Round 6 of the Darley Moor Motorcycle Road Race Championship took place on Bank Holiday Monday, 27th August, and aside from the regular machinery providing the entertainment, it was also the first of two weekends where the sounds of the past would return to the circuit.
During the lunchtime break in race action, the unique sound of one of the Country’s most loved racing machines took to the track, in one of its most famous colour schemes, the JPS Norton. Previously raced by the late Robert Dunlop, this iconic machine delighted the crowd with a number of laps in the hands of Malcolm Heath, the test rider who emerged from the Darley Moor paddock 25 years ago, on the original rotary engine race bike.
The Peak Cup kicked off the race action for Round 6, and Jim Hodson, once again proved why he is already the 2012 Champion, taking two ‘flag to flag’ victories and leaving Richard Wardle and Danny Smith to battle it out for 2nd and 3rd places in both the races and Championship. After starting quicker in the first encounter, Smith led across the line after the first lap, but Wardle forced his way through and was able to hold him off until the flag. Smith got a similar start in the second, but was able to open a small gap on Wardle, who had dropped to 4th after a mid-race challenge from Phil Gibbon, but found his way back past to secure 3rd at the flag.
The combined Formula Darley, 125GP and Formula 125 race gave a similar outcome to the Peak Cup class, Gary Dangerfield securing two ‘flag to flag’ victories, whilst 2nd and 3rd places were split between Phil Johnson and Ben Crowe, all on Formula Darley machines, Johnson having to pass Crowe mid-race to stake his claim on 2nd in the first encounter. Taking advantage of the absence of the GP125 Championship’s top 3 being on British Championship duty, Steven Lawton claimed the GP125 class victory in both races, which moved him into 3rd in the Championship standings. Jordan Rushby took both Formula 125 class wins, from Championship leader David Carson, who did enough to secure this year’s title.
The Pre98’s races also provided similar results, Paul Townley winning both, the first by just 1.5sec and the second by almost 25sec and preventing Ian Morgan from lifting the ‘Up to 1300cc’ title with 2 Rounds remaining, Morgan having to settle for 2nd place on both occasions with Jon Skelson 3rd. Tim Sayers was absence this weekend, which meant Robert Garmory had the opportunity to extend his lead in the ‘Up to 500cc’ class Championship, unfortunately he wasn’t able to capitalise fully as Fred Burbidge claimed both class wins, and Alex Woodhouse pushed him back to 3rd in the second race.
In the combined Sound of Thunder and Lightweight races, Steven Hill took a ‘flag to flag’ win in the first on his Sound of Thunder machine but, there was plenty of drama behind as slow starting Neil Addy, managed to fight his way through to 2nd place by lap 6, passing Rich Thompson’s Lightweight machine, then although taking the Lightweight win, he was unable to hold off Chris Gardner on another Sound of Thunder machine for 3rd place on the track. The Mini Sound of Thunder class provided a race long battle between Gary Dangerfield and Phil Johnson. Johnson holding the advantage until Lap 4, when Dangerfield passed and managed to keep him behind, albeit by just 0.3sec at the flag! In the second race Addy lead across the start line each time, but was under pressure throughout, firstly from Hill, who then failed to finish lap 5, and then Gardner who was less than 1sec behind at the flag. Adam Hoare, didn’t make the start line in the first, but secured the Lightweight class victory from Thompson in the second. Johnson was able to keep Dangerfield at bay on this occasion and took the honours in the Mini Sound of Thunder class.
Lionel Sifleet recorded two 2nd places in the Long Circuit Racing Kart Club races, making a strong challenge for the win, in the first race and leading on Lap 6 of the 8 lap race, but not able to hold off double victor Roy Bennett.
The Steel Framed and Pre Injection 600 races provided the spectators with thrilling racing, the first race providing an epic battle between eventual winner Steve Price, Dean Ephgrave, 2nd, Ben Hunter 3rd and Adam Sheriff 4th, all on Steel Framed machines. Richard Shipley in 8th just pipped Jon Skelson to the line for the Pre Injection class win, with Ant Porter close behind. A totally different race unfolded in the second encounter, Skelson taking a ‘flag to flag’ victory, with Ephgrave, on his Steel Framed machine, in pursuit throughout, succumbing a challenge from Hunter mid-race, who finally dropped back to 4th, with Ephgrave, 2nd, after being pushed by Porter, 3rd, in the final stages.
The first Open Solo race provided the spectators with a rare experience, Jim Hodson suffering from machine troubles after the opening laps, leading for the first two laps until Danny Smith passed and held the lead, from Steven Hill who dropped Hodson down to 3rd on the third lap. Normal service was resumed in the second race with Hodson leading throughout, Smith following in his wake, with Hill not making the start, Chris Hancock finished in 3rd place.
Championship leader, Richard Wardle had a hard fight on his hands before taking victory in both Formula 600 races. After leading for two laps in the first encounter Philip Gibbon lead across the line for five laps, until Wardle was able to get pass again on the final lap, then after incurring a 10sec penalty for jumping the start, Gibbon was dropped down to 3rd, behind Adrian Kershaw. Although Wardle led across the line throughout the second race it was certainly no easy victory. For the first 5 laps Kershaw was trying to pass, getting within 0.2sec as they crossed the line then, after being 6th on the first lap, Jim Barnett fought his way into 2nd place and began challenging for the lead, finishing less than 0.5sec behind at the flag, with Kershaw 3rd and Liam Weston, 4th just a further 0.25sec behind.
Both combined Open Sidecar and Formula 600 Sidecar races were won by Ray Thomas/Neil Aslaksen which helped them close the gap on Championship leaders Anthony Eades/Iain Greensmith. However, the F600 sidecar pairing of Simon Horton/Melvin Gasson certainly used their smaller outfit to great effect, in the first race they led the opening lap before being passed by Eades/Greensmith and then F600 Championship leaders John Shipley/Ian Cunliffe, finally finishing 3rd. Then, in the second race they led for three laps and, despite being one of three outfits to be given a 10 second penalty for jumping the start, they still were able to bring their machine home in 2nd place, but winning their F600 class and helped close the gap on their Championship rivals.
Round 7 will soon be on us, scheduled for Sunday 16th September and once more there will be the chance to be entertained by the regular machines and also the sounds of the past, when the Thunderfest machines gather for their unique competition, in which a rider attempts to lap at a selected ‘target’ time. Open to machines between the 1950’s through to the 1970’s, the event will also feature a Le Mans style start.
The day’s action will get underway when Practice starts at 10.00am and the races due to start at approximately 11.30am. Adults £11.00, Senior Citizens £6.00, kids under 16 free, parking & paddock transfer free, with Programmes £3.00.
As always, there will be plenty of space for camping/caravanning over the weekend, from Friday afternoon through to 10.00am Monday morning at just £5.00 per night.
Championship standings (After 6 Rounds)
Peak Cup
1st Jim Hodson, 108pts; 2nd Danny Smith, 37pts; 3rd Richard Wardle, 29pts;
Open Solos
1st Jim Hodson, 88pts; 2nd Danny Smith 42pts; 3rd Jamie Pearson 30pts;
Open Sidecars
1st Anthony Eades/Iain Greensmith, 81pts; 2nd Ray Thomas/Neil Aslaksen 70pts; 3rd Kenny Howles/Marc Maier, 6pts
Lightweight
1st Adam Hoare, 54pts; 2nd David Taylor, 24pts; 3rd Rob Hodson, 18pts
GP125
1st Ricky Tarren, 69pts; 2nd Lee Shallcross, 31pts; 3rd Steven Lawton, 30pts
Formula 600
1st Richard Wardle, 75pts; 2nd Jim Hodson, 39pts; 3rd Phil Gibbon, 38pts
Formula Darley
1st Gary Dangerfield, 85pts; 2nd Phil Johnson, 61pts; 3rd Ben Crowe, 20pts
Formula 125
1st David Carson 81pts; 2nd Keenan Armstrong, 39pts; 3rd Jordan Rushby, 37pts
Formula 600 Sidecars
1st John Shipley/Ian Cunliffe 70pts; 2nd Simon Horton/Melvin Gasson, 38pts; 3rd Roy Hanks/Julie Hanks-Elliott 22pts;
Steel Framed 600
1st Dean Ephgrave 72pts; 2nd Steve Price 71pts; 3rd Ben Hunter 47pt
Pre Injection 600
1st Anthony Porter 71pts; 2nd Jon Skelson 49pts; 3rd Stu Riley 42pts;
Mini Sound of Thunder
1st Gary Dangerfield 71pts; 2nd Phil Johnson 55pts; 3rd Ben Crowe 37pts
Sound of Thunder
1st Craig Gardner 49pts; 2nd Martyn Green 47pts; 3rd Steven Hill 45pts;
Pre 98’s (up to 500cc)
1st Robert Garmory, 60pts; 2nd Tim Sayers 51pts; 3rd Wez Pearce 26pts
Pre 98’s (up to 1300cc)
1st Ian Morgan 75pts; 2nd Paul Townley 48pts; 3rd Alex Gallemore 25pts