Another scorcher for the Darley Moor Motor Cycle Road Race Club, both weather wise and the racing when they held Rounds 9 and 10 of their Championship on Sunday 9th August 2026, at the Darley Moor Sports Centre, near Ashbourne, DE6 2ET (or What3words: bounty.behalf.charm).
The opening race, Honda CB500/Suzuki Bandit 600, was a good indication as to what was in store for the spectators, with one of the closest finishes of the day, after Zac Leigh (Middlewich) was quickest off the line, closely followed by Richard Hughes (Birmingham). The pair separated by just 0.5sec over the first couple of laps, but then Leigh managed to stretch out a 2.5sec advantage by Lap5 and then ease, just a little, unaware that Hughes was reducing his times. By the penultimate lap the gap was back down to 1.3sec, then after posting the fastest lap of the race, on the final lap, Hughes was just 0.3sec back, as they crossed the line. Leigh was making no ‘mistakes’ in the second race and was able to stretch his advantage after every lap, eventually finishing 3.7sec ahead of championship leader, Hughes.
The first combined Open Solo/Golden Superbike race saw Matt Bell (Sheffield) and Mark Goodings (Doncaster) battle it out, at the head of the field throughout the 8lap race. Quickest off the line, Bell had a 0.2sec lead after the opening lap and managed to add the same margin, each lap, until Goodings turned the tables on Lap4, reducing it to 0.2sec, again. On Lap5 he took the lead and had the advantage for a couple of laps, until Bell registered the fastest lap of the race on Lap7, passed Goodings and crossed the line 0.15sec ahead, stretching that to 0.6sec at the flag. Highest placed Golden Superbike competitor was Shaun Schofield (Bromborough), 10th Overall. Goodings was quicker off the line in the second Open Solo race, finishing the opening lap 0.2sec ahead of Bell. Then, as Bell did in the morning’s race, increased his lead by 0.2sec, each lap, until Lap4, when Bell’s pace picked up, passing Goodings on Lap5 and stretching an advantage out too 3.6sec at the chequered flag. Stephen Parsons (Carnforth) again the 3rd place finisher, 1.7sec, a little closer on this occasion, adrift of the leaders. Schofield, again the highest placed Golden Superbike competitor, this time 11th Overall.
Bell, Goodings and Parsons also played their part in the first Ben Godfrey Trophy race, producing the closest finish of the day. Bell was able to add to his Open Solo double, leading each lap, as the trio crossed the line, despite the frantic efforts of both Parsons and Goodings. It was Parsons who was trying to battle Bell for the lead during the opening three laps, but then Goodings fought his way through on Lap4, the pair just 0.6sec adrift of Bell. Lap5 saw Goodings close to the gap to 0.3sec, whilst Parsons dropped 1sec. Lap6 saw the gap to 3rd place at just 1sec, with Goodings just under 0.4sec from the lead, then similar for the 2nd placed, Goodings on Lap7, but the gap to 3rd placed Parsons had stretched to 3sec. As the trio crossed the line, for the chequered flag, Goodings was just 0.17sec off the leader, whilst Parsons was almost 4sec back. Ricky Tarren (Swadlincote), the only 600cc machine against the 1000cc’s of the majority, had a superb ride, holding 4th place throughout the race, crossing the line a further 10sec back at the flag. The second Ben Godfrey Trophy race saw Bell lead throughout, taking his tally of wins to four, but Goodings, after being just 0.5sec behind after the opening lap, he failed to finish Lap2. With Parsons not making the grid on this occasion, it was left to Tarren to take the battle to Bell, but his 600cc machine, whilst showing the rest of the field how it was done, it could not match Bell’s pace, finally finishing 8.3sec behind winner, Bell.
Tarren’s turn at the head of the field came in the Open 600 class, in which he led throughout, from Ben Dale (Warrington), who finished exactly 4sec back in the opening race. Behind these there was an epic, race-long battle going on between Matt Zschiesche (Stoke on Trent) and David Carson (Northwich). Zshiesche built an advantage from the opening lap, up to 0.7sec on Lap5, but a small mistake on Lap6 allowed Carson to capitalise and move into 3rd place and stretch the gap to 0.5sec at the flag. Straightforward for the second race with Tarren taking a start-finish victory, from Dale 6sec adrift, Zschiesche with no mistakes, 3rd, a further 5sec back and Carson almost another 5sec back, in 4th.
The Golden Supersport class was Ben Dale’s this weekend, taking two start-finish victories from Jonathan Trezins (Wisbech), 2nd place, on both occasions, 11sec back in the first, a little closer, 6.4sec adrift in the second.
The combined Darley Cup/Wilson Trophy races were Trezins’ opportunity for his share of the winners’ silverware and more importantly, maximum championship points. Again, two start-finish victories, the first over another Darley Cup competitor, Aron Redmond (Ballaugh), almost 14sec back, but just 1.5sec ahead of 3rd Overall placeman, Freddy Oakley (Chesterfield) taking victory in the Wilson Trophy class. The second race saw Trezins’ take another victory, leading throughout with Oakley, overall 2nd, taking the Wilson Trophy honours.
The Lightweight class races gave Oakley the opportunity to match Matt Bell’s four victory achievement with start-finish victories, but going one better than Bell, he also recorded the Fastest Lap, for class, in all those. Behind Oakley, another Chesterfield based competitor, Ant Porter had race long battles with Steve Price (Stockport). In the opening race Porter led for the opening two laps, then Price attempted to take the challenge to Oakley, only for Porter to regain 2nd on Lap5 and, with the help of backmarkers, was able to stretch out an advantage of almost 1sec ahead of Price, in 3rd. Although Porter may have crossed the line in 2nd place after each lap, Price put in a very determined effort, within 0.1sec at times, but finally just over 1sec behind 2nd placed Porter.
Aron Redmond ‘staked his claim’ in the combined Super Twins/MiniTwins races with a pair of start-finish wins, but there was a battle behind between Richard Fogg (Bolton), who held 2nd place throughout but had to keep David Carson at bay, who was battling through from a relatively slow start, 8th after the opening lap. 6th on Lap2, 4th on Lap3 and finally dropping the highest placed MiniTwin, Kevin Barsby (Bishop Auckland), down to Overall 4th on Lap6, for 3rd, then recording the Fastest Lap, of the race on the final lap. The second race proved disastrous for Carson, but beneficial for Barsby. Carson had the better start, completing the opening lap in 3rd, behind Redmond and Fogg, with Barsby 4th. By Lap5 Carson had managed to put a 2sec gap between himself and Barsby, but then a mechanical failure proved his undoing, failing to finish Lap6, handing Barsby Overall 3rd, with another class victory.
The final classes for the Club Championship on the day were the combined F600 and Open Sidecar races which proved to be straightforward for the F600 pairing of ‘Team Stringer’, Thomas and James (Huddersfield) taking their F600 outfit to start-finish overall victories, and Fastest laps, in both races. Not quite so straightforward for the Open Class pairing of Steve Thomas/Martin Stokes (Wirral/Penton) who were in close pursuit of ‘Team Stringer’ in the early stages of the first race, finally finishing 6sec adrift at the flag. The second race, the final race of the day Thomas/Stokes had to battle with another family pairing, Mark and Amelia Berry (Bolton), the second placed F600 outfit, in 2nd place, on track, finally passing them on Lap 6, of 8, for another Overall 2nd, but Open class victory.
Another race day over, perfect weather conditions again and the next meeting scheduled for Sunday 20th September 2026, for Rounds 11 and 12. When, as always, the action will begin at 1000hrs, with the start of Practice and first race scheduled to start at 11.30am. Advance tickets at are available now, just visit www.darleymoorstore.com.
Race days – Adults £18 (£15 in advance), Seniors £14 (£12 in advance)
Camping is now only available from 2pm Saturday, at £10 per night, through to 10am Monday morning.
The Chequered Flag Café, open to all, every weekend, but with longer hours on a race weekend (Saturday 8am – 8pm, Sunday 8am – 6pm) and with its own set of very regular customers.
2026 Championship (after Round 10)
Wilson Trophy
1st Ant Porter, 116pts; 2nd Freddy Oakley, 90pts; 3rd Hudson Cooper, 60pts
Darley Cup
1st Jonathan Trezins, 135pts; 2nd David Carson, 81pts; Martyn Cooper, 66pts
Ben Godfrey Trophy
1st Matt Bell, 121pts; 2nd Mark Goodings, 91pts; 3rd Ricky Tarren, 61pts
Open 600cc
1st Ricky Tarren, 147pts; 2nd Benjamin Dale, 95pts; 3rd David Carson, 78pts
Open Solos
1st Matt Bell, 132pts; 2nd Mark Goodings, 92pts; 3rd Stephen Parsons, 66pts
Golden SuperSport 600
1st Jonathan Trezins, 124pts; 2nd Benjamin Dale, 120pts; 3rd Martyn Cooper, 84pts
Mini Twins & GP250
1st Anthony Thane, 127pts; 2nd Liam Clements, 88pts; 3rd Thomas Gallgher, 53pts
Super Twins
1st David Carson, 115pts; 2nd Russell Dodds, 94pts; 3rd Paul Evans, 82pts
Lightweight Class
1st Ant Porter, 132pts; 2nd Steve Price, 106pts; 3rd Freddy Oakley, 90pts
Honda CB500 & Suzuki Bandits
1st Richard Hughes, 132pts; 2nd Zac Leigh, 81pts; 3rd Shane Watson, 68pts
125cc Street Stock
1st Hudson Cooper, 60pts; 2nd Ollie Pearson, 48pts
Formula 600 Sidecars
1st Mark Berry/Amelia Berry, 114pts; 2nd Richard Butler/Derek Taylor, 98pts; 3rd Thomas Stringer/Jamie Stringer, 50pts
Open Sidecars
1st Alan Molyneaux/Courtney Anderson, 132pts; 2nd Keith Waddington/Kyia Illman, 96pts; 3rd Steve Thomas/Martin Stokes, 54pts
Report by Brian George
Photos by Tony Else Photography