WORDS: CRAIG EVANS PICTURES: D-PIX As race day approached for round 1 of the PDMCC 2014 championships, mixed weather conditions were predicted leaving competitors in the lurch as far as tyre choices were concerned with a question mark hanging over the day’s forecast. The remaining particles of Sahara sand which filled the sky earlier in the week had by now thankfully dispersed, clearing the air and allowing for a ‘clean’ season opener.
A few miles down the road in Aintree, the eyes of the sporting world were focused on a different type of race, but here in Wigan the paddock contained those looking for an alternative type of ‘horsepower’ to compete with….
Practice began at 10am prompt and the showers fell, complimenting the track with a watery glaze and making for precarious racing conditions for the opening round.
PDMCC Marshals Club Newcomers
The Newcomers class – a firm favourite for all – promised to be eventful as fine rain wetted the tarmac and presented more challenges. As the lights went out and the pack of riders set off for the opening race of 2014, Joe Lawrence (888) immediately shot to the front following a fantastic start in his PDMCC debut. The Westhoughton rookie maintained his lead as the machines made their way over the mountain but a very fast approach was being made just behind by Martin McGrath (125) who grabbed the lead by the time the pair had reached the hairpin on the first lap. McGrath had an immensely quick race and firmly established himself as ‘one to watch’ as he continued to push hard, with Lawrence posing as a continuous threat just behind. The red flags appeared very shortly afterwards due to a stranded machine at the foot of the mountain, putting an early end to an exciting first race.
A re-run began immediately afterwards, and McGrath had it all to do again as the machines set off. Lawrence took immediate advantage in another superb start, getting ahead of his rivals however Mark Knapman (28) snatched the lead 2 laps in. More very fast and technical riding from McGrath saw him take the lead once more on the penultimate lap, awarding him the race victory and the all-important top spot for the championship race, with Knapman (28) and Lawrence (888) finishing 2nd and 3rd. A little further back, Adam Gittings (93) and Stephen Tomlinson (47) enjoyed a very close battle on the final lap – the pair finishing 6th and 7th respectively.
All eyes were on McGrath (125) again for the championship campaign as the rookies ventured out for race 13 of the day. Dark clouds loomed overhead however the track was beginning to dry out by this time, presenting even more sketchy conditions for those about to embark on the points battle. As predicted, McGrath (125) led away, with Lawrence (888) pushing hard behind once more, the pair separating themselves some distance ahead of the rest of the field in a brilliant battle. As the pair exited Dunlops during lap 3, Lawrence (888) had a huge moment as he was unseated thanks to the drying tarmac but a fantastic save brought him applause from the spectators stood behind the pit wall. Adam Gittings (93) managed to navigate past Lawrence and cross the line eventual 2nd behind a literally flying McGrath (125) who took the victory – along with the points and pot – with Lawrence finishing in 3rd but with a good footing in the championship. The rest of the field was spread out for much of the race however Laurence Cummins (62) and Lee Hindle (128) raced each other fairly hard, with Hindle crossing the line 9th and Cummins following closely behind in 10th.
Formula 600
Only 9 entrants appeared on the grid for the F600 qualifier but nonetheless an entertaining race lay in wait. Recently qualified ACU club coach Rob Barber stole the limelight from the offset as he skilfully shot into the lead as soon as the start lights were extinguished. Increasing the gap from following riders as the race continued, the Bury Bullet maintained the lead throughout and claimed the win in true road race champion style. A little further back, Trevor Stokes (55) edged forward into2nd to make a bid for the top spot once he had Barber in his sights, however a retirement on the following lap ended his hopes of a win this time out. Mid-pack, Kevin Duckworth (76) and David Lewis (129) had a very close race between themselves, with Lewis coming home 2nd and Duckworth 3rd after a decent battle over the 7 laps. Rounding off the field was novice rider Laurence Cummins (62) – uncle of the famous TT racer Conor – who gave a display of consistent riding, followed home by Alan ‘Bud’ Jackson (38) aboard the CBR600 in his warm-up preparations for the forthcoming TT festival.
Race 2 was a quiet affair with only 6 on the grid, giving Barber the chance to shine yet again and hone his skills ready for his own upcoming TT challenge. David Lewis (129) also put his GSXR through its paces once more, pushing it to the limit to finish in a steady 2nd place. Further back, Kevin Duckworth (76), Trevor Stokes (55), Martin McGrath (125) and Darren Hulme (109) battled hard in the scrap for the final podium place and a decent footing in the championship – McGrath getting his hands on the final trophy and Hulme, Duckworth and Stokes finishing 4th, 5th and 6th respectively.
Rylo Racing Pre-Injection
A decent number of machines appeared on the grid for the Pre-injection qualifying race and a good mix of ‘older’ bikes gave promise of an entertaining season-opener for this class.
Edward Hosker (31) – unmissable thanks to the new bright pink helmet – got off to a textbook start as the race began, making an early bid for the lead however Nick Lomas (121) gained a very early advantage aboard the R1 – a rare bike around this very tight and challenging track. Lomas and Hosker continued to battle hard during the following laps – the latter beginning his Manx road race preparations, and the former making his PDMCC debut, with the Clitheroe steelie champ literally inches from Lomas’s back wheel on occasions - particularly on the approach to Dunlop corner. By lap 4 Hosker snatched the lead in a brave pass at Dunlops which saw him very late on the brakes, running round the outside of Lomas. Once through, Hosker continued to pull away and increased the gap on the smaller and more nimble 600 machine, emerging victorious as the chequered flag was waved. Mid-pack, Jonathan Nell (175) switched from his usual classic Honda K4 machine to join the pre-injection class on a 600 Hornet in a somewhat lonely ride, however he was joined by steelie campaigner Martin Clare (5) in the later stages of the race and the pair finished 5th and 6th respectively.
Another good show of machines showed up for the all-important championship race on mixed tyre choices as the rain threatened to return. Once underway, Daniel Tomlinson (54) led away aboard the championship winning GSXR once owned by 2013 Pre Injection title-holder Richard Whitton. The lead was maintained by Tomlinson for a good few laps, with the ready and waiting Edward Hosker waiting in the immediate background, making his move on lap 4 and steaming ahead to take the flag, beating his best pal across the line after a stunning race. A good clean racing battle was taking place a little further back between Jonathan Nell (175) Simon Aspin (139) and Mike Bampton (80) with Nell (175) finishing just ahead of Aspin (139) and Bampton (80) aboard the CBR.
Anglo American Electrical Steel Frame 600
Edward Hosker (31) continued his Manx preparations as the race got underway, clearly showing that he was keen to make an impression and maintain his position as champion of the Steel Frame class. The plan worked and the Clitheroe racer propelled straight into the lead as soon as turn 1 had been reached. Closely following was Lathom’s Mike Bampton (80) as he pushed forward to make his presence felt however it was plain that Hosker knows every inch of the Wigan tarmac as he increased his gap further the longer the race continued. Right behind Bampton was Simon Aspin (139) – the Blackburn racer making his comeback following a lengthy break from competitive action due to injury. Mid-pack, Richard Whitton (97) aboard a newly-acquired CB500 for this season – along with Martin Clare (5), Joe Lawrence (888) and Jonathan Nell(176) all engaged in a tight and battle with Clare’s team-mate James Leatham (21) a short distance behind aboard one of their distinctive green and red CBR’s. Meanwhile Bampton and Aspin had a superb battle for qualifying positions across the full race distance eventually finishing 2nd and 4th respectively around Martin Clare (5) who took the flag in a well-deserved 3rd place after a consistent ride. Victory belonged to Edward Hosker (31) who crossed the line a good 6 seconds in front of the following machines.
Hosker and Bampton again locked horns during the opening stages of the championship race, with Hosker edging his way into the lead on lap 2 as the pair made their way over the mountain. A sudden brief shower slightly wetted the already drying tarmac and the quick change of weather conditions was enough to claim 3 riders in quick succession, bringing out the slippery surface flags and slowing down the race pace quite considerably. Jonathan Nell (175), Simon Aspin (139) and Mike Bampton (80) meanwhile had a good battle for pots and points, finishing 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively and establishing themselves on the points tables. As the chequered flag went out, Edward Hosker (31) took the win with a huge lead over Nell (175) and Aspin (139) who in turn led comfortably from the rest of the field. Mid pack, Gary Foster (36) and James Leatham (21) battled for 6th and 7th positions, gaining valuable points towards upcoming rounds.
Jules Embroidery 501-1300cc Open
A good sized grid of machines made their way to the start line for PDMCC’s ‘premier’ class, giving riders of all types of machine from 501-1300cc the chance to compete in an open race.
TT champ Rob Barber (39) led away the field as the race started, but immediate competition from Kevin Duckworth (76) allowed for some healthy racing to take place. Duckworth was hot on the chase of Bullet Barber from the off and then grabbed the lead as lap 2 commenced, pulling away in a very fast campaign. Just behind Barber was a cluster consisting of David Ransome (71), Matthew Hammond (250), Darren Hulme (109) and David Lewis (129) all engaging in a tough battle for vital qualifying positions to make a good start in race 2. Meanwhile, Barber let Duckworth go right up until the final lap when the Bullet took his chance and pounced, with David Lewis (129) doing exactly the same as they trio approached the hairpin, relegating Duckworth to 3rd. Duckworth and Lewis had a fantastic wheel-to-wheel battle on the last lap – particularly on the exit from Dunlops, however Lewis got the edge and crossed the line in second place just 0.4 seconds ahead of Duckworth.
Duckworth and Barber later prepared to resume battle once more in the 501-1300cc championship race which was also the final event of this first-round meeting. Barber took no prisoners this time, immediately getting the edge over Duckworth straight away and in advance of the first corner. Barber’s textbook approach and flawless riding allowed no room for error, and the Bullet raced ahead to gain a lengthy lead over the rest of the field. By lap 2, David Lewis (129) had also once more got the advantage over Duckworth and pressed on, leaving Duckworth campaigning in 3rd place but still heading up a very fast trio including himself, Matthew Hammond (250) and Nick Lomas (121) respectively. Duckworth (76) and Hammond (250) eventually pulled quite far ahead of Lomas (121) on the more nimble bikes and the three riders crossing the line 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively, putting the finishing touches to a brilliant display of race craft to round off the first meeting of the year.
Round 2 of the Preston and District MCC championships takes place on Sunday 8th June at Three Sisters, Wigan. Entry forms and regulations can be found at www.prestondmc.co.uk
Closing date for entries is 7 days prior to race day.