The newly formed Helsby and District Junior Grasstrack Club got their second season underway this weekend, with a fine day’s racing at their Dunham on the Hill venue. Plenty of racing took place at the well-organised event, with several classes catered for.
The club is predominantly a Junior club, and they encouraged plenty of youth racers to attend. The Auto Cadet class was small in numbers, but not in quality. Currently the boy to beat in the class, Oliver Bovingdon took his sixth meeting victory of the season. British Auto Cadet champion Ollie Binns took the Cadet class in his first meeting victory of the season. Binns doubled up by winning the MX65 class too.
The Junior class was once again well represented with yet more new names entering the highly popular class. East Anglian Austin Riches, however, rose above all other to win the final race. He and Guernsey racer Thomas Vining entered the final race in a sudden death situation. Vining had won two heats, and Riches had won the first when Vining, whilst leading, had suffered a broken mudguard. The winner of the final race would win outright. It was Riches who overcame the flying Channel Islander, who’d suffered a poor start in the final race.
The Intermediate class saw an emphatic win for Cameron Taylor. The RTS racer overcame rapidly improving Westcountry racer Kai Ward to claim victory. Ward looked like he would claim second, but a failure to finish his third ride handed runners-up spot to consistent finisher Aidan Arthur.
A further three Motocross classes supported the action, including an adult class. This was won by Deklan Brown. The Open Youth class was won by James Hargreaves, whilst Charlie Whitlow did all of the winning in the MX85 class.
Returning former British 350cc Champion Tony Atkin warmed up for this weekend’s British Masters Qualifier by winning the 500cc Solo class. He stormed to four impressive wins, beating both Daniel Winterton and Ryan Ashcroft, who will also both be in action at Lower Stanton St Quinton on Sunday.
A competitive collection of 250cc racers provided a good day’s racing, with local Cheshire racer Ben Worrall claiming a solid win ahead of long-distance traveller, Oxfordshire’s Jake Gerring.
Mark Taylor stepped aboard his 350cc machine in readiness for next month’s British Championships to duly win the 350cc class. Taylor, whose son Cameron was busy dominating the Youth Inters class, was only beaten once by John Cox in the opening race.
Tim Curnock got back to winning ways in the Upright class. He was unbeaten ahead of Eddie Rouse and Shaun Bickley, who squabbled with Rob Southwell over the runners-up spot.
The Pre 75 class saw Phillip Kynman win the opening two races before vanishing from the event. In his absence, another Cheshire racer, Kenny Blain was able to win the final two heats and the meeting overall.
A popular feature of the Cheshire Centre, the Novice Solo class, once again provided an opportunity for some close racing. Rob Dugdale won the opening two races, before being beaten twice by Harry Gent. His two wins early on were enough to claim victory for him as Gent had only finished third in the opening heat.
The Helsby club run again on Sunday 14
th July, honouring the memory of Stuart Mellish. After such a successful meeting, they look forward to an increased number of entrants for their next event.