Spectators were able to return to their favoured vantage points for Round 6 of the Darley Moor Motor Cycle Road Race Club Championship, on Sunday 12th September, as the Club opened the Darley Moor Motorsports Centre fully for the first time since the pandemic began. The good- sized crowd were not only treated to some excellent racing, with three Race Records broken throughout the day, they were able to witness the improvements made by the Club, to the circuit, for their benefit and even the weather stayed dry.
The Race action got under way, as usual, with the Allcomers 1 -up to 650cc Twins race and Jim Hodson (Wigan) got quickly down to action heading the field from the opening Lap. As usual in their 700cc Twins Championship races David Carson (Northwich) was the only person to get close to him, finishing the 10-lap race 15seconds behind. Later in the day the pair were heading the field in the opening combined Lightweight and 700cc Twins race. Hodson was again quickest off the line, but Ian Perks (Oldham), on a Lightweight machine, was following him closely for the opening couple of laps until Carson fought his way through to 2nd spot and the trio stayed in that order for the remainder of the race. Their final encounter was towards the end of the day, but Hodson again took his spot at the head of the field, with Perks coming out on top of a race long battle for the 2nd place spot with Carson. Despite the two championship victories Hodson finished the day just 4points ahead in the 700cc Twins Championship standings.
The second non-championship Allcomers race, for up to 1300cc machines gave an early opportunity for another two championship rivals to test each other out with Josh Daley (Wigan) and Mark Goodings (Doncaster) lining-up on the grid, throw in a ‘guest’ appearance by multiple Stars at Darley Winner, Richard Cooper (Hucknall) and you know it’s going to be cracking race.
Daley was the faster starter enjoying almost a 1sec advantage at the end of Lap1 with Cooper enjoying a similar advantage over Goodings. Lap2 and Daley meant business adding another 1sec to his lead over Cooper, whilst Goodings had lost a quarter of a second to him. With Daley stretching his lead further Goodings began to turn the tables on Cooper, reducing the deficit by almost half to Cooper at the end of Lap3. By Lap6 Goodings was on the back of Cooper, the two ensuring spectators were benefitting from the new banking, locked in a battle to the end of the 10lap race.
The final lap saw Goodings get the better run through a bunch of back markers and beat Cooper to the flag by 0.35sec. Proving Daley meant business and taking the win by 7sec he also broke the Race Record in the process.
Daley and Goodings were next battling it out in the combined Open Solo and Pre-Injection races, with Ash Stone (Matlock) also lining up for good measure. Once again Daley was quickest out the blocks, but not with quite the same advantage after Lap1, with Stone just 0.25sec behind and Goodings a further 1sec back but clawing back from the slower start. Lap3 saw Goodings squeeze past Stone, but with Daley enjoying a comfortable lead he was unable to close the gap, finishing 5sec behind, but with a 2sec advantage over Stone. The second race saw a faster starting Goodings, this time just 0.75sec behind Daley after Lap1 and intent on giving Daley a race! Daley’s advantage never got any bigger than 1.8sec and again with a better run through back markers Goodings reduced the gap to just 0.4sec at the flag. First Pre-Injection machine home was Carl Morris (Etwall) finishing the opening Lap 6th, he was then able to pass several Open Solo runners and take 4th Overall.
The opening Formula 600 race saw ‘Coops’ lining up on the grid alongside the Championship regulars, but ineligible for points. Liam Weston (Leyland) was the faster starter crossing the line 0.2sec ahead of Championship leader Albert Walker (Torquay), with Joe Walton (Preston) a further second back, whilst Cooper was languishing down in 10th after Lap1. Walker took the lead on Lap2 and began to stretch out an advantage at the front, but Cooper was beginning to get ‘up to speed’ as well; 7th on Lap2, 5th on Lap3, 4th on Lap4, 2nd on Lap5, hitting the front on Lap6 and holding it to the flag. Lap7 saw Walton pass Weston for the 3rd place spot, but the pair battled it out until the chequered flag. Weston took advantage of Cooper’s absence in the second encounter enjoying a start-finish victory with Joshua Potts (Stockport) holding onto 2nd place until Walker was able to close the gap and passed him on Lap8 of 10.
The combined Honda CB500, Junior and Senior races saw yet another ‘guest’ appearance by CB500 mounted Cooper and whilst locked in a race long battle with another ‘CB500’ racer Daz Bellworthy (Derby), which kept the spectators entertained, he was disqualified for not having a working transponder fitted, promoting Bellworthy to the victor, who was just 0.07sec behind at the flag! After being 7th on the opening lap Liam Clements (Newcastle under Lyme) made his way through the field to finish Runner-up on another CB500 machine. Crossing the line 2nd overall on the opening Lap Jamie Hanks-Elliott (Birmingham) took the honours for the Junior class, finishing 5th Overall. Richard Cooper was taking no chances in the second race, taking a start – finish victory with a 20second advantage over Mark Brailsford (Chesterfield), who circulated in 2nd place throughout. Hanks-Elliott was first Junior machine across the line and held onto 3rd place throughout the race. With an excellent example of consistency Senior class Championship leader David Glossop (Wilmslow) finished both races as highest placed Senior rider, 7th and 8th, with an identical Fastest Lap time, 1m 07.57sec and a Race Average of 79.95mph each time, breaking the Race Record in the process.
Yet another Race Record was broken in the pre-Electronic 600 class when Ben Dale (Warrington) took the first race victory from Stuart Bradbury (Kilburn), passing him for the lead on Lap2 and
extending his lead to almost 10sec at the flag, but with a time 4.48sec quicker than the previous record. A similar race pattern happened in the second encounter, although Bradbury was a little closer at the flag this time around.
James Oddy (Chell Heath) dominated the Classic & Forgotten Era races taking his ‘Up To 1300cc’ machine to two start - finish victories over championship rival David Bradley (Matlock) who still heads the Championship with a 5point advantage. Jason Lamb (Cinderford) finished 3rd Overall in both races but took the victory in the ‘251cc – 500cc’ class. Whilst Graham Oakley (Chesterfield) was highest placed ‘Up to 250cc’ class rider, finishing 7th Overall on each occasion.
The Howard Baker/Mike Killingsworth (Sutton Coldfield/Washingborough) pairing had two emphatic victories on their Open Sidecar outfit, never headed throughout the 10 and 8 lap races.
However, the Formula 600 Sidecar spoils were split between Keith Waddington/Mick Storey (Barnsley/East Yorks), first in the opening race and Runners-Up in the second. Whilst James Saunders/Rian Saunders (Tadcaster/Grantham) won the final race of the day, turning the tables on their rivals.
The next meeting is the traditional season finale, the Stars at Darley on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th October, with Round 7, the penultimate round of the Championship on the Saturday and the Final Round 8 on the Sunday.
Advance tickets available, via https://tickets.darleymoor.co.uk Weekend tickets Adults £28, Seniors £22 or Daily Tickets Adults £15, Seniors £12 or they can be purchased at the gate for Weekend Adult £34 Seniors £28 or Daily Tickets Adult £18 and Seniors £15.
For any further information regarding race, test days and spectator please check www.darleymoor.co.uk; Facebook: Darley Moor Sports Centre; Instagram: darleymoorsportscentre; telephone: 01246 866537 or 01335 343833.
2021 Championship standings (After Round 6)
Junior Championship Class A – 1st Jamie Hanks-Elliott, 60pts; 2nd Scarlett Robinson, 24pts; 3rd Jack Smith, 10pts
Junior Championship Class B – 1st Freddy Oakley, 55pts; 2nd Katie Hand, 27pts; 3rd Josh Froggatt, 20pts
Senior Championship – 1st David Glossop, 57pts; 2nd Elaine Moody, 34pts; 3rd Luke Gilby, 15pts
Classic & Forgotten Era up to 250cc – 1st Graham Oakley, 45pts; 2nd Loris Hunt, 24pts; 3rd Glenn Atkinson 18pts
Classic & Forgotten Era 251cc to 500cc – 1st Mike Lees, 35pts; 2nd Hefyn Owen, David Tetley & Jason Lamb 15pts
Classic & Forgotten Era 501cc – 1300cc – 1st David Bradley, 39pts; 2nd Martin Davis, 34pts; 3rd James Oddy, 30pts
Lightweight Championship – 1st Andy Whale, 42pts; 2nd Steve Price, 40pts; 3rd Jamie Hanks-Elliott 22pts
Honda CB500 & Suzuki Bandit Championship – 1st Mark Brailsford, 47pts; 2nd Liam Clements, 39pts; 3rd Tom Fisher, 30pts
Formula 600 Championship – 1st Albert Walker, 51pts; 2nd Tom Fisher, 30pts; 3rd David Carson, 29pts
Pre-electronic 600cc & 750cc Twin Championship – 1st Ben Dale, 60pts; 2nd Stuart Bradbury, 48pts; 3rd Lee Smith, 28pts
700cc Twin Cylinder Championship – 1st Dave Carson, 49pts; 2nd Jim Hodson, 45pts; 3rd Richard Hunt, 28pts
Open Solo – 1st Josh Daley, 60pts; 2nd Mark Goodings, 42pts; 3rd Ash Stone, 38pts
Pre-Injection to 1300cc – 1st Carl Morris, 55pts; 2nd Adam Walters, 51pts; 3rd Andrew Boulton 26pts
Open Sidecar – 1st Keith Waddington/Mick Storey, 42pts; 2nd Anthony Eades/James Etchels, 40pts; 3rd Steve Thomas/Danny Lewis, 27pts
Formula 600 Sidecar – 1st Howard Baker/Mike Killingsgworth, 57pts; 2nd Roger Stockton/Bradley Stockton, 27pts; 3rd Andrew Bingham/Kelly Bridgland, 26pts
Report By Brian George