Chris Martin (Dave Dean Honda), the 33-year-old Yorkshire man and reigning ACU 250 champion, won both races at Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire to close within five points of series leader, Ant Hodson (FCL Yamaha), 70 to 65.
Martin had to work hard for his victories, though, thanks to the efforts of Phil Atkinson (Declan’s Racing Yamaha), who pushed him hard in both outings.
Martin had qualified in pole position, but he had only been nine hundredths of a second faster than Atkinson.
Saturday’s race was stopped after Carl Hudson (DWH Racing Honda) crashed at Barn Corner when up with the leading group, breaking a leg. In the shortened, restarted five-lap race Atkinson, the 30-year-old South African born racer, battled throughout with Martin and crossed the finishing line less than one tenth of a second down.
Sunday’s race was also stopped and re-started. Atkinson led the pack on seven of the eight-laps, but Martin, not wanting to show his hand too soon against the quicker Yamaha, nipped through at Hall Bends on the last lap to win by under seven tenths of a second.
Hodson, the 37-year-old Lincolnshire racer, was next home in both races, making it third-place finishes in all-five of the season’s races.
Poor starts, plus problems with his wrist injured in a spill last season at Castle Combe, did not help Hodson’s cause, but he still holds that slender championship lead.
Hodson plans an operation to fix his wrist before the next round at Castle Combe on June 31 and 22.
Darrell Higgins (Dennis Trollope Racing Yamaha), the 55-year-old from Melksham, Wiltshire and the oldest man in the race, was fourth home in both races despite only qualifying in seventh place. He stays third in the standings, on 64, just four ahead of Atkinson.
Simon Hunt (Todd & Ransby Racing Yamaha) was an impressive fifth in race one, earning him tyres in the Dunlop Award, but crashed heavily, without injury, in race two.
The 40-year-old power station engineer from Messingham, near Scunthorpe, still leads the NG Cup class, 24 points clear of closest rival, Paul Metcalfe.
Rich Grinling (RG Carpentry Yamaha), the 42-year-old from Lincoln, lost ground in his battle with Andrew Sawford (St Neots M/Cycles/TSM Yamaha) in the new Pre 92 series after his clutch burnt out waiting for the re-start of race two.
Earlier in the weekend Grinling had been slowed in race one by a faulty power valve which reduced the performance of his engine slightly.
Sawford, the 35-year-old from Sandy, Beds, was fifth in race one and sixth in the second, taking him to 115 points for the year.
Ste Howard (Howard Racing Yamaha) moved to second in class, on 74 points, after finishing 12th and 11th in the two outings, bouncing back from last place in qualifying.
The 24-year-old from Bursclough, Lancs, is eight points clear of the unlucky Grinling.
ACU 250 CHAMPIONSHIP
Ant Hodson 80, Chris Martin 75, Darrell Higgins 64, Phil Atkinson 60, Dave Hampton 48, Andrew Sawford 48, Jonathan Stamper 40, Gary Vines 35, Simon Hunt 34, Rich Grinling 29, Carl Hudson 28, Paul Metcalfe 23, Adam Hoare 20, Adrian Martin 16, Tom Snow 16, Ste Howard 15, Derek Clark 13, David Ibbotson 11,PhIl Guillou 9, Lee Goddard 7, Tony Russell 3, Neil Smith 3, Adrian Morris 3, Rhys Hardisty 2, Alec Cottam 2, George Murray 1.
Pre-92
Andrew Sawford 115, Ste Howard 74, Rich Grinling 66, ,Tom Snow 40, Tony Russell 24 Adrian Morris 21, Rhys Hardisty 13, G Murray 11.
100% Suspension NG Cup
Simon Hunt 100, Paul Metcalfe 76, Neil Smith 20.