Barry Lee Evans closes gap at Tonfanau.

Thursday May 29, 2014 at 3:43pm

Barry Lee Evans (Yamaha 600), runner-up in last season’s 401-1100cc Open championship, took two wins and a third  place in this, the second of the four meeting Crewe and South Cheshire club’s series, to move to within a point of series leader Martin Powell (Yamaha 1000)

Wet, damp or dry it made no difference to Evans, the 25-year-old from Anglesey.

He won the first, in the wet, by a second and a half from David Lewis (Suzuki 600), setting the fastest lap.

Powell was only sixth, unable to use the full power of his Suzuki.

Evans won the second race by a similar margin from Powell, on a drying. This time Powell set the fastest lap.

Evan was third home in race three, won by another Welshman, Cardiff’s Julian Hughes (GP Motorcycles Kawasaki 1000), starting from the back of the grid from Powell.

Hughes might well have played a bigger part in the meeting, but for some bad luck in race one.

He was leading on the opening lap till bought down by a crashing rival.

It took him until race three to repair the damage.

At the hallway stage in the season, Powell, champion in 2012, has 47 points, to the 46 of Evans.

Steel Frames and Minitwins

Barry Lee Evans gave his Steel Framed Honda a run out for the first time this season and notched up an impressive hat trick, beating the combined grid of his class and Minitwins.

Mathews Rees, unbeaten in round one, was absent and the opposition took advantage.

Nick Jefferies took a sixth and two second places in his three races to move to the top of the points’ table, on 400, three ahead of Mark Robinson.

Lewis Clark is now third in the series, nine behind Jefferies.

Chris Ganderton (Suzuki 650) crashed out of race one on the third lap, won by Gary Gittins (Suzuki 650), but he bounced back to chase Gittins home in race two and win the third and final outing.

Ganderton stays leading the championship, on 49 points, six more than Michael Brookes (Suzuki 650) who ended the day with two thirds and a sixth

CLASSIC 251-500cc

Jason Markham was posted by the Army to Canada straight after the opening round at Tonfanau.

He won all three Classic 251-500cc races, that day, beating Mark Griffiths (Terry Woods Honda 350) each time out.

Griffiths took the lead in race one, after passing Adrian Day (Honda 350) and then lost all drive.

He thought he had snapped the chain, so turned into to pits.

Looking down he saw the chain was still there. The bike fired up and he set off after the pack.

Griffiths had no first gear for the rest of the race, but finished third.

He was put on the grass in race two, but battled back to take second place Lee Jennings (Norton 500).

Griffiths was third again in race three and now tops the championship,  20 points lead clear of Day.

FORGOTTEN ERA OVER 500

Martin Powell (Suzuki 1100) also has eyes on the club’s Forgotten Era Over 500cc championship.

He could not match the pace of Steve Birtles (Yamaha 1000), who notched up two wins and a second to increase his lead in the series over Powell to ten, 57 to 47.

400 SUPERSPORT

Mike Carter (Honda) looks certain to lose his 400 Supersport title.

After another tough meeting he is 38 points behind series leader Mark Purslow.

Mark Griffiths climbed to second in the standings, ten down on Purslow. 

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