Charlie III – The Richardson Star Of Darley, Once More

Tuesday October 14, 2025 at 4:10pm

Another epic finish to a fantastic season at the Darley Moor Motor Cycle Road Race Club’s final meeting of the season, the Richardson Stars at Darley meeting, held over the weekend 11^th/12^th October 2025, with one of the biggest crowds for a long time.

Saturday provided the best racing conditions and the current Star of Darley, Charlie Nesbitt (Swindon) certainly made the best use of them, breaking the outright lap record on three occasions during the race and lapping 2sec quicker, per lap, than his nearest challenger. At the 2024 Stars meeting Nesbitt was the first rider to post a Sub 52sec lap, taking the lap record, set in 2015, from 52.66sec down to 51.97sec. Now, the record has been reduced to 51.54sec and incredibly only four other competitors were able to drop into 53sec laps this weekend, Barry Burrell (Kirkby Mallory), Rob Hodson (Wigan), Jake Hopper (East Rainton) and Ben Luxton (Bredbury), the top 5 overall finishers.

Saturday’s Richardson Stars race saw Nesbitt lead from the flag, with Barry Burrell attempting to stay in contention and holding 2^nd spot throughout the 12lap race, but any longer and this could have been different. After the opening lap Jake Hopper was 3^rd, John McGuinness (Lancaster) 4^th and Rob Hodson, 5^th. Lap4 saw Hodson move ahead of McGuinness, then Lap9 he passed Hopper into 3^rd, with a 0.6sec gap to Burrell. With the ‘help’ of backmarkers this was reduced to just 0.3sec at the flag, but Burrell had to put in his fastest lap, of the race, on that final lap. Highest placed DMMCRR Club competitor was Matt Bell (Sheffield) who finished 8^th, just ahead of the highest placed 600cc machine of TJ Toms (Bridgenorth). Whilst TJ Toms was highest placed 600cc machine again, finishing 10^th and giving him 9^th Overall.

Sunday’s race saw Nesbitt and Burrell back at the head of the field with McGuinness ahead of Hodson on the opening lap, but Hodson passed him on Lap2, then Luxton and Hopper made their move on McGuinness on Lap3, and the positions stayed similar throughout the race. However, Club honours went to Jordan Rushby (Hull) on this occasion, finishing 7^th, with Matt Bell, 8^th again, but Bell taking the John Newbold Trophy for Highest placed Club competitor, finishing 8^th Overall.

Onto the Club Championships and Saturday was a day for the very first Club Champions to gain their 2025 titles, putting their points tally out of reach of the nearest challenger. The opening race of the weekend was the combined Lightweight and Honda CB500/Suzuki Bandit 600 classes, with two opposites in Championship terms; Stephen Gorton (Leigh) just needing to secure a single point over the weekend for the Lightweight title; whilst Richard Hughes (Wolverhampton) and Zac Leigh (Middlewich) were separated by just 4points in the CB500/Bandit class. The opening lap saw Tom Fisher (Castle Donington) lead across the line on his CB500 with Gorton 3sec back, but this was overturned on Lap2, with Gorton leading the field, Freddy Oakley (Chesterfield) moving his Lightweight machine ahead of Fisher. Gorton was able to hold Oakley at bay throughout the remaining laps, finishing just 1sec ahead of his fellow Lightweight competitor, more than enough to secure the Lightweight Championship title. The battle for Honda CB500/Suzuki Bandit 600 was nowhere near settled with Championship leaders, Hughes overall 5^th and Leigh, 6^th, however Hughes was able to stretch out a 10sec advantage over his challenger, finishing 4^th and 7^th Overall respectively, but again 1^st and 2^nd in Class. The afternoon’s race was closer at the head of the field with Gorton and Oakley exchanging the lead, on a number of occasions, throughout the race with Oakley leading the opening lap, Gorton then leading across the line for the next three laps, then Oakley, Gorton, Oakley, then Gorton leading across the line when it mattered most, taking the chequered flag, by just 0.24sec from Oakley. CB500/Bandit 600 honours stayed with Hughes, who finished the opening lap 4^th overall, with Leigh, 7^th. Other than losing a couple of places to Fisher and Dave Grace, on CB500’s, who were not scoring points towards the championship, Hughes was able to stretch a similar gap to the first race over Leigh, finishing 10sec ahead, which helped stretch his Championship advantage to 10points.

The Darley Cup was next to the grid, with Benjamin Dale (Warrington) and Josh Froggatt (Worksop) split by just 6points in the championship. Dale was quickest off the line, with Froggatt just 0.2sec behind as they crossed the line for the first time, but posting quicker times throughout Dale was able to stretch out a 2sec lead at the flag over Froggatt. The second race played out in a similar way, other than Dale having a 1sec lead after the opening lap, but Froggatt continued to challenge him, not allowing the advantage to get too big. Eventually finishing 2.7sec behind at the flag, leaving the points tally with just a 12point gap at the head of the table.

The Ben Godfrey Trophy race was next to the grid and the only winner of the Trophy, Matt Bell (Sheffield) had a 28point lead coming into this weekend, over Adam Walters (Derby). The opening lap gave Jordan Rushby (Hull) the lead across the line, Bell 1sec adrift, 2^nd, with Sam Johnson (Minskip) 3^rd, and Walters, 4^th and other then Bell reducing the gap to 0.5sec, this was how they stayed throughout the race, allowing Bell to strengthen his grip on the Trophy, again. Bell was determined in the afternoon to secure his 3^rd Ben Godfrey Trophy, circulating 2^nd after the opening laps, behind Johnson, but taking the lead on Lap3 and stretching out a 1.3sec advantage over Johnson, with Walters, finishing 4^th after dropping a place after a challenge from Mark Goodings (Doncaster). The victory giving Bell an unassailable 39point advantage going into Sunday’s races, Ben Godfrey Trophy number three!

The combined Super Twins and Mini Twins/250GP race would see another two Championships settled. Super Twins leader, by 40points, Josh Froggatt was not going to let his grip slip in the opening race, leading nearest challenger Stephen Taylor (Uppingham) by just 0.2sec after the first lap, then able to stretch it out a little when Dave Grace (Derby) and Stephen Gorton caught up with Taylor, pushing him down to 4^th place by the penultimate lap. The final order being Froggatt, Grace, Gorton and Taylor, all on Super Twin machines. The first of the Mini Twins/250GP machines was Championship leader Peter Fell (Burton on Trent), in 6th place overall after Lap1 and just dropping two places to Super Twin competitors, finishing 8^th with Ben Wilkinson (Birmingham), his nearest championship competitor, 11^th overall, but 3^rd Mini Twin, behind Anthony Thane (Stoke on Trent). The second race played out in similar fashion at the head of the field, the same top four, handing Froggatt the Super Twins Championship. Amongst the pack Thane was able to finish ahead of Fell, 9^th and 10^th Overall, to take the Mini Twins honours on the day, however with Wilkinson finishing 5^th Mini Twin/250GP machine the Championship went to Fell, with a 43point lead on Saturday evening.

The Sidecars came to the grid with a similar outlook as the previous race, one championship almost settled, the Formula 600 outfits, whilst the Open up to 1300cc sidecars had just a 4point split at the top of the table. With the Ben Birchall/Mark Wilkes (Cumbria/Cumbria) machine guesting in a non-points scoring role the overall win may have been settled, but Club visitors Matty Ramsden/Ben Stell (Halifax/Haslington) certainly tried their hardest, dropping around 1sec per lap to Birchall/Wilkes, whilst leaving Formula 600 leaders Howard Baker, with stand-in passenger, Matthew Rostron (Sutton Coldfield/Formby) to finish 3^rd. Open Sidecar class leaders, Alan Molyneux/Rob Coppock (Runcorn/Rufford) finished 4^th Overall with challengers Anthony Eades/Ash Gibson (Hyde/Tameside) 3^rd, unable to get ahead of Thomas Stringer/James Stringer (Huddersfield/Holmfirth), 2^nd placed Open machine. The Formula 600 outfits finished the afternoon’s race in the same order, giving the Baker/Rostron pairing the Championship. Open Class honours went to Eades/Gibson and with championship leaders Molyneux/Coppock losing out on a class battle with Gerard Hall/Daniel Rudland (Holywell/Barton upon Humber) leaving the 4point gap at the head of the table overnight.

The combined Open Solo and Golden Superbike races would allow another two champions to be decided, but they certainly provided some excellent racing in the process with the closest finish of the day in the opening race. After taking his first points, for a 1^st and 2^nd place, in the Open Solo class at the previous meeting Jordan Rushby is certainly making himself known, chasing Grant Thomson (Isle of Man) in a non-points scoring capacity, throughout the race, the pair separated by little more than 0.2sec, but this lead switching to Rushby on the final lap. Behind this battle Matt Bell finished 4sec back with closest championship challenger Adam Walters, holding 6th place throughout. Golden Superbike honours went to championship leader, and now Champion once more, Mark Brailsford (Chesterfield). Grant Thomson ensured there was to be no last lap lunge from Rushby in the second race, leading from the start and maintaining a decent gap, although it was reduced significantly in the closing stages, down to just 0.6sec at the chequered flag. Bell’s 3^rd place, over Walters’ 7^th was enough to give him the Open Solo Championship, alongside the Ben Godfrey Trophy.

Guest, non-points scoring riders, Grant Thomson and Cameron Hall (Barnsley) took an Overall win and 2^nd place apiece in the Open 600 class on Saturday whilst championship trio of Stephen Parsons (Carnforth), Matt Zschiesche (Stoke on Trent) and Jack Worth (Barnsley), separated by just 17 points fought for the points just behind. Parsons was taking the fight to Thomson until Hall found a way pass on the penultimate lap, behind these Zschiesche finished just 0.05sec ahead of Worth. Race 2 opened the Championship even more when Parsons failed to complete the opening lap, behind the Hall/Thomson battle at the front Jordan Poole (Stoke on Trent) had got himself ahead of the Championship contenders into 3^rd, with Worth, 4^th, Joe Walton, 5^th, but Zschiesche unable to benefit fully with Parsons collecting no points, in 6^th, but his put him at the head of the table, by just 1point over the former leader.

The Golden SuperSport 600 class had Ben Dale enjoying a 37point lead over Liam Ashton (Hyde) with Jonathan Trezins (Wisbech) just a further 3points adrift. For Dale and Trezins the opening race played out as per the championship table with Ashton leading from the start and Trezins in his wake. For Ashton, he was unable to get ahead of Taylor Garner (Isle of Axholme) and had to settle on 4^th place. With Ashton getting the better of Garner in the second race, although still behind Dale, who took another victory, with Trezins 2^nd again. This gave Dale the Championship and allowed Trezins to move up into the Runneer-Up spot, over Ashton.

The combined Golden 400 and Wilson Trophy races gave the spectators plenty of entertainment with two close finishes between Stephen Gorton, Golden 400 class and Freddie Oakley, Wilson Trophy class . In the opening race the pair were never separated by any more than 0.3sec throughout the 6lap race, Gorton always leading across the line, finally finishing with a 0.15sec advantage at the chequered flag, both racers taking their class win each. Gorton’s only challenger, Steve Price (Stockport), finished 6^th overall, 4^th in class. The second race saw Oakley lead the opening lap, but then Gorton hit the front, but again was not able to shake his nemesis off, battling it out at the front of the pack, separated by just 0.4sec at the chequered flag, the largest gap of the race. Again, Price recorded an overall 6^th place, 4^th place in class, which was enough to give Gorton the Golden 400 Championship, taking his points haul out of reach.

Whilst weather conditions were not as bright on Sunday the racing conditions were still exceptionally good, especially for the time of year, allowing some very quick lap times in the Richardson Stars at Darley races and the remaining five Championships to be settled. Opening the racing once more was the combined Lightweight and Honda CB500/Suzuki Bandit 600 race, the latter with a championship to decide and just 10points separated Zac Leigh from Richard Hughes. Leigh did all he could in the first race getting ahead of Hughes from the flag, Leigh Overall 6^th, with Hughes 8^th on the opening lap, 1.5sec between the pair. Lap2 saw Hughes into 7^th, but still the same gap. With clear road ahead Hughes could set his target on Leigh, and he managed to reduce it to just 0.1sec by Lap4, then made the pass on the penultimate lap and extend the advantage on the final lap. The second race saw Leigh 5^th overall after the opening lap, with Hughes, 7^th, but again picking up the valuable place on Lap2 he then followed his challenger around until the Final Lap, when he made the move stick, finishing ahead by 0.4sec and winner of the Honda CB500/Suzuki Bandit 600 Championship.

Unlike the CB500/Bandit 600 championship the Darley Cup was decided with a battle at the head of the field and what a battle it was. Josh Froggatt, 12points adrift of Benjamin Dale at the start of the day, who needed to win. The opening lap saw Dale ahead of Froggatt by 0.4sec then down to 0.2sec after laps 2 and 3, back to 0.4sec after Lap4. The penultimate lap saw it again down to 0.2sec and then on the Final Lap, it was 0.2sec, but with Froggatt out front, just pipping Dale, Championship lead now down to 9points. Froggatt’s determination in the second race, showed all he could do to attempt to take the championship from Dale’s grasp, recording a start-finish victory, with an 8sec advantage over 2^nd place, unfortunately, for Froggatt, that 2^nd place was Dale’s and the points between the two positions were not enough to overturn the table, Championship to Dale.

Onto three-wheels and just the Open Sidecar class to be decided, just 4points separating Alan Molyneux/Rob Coppock pairing from challengers Anthony Eades/Ash Gibson. The opening lap saw the championship down in 7^th place Overall, but their challengers were 8^th, a little more than 1sec behind. On Lap2 Molyneux/Coppock put another outfit between them and Eades/Gibson, although not an Open Class machine. With yet another F600 machine being passed by Molyneux/Coppock on the final lap, the challengers had to settle for 9^th Overall, but 3^rd place Open machine, putting them 9points adrift of the leaders. With the Eades/Gibson outfit not making the grid for the afternoon race the Championship was already Molyneux/Coppock’s but an early battle with the machine of Thomas & James Stringer for Open Class honours, certainly kept the crowd entertained. Leading the James’ until being pressured by them on Lap5, they then dropped a couple of places behind before fighting back to just 0.3sec behind at the flag, 5^th and 6^th Overall, respectively.

The Open 600 class was always going to be an epic battle between Matt Zschiesche and Stephen Parsons, with Zschiesche that single point ahead. Race 1, Lap 1 and Zschiesche ahead of his rival, by over 1 sec, which is then overturned by Parsons on Lap2. Lap4 sees the advantage doubled over Zschiesche, but still 3^rd and 4^th, respectively. Lap5 then sees Jordan Poole drop Zschiesche down to 5^th where they stayed until the chequered flag, Championship advantage to Parsons, by 2pts. Second race and Parsons led Zschiesche after the opening lap, by 0.9sec, 5^th and 6^th respectively. Lap3 sees Parsons move up a place, whilst Zschiesche drops a place. Parsons moves up another place, 3^rd on Lap4, with Zschiesche ‘stationary’ in 7^th and there the positions remained static until the chequered flag. Championship to Parsons. Ahead of these Cameron Hall was leading Grant Thomson across the line, by around 0.5sec, each lap until Thomson closed in on the penultimate lap to just 0.2sec and then managed to make a pass stick on the final lap and take the win by 0.4sec.

This weekend the Golden 400 Championship was on track with the Wilson Trophy machines with Stephen Gorton leading both but having secured the Golden 400 title on Saturday and with neither nearest challenger competing this weekend the title was his. However, this didn’t stop the entertainment at the head of the field with Gorton having an epic battle with Freddy Oakley throughout. Oakley pipping Gorton by just 0.12sec in the first and 0.28sec in the second race.

Of the remaining races there were some epic battles keeping the huge crowd entertained, especially the Ben Godfrey Trophy races, which despite Bell securing the 2025 title he was still not wishing to hand a victory to anybody else. Finishing the opening lap 0.6sec ahead of Rushby, who then closed the gap before taking the lead on Lap4 and holding it on Lap5, but Bell then regained the lead on Lap6 and took the victory by just 0.1sec. The second race saw Rushby follow Bell across the line on the opening lap, then forced his way through to the lead on Lap2 and managed to lead across the line throughout, taking the victory by just 0.18sec.

That brings the season for the Darley Moor Motor Cycle Road Race Club to a close, work is already underway on organising next year’s Championship, but prior to this there will be the Annual Presentation of Trophies to be organised for all the 2025 Champions, due to be held on 24^th January 2026, everybody welcome. Be sure to check the website, www.darleymoor.co.uk for details.

A huge ‘Thank You’ goes out to all the Marshals and Officials who give up their spare time or find time to give to the Darley Moor Motor Cycle Road Race Club, without these volunteers there would certainly be no racing. Of course, another ‘Thank You’ goes to the competitors, teams and spectators for supporting the efforts of the Club. See you all next year.

2025 Championship Standings (after Round 12)

Golden Formula 400

1st Stephen Gorton, 165pts; 2nd Steve Price, 102pts; 3rd Ant Porter, 83pts

Wilson Trophy

1st Stephen Gorton, 90pts; 2nd Mike White, 86points; Corey Brown, 60pts

Darley Cup

1st Benjamin Dale, 153pts; 2nd Josh Froggatt, 147pts; 3rd Jonathan Trezins, 94pts

Ben Godfrey Trophy

1st Matthew Bell, 174pts; 2nd Adam Walters, 122pts; 3rd Jordan Rushby, 66pts

Open 600cc

1st Stephen Parsons, 142pts; 2nd Matt Zschiesche, 131pts; 3rd Jack Worth, 122pts

Golden Superbike