Former British champion Paul Holmes moved to the top of the 2015 Willcock British Quad Championship with victory at round two in wind and rain at Desertmartin, in Northern Ireland, after a thrilling battle with local favourite, Dean Colhoun.
The duo went into the final race all-square after each had taken a win and a second from the opening two 25 minute races. However, the much-anticipated shootout in the third failed to materialise after Colhoun struggled to ninth with an injured wrist leaving Holmes able to secure overall victory with a solid second place.
“I came here not expecting to win a race or the overall against the Irish who know this place really well,” said Holmes, who has previously never finished on the podium at the former GP track. “So I am delighted to get both.”
Colhoun had started the day favourite after topping qualifying by half a second around the superbly prepared track, with British Under 21 champion Mark McLernon second, George Callaway third and Holmes fourth.
However, in the opening race Colhoun had to come through from fifth to eventually take the lead at half distance, before stretching out a seven second winning margin.
The holeshot had gone to Welshman Luke Cooper, chased by Holmes, southern Ireland’s Jack Raeburn and Carl Bunce. By lap three Cooper, Holmes and Colhoun had set up a fine battle at the head of the field which lasted until the fifth lap when Colhoun hit the front.
Within a lap Holmes was also through, but any chance he had of catching Colhoun were hampered by arm pump and he had to stay alert as Cooper maintained the pressure to the flag, finishing just four seconds behind him.
Raeburn did his all to hang on to fourth spot but was just pipped by former British Champion Justin Reid just before the final lap.
In the Under 21 category Colhoun was the obvious winner from Cooper, with Callaway, who had finished sixth overall in third spot.
The second race was packed with incident from the beginning. McLernon, who had gone out of race one with a seized motor, took the holeshot on his spare machine and led for the opening laps.
Then on lap three McLernon first slowed, then pulled out, admitting he simply wasn’t enjoying himself and added afterward that he is seriously considering quitting the sport altogether.
That promoted Colhoun to the lead, tailed by Holmes, Raeburn, Reid, Callaway, Cooper, Ulster Champion David Cowan and Sheldon Seal. However, it wasn’t long before the leading two stretched out a large lead as they served up an excellent battle.
With two laps to go Holmes made his move but the result was in doubt right up to the flag as Colhoun kept up the chase. The pair finished 14 seconds ahead of third placed man Cowan.
Reid had worked his way to third by mid-race distance but when the gear shifter got smashed off his Can-Am it was left stuck in third gear forcing him to over-rev it on the fast sections. It eventually overheated allowing Cowan, who had worked his way from ninth, to come through with three laps to go. Reid limped home in fourth with Seal fifth and Raeburn hanging on to sixth.
In the Under 21 category Colhoun won again, while Callaway (who had been seventh overall) was second, with Cooper (who had been ninth overall) in third.
With Holmes and Colhoun level on 97 points heading into the final race a battle royal looked on the cards. However it was obvious from the opening lap that Colhoun was in trouble.
“I jarred my wrist in race two on one the of the steep downhill sections, but adrenalin got me to the end. But in the third race it was really painful,” said Colhoun, who could be seen lifting his hand off the bars in the turns and almost rolling some of the jumps.
Cooper had holeshot the race, but Reid quickly displaced him and rode with the composure befitting a man competing in his 19
th season of British Championship racing to win by 10 seconds.
Holmes had chased him hard in the early stages but soon settled for a safe second when it was obvious Colhoun was out of the running.
With the sand track at its roughest the field was soon well spread, but Cowan again staged a fine charge through the pack coming from ninth to an eventual third. Bunce, who had switched from his new Handy Suzuki to his trusty old LTR had his best ride of the day in fourth, with Cooper in a lonely fifth.
In the Under 21s Cooper took victory, with Colhoun second and Welshman James Bevan, who had been 12
th overall, in third. It was enough to give Colhoun overall victory from Cooper, with Callaway, who went out of the third race in the closing stages with a seized motor, third overall.
Finally credit must go to host organisers, Quad Racing Ireland, who ran a cracking, professional meeting in foul conditions.
RESULTS
Overall: 1 Paul Holmes (Yamaha), 2 Justin Reid (Can-Am), 3 Dean Colhoun (Honda), 4 David Cowan Yamaha, 5 Luke Cooper (KTM), 6 Jack Raeburn (KTM).
Under 21: 1 Dean Colhoun (Honda), 2 Luke Cooper (KTM), 3 George Callaway, 4 James Bevan (KTM), 5 Harry Walker (Yamaha), 6 Murray Graham (Yamaha)
Race one: 1 Colhoun, 2 Holmes, 3 Cooper, 4 Reid, 5 Raeburn, 6 Callaway.
Race two: 1 Holmes, 2 Colhoun, 3 Cowan, 4 Reid, 5 Sheldon Seal (KTM), 6 Raeburn.
Race three: 1 Reid, 2 Holmes, 3 Cowan, 4 Carl Bunce (Suzuki), 5 Cooper, 6 Seal.
WORDS: Rob McDonnell
PICTURES: Paul Ervine