Paul Winrow – Britain’s most successful quad racer – will aim to secure a record 14th Cromwell Trucks ACU British Quad Championship at Canada Heights on Sunday (October 5).
The Honda mounted 40-year-old comes into the sixth and final round 42 points ahead of his nearest rival knowing he can race tactically rather take risks. However, Winrow was playing it coy about his plan for the three 25 minute races.
“I don’t know yet. I’ll guess I do whatever I have to do to get the job done,” he said.
“Though I’m hoping I can get it wrapped up in the first two races so it doesn’t have to go down to the third and final race.”
Winrow won his first title as a teenager back in 1992 and his tally is even more amazing considering he sat out the last two British championships in a self-imposed semi-retirement!
He will face stiff opposition round the hilly Kent track with a full line-up of 35 quads confirmed. And with nine riders still in with a mathematical chance of taking the title the racing is bound to be fierce.
Realistically the title fight will be between three riders and the dark horse in that contest, even though he sits second in the table, is Suzuki’s Carl Bunce. The 29-year-old from Reading has not won a round this year. In fact over the 15 heats so far he has only finished on the podium once. However, he has also finished every race and never outside the top ten!
Critically though Bunce goes well at Canada Heights, as he proved when he took overall victory and won the last heat at the same meeting in 2013. If he can repeat that form it will put serious pressure in Winrow, especially with a heat win worth 50 points.
Third in the championship is Mark McLernon (Honda). The 19-year-old from Hillsborough in Northern Ireland is fast, brave and unpredictable and could easily win all three races on Sunday if all his ducks are in a row.
What makes Sunday so unpredictable though is that – as this year has already proved – there are several riders who could win races or steal points from the main championship contenders. Stefan Murphy (Yamaha), Justin Reid (Can-Am), Dean Colhoun (Can-Am), David Cowan (Yamaha), current champion Paul Holmes (Yamaha), Lindsey Duke (KTM) and Oli Sansom (Yamaha) are all capable of running with the leaders. So are George Callaway (Yamaha) and Sheldon Seal (KTM), though both are recovering from broken collarbones and it is uncertain if they will start at the time of writing.
Three other titles are also up for grabs. The Connor Smith Six Sixty Under 21 Championship looks like a straight scrap between Irish teenagers McLernon and Colhoun who are split by just 22 points.
Luke Davies (Suzuki) seems to have third place sewn up, but any slip-ups will let 16-year-old Scot, Murray Graham (Yamaha), back in with a chance.
In the Nations Cup – a team contest between the home nations – Ireland holds a slender nine-point lead over England, while Honda will be hoping to wrap up the Manufacturers title.
The day also features the final round of the Maxxis British Sidecar Championship, which will have three races. Plus, there will be three solo support races, which always attract a very competitive field from the south east.
Practice starts at 9am, with the first race at approximately 10.45. Entry is £10.
Directions: Post Code, BR8 8DX.
Canada Heights is next to The M25. Leave the M25 at junction 3 (signposted London SE and C). Note if you are coming from Dartford bridge it’s the second Junction 3 exit marked Swanley & Brands Hatch. At roundabout take the exit onto the A20 (signposted West Kingsdown and Brands Hatch) straight on over next roundabout and turn left onto Button Street. This will be well signposted. The circuit is half a mile down the lane.
Further details of Cromwell Trucks British Championship can be found on the series promoters website –
www.nora-mx.org.uk