Phoenix Motorcycles Open
Knocking on 80 riders had entered the prestigious NG Road racing Phoenix motorcycles backed Open class, so two sets of timed qualifying were needed to set the grid. In the damp early morning conditions it was no big surprise that BSB Superstock runner set pole position on his WH Bond ZX10. Along side him were former British 125GP champ Luke Jones, Hottrax champ Greg Allsop and former 848 British champ Leon Morris.
Come the afternoons final Day set off at pace, but within a couple of laps on the 10 lap final Luke Jones wound up the pace on his 675 Accumen Services 675 and proceeded to reel off lap record after lap record. His pace eventually saw him set new outright track figures for NG at an average of over 108mph to take a stunning win ahead of Day and Morris, with 2013 champ Phil Bevan just holding off Greg Allsop and Paul Shook at the line. Scott Pitchers had a great run through the pack to come through 7
th beating Darren Rumley and Sed Bulpin in the latter stages
125GP / Moto 3
Welsh teenager Joe Thomas took his Moto UK RS125 Honda to a fine win, after fending off an early challenge from Mark Strudwick and Jake Archer…… and the win was even more impressive as his little Honda had bogged down on the line, entering turn one in about 30
th position.
Steve Lynham Formula 125
When ever Charlie Nesbitt takes a weekend of his regular mini-moto outings to race his RS125 Aprilia, he proves that a move to the bigger bikes full time in 2014 will see him a force to be reckoned with. Once more he took the race win making it four from four in 2013
Fraser’s of Gloucester 500cc Open
Young South African BSB Triumph Triple regular rider Philip Atkinson wheeled out the Declans Racing TZ250 for a run out at Thruxton and promptly took the 500 open win setting a new lap record on the way. He battled all race with Dave Hampton who kept up the pressure all the way to the flag.
GP45
Both GP45 classes went to the formbook as Mark Carkeek was the top single on his Corby Kawasaki and Martin Thrower secured another maximum points on his PDQ Precision Aprilia in the twins class.
A and R Racing Formula 400
Simon Gates may not be in a position to race as much as he likes, but always wheels out his GNG / RB Engineering ZXR at the circuits he loves…. Thruxton is one of those circuits….and as per usual Gates took the win finishing over 15 seconds clear of Will Jones and Ben Palmer.
Wayside Garages 600cc
Nick Anderson knew that to win the 600cc title for 2013 he had to win and for Peter Carr to be outside the top ten. Anderson set out his stall by taking pole, and taking the win which wasn’t as easy as it looks on paper as he had Matt Ogden, Dale Thomas and Scott Pitches all over the rear end of his Be Wiser Kawasaki for most of the race. Carr through played a canny game and sat just off the leading group to come home in fifth… taking his third class championship in four years, on three different bikes !!.
www.Simon Consulting.info Powerbikes
On paper Josh Day on the WH Bond KX10 took a comfortable 12 second win over Mark Compton, but yes Day took the win over Compton, but Compton had been slapped with a 10 second jump start penalty so to finish second was astonishing. His cause was helped by a frantic 5 way battle that was going on behind him on the road…. with pass and re pass constantly impeding the lap times of Jason Oakes, Greg Allsop, Sam Coventry and Paul Shook. Compton was awarded the performance of the day trophy…. But was even more chuffed by setting his first ever sub 1min 20 lap.
MPH Bikes Mini Twins
Despite Kevin Davies the newly Mini Twins champion setting a new class lap record on his SV650, he was forced to settle for fourth place in the race. Davies, Grant Robertson, Nigel Reed and Alistair Rowland-Rouse battled race long, with never more that a couple of bike lengths between them. As Robertson and Reed entered the Club chicane on the last lap Robertson lead….then Reed…then Robertson. After brushing shoulders on the run to the line Robertson got the nod on his SV.
Peter Hammond Motorcycles Sound of Thunder
Former British 125 GP champ Luke Jones, loves the Truxton circuit and it really showed in the Sound of Thunder final. Like not only won the race over National 848 Ducati star and local hero Leon Morris and two time NG Thunder Champ, but set a new lap record in the process on his 675 Accumen Services Triumph. It was good to see another former champ Paul Willis back on the grid, but fouth place was as much as his KTM could reward his return with after suffering, clutch and suspension problems.
Metzeler and DTR Streetstock (400cc / 700cc / 1300cc)
Dan Tilley has reeled of a hat trick of wins over the last three rounds on his Spring Meadow VFR Honda lifting himself into second in the end of year standings behind Corey Lewis. Murray McConnachie grabbed his seventh win of the year on his Cabot Tyres/Bob Harvey 675 in the 700 Street class. But the big story of the race was James Harrison getting his R6 Yamaha through to second after crashing in the qualifier and starting from the back of the 40 strong grid to win the season long championship. In the big streetbike class Dan Millard and Tom Cook squabbled over the win right to the flag with Millard on his DDR ZX10 taking it by just a bike length after the 6 lapper.
TPC Construction Pre Injection (700cc / 1300cc)
With sponsorship from “all the Lads at Bradfords tool hire” Tom Palmer once more dominated the big pre-injection class on his R1, his last ride on the old R1 before he moves to the Sound of Thunder on an ex-MAP 675 Triumph in 2014. Simon Morgan and the Speedgene R6 took the smaller 700 class over Kevin Davies…. again despite Davies setting a new class lap record on his SV650 on his way to the championship win.
CSC Racing Sidecars (Open / Formula 2)
Outgoing 2012 sidecar champions Jim Hamilton and Mick Fairhurst made the run down from Scotland well worth the trip by taking the Open Sidecar win, despite starting from the back of the grid after pulling out of the qualifier. Meanwhile in the F2 class local father and son crew Tom and Thomas Quaye just failed to end the year of with a win in front of good local support as Ralph Remnant and PJ McLaverty nicked the win by just 0.12 seconds.
Wayside Garages Performance of the Meeting Mark Compton – Open and Powerbike – Driftwood Mechanical 1000cc Reaper Suzuki
2013 Champions
Steve Lynham Formula 125 - Liam Delves Metzeler / DTR spares 700 Streetstock - James Harrison
NG Road Racing 125 GP - Mark Strudwick Metzeler / DTR spares 1300 Streetstock - Tom Cook
A and R Racing Formula 400 - Shannon Hale TPC Construction 700 Pre Injection - Kevin Davies
Fraser’s of Gloucester 500cc - Paul Metcatle TPC Construction 1300 Pre injection - Tom Palmer
NG Road Racing GP45 (Single) - Mark Carkeek April UK 500 Newcomers - Mark Strudwick
NG Road Racing GP45 (Twins) - Martin Thrower April UK Mini Twin Newcomers - Sean Montgomery
Wayside Garages 600cc - Peter Carr April UK Open Newcomers - Dave Mackay
Simon Consulting Powerbikes - Phil Bevan CSC Racing Open Sidecar - Simon Gilbert
Phoenix Motorcycles Open - Phil Bevan Jed Pilmoor-Brady
Peter Hammond Sound of Thunder - Darren Rumley CSC Racing F2 Sidecar - Tom Quaye
MPH Bikes Mini Twins - Kevin Davies Thomas Quaye
NG Road Racing 400 Streetstock - Corey Lewis