The NORA MX Club hosted the sixth round of the NORA MX championships of 2023 at Warmingham Lane MX Park in Cheshire. It was part of another fantastic event which incorporated the fourth round of the NORA sidecar Championship.
The weather was fantastic with the sun shining on the brilliant track, with just a few showers towards the end of the day. There was dust in places, but otherwise conditions were great.
The sidecar supporters were in for a treat with four GP teams present, British Champion Stuart Brown with his new passenger Nathan Cooper, Stuart’s Son Jake Brown with British Champion passenger Josh Chamberlain, George Kinge with Steve Kirwin, and Michael Hodges with Jack Wilkinson. Each team have been suffering with injuries after GPs crashes but are now working on fitness ready to re-join the GP races, with the British Sidecar GP next month (At Cusses Gorse) this was valuable bike time for them all. They raced with the Nora Championship crews but didn’t qualify for championship points.
Race one got underway with an early lead for Lee Foyle and Dan Phelps they held a safe lead until their sidecar wheel bearing broke up and the wheel fell off leaving them track side. Their championship rivals Tony and Scott Grahame took the lead until Stuart Brown and Nathan Cooper blasted past. Tony and Scott Grahame held second, with George Kinge and Steve Kirwin fighting through to third. Behind Jake Brown and Josh Chamberlain stayed ahead of Paul Pelling and Mike Curnow, with Ashley Williams and Jon Hunt in sixth.
In race two there was a crash on bend one with Paul Pelling and Mike Curnow practicing the tuck and roll manoeuvres after being thrown from the bike. Luckily, they weren’t hit by any bikes and were up and away before the leaders came round on their first lap. Stuart Brown and Nathan Cooper took the lead from the start and were looking for a second win, but it wasn’t to be, by the halfway point Jake Brown and Josh Chamberlain found a way past using every inch of track to take the wide line down the hill and across the start, they held the advantage going on to take a brilliant win. Stuart Brown and Nathan Cooper took second with Michael Hodges and Jack Wilkinson third. Tony and Scott Grahame were the first of the point scorers just ahead of George Kinge and Steve Kirwin, with Lee Foyle and Dan Phelps putting their race one problems behind them to take sixth.
In the final race of the day, time constraints meant the race was shortened to three laps, but the race was still fast a furious. The GP teams took the first four places, with Stuart Brown and Nathan Cooper taking a second win. Behind it was all to play for in the championship, Lee Foyle and Dan Phelps took fifth chased to the line by Tony and Scott Grahame who had gained enough points to move into the championship lead, with two rounds remaining this going to be a fight to the end.
In the Pro / Pro-am class, racing got underway with another first bend crash, this time a few riders were injured and didn’t join the re-start. Dafydd Davies was determined and blasted a safe distance ahead going on to take his first great win. Carl Bunce held second but was challenged by Jamie Morgan who fought past. Behind, Chad Beevers fought through to take fourth just ahead of Tom Day with James Bevan sixth.
Race two was shortened to five laps Dafydd Davies took the holeshot and a second win. James Bevan took advantage of a great start to take second ahead of Carl Bunce, with a battle for fourth behind. Jamie Morgan was determined, fighting past Tom Day. Paul Winrow was just behind in sixth.
The Masters A and B class had three races. In race one it was a battle between Johnathan Mcknight and Paul Winrow, they stayed very close throughout with Paul Winrow just managing to hold the advantage and took his first win of the day. Greg Fisher held third from Chris Keitch, with Keith Harden moving past Paul McConway and into in fifth.
In race two it was Johnathan Mcknight who led from the start with Paul Winrow blasting into the lead in the middle part of the race. This left Johnathan Mcknight to take second ahead of Greg Fisher and Chris Keitch in fourth. Keith Harden was just behind.
Their final day of the day was shortened to five laps. Paul Winrow took the early lead, and a third win. Johnathan Mcknight had another great race tucking into second ahead of Greg Fisher with Paul McConway just behind.
In the Masters B class Jason Hall had a great weekend and some brilliant starts to secure the overall in that class.
In the 150 / 250 races it was Louie Holt who took the overall in the 250 open class, taking wins in all races with Frank Marston close behind and taking second overall. Jay Sams had a couple of great wins in the 250 Air cooled class with Shane Havard Evans taking one wins and second overall. Brodie North did a great job to win the 150 Open class.
In the Clubman Elite and Clubman classes there were some great battles with Josh McKnight and Aled Davies challenging hard in every race, Josh McKnight took the advantage and three wins, but Aled Davies did have mechanical problems in race two which meant he had to be towed back to the pits. This meant Harry Koller took third overall.
In the Intermediates Morgan Junge had another great week with three wins. Brooke Bunce won the ladies class.
Finally, the 50 / 100 class was well supported with Shay McKenna taking three wins across the weekend in the 100 Geared class. Kayla George took three wins in the 100 Autos, and Jayden Garrett had a brilliant day to take the overall in the 50s class.
We look forward to round seven on - July 9th - Cusses Gorse - SP4 6JW
Results: Event results - Nora-Mx Racing - Nora MX Quad Rd6 & Sidecar Rd4