24 year-old BSB National Superstock runner and full time Graduate Business Analyst Ben “Grinny” Grindrod had to use all his powers of thought to weigh up the conditions that Anglesey threw at him and the other riders for the two days on the Island. Saturday started dry, but soon turned ver wet and very windy (…..typical North Wales weather). Sunday was dry and sunny, tee-shirt and shorts weather. So bike settings and tyre choices were ones that took careful though and consideration.
Timed qualifying for the
Phoenix Open was dry, but overcast and Ben put the Hollins Strategic ZX10R on pole, over a second faster that Chris Barnes in second and the only rider to average more than 80mph. Come the final though the weather had well and truly changed it was now poring down and Ben did not make the best of starts. Chris Barnes on his AP Broome BMW was out front, but as the race went on Grindrod and Peter Carr on his ZX6R gradually pegged back the leader, but they ran out of laps and Barnes took a well earned win. Sunday and Wales blessed with rare sunshine and now Grindrod was flying winning both finals one from Scott Pitchers and the other from Ben Marsden. Marsden who is having his first year on a ZX10 Kawasaki after previously winning championships on 400 streetstocks and Mini Twins really clicked with the big Kwaker this weekend and was rightly awarded the Wayside Garages performance of the meeting.
Reigning champ Phil Bevan had another weekend beset with the dreaded arm-pump, but still managed a good solid points haul including a podium in Sundays mornings final on his R1 Yamaha, and is now odds on for an unprecedented sixth Open title
Wayside Garages 600cc
Rhodri Owen and Peter Carr squabbled over the win on Saturday in the 600 class a high speed scrap that eventually saw Rhodri cross the line on his SFEL ZX6R just a couple of lengths ahead of current championship leader Carr. There was an equally tough fight for third with Andrew Fisher and Dave Manley. Fisher was the willing benefactor of Manly crashing out down the Corkscrew with two laps to go. Sunday, and sunny weather brought out Scott Pitchers and his SP / Dayo Racing 675, and he promtly took the win over hard charging Bradley Hughes on his under-powered six year old GSXR and Saturdays winner Owen. Fisher and Manley were again battle joined, with a visible frustrated Manley having to follow his rival across the line for fifth.
www.Simon Consulting.info Powerbikes
Ben Grindrod riding the Hollins Strategic ZX10 grabbed both final wins of the Powerbikes. Despite being pressured by Chris Lacy on Saturday and Phil Bevan on Sunday. Both Adrian Shaw and Ben Marsden had their best races of the year. They each had a podium finish to take home from Anglesey. Both Shaw an Marsden were among a handful of riders to dip into the one minute tens in a very taxing set of conditions.
125GP / Moto 3
15 year old Mark Strudwick once more was the stand out rider in the 125GP field on his MTS Racing RS125. He took a convincing win over 125 BSB boy Joseph Thomas on Saturday…. Thomas though was using his restricted “pre-GP 125” though. Sunday had Thomas on the Full power Moto UK RS, and the pair had a titanic fight for victory. Thomas got a better run through the lapped riders and it looked like he had done enough as the pair went into the last lap with now a full second between them. Strudwick had other ideas and closed in, and audaciously sneaked up the inside to lead half way down the corkscrew…… his line though meant that he didn’t quite have the drive out of the final corner, and Thomas squeaked it by 0.06 second.
Steve Lynham Formula 125
Two wins and maximum points saw Joey Thompson dominate the F125’s on his Teesdale Aprilia of Thirsk RS125. He lapped all of his rivals in the very wet conditions on Saturday, but in the dry on Sunday Cameron Tenzing-Jenkins kept his on his toes. Liam Delves picked up a pair of fifth placing to stay at the top of the point’s table on his 80 Metrakit, which really suffered in the wind Anglesey conditions.
Fraser’s of Gloucester 500cc Open
Aprilia RRV450 rivals Sam Wilford, Keenan Armstrong and Alex Baker fought out a very close race including three changes of lead in the last lap that resulted in a win for Baker by just 0.04 in the first final. The second saw Armstrong set off at pace not wanting to be bettered a second time. However his Aprilia had other ideas as he suffered a front brake failure that resulted with him falling from the lead at Rocket. That left Paul Metcalfe and Mark Strudwick to battle it out for the big points, and despite a last lap charge from Strudwick the win went to Matcalfe on his RS250 Honda. This sees Manxman Metcalfe head the point’s table by just one point over the luckless Armstrong.
GP45
Keith Jackson and Mark Carkeek shared honours in the GP45 singles class with Carkeek also bagging a second on his second outing with the Corby Kawasaki to see him regain the season long series lead. In the Twins class it was Keenan Atrmstrong who headed out Saturdays wet race on his Replicast UK RRV. Front brake issues robbed Keenan the chance of the double as he retired from the lead two laps into the final, leaving fellow RRV rider Matty Rangeley to take the P and D Financial Services Aprilia to the win.
A and R Racing Formula 400
With a so show by F400 series leader Shannon Hale, due to illness it left the way open for a new winner in 2013. Her nearest rival Chris Baker failed to make the most of the oppertunitly but grabbed a fourth and third. Peter Carey on his Tom Croft ZXR and Andrew Carden shared the big points. Mark Walker’s troubled season continued on his return after a massive highside at Mallory to once more fling his MW Racing VFR into the tyre walls….. his luck must change soon !!!
MPH Bikes Mini Twins
Having a one off 2013 ride on the Mini Twin, after not racing for best part of twelve months Chris Beverley was straight back on the pace taking the SV650 to the win in Saturdays very wet conditions. Sunday’s dry race saw Justin Garrett make the very best of a blinding start on his Nigel and John Reed SV to keep the pressure on series leader Kevin Davies. Novice jacketed rider Sean Montgomery kept his championship hopes alive with a fine pair of runner-up spots.
Peter Hammond Motorcycles Sound of Thunder
Despite a 10 seconds startline penalty Dave MacKay had his best result of the year in the Sound of Thunder taking third in the very wet on Saturday. It was perennial rain-meister Shane Smith that took the wet win on his Woodlands Environmental 675 with series leader and defending champ Darren Rumley in second. Rumley on his KTM took Sundays dry sunny race from MacKay who bettered his previous days third with a fine second on his similar KTM RC8. Closing the gap to the top three in the championship.
Metzeler and DTR Streetstock (400cc / 700cc / 1300cc)
It was an impressive ride to victory in terrible conditions for Aled Jones on the first 400 Streetstock final. It was business as usual in the second outing as former BSB125 rider Corey Lewis chalked up his sixth win of the year on his 1989 Kawasaki KR1S in Etass/Lewis Racing colours. In the 700cc division though Murray McConnachie was in no mood to share any of the big points as he took a pair of wins setting a series of fastest laps on his way to an 18 second win over series leader James Harrison on Sunday. Harrison was riding a borrowed 675 from Shaun Wynne after his own R6 had mysteriously gone down onto three cylinders on Saturday
TPC Construction Pre Injection (700cc / 1300cc)
Phil Hacker too his big FJ1100 to the win in the wet on Saturday with series leader and reigning champion Tom Palmer in second, roles were reversed on Sunday when the Sun came out. Kevin Davies on the NPMC SV and Alex Jones with his Complete Electrics ZX6R shared the top points in the 700cc division. Davies has half a hand on the small pre injection championship…..needing just 17 points from the last three rounds…… not bad as he was planning on sitting this season out. That was until Neil Pearson offered Kevin on of his very trick SV’s !!!
CSC Racing Sidecars (Open / Formula 2)
Rupert Archer and Jason Grimes with the Hannafin LCR and Simon Horton/Steve Morgan shared to victories in the Open Sidecar with Horton and Morgan elevating themselves into second in the year long series just behind the absent Simon Gilbert. Scunthorpe pairing David and Jayne Blackwood had a fine pair of races with a win and a second, but with a win on Saturday Tom and Thomas Quaye elevated themselves to the series lead ahead of Andy King and Kenny Cole.
April UK Newcomers
As ever al NG Road Racing two day meetings the Newcomers get their own races. The Open and 500 classes both went to the form book with Dave MacKay winning the big class on his Speedy Fasteners KTM RC8 and Mark Strudwick heading home Mark Reeves in the 500’s. The Mini Twins saw a class between the two title rivals Sean Montgomery and Mark Labudek….. Sean bit the Anglesey tarmac, whilst Mark went on to take the win. The newcomers only have one round left next time out at Pembrey.
Wayside Garages Performance of the Meeting Ben Marsden – Open and Powerbike – NP Motorcycles ZX10 Kawasaki
Bardahl Top-Oils Newcomer of the Meeting Forrest Dunn – Powerbike and Newcomers – Team No Hope GSXR 1000 Suzuki
Russ Gardner