ninth on the track, with Luke Holman still hot on their heels and followed closely by Mark Beevers and Jonathan Dennan. The final race wad led by Aaron Ebbitt but in close contention once again was Gareth and Mike Taylor. These top three pulled a good lead from Cathal McCarten whilst Colin Forsythe dropped out of the race in the final after failing to gat his machine started. Aaron Ebbitt had the best points at this round with Mike Taylor moving up for two second placed finishes on the day, leaving Gareth with a win and two thirds. Cathal had a very consistent day with three fourth placed finishes, from Matt Lawry in fifth position. Sam Hodgson had a win and a second place in the 450 class but it was Chris Wright who would take two wins and a second place from this round, with Luke Holman and Jonathan Dennan both taking home trophies.
Quad Open Finishing Positions Final Race
1. Aaron Ebbitt 2. Mike Taylor 3. Gareth Thomas 4. Cathal McCarten 5. Matt Lawry
Quad 450 Finishing Positions Final Race
1. Chris Wright 2. Luke Holman 3. Jonathan Dennan 4. Sam Hodgson 5. Mark Beevers
250
Ben Stafford and Ryan Rudd would be the pair out at the front in the 250 races at round four, with Davey Todd making up third place in the first two races. Leigh Field came through the pack in race one to take fourth place moving Ashley Saunders, Stuart Sharp and Neil Crayston back a position. While in race two Leigh took this position again, leaving Stuart Sharp and Neil Crayston in fifth and sixth.
Ryan Rudd was the fastest rider on the track in race one, Ben took the honours in race two and Ryan once again the fastest on the track in the final, as Ben fell from his machine and lost time restarting. Ben remounted but he only made up to fifth place over the line, so Ryan took the final win of the day from Davey Todd, while Stuart Sharp had his best finish of the day with a third place; and Leigh Field took away three fourth placed finishes at this round.
Junior
Thomas Booth Amos would once again lead the junior races confidently and he began to mix in with the 250 riders with Ashley Rudd once again in second spot, but by race two Ashley had a few challenges from Daniel Drayton as Daniel looked to shake off Matt and Dylan. It would be Tom who took all three wins at this round, Ashley had three second placed finishes, Matt Raven had a third place in the first race while Daniel took two third places and a trophy.
250 Finishing Positions Final Race
1. Ryan Rudd 2. Davey Todd 3. Stuart Sharp 4. Leigh Field 5. Ben Stafford
Junior Finishing Positions Final Race
1. Thomas Booth Amos 2. Ashley Rudd 3. Daniel Drayton 4. Matt Raven 5. Dylan Henderson
Michelin Cup
Chris Lambourne would be the fastest man out in the Michelin Cup races at this round in al three races, though Bradley Hardy would take the win in race one. Race two looked set to be the second win for Brad but Chris Lambourne came through to take the lead in the fifth lap and he would hold the lead until the race concluded. Steve Ellis had an uneventful ride in third position as he had done in race one, with Harry Kampz once again taking fourth. These positions would be repeated again in the final, as Brad took the lead and Chris came through for the win. Steve and Harry would retain their positions with Rich Jennings and Ryan Metcalf very close over the line for fifth.
Michelin Cup Finishing Positions Final Race
1. Chris Lambourne 2. Brad Hardy 3. Steve Ellis 4. Harry Kampz 5. Rich Jennings
450 Elite
James Addy and Chris Hodgson provided the entertainment in the first Elite race of the day and Chris hung on to James until the penultimate lap when he took the lead, only to unseat himself in the dirt and allow James the opening to take the advantage going in to lunar bend and secure the win. This left Craig Venske battling with Richard Blakeman for third and Richard Sharp had David Hartley on his heels pushing for fifth place. In race two Craig Venske led the way, initially he was followed by Chris Hodgson but James Addy soon made his way in to second spot and then Richard Blakeman made the move from his fourth place finish in the first race; to clinch third position in the second race of the day leaving Chris Hodgson in fourth. Both Douglas Cunningham and Lewis Cornish improved their positions on their finishing positions in race one.
At the start of the final race, a fall from Craig Venske left him out of the running for the top spot which then fell to James Addy and Chris Hodgson. Chris would pull out a clear lead in the later stages of the race, while James was left unchallenged lying in second position. Down in third position, Richard Blakeman was holding off Ben Robb and Richard Sharp, and despite his best efforts Richard lost out on his second third place finish of the day to Ben Robb; who took the third place trophy in the final race. Richard Sharp had another fifth placed finish, while David Hartley took sixth position .in all three races.
450 Elite Finishing Positions Final Race
1. Chris Hodgson 2. James Addy 3. Ben Robb 4. Richard Blakeman 5. Richard Sharp
Open Clubman B
Lee Peet led the first Clubman B race and was looking to move up a group after race one but a mistake on lap one saw Marcus Haynes take the front spot with Lee having to make up lost ground. By the fourth lap Gregg Whitmee has the lead from Marcus, and again this was all to change by lap six. Marcus had the lead again at this point followed by Andre Craddock and Dan Spencer, but over the line Dan Spencer took second place leaving Andre to the pole position for race two. Andre took a very secure win in the second race from second placed Paul Maskell who set the fastest lap for this outing and had a comfortable race; this left Sam Roberts and Darren Corkett in third and fourth separated by only a tenth of a second with Barney Lovett and Lee Peet in fifth and sixth. The final race in wet conditions saw Lee Peet cross the line in front of Darren Corkett who had sat in the top five all day, in third place after some misfortune today was Greg Whitmee who had a lot of hard riding to do after a rear of the pack start in race two. Sam Roberts took fourth but his highest placed finish had been third in the second race while Katie Jolly showed a couple of new starters the way round the three sister’s circuit
Open Clubman A
Rob Dickens would be on pole for the first Clubman A race, despite having to ride a replacement bike but it was Tom Hallam who led Ben at the end of lap one, but Ben Hallam would be leader but the second lap and he would hold that position for the whole race. Tom looked comfortable in second though Rob Dickens made moves towards the front with two laps to go and over the line he may have snatched second but Tom clinched it by a hundredth of a second. A fall by Joe Edwards at the start of the second race forced a restart, and it was Tom Hallam who would be at the front from Rob Dickens but Rob took the lead in the fourth lap and stretched out a clear lead from Tom, while James Wood took third place. Lee Head in eighth position was holding of Marcus Haynes who had moved up from a B Group start.
The final race should have belonged to Rob Dickens, though it was Tom Hallam who was leading from Rob and then Paul Plevin. These three riders had a clear lead and looked to be set for the finish, though Rob would snatch the winning position on the line leaving Tom in second, Paul had an excellent third after a mid pack finish in race one. The next three riders had been consistent all day with James Wood from Ben Topliss and Alan Henderson, while Andre Craddock finished in twelfth from a B group start.
Open Clubman B Finishing Positions Final Race
1. Lee Peet 2. Darren Corkett 3 Gregg Whitmee Sam Roberts 4. Josh Harvey 5. Barney Lovatt
Open Clubman A Finishing Positions Final Race
1. Rob Dickens 2. Tom Hallam 3. Paul Plevin 4. James Wood 5. Ben Topliss
Open National
Steve Hall took to the front in the first National race and Brad Hardy retired. Keith Topliss would keep up the pressure on Steve at the front until the fifth lap, leaving Karl Geary Jnr to drop in to second place. Paul McNamara was being pressured by Harry Kampz who went on to take third place, leaving Paul to hold off Dave Jolly. Oliver Kemp got through to fourth before the finish, and while it looked like Dave Jolly had secured fifth, Paul McNamara secured that position in the final lap. Race two and Oliver Kemp had a good start to lead, with Harry Kampz pushing Steve Hall back to third position early in the race. Action mid pack saw Paul McNamara and Michael Craig both swapping positions for sixth place but it would be Michael who would keep the position to the line.
The final race and on this occasion it was Steve Hall out at the front though Harry Kampz and Oliver Kemp were both close enough to challenge, and mid way through the race Oliver took second from Harry, while .Bradley Hardy claimed fourth place from Dave Jolly. Steve would benefit the most from the points while Harry had a win in the second but Ollie finished the day with a trophy and another second place finish.
Open National Finishing Positions Final Race
1. Steve Hall 2. Oliver Kemp 3. Harry Kampz 4. Bradley Hardy 5. Dave Jolly
Open Elite
A mistake from James Addy left him at the rear of the first Elite pack, as Craig Venske took to the front. But fresh from Saturdays glory Chris Hodgson wanted to be back at the front and was there by the second lap and never looked like he would give up the position though Craig pressured him right o the line. Richard Blakeman again had another brilliant ride holding third for the whole race as Lee Williams pushed hard to try for fourth but James Addy was on a charge and clinched that spot pushing Lee down to fifth. David Hartley did well to make up five paces and finish in sixth, while there was a five man battle for tenth place which was won by Ben Stafford from Lewis Cornish with Kevin Drayton and Lee Rudd then taking twelfth and thirteenth place. The second race of the day saw a wet start and a first corner fall saw Lee Williams, Chris Hodgson and Richard Blakeman all down at the back of the pack. Richard exacerbated a knee injury and caused damage to his machine, so unfortunately after a great weekend of riding was unable to continue this race. Craig Venske was out in front from James Addy and Andy Mitchell with Andy Mitchell having a good race in fourth position while Ben Stafford claimed fifth place from Kevin Drayton. As the race progressed the riders who had been slowed up on the first lap began to work their way through the pack most notably Lee Williams who quickly moved up to tenth place by the fifth lap. Craig Venske and James Addy were clear at the front and the rest of the riders were unlikely to catch Andy Mitchell who in a very safe third position. The top three would remain unchanged. Chris Hodgson would take a well deserved fourth place having made up sixteen places, with Richard Sharp in fifth and Dougie Cunningham in sixth.
Andy Mitchell got the best start in the final race but Chris Hodgson took that position in the second lap and James Addy was also waiting in line for the pass; and at the start of the third both James and Craig Venske made a move which would see Andy down in fourth to then be challenged by Dougie Cunningham for his position. Chris Hodgson was settling down and stretching out a good lead from James and Craig, with two laps to go there was a battle for fifth and although Richard Blakeman started from the rear of the grid ten laps allowed him to be in the mix with Richard Sharp and Lee Williams for that spot. Chris Hodgson took the win from James Addy who would see his reward in points with a fourth and two second place finishes and Craig Venske during the day managed to finish in all three of the top three positions. Douglas Cunningham had fourth in the final with Richard Blakeman fifth from Lee Williams and Richard Sharp. Lewis Cornish had his highest placed finish of the day with eighth followed by Graeme Norris.
Open Elite Finishing Positions Final Race
1. Chris Hodgson 2. James Addy 3. Craig Venske 4. Douglas Cunningham 5. Richard Blakeman
Superlites
Ian Biswell led the first of the 650 Superlites to take the win unchallenged clear of Mike Bayliss and Tony Turner. The second race underway and out on the track Tony Turner was in first spot but being pressured by Mike Bayliss who had managed to take to the front and pull out a clear lead from Tony by lap four. This left Tony fending off Ian Biswell and Ian Gibbons, while further down the pack Joe Ellis got himself stuck on top of the tyres in the dirt section, and once placed back on the track had time to make up. Ian Biswell this time would lead the race with Tony Tuner and Mike Bayliss close behind, Paul Hudson in fourth was very close to Mike and he was quickly followed by Ken Walton and Joe Ellis. A move on Ian Biswell midway through the race left Tony Turner stuck on the tyres, and he lost three places. Mike then moved in to second but wasn’t close enough to challenge Ian and his position then came under threat from Ken Walton with only two laps to go. The top three would finish as Ian Biswell, Ken Walton and Mike Bayliss with the unfortunate Tony Turner finishing eighth.
In the open Superlites the Dimmack brothers were battling for the front spot while Alan Bott pressured Phil Lee for fourth position for the whole race but Phil never looked unnerved by Alan, though with two laps to go fortune smiled on Alan as Phil retired with a puncture. Alan Bott claimed fourth while Colin Griffiths had been safe in third for the whole race behind Ben Dimmack in second and Matthew Dimmack in first. At the start of the second race Danny Whitmee found himself with only three wheels and unable to continue while Colin Griffiths had the lead from Alan Bott and Harvey Longden, but only a lap later Dave Dixon had moved through to third position. Dave would finish in third while Ben Dimmack would take fourth position from Jonathan Bennett in fifth. Dave Dixon led the final with Matthew Dimmack close then Alan Bott. Jonathan Bennett was only a second adrift from Alan early in the race. At the final flag Dave Dixon would take the win, from Alan Bott in second once again then Jonathan Bennett in a comfortable third. A very strong start for the Dimmack brothers but it was not sustained as the day progressed.
Superlites 650 Finishing Positions Final Race
1. Ian Biswell 2. Ken Walton 3. Mike Bayliss 4. Paul Hudson 5. Joe Ellis
Superlites Finishing Positions Final Race
1. Dave Dixon 2. Alan Bott 3. Jonathan Bennett 4. Harvey Longden 5. Matthew Dimmack