The penultimate round of the Darley Moor Motor Cycle Road Race Club Championship was held on Sunday 4th September) and it certainly provided an excellent days racing with perhaps the Formula 600 machines stealing the limelight from the other classes.
The Graham Bywater Trophy, in memory of a racer who competed in the Formula 600 and Newcomers’ races, was awarded to the highest placed Formula 600 machine in the non-championship Newcomers race. Anthony Froggatt (Worksop) was this year’s winner after crossing the line in 6th place after Lap 1, he had made his way to the front by Lap 4 and stretched out a lead of 2.5 seconds at the flag.
The Formula 600 races usually provide some very close racing and Lloyd Shelley (Burntwood) and Steven Proctor’s (Wakefield) season long battle continued at the head of the field. Their first race saw the pair never separated by more than 1 second throughout the eight laps, with Shelley leading each time they crossed the line, the winning margin being just 0.8sec at the flag. However, this was a huge distance compared to the second race, in what is one of the closest ever finishes at the circuit. Again Shelley led across the line for the majority of laps, even stretching a lead of 1.3 seconds in the early stages, but Procter wasn’t giving up and clawed his way back into it and snatched the victory on the last lap, taking the chequered flag by 0.05sec!
Shelley was again in action in the combined Sound of Thunder/Lightweight races, although taking two very comfortable flag to flag victories. Behind him was a very different story with Mark Scott (Chesterfield) and Michael Gloster (Atherstone) having a race long battle in the first, with Scott taking 2nd and Gloster 3rd. David Carson (Northwich) the first Mini Sound of Thunder machine home in 4th place and Chris Moore (New Mills) the first Lightweight machine across the line in 5th place overall. In the second encounter Stephen Taylor (Oakham) was able to keep his Mini Sound of Thunder machine ahead of Carson to take the class victory with 6th Overall and with Kev Bond (Chesterfield) finishing 3rd in the class it gave Carson the championship, with an unassailable 45 points lead, whilst Moore again took the Lightweight class victory. Carson and Bond were also in action in the Formula Darley class and with Carson taking two start to finish victories this weekend it was the chance to wrap another title up, stretching his Championship lead to 54 points over Bond.
Procter was also in action in several classes, pitting his 600cc machine against the 1000cc machines in the Peak Cup races. In the first, after crossing the line 4th at the end of Lap 1, and 2nd on Lap 2, he finally found a way past Shane Pearson (Derby) on Lap 6, setting the fastest lap in the process, and was able to stretch a lead of over 5 seconds at the flag, with Pearson 2nd and Simon Bowyer (Newcastle under Lyme) 3rd. The second race saw Ben Crowe (Carnforth) lead from the start, as he did in the first race, but on this occasion getting further than Lap 2 and managing to stretch a winning margin of almost 4 seconds at the flag. Behind him Pearson and Procter were continuing their battle, Procter having the quicker start and in front for the first couple of laps, until Pearson found his way past on Lap 3 and held on to the slim advantage until the flag. With Carl Morris (Etwall) further down the field, recording 10th and 11th place finishes, Procter’s points haul on the day puts him level with Morris at the head of the table.
Crowe, Pearson and Bowyer were also in action in the Open Solo races and with the exception of the first lap in the first race Crowe was first across the line each time with Pearson following behind and Bowyer in 3rd spot. However this does not tell the full story, in the first race Pearson was never any further than 0.6sec behind Crowe and at the finish was just 0.11sec behind him. Championship leader Carl Morris again further down, in 5th position, those points were enough the secure the Championship.
Pearson was able to take victory in the Pre98’s races, quickest off the line on both occasions, on his ‘up to 1300cc machine, he managed two similar start-finish victories, both with a winning margin of over 6 seconds. Behind him Ian Morgan (Derby) and Mark Brailsford (Chesterfield) kept the spectators entertained for 2nd and 3rd places. In the first race Brailsford had the slower start, although was still 3rd after the first lap, almost 1.5seconds behind Morgan, but slowly reeled him in until he was just 0.16sec behind at the flag. A similar scenario occurred in the second encounter, this time with Brailsford getting off the line quicker, but Morgan less than 0.5sec behind after Lap 1, the furthest the pair were separated for the remaining distance. Slightly different from the first race in that Morgan successfully chased Brailsford down and pipped him to the line, for 2nd place, by just 0.01sec! Chris Moore was comfortably the first of the smaller ‘up to 500cc’ machines, on both occasions, which was enough to give him the Pre98 (up to 500cc) Championship.
In the combined Classic and Formula 125 races David Bradley (Matlock) recorded two start- to-finish victories on his Classic 1000 machine. Behind him James Hind (Nettleton) put in an impressive performance once again on his Formula 125 machine, bringing it home in 2nd place overall in the first race and 4th overall in the second, the two class victories securing the Formula 125 Championship. Andy Bacon (Hucknall) was the first Classic 500 machine on both occasions recording an overall 3rd and 2nd place finish; Benjamin Smith (Tamworth) the Classic 350 victor each time with 7th and 10th overall, whilst Geoff Hadwin (Cumbria) and Geoff Atkinson (Northampton) shared the Classic 250 honours with a 5th and 6th respectively. Hind had also been in action over recent rounds on a GP125 machine and this weekend’s performance was once again impressive, following Graham Wilson (Kidsgrove), confirmed this weekend as the 2016 GP125 Champion, home on both occasions, even recording the fastest lap for the class in the second race, putting him 3rd in the championship standings.
The combined Steel Framed and Pre Injection 600 races kept the spectators entertained with Ant Porter (Chesterfield) taking Overall victory in both races on his Steel Framed machine. Andrew Lowe (Stone) taking the victory for Pre Injection class machinery in the first race, after retaking the lead from Dan Millner (Sheffield) on the final lap of the first race. However, in the second race Lowe had led the race from the opening lap, but Porter’s Steel framed machine was closing him down, with 0.23sec splitting the pair as they began the final lap, unfortunately only Porter made it to the finish line, allowing Millner to take Pre Injection honours with an overall 4th place finish.
Formula 600 sidecar pairing and Championship leaders Howard Baker/Mike Killingsworth (Sutton Coldfield/ Lincoln) recorded two overall flag-to-flag victories putting the Championship out of reach of their nearest rivals. Despite recording overall 6th and 2nd places the Open Sidecar pairing of Ray Thomas/Neil Aslaksen (Birkenhead) secured both class victories and therefore the Championship with just one Round remaining.
That final Round, with double points on offer, the Stars at Darley meeting will be held over the weekend of 8th – 9th October 2016, with a Test Day on Saturday 8th and Race day on the 9th October. As always the on track action begins with Practice at 10am, whilst the first race is scheduled for 11.30 am. The cost of adult admission to the Stars at Darley meeting, is £16.00 on race day, children under 16 are free, and Senior Citizens are £10.00. Parking and Paddock Transfer is free and a programme costs just £3.00. Adult admission to the Test Days is £6.00, Senior Citizens 65 and over £4.00.
Advance Tickets at discount prices are also available on-line just visit the Darley Race Shop for full details -
http://www.darleymoorstore.co.uk/.
With Darley Moor being one of the few circuits in which dogs are welcome, provided they are kept on a lead at all times during race day and the owners act in a responsible manner, it can be another excuse to get away from the house and enjoy the summer. There is ample room for spectators to camp and caravan at Darley Moor over the race weekends. The cost is £5.00 per unit per night. Camping will normally be available from 4.00 pm on the Friday evening until 10.00 am on the day after the meeting or by special arrangement with the circuit management – Call 01335 343833.
2016 Championship standings after Round 7 Peak Cup 1st Carl Morris, 81pts; 2nd Steve Proctor, 81pts; 3rd Simon Bowyer, 28pts;
Open Solo 1st Carl Morris, 98pts; 2nd, Alan Hughes, 47pts; 3rd, MJ Morgan, 44pts
Open Sidecars 1st Ray Thomas/Neil Aslaksen, 93pts; 2nd Anthony Eades/Keith Box, 51pts; 3rd Keith Waddington/Julia Hardisty, 39pts
Lightweight 1st Chris Moore, 81pts; 2nd Neil Lloyd, 62pts; 3rd Tony Limer, 36pts
GP125 1st Graham Wilson, 101pts; 2nd Emma Franklin, 43pts; 3rd, James Hind, 42pts
Formula 600 1st Lloyd Shelley, 90pts; 2nd Steve Proctor, 81pts; 3rd Jamie Hodson, 33pts
Formula Darley 1st David Carson, 109pts; 2nd Kevin Bond, 55pts; 3rd Brad Vicars, 18pts
Formula 125 1st James Hind, 102pts; 2nd Adam Warner, 58pts; 3rd George Pidcock, 43pts;
Formula 600 Sidecars 1st Howard Baker/Mike Killingsworth, 106pts; 2nd Brian Alflatt/Aaron Gorman, 45pts; 3rd Richard Hackney/ Andrew Mitchell, 41pts
Steel Framed 600 1st Antony Porter, 114pts; 2nd Dave Marsden, 78pts; 3rd Dean Ephgrave, 70pts
Pre Injection 600 1st Andrew Lowe, 70pts; 2nd Jamie Pearson, 45pts; 3rd Chris North, 39pts
Mini Sound of Thunder 1st David Carson, 99pts; 2nd Kevin Bond, 54pts; 3rd Stephen Taylor, 48pts
Sound of Thunder 1st Lloyd Shelley, 99pts; 2nd Jamie Horner, 71pts; 3rd Michael Gloster, 30pts
Pre 98’s Up to 500cc 1st Chris Moore, 72pts; 2nd Neil Lloyd, 31pts; 3rd Chris Moffitt, 12pts
Pre98’s up to 1300cc 1st Andrew Lowe, 64pts; 2nd Mark Brailsford, 55pts; 3rd Jamie Pearson, 45pts
Classic 250 1st Glenn Atkinson, 85pts; 2nd Mark Cockerton, 64pts; 2nd Geoff Hadwin, 53pts
Classic 350 1st Brian Prescott, 103pts; 2nd Benjamin Smith, 42pts; 3rd Jim Barnett, 18pts
Classic 500 1st Gary Widdowson, 54pts; 2nd Oliver Presswood, 42pts; 3rd Gordon Thorpe, 36pts
Classic 1000 1st David Bradley, 114pts; 2nd Mike Harding, 33pts; 3rd Andy Bailey, 15pts