The NEMCRC completed their season at East Fortune on 8/9th October with the first running of the Ian Bell Memorial Meeting. Son of the club’s founder Geordie Bell, Ian lost his life in an accident in this year’s second sidecar TT race.
In an action packed meeting of 29 x 10 lap races at the 1.6mile East Fortune Circuit in the border region near North Berwick, a large entry battled for not only the NEMCRC 2016 class championship’s but in the F2 Sidecar event for the inaugural Ian Bell Memorial Trophy.
Over a weekend of cold but dry sunny weather, the large crowd were treated to some exciting racing.
A total of 19 sidecars entered the meeting but 14 F2 sidecars lined up for The Ian Bell Trophy. The F1 outfit of Ian’s nephew Phil Bell having to start from the back of the grid in each race, treated the crowds in all four races to an awesome display of shear power with his fire breathing 1000cc LCR Suzuki.
The winners on aggregate over the four F2 races were Lee Crawford and Patrick Farrance on their F2 LCR Suzuki, with a close tie for 2
nd and 3
rd between Gordon Shand / Phil Hyde and Tony Baker / Fiona Baker-Milligan with the Shand /Hyde pairing taking second and Tony Third. The winners will keep their trophies as the club will have new ones struck for next year.
Ian Hamilton of Express Tyres Lockerbie kindly donated £300 prize money to the F2 first three places.
A special award of £60 donated by Stuart Clark for the farthest travelled passenger went to Julie Canipa.
Phil, Michael and Geoff Bell pictured with Ian’s wife Trudi, son Carl, daughter Rachel, Granddaughter Megan and Jorjie Lillie, after they had presented the winners Trophies to Lee Crawford and Patrick Farrance.
Commentator Mose Hutchison gave a moving tribute to Ian at the presentation.
The NEMCRC solo riders also put on a good show of close racing as championship titles were decided.
In the CB 500 Max Nights took 3 wins and one runner up to Jimmy Shanks one win and 3 runners up placings but so hard was the contest fought less than a second covered them at the finish.
Scott Campbell had a busy day taking all four Super twins races and taking 2 wins and a third and a second from Patrick Forman 1 win and 3rds against Richard Charlton 1 win and 3 second placings in a hard fought F 600 series.
In the PI 600s Lewis Shand took 4 wins from Jon Dickie and Ian Lawton . Shand also took 3 wins in the Unlimited PI.
The Stock twins had Chris Richardson pictured below sharing the race spoils with Allan Ellis whilst taking the 2016 title
John Dean cleaned up in the unlimited with 4 wins. It was good to see Andrew Tasker back on board after his long enforced lay off due to injury with a couple of Second place rides .
In the Thunder bikes Lee Teasdale took 2 wins with Paul Knoble and Dave Curtis one apiece.
The NEMCRC would like to thank all our sponsors who keep the faith.
The Melville Club for their unstinting work over the last 45yrs in turning East Fortune a great place to race.
SACU officials -The Marshalls- Scrutineers – Timekeepers and back room staff - from both sides of the border who work with the Club to stage manage meetings at the circuit. The catering Staff and our Gate people who continue in their unstinting support of the organisation.
And above all to the riders for putting on some great racing over the 2016 season.
Finally, to the Race Secretary / Clerk of Coarse and the committee for putting on a meeting which was a fitting tribute to one of our most cherished members Ian Bell.