With the sun shining on both days, 300 plus riders filling the paddocks, and with the Motoland circuit in prime condition the opening round of this years GT Cup was an outstanding success.
The spoils in the top of the bill British Championship Clubman races were shared equally as Rob Wood and veteran racer Greg Hanson nailed two wins apiece. Having said this Wood secured the overall win courtesy of his victory in heat four with both guys tied on points.
In the under 23 MX 2 Lites MVR-D Honda pilot Alfie Smith won the day helped along with a brace of heat wins. Scott Elderfield and Carlton Husband were the other two race winners. Smiths team mate Elderfield suffered a race three puncture which surely robbed him of a podium finish as Husband and Ashley Smith claimed second and third overall respectively.
There was just one race win in the 125's for reigning champion TM mounted Jim Davies, but backing up supremely well with a further 2-2-2 enabled him to claim an early series lead. Young gun Henry Williams following his two heat wins is in series second as the fourth race winner at Mildenhall Fraser Curtis holds series third.
Moving on to the youth only sections and in the Rookies it was Kyle Lane (2-2-3-1) who secured the opening round win as he got the better of Tony Saunders and Connor Dennis. Saunders on the Dantec Husqvarna making off with one heat win as unlucky Henry Siddiqui had to settle for seventh overall even though he had two heat wins against his name - but also one mechanical DNF.
Dexter Douglas started as a real hot favourite in the B/W 85's but even he had to give sway to an electric opening heat show as Todd Richie crossed the line first. Douglas came home in second but then went on to dominate completely with three more wins. Richie stayed weekend long consistent for second overall, as Ethan Winchester upped his game on day two and made third overall.
In the s/w 85's another firm favourite in the shape of Taylor Hampshire made absolutely no mistake as he exited with a maximum points haul. In Hampshire's wake section upgrade Reece Martin proved to be best of the rest as he claimed second overall with an impressive and consistent 2-4-4-5 card. And after scoring two Sunday thirds as weekend best Drew Anderson claimed section bronze.
Keeping the theme of outstanding favourite performances going, four hole shots and four emphatic wins was the return for Eddie Jay Wade in the 65's. Jack Grayshon (Vampires Rock) did all he could in a valiant chasing role and his reward was all the second place finishes.
In the 50cc auto races a mixed bag of fortunes saw Charlie Reynolds head off to round two with a championship lead following his 4-1-2-6 showing. The other heat wins went the way of Billy Moriarty and then twice in Sunday action for Jude Turton.