So, we came to Thruxton for the very last meeting of the 2016 ACU 250 GP and NG Cup competition. As far as the 250 ACU National Championship was concerned, things were poised quite nicely. Phil Atkinson held a 10 point lead over Dan Jackson. In the NG Cup, Henry Cox already had that particular championship fully sewn up.
And off we went to qualifying. This was a bit of a tussle between Jackson and Ant Hodson, both of them posting fastest laps during the session. Eventually Jackson won the day, by just over a third of a second. Phil Atkinson was third. The second row was populated by Thomas Lawlor, Mark Linton and Simon Hunt. Gary Vines, Nick Sansome and Rich Grinling, were behind that trio.
Next came John Lewis and NG Cup champion and new daddy Henry Cox. The rest of the grid contained NG Cup rider Travis Vince, 125 mounted James Hind and NG Cup competitors John Hogg and Tony Russell.
The race started in bright and dry conditions, much to the relief of all as there had been a tiny bit of spitting rain earli-er. And off they went! Jackson managed a good start and led into the first corner. The unfortunate Vines binned it on the second lap and the race was red flagged while the debris was cleared. Luckily, there was no real damage to rider, (suspected broken finger), or bike, (footrest and a bit of fairing damage).
At the restart, the race was truncated from ten to seven laps. Again, Jackson took off well, followed by Lawlor. Jack-son held the lead for the first six laps, Lawlor being second until lap three when he was passed by Atkinson. Hodson was fourth for the first three laps then promoted himself into third by lap four, displacing Lawlor, who left the race with machine troubles during lap five.
Hampton came through from ninth on lap one to eventually finish fourth. Sansome made progress from tenth to take the flag in seventh. Mean-while, back at the front, three racers were enjoy-ing the dry conditions, Jackson posting two fast-est laps, with Atkinson managing a 1:21.93 on lap three.
During the penultimate lap, Atkinson took over the lead from Jackson and held on to it to come home first and seal the ACU National Champion-ship. Birthday boy Jackson was pleased enough with his second place, and second in the champi-onship, with Hodson third and third in the cham-pionship overall.
Grinling failed to complete the first lap and other DNF’s were Cox, Vince and Lawlor. Hogg took the NG Cup honours.
We reckon that was a pretty exciting season. Atkinson stomped away at the beginning with three wins, Jackson com-ing back at him a bit with a win at Cadwell, then dropping back during the next three. Atkinson continued his winning ways until Anglesey, where he had three zero points because of a crash.
From then on it was touch and go at the top of the championship, with Jackson and Atkinson joint leaders at one point. Cox had the NG Cup pretty well settled by Oulton Park. Here’s hoping next season is just as exciting. If not better!