The penultimate round of the Darley Moor Motor Cycle Road Race Club Championship will be held on Sunday 17th September at the Darley Moor Motor Sport Centre, near Ashbourne, Derbyshire (DE6 2ET).
It is possible that this Round will see a number of champions crowned, but with double points being awarded at the final Round, there is still plenty of opportunity for those chasing to reduce the deficit to the head of the table.
However, there are still a number of championships that will definitely go down to the final round and once again a number of local racers who are in with a shout of titles:
Just 6 points separate Steve Price (Cheadle), Dean Ephgrave (Hucknall) and Wally Bradbury (Chesterfield) at the head of the Steel Framed 600 class; Price has a 2 point advantage over Ephgrave, whilst Bradbury is a further 4 points back in 3rd place! Oliver Presswood (Bath) has the same 6 point advantage over Dave McCoy (Hull) in the Classic 500 class.
The 2016 Formula 600 sidecar champions, Howard Baker/Mike Killingsworth (Sutton Coldfield/Lincoln) have to bridge a 7 point gap to current leaders Dan Knight/Matthew Rostron (Northwich/Formby) if they are to retain their title. Current Champions of the Open Sidecar class are not fairing so well, Ray Thomas/Neil Aslaksen (Birkenhead) are currently 3rd, 48 points behind leaders Anthony Eades/Keith Box (Hyde/Wolverhampton) with Brian Wilson/ Mike Fairhurst (Warrington) in 2nd, 29 points adrift.
Paul Sawyer (Nuneaton) will be trying hard to extend his 14 point advantage over Andy Whale (Birmingham) in order to become the inaugural Darley Moor CB500 Champion.
With 18 points at stake this weekend Mark Cockerton (Dudley) is the last competitor who may be able to turn the tables around on Sunday, he currently has a 17 point gap to overcome in the Classic 350 class to Simon Collins (Tetbury).
David Carson (Northwich), current champion of both Mini Sound of Thunder and the Formula Darley Championship, he will be looking to extend his advantage in the two classes he leads once again; a 20 point gap over Joe Walton (Preston) in the Mini Sound of Thunder Championship and a 32 point lead over Chris Moore (High Peak) in Formula Darley, with Walton a further 10 points adrift. Whilst Moore will be hoping to hang on to the Lightweight Championship title, currently leading the class by 37 points, if Graham Wilson (Kidsgrove), currently 2nd, fails to add to his points tally this weekend Moore will be crowned Champion.
After winning his four races at the last Round current Formula 600/Sound of Thunder Champion Lloyd Shelley (Burntwood) looks to be in an excellent position to repeat the feat again this year. Steve Procter (Wakefield) has the job of reducing the 30 point gap in the Formula 600, with Matt Zschiesche (Stoke on Trent) a further 11 points back in 3rd. Zschiesche also has the job of reducing the gap to Shelley in the Sound of Thunder class, currently 2nd with a 36 point gap to reduce, with Jamie Medhurst (Long Eaton) just another 6 points behind in 3rd place.
There are three more 2016 Champions in with a good chance of repeating the feat in 2017; Andy Lowe (Stone) currently enjoys a 36 point advantage over Dan Milner (Hope Valley) in the Pre Injection 600 class. David Bradley (Matlock) has a 46 point lead over 2016 Runner Up, Mike Harding (Haslington) in the Classic 1000 class. Last year’s Pre98 (Up to 1300cc) Champion, Jamie Pearson (Derby) leads the, new for 2017, Pre Injection (Up to 1300cc) class by 51 points, from Lowe, with Mark Brailsford (Chesterfield) a further 7 points back in 3rd spot.
Andy Taylor (Chesterfield) has one of the hardest jobs of the weekend, trying to reduce a 21 point and 25 point deficit to Ben Scranage (Bolton) in the Peak Cup and Open Solo Championships respectively. Scranage was another rider who won all four races last time out, plus Julian Tillotson (Bolton) is just 1 point behind Taylor, in the Open Solo and Steven Procter (Wakefield) is just 5 points behind in the Peak Cup class.
Whatever happens it is sure to be an excellent days racing; Practice starts at 1000hrs, with the first race scheduled for 1130hrs. General Admission at just £12 (Senior Citizens £8 and Under 16’s free) it can be a cheap day out for all the family.
Or, make a weekend of it; 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.
Darley Moor is 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.
2017 Championship standings after Round 5 Peak Cup 1st Ben Scranage, 56pts; 2nd Andy Taylor, 35pts; 3rd Steven Procter, 30pts;
Open Solo 1st Ben Scranage,60pts; 2nd Andy Taylor, 35pts; 3rd Julian Tillotson, 34pts;
Open Sidecars 1st Anthony Eades/Keith Box, 69pts; 2nd Brian Wilson/Mike Fairhurst, 40pts; 3rd Ray Thomas/Neil Aslaksen, 21pts;
Lightweight 1st Chris Moore, 87pts; 2nd Graham Wilson, 50pts; 3rd Phillip Leatherland, 22pts
Formula 600 1st Lloyd Shelley, 72pts; 2nd Steven Procter, 42pts; 3rd Matthew Zschiesche, 31pts
Formula Darley 1st David Carson, 70pts; 2nd Chris Moore, 38pts; 3rd Joe Walton, 28pts;
Formula 125 1st James Bull, 69pts; 2nd Jamie Hanks-Elliott, 30pts; 3rd Ben David, 25pts;
Formula 600 Sidecars 1st Dan Knight/Matthew Rostron, 68pts; 2nd Howard Baker/Mike Killingsworth, 61pts; 3rd Richard Hackney/Andrew Mitchell, 25pts
Steel Framed 600 1st Steve Price, 46pts; 2nd Dean Ephgrave, 44pts; 3rd Wally Bradbury, 40pts
Pre Injection 600 1st Andy Lowe, 81pts; 2nd Dan Milner, 45pts; 3rd Chris North, 22pts
Mini Sound of Thunder 1st David Carson, 61pts; 2nd Joe Walton, 41pts; 3rd Jack Petrie, 22pts
Sound of Thunder 1st Lloyd Shelley, 72pts; 2nd Matt Zschiesche, 36pts; 3rd Jamie Medhurst, 30pts
Pre Injection (Up to 1300cc) 1st Jamie Pearson, 90pts; 2nd Andrew Lowe, 39pts; 3rd Mark Brailford, 32pts
CB500 1st Paul Sawyer, 68pts; 2nd Andy Whale, 54pts; 3rd Shay Commins, 33pts
Classic 250 1st Geoff Hadwin, 84pts; 2nd Andy Wilson, 37pts; 3rd Gary Whitman, 30pts
Classic 350 1st Simon Collins, 72pts; 2nd Mark Cockerton, 55pts; 3rd Brian Prescott, 30pts;
Classic 500 1st Oliver Presswood, 51pts; 2nd Dave McCoy, 45pts; 3rd Frank Melling, 26pts
Classic 1000 1st David Bradley, 75pts; 2nd Mike Harding, 29pts; 3rd Neil Hingley, 18pts