Monday September 3, 2012 at 11:22am
After last year’s very wet event this year the weather was kind and combined with the track preparation by the hard working members of the Halstead club the resulting racing was fast and furious.
In timed training Daniel & Joe Millard were quickest with Stuart Brown / Josh Chamberlain just over half a second slower in second place. Richard Jenkins / Dan Chamberlain were third fastest and Jack Etheridge with new passenger Steve Kirwin, who were both returning from injury, fourth.
When the gate dropped for the start of race one just before one o’clock four riders, namely Keane, Franks, Walton and Garrod, got tangled up with the gate and were last away. At the front Millard got the holeshot from Wilkinson / Parmenter with Brown third just in front of Jenkins. Millard soon pulled away and Wilkinson came under serious pressure from Brown and Jenkins whilst Etheridge worked his way up from tenth at the start. On lap four Wilkinson was passed by both Brown and Jenkins and Etheridge was now up to fifth.
A serious accident just after half distance caused the race to be red flagged. Paul Pelling’s passenger fell out of the chair after a heavy landing and was hit by two following outfits. After attention from the Red Cross he was taken by ambulance to the local hospital for examination but just before the end of the meeting he returned to the track battered and bruised but otherwise OK. Because the race had gone more than half distance the result one lap before the red flag was confirmed as the final result.
In the second moto Jenkins took the holeshot from Millard, Wilkinson and Brown. On lap two Millard took the lead and never looked back whilst Brown passed Wilkinson to take third place. Grahame / Grahame got a brilliant start and were sixth just in front of Steve and Stewart France. The France’s performance was even more remarkable as firstly they were riding a new bike – Zabel VMC instead of Husaberg VMC – and secondly Stewart had damaged his heel badly in practice. Etheridge started in 13th place and was up to ninth when he was forced to pull out with engine problems. Just after half distance France overtook Grahame to take fifth place. Millard took the win from Jenkins with Brown third.
In the championship table Millard was now up to third and closing on Jenkins for second place.
The holeshot in the third leg was taken by Seemond Stephens / Mike Curnow from the Millard and Wilkinson in third. By the end of lap one Millard was leading from Wilkinson, Brown and Stephens. Jenkins was behind France in sixth. Brown was soon past Wilkinson and Jenkins pulled up to third. Etheridge was mid pack at the start and worked his way up to seventh on lap two just behind Peters / Cooper. After ten minutes Etheridge was up to fifth and closing fast on Wilkinson. France was now starting to slow and had dropped back to eighth.
After fifteen minutes Etheridge was fourth while at the front Millard was nearly ten seconds in front of Brown with Jenkins in third. An accident involving Pannel / Barnes caused the race to be red flagged on the next lap. Although Barnes was treated by the Red Cross for some time she was eventually on her feet and able to join the other walking wounded. Once again the race was not re run and the result stood.
Brown now leads the championship by 44 points from Jenkins while Millard is now third just eleven points behind Jenkins.
The final round is at Canada Heights on 2nd October when Stuart Brown will be hoping to make it title number ten.