RACE ACTION RETURNED FOR BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY AT DARLEY MOOR

Wednesday August 27, 2014 at 1:09pm

Club Championship racing returned to the Darley Moor circuit for a very wet and cold Bank Holiday Monday and credit must go out, not just to those racing and providing the entertainment, but to the spectators, marshals and race officials standing at their ‘posts’ and enduring the weather for the benefit of others.

With a number of championship regulars in the Isle of Man the race programme was a little shorter than usual, most likely a blessing given the conditions. With the absentees there was an opportunity for others to get their hands on the silverware

In addition to the usual silverware for the top 3 of each race, two special trophies were awarded in memory of former Darley Moor regulars;

The Graham Bywater Trophy, in memory of a racer who competed in the Formula 600 and Newcomers’ races, was presented to Michael Gloster, the highest placed Formula 600 rider, and on this occasion the winner of the Newcomers’ race. For the first 3 laps Gloster was one of three riders battling for the lead, by Lap 4 this was down to just two riders, Gloster taking the lead on the penultimate lap and able to stave off the challenge from Lloyd Shelley to win by the closest margin of the day, 0.72sec. (The trophy being presented to him by Tracey Bywater, widow of Graham’s)

The Trevor Foxley Trophy remembers a Darley Moor scrutineer who was killed in a road accident, this trophy was presented to the highest placed Formula 125 rider, under 21 years of age. On this occasion Connor Sellors claimed the silverware after finishing 8th and 7th in the two combined Formula Darley/125cc races. Both of these races were dominated by Brad Vicars on his Formula Darley machine, claiming both victories and never being headed throughout the two races. Mark Tyrell took the GP125 honours with an overall 3rd and 2nd.

Jamie Medhurst mastered the conditions better than anybody else on the day, taking four start-to-finish race wins; both Peak Cup races and the combined Formula 600/Open Solo races, his smooth riding combining well with the less powerful 600cc machine against the bigger 1000cc machines. With the exception of the second Formula 600/Open Solo race Carl Booth followed Medhurst home in 2nd place each time, again on a 600cc machine. Simon Gibbons was able to get his 1000cc machine between the two in the final F600/Open Solo race.

After claiming class victories in the Formula Darley/125 races Mark Tyrrell was the first rider to see the chequered flag in both combined Lightweight/Classic races, again a rider never to be headed throughout both 8 lap races. Matty Whelan claimed the Runner-Up position in both, on his Lightweight machine, with Fred Burbidge and David Smith battling it out throughout both races, each claiming a 3rd and 4th place on their Lightweight machines. David Bradley and Jamie O’Brien shared the Classic 1000 honours with a class win apiece whilst Dale Shaw took both Classic 250 ‘victories’ and John Leese the Classic 350 ‘win’.

Benefitting from Richard Stubbs failure to complete Lap3 whilst leading, Andrew Lowe took the first of his three wins in the first Pre98 race, holding off a late charge from Matthew Goodfield. With no errors in the second race Stubbs passed Lowe on Lap2 and went on to record a comfortable victory, with Lowe following him home in 2nd place and Dean Ephgrave repeating his 3rd place of the first race.

Steven Hill took victory in both combined Sound of Thunder/Steel Framed 600/Pre Injection 600 races, on his SoT machine, whilst Lowe recorded two runner-up places on track, but took the Pre Injection class wins. Ephgrave recorded a 3rd and 5th place overall, and claimed both victories in the Steel Framed class, with Brad Vicars recording 6th and 3rd place overall, and taking the Mini Sound of Thunder class victories.

In the Sidecar class the Roy Hanks/Julie Hanks-Elliott pairing took victory in the first race despite being 2nd across the line, the leaders on track Lee Crawford/Stuart Ramsey were handed a 10second penalty after jumping the start dropping them back to 3rd behind Tony Thompson/Jack Jones. In the second encounter Hanks/Hanks-Elliott led for the first four laps until Crawford/Ramsey fought their way past with Thompson/Jones circulating in 3rd place waiting to capitalise on a mistake from either of the leaders. Unfortunately for Hanks/Hanks-Elliott, a collision occurred with a slower outfit and the race had to be brought to a premature end, handing the victory to Crawford/Ramsey with Thompson/Jones 3rd.

Fans of four wheeled motorsport were treated to two races forming part of the 2014 Superkart Championship, the first of these won by Mark Newton after this race also had to be red flagged. The second race went the full distance and after passing Newton on Lap4 Alan Flewitt was able to hold off the challenge from Neil Goldthorpe for the race win, Newton having to settle for 3rd on this occasion.

The next round of the Championship will be the penultimate round and is scheduled to take place on Sunday 21st September 2014 and as always Practice will start at 10am, with the first race scheduled for 11.30am. The cost of adult admission to Darley Moor for all meetings, except the end of season Stars at Darley meeting, is £12.00 per day, children under 16 are free, and Senior Citizens are £8.00. Parking and Paddock Transfer is free and a programme costs just £3.00. Adult admission to the Test Days is £6.00.

For the Stars at Darley event on 12th October the adult admission price is £16.00 and Senior Citizens £12.00.

Championship positions (after Round 5)

Peak Cup

1st Jim Hodson, 60pts; 2nd Tim Poole, 58pts; 3rd Jamie Medhurst, 48pts

Open Solo

1st Tim Poole, 54pts; 2nd Jim Hodson, 51pts; 3rd Scott Bingley, 27pts

Open Sidecars

1st Tony Thompson/Jack Jones 51pts; 2ndRay Thomas/Neil Aslaksen 37pts; 3rd Anthony Eades/Iain Greensmith, 31pts;

Lightweight

1st Paul Hedison, 63pts; 2nd Mark Tyrell, 57pts; 3rd Chris Moore 33pts

GP125

1st Mark Tyrell, 81pts; 2nd Justin Brown, 44pts; 3rd Emma Franklin, 25pts