DOMINANT POOLE LIFTS CURTIS MILNER TROPHY

Wednesday May 8, 2013 at 1:30pm

The Darley Moor Motorcycle Road Race Club served up a real treat for motorsport fans on Bank Holiday Monday, 6th May and Round 3 being held on the hottest day of the year, so far.

The large crowd witnessed the first silverware of the season being lifted, a World Championship competitor bedding his machine in, ready for the Isle of Man TT and a new race record being set by a local Darley regular.

The second Formula 600 race provided the second set of points for the Curtis Milner Trophy, in memory of a young rider who started his racing career at Darley Moor. On current form, it comes as no surprise that Tim Poole managed to lift the Trophy, after winning all Formula 600 races in both Round 2 and Round 3 this year, already setting himself as the favourite for this Championship. The Darley Moor Club were delighted that, once again, Curtis’ parents, Craig and Tina, were on hand to personally present the Trophy.

The Peak Cup race got the meeting off to an exciting start with Danny Smith heading the pack with Jim Hodson in hot pursuit. Unfortunately, Hodson crashed out on the 6th lap, forcing the race to be stopped, Tim Poole benefitting from his exit, taking 2nd place from Adrian Beevor in 3rd. With the damaged machine repaired in time for the second encounter, Hodson was surely looking to turn the tables, but Smith continued his dominance, leading from the start and opening up a gap of over 5secs at the chequered flag. Hodson secured 2nd, from Poole, 3rd, eventually overcoming a challenge from Alan Hughes.

The combined Formula Darley and 125cc race saw Ross Richards take a flag-to-flag victory in the first race, from Poole, with Brad Vicars in 3rd. The second race looked like being a similar outcome, with Richards leading for the first lap, until Poole took over on the lap 2. Richards suffering a similar fate to Hodson, in the opening race failed to finish the fifth lap, leaving Poole to claim another victory, with Vicars 2nd and Keenan Armstrong 3rd. Reg Richardson took the 125cc honours in both races, from Stephen Campbell on his 80cc machine.

Antony Porter continued his dominance in the Pre Injection class, taking victory in both races, the perfect weather conditions helping him to set a new Race Record in the first race. As usual, the Steel Framed machines were running alongside the Pre Injections, Dave Marsden taking the Class victory in both, finishing 4th ‘on the road’ in the first and 2nd to Porter in the afternoon’s race.

Chris Moore also recorded a double victory in the combined Lightweight and Classic races, taking the win in the first by just over 1sec from Matt Zscheische, 2nd and Fred Burbidge, 3rd. His win in the second encounter was a little more comfortable, with almost a 5sec gap, but with Burbidge beating Zscheische for 2nd place on this occasion. Ken Davis took the Classic win in the first, after David Bradley failed to finish Lap 7. The second race saw Bradley take the Classic win after Davis suffered a similar fate on the final lap.

With Jim Hodson still repairing his damaged machine, Danny Smith continued his dominance in the first Open Solo race, taking the victory by almost 20sec from Alan Hughes and Adrian Beevor, 2nd and 3rd respectively. To the delight of the crowd Hodson was back on the grid for the second race and on this occasion he succeeded in overcoming Smith’s dominance, passing him on sixth of eight laps, to record his only victory of the weekend, by less than 1sec from Smith with Hughes in 3rd place.

Shane Pearson took the up to 1300cc honours in the first Pre98 race with a comfortable victory over fellow Derby resident, Ian Morgan, with Fred Burbidge taking the honours in the up to 500cc category, 13th position ‘on the road’. In the second race Ken Davis made amends for failing to finish lap 6 of the first, overcoming a poor start and hitting the front by lap 6, finally taking the win by over 4sec from Ian Morgan, 2nd and David Large, 3rd. Matt Zscheische also coming back from a ‘dnf’ in the first, having a superb ride and getting his ‘up to 500cc’ machine amongst the bigger bikes, 6th ‘on the road’ to take a class win, from Burbidge.

The closest finish of the day came in the first Sound of Thunder race, Steven Hill pipping, leader of the previous 7 laps, Steve Harper for the victory by just 0,6sec, Ross Richards next across the line on his Mini Sound of Thunder machine. In the second encounter Harper made sure there was no repeat finish, leading across the line each time and taking the victory, from Hill, by almost 19sec! With Richards not making the grid this time, Brad Vicars took the victory in the Mini Sound of Thunder class.

Fans of three wheeled motorsport were treated to some very special visitors, with 2009 World Champions Ben and Tom Birchall on the grid, in a non-points scoring capacity, testing their machine prior to their Isle of Man TT meeting. Unsurprisingly, they were first across the line in both races, but Dave Holden/Heath Fairbrother took the points for a race win, just 9sec adrift at the flag in the first race. The second race saw no mercy from the Birchall’s, taking the victory by 30sec, this time Dean Banks/Ken Edwards taking points for a race win.

Man of the weekend at the previous Rounds, Paul Wood continued his impressive performance and recorded 2x 8th places in the Peak Cup, 2x 4th places in the Open Solos.

Round 4 of the Championship is due to take place on the Sunday 23rd June 2012. The cost of adult admission to Darley Moor for all meetings, except the end of season Stars at Darley meeting, is £11.00 per day, children under 16 are free, and Senior Citizens are £6.00. Parking and Paddock Transfer is free and a programme costs just £3.00.

For the Stars at Darley meeting adult admission is £15 and Senior Citizens £10.00, adult admission to the Test Days is £5.00.

Advance Tickets at discount prices are also available on-line just visit the Darley Race Shop for full details - http://www.darleymoorstore.co.uk/

There is ample room for spectators to camp and caravan at Darley Moor over the race weekends. The cost is £5.00 per unit per night. You can normally arrive after 5.00 pm on the Friday and stay until 10.00 am on the morning after the meeting.

Championship standings after 3 Rounds

Peak Cup

1st Jim Hodson, 42pts; 2nd Danny Smith, 42pts; 3rd Tim Poole, 17pts

Open Solos

1st Danny Smith, 42pts; 2nd Jim Hodson, 42pts; 3rd Alan Hughes, 19pts

Open Sidecar

1st Dave Holden / Heath Fairbrother, 49pts; 2nd Ray Thomas / Neil Aslaksen, 27pts; 3rd Tony Thompson / Jack Jones, 20pts;

Lightweight

1st Chris Moore, 26pts; 2nd Matt Zschiesche, 25pts; 3rd Alex Woodhouse, 25pts

GP125

1st Reg Richardson, 18pts; 2nd Sarah Boyes, 15pts; 3rd Ricky Tarren, 9pts

F600