The Halstead club held the Richard Fitch trophy meeting at Wakes Colne,in Essex on Sunday,held in fine sunny weather on a well prepped circuit. Richard was a top national grade rider who rode for his local Halstead club,but tragically lost his life in a racing accident at Hawkstone Park in Shropshire eight years ago, and each year, his parents,along with the club,organises a meeting in his memory.
The ten race programme included a three leg two stroke class,and Richard's great friend, Lewis Gregory, made the trip from Gloucestershire to compete,winning all three races on his fast 125cc Yamaha.Local favourite,Jason Morland was second in the first race,just ahead of Syd Bales.Early race leader,Brad Tomlin retired with bike problems.Tomlin led race two at the start,but Gregory took charge after a few laps to win.Tomlin was second from Ben Talbot,Morland and Brad Howlett. Gregory grabbed his third win in race three,with Syd Bales in second place. Talbot moved into third place when Tomlin had bike issues again.Morland passed Howlett for fourth place. Best junior grade rider was Connor Hughes,who rode consistantly to claim a 6th and two 7th places.
After timed practise in the morning,the two allcomers groups were split into groups A and B, and all of the expert grade riders,along with the fastest juniors,competed in the A group. Race one saw the GH Yamaha team mates,Brad Tomlin and Syd Bales at the front,setting a furious pace,but the Portsmouth youngster,Fraser Wakeford,first got ahead of Bales,then two laps later,took over at the front for the win.Tomlin was holding second place,but a crash relegated him to 4th,Bales lost his second place to Gregory at the finish,after an amazing ride on his 125cc bike,against the mighty 450 cc fourstroke opposition. Seventeen year old Wakeford took the race two win,chased by the regular local stars,Bales,Tomlin and Morland,who had no answer to the pace of Wakeford. Gregory held off a pack of bigger class machines,to claim 5th place. Wakeford soon took charge in race three,to claim his third victory,with Morland chasing hard in second place.Tomlin was third,ahead of Bales.
The top thirty riders on the day,came to the line for the fifteen minute Richard Fitch trophy race at the end of the day,and Tomlin grabbed the lead,holding off Morland,Bales and Wakeford,these four setting a fast pace,and for ten minutes the order remained unchanged,until Bales went out with a problem,and Wakeford retired,leaving Tomlin to take the trophy for the third consecitive year.Morland was second,and Gregory passed several riders to take third place,ahead of Norwich youngster,Luke Parker,and Ben Talbot.