Sunday’s Moto 60 race, in addition to being a Round of the ACU Clubman’s Championship, also saw another of New Era’s latest initiatives to keep the meeting running smoothly, a Safety Car instead of the normal red flags. The car was brought out after lap 1 leader, Jamie Wheatley fell at Russell’s Chicane, his bike careering into and demolishing the tyre wall, leaving Jennings to stretch out a lead from new Grandad Pete Baker with Charlie Corner in Baker’s slipstream for the remainder of the race.
The Colin Appleyard 125 Academy Cup race provided spectators with a thrilling battle between eventual winner Shaun Horsman, James East, playing his joker and Championship leader Martin Glossop. The Academy Cup riders, again finishing in front of the Open class 125 GP competitors on their tuned machines, are obviously attracting the right kind of attention, with 125 British Championship team owner Mark Keen’s logos now appearing on several of the front running machines.
Once more the battle for 125 Open class supremacy continued between the Lodge brothers, Jonathan coming out on top, with James a tenth of second behind and Charles Wallace, playing his Joker, coming across the line for third place, two seconds adrift.
The Sport Production 125 class saw George Hogton-Rusling take a commanding victory, his 4th of the Series, 30 seconds in front of the second place battle between Cameron Wilson and Tom Stanford, Wilson coming across the line less than half a second in front of Stanford. Johnny Blackshaw, 2nd in Championship going into the Snetterton Round, was disqualified from the race after not having a working transponder, coupled with Championship 3rd placeman, Peter Sutherland’s, DNF, Hogton-Rusling goes into the Final Round with an unassailable lead, without even playing his Joker!
Sport Production 80’s had a similar finish, Aiden Simmons finishing over seven seconds in front of Tom Weeden, with Championship leader Edward Rendell less than a quarter of a second behind him for third place.
With Lee Hodge playing his Joker at Snetterton and holding a slim 3 point lead over Jay Dunn, who played his Joker at Round 1 Brands Hatch, the ACU Suzuki GSX-R Trophy race was going to very tough one for Dunn, the young emerging star. Add in former British Supersport rider Pete Jennings and his day could have provided him with a mountain to climb. Timed practice showed Dunn’s determination posting a time half a second quicker than Hodge, with Jennings splitting the two on the front row of the grid. The race showed determination by both Championship regulars, Dunn finishing over six seconds in front of Hodge, who ensured his Joker was not going to be wasted receiving the same 40 points for second place as Dunn’s Joker playing Round at Brands Hatch. The top two of the Championship now split by 18 points, Hodge’s 4 victories against Dunn’s 3, but with a worst finish of 4th against Dunn’s DNF, he will need a disastrous Final Round for the youngster to overhaul him.
Jennings followed the two home in third place, a further 2.5 seconds back, although as guest ‘Press Rider’ he doesn’t score any Championship points, the 16 points being credited to fourth place finisher, Chris Hawkes’ Championship tally.
Toby Markham’s experience gained competing in the European Championship, currently 5th in that Championship, looked like being the difference for the ACU Replicast UK Bikesport News 250 British Championship race, finishing Timed practice 1.3 seconds ahead of Championship leader Lee Dickinson, who was second on the grid. Unfortunately a problem on the warm-up lap left Markham having to start from the pit lane, undaunted by this and up to 6th place by lap 4, he was forced to retire on the 5th lap when a problem occurred with the fairing, leaving Championship leader Lee Dickinson to fend off a very determined Dan Tarratt by four thousandths of a second! Dickinson’s 3rd win and Tarratt’s best finish of the season. Andy Sawford, the final podium finisher, over 12 seconds back.
The Yokohama ACU FSRA British F2 Sidecar race saw Championship leaders John Holden and Andy Winkle record their fourth victory of the Series, although with Simon Neary and Stuart Bond playing their Joker and finishing in second place, therefore 40 points, the gap closing at the top of the Championship table from 41 to 26 points. The final podium place went to Gary Horsepole and Mark Cox.
Results and Championship Positions
ACU Dunlop Tyres Sports Production 80 MotoStar Championship
1st Aiden Simmons; 2nd Tom Weeden; 3rd Edward Rendell
ACU Dunlop Tyres Motrac Racing Sports Production 125 MotoStar Championship
1st George Hogton-Rusling; 2nd Cameron Wilson; 3rd TomStanford
ACU Dunlop Tyres Colin Appleyard 125 Academy Cup
1st Shaun Horsman; 2nd James East; 3rd Martin Glossop
ACU Dunlop Tyres 125 Open MotoStar Championship
1st Jonathan Lodge; 2nd James Lodge; 3rd Charles Wallace
ACU Replicast UK Bikesport News British 250 Championship
1st Lee Dickinson; 2nd Dan Tarratt; 3rd Andy Sawford
ACU Suzuki GSX-R Trophy
1st Jay Dunn; 2nd Lee Hodge; 3rd Pete Jennings
Yokohama ACU FSRA British F2 Sidecar Championship
1st Holden/Winkle; 2nd Neary/Bond; 3rd Horspole/Cox
ACU Clubmans Open Championship
1st Pete Jennings; 2nd Peter Baker; 3rd Charlie Corner
The final Round of the ACU Dunlop Tyres MotoStar Cup takes place at Cadwell Park on 22nd/23rd September 2007.
For more details on the ACU Dunlop Tyres MotoStar Cup or any of the individual classes, please contact the ACU Road Race Department on 01788 566406 or email rr@acu.org.uk