Wednesday September 23, 2009 at 9:22am
HOLDEN AND WINKLE WIN THE TITLE - AT LAST!
By John Newton
John Holden and Andy Winkle (D&A Walmsley LCR Suzuki) won their first British Championship with a third place and a race two win at the final round. It was a long overdue success for the pair who were runners-up in 2007 and who had fought for the title for many years.
Not wanting to risk any mechanical problems, the pair had qualified in a relatively low eighth place with the only team who could beat them to the title, Simon Neary and Stu Bond (Neary Racing Baker Suzuki), in pole position ahead of wildcard entry Sean and Mark Hegarty (Hegarty Racing LCR Suzuki). Qualifying had been cut short when Roy Hanks and Dave Wells (Dorwingear Ltd Molyneux Suzuki) crashed at high speed at Park with Roy suffering chest injuries and Dave a broken rib. Roy was taken to Grimsby Hospital and like Dave, is making fair progress.
Neary got the holeshot in the opening race with Hegarty soon in his wheeltracks, Gary Bryan and Robert Bell (Drury Engineering Baker Yamaha) in third, Holden content in sixth. Hegarty took the lead exiting the chicane on lap three only to retire seconds later at the top of the Mountain when the engine suddenly lost power. Neary now came under pressure from Bryan and the Lincolnshire man made it count on the next lap taking the lead with Holden now up to fourth and harrying Ian and Carl Bell (Ian Bell M/cs LCR Yamaha) for third spot. Bryan, looking for his first ever championship race victory, increased his lead and took an impressive win by 4.5 seconds over Neary, with Holden claiming the final podium place and clinching the title. Steve Coombes and Paul Knapton (Dave Hudspeth Carpets Ireson Honda) finished fourth ahead of Bell with another wildcard entry, Carl Fenwick and Keir Pedley (Fenwick Racing Honda) in an excellent sixth spot. In the FII Cup, leaders Dean Henry and Ian Smith (Magnam Racing Windle Suzuki) scored their sixth class win of the season over rivals Stephen Kershaw and Robin Wilson (Blinkbonny Quarry LCR Suzuki) to extend their lead to 24 points, agonisingly one point short of winning the Cup.
With the title in the bag, Holden and Winkle were out to celebrate in style and were 'on the case' from the start in race two. Neary again led from the line followed by Hegarty and Bryan with Holden soon in fourth. Hegarty found a way past Neary but Holden with a new lap record on lap five was by then through to second and closing. Despite some spectacular ascents of the Mountain from the Hegartys, the pressure told and Holden took the lead at two-thirds distance going on to win the Andy Brown/John Dowling Trophy by a relatively comfortable 2.6 seconds from Hegarty, Neary and Bryan. Wil Smith and Phil Iremonger (Team Porter Racing Shelbourne Honda) took fifth and the Cup honours with Fenwick again impressing in sixth. All eyes then turned to Henry and Kershaw to see how the Cup would be decided – Kershaw was ninth and second in the Cup but Henry cruised home in 12th to score the necessary points to take the honours after a wonderful season-long battle.
The final points in the Cup read Henry and Smith 239, Kershaw and Wilson 222 with Dean Lindley and Mark Sayers third on 152 while in the overall championship Holden and Winkle scored 210, Neary and Bond 162 with Bryan and Bell third on 124.
RESULTS:
Race One, 12 Laps, 26.04 miles
1. Gary Bryan/Robert Bell (Yamaha) 20m 7.96s 77.96 mph
2. Simon Neary/Stu Bond (Suzuki)
3. John Holden/Andy Winkle (Suzuki)
4. Steve Coombes/Paul Knapton (Honda)
5. Ian Bell/Carl Bell (Yamaha)
6. Carl Fenwick/Keir Pedley (Honda)
7. Dean Henry/Ian Smith (Suzuki)
8. Stephen Kershaw/Robin Wilson (Suzuki)
9. Tony Baker/Fiona Baker-Milligan (Suzuki)
10. Dave Atkinson/James Neave (Suzuki)
11. Dean Lindley/Mark Sayers (Yamaha)
12. Gordon Shand/Mark Howard (Shand)
13. Howard Baker/Mike Killingsworth (Honda)
14. Matt Dix/Sean Parker (Honda)
15. Russ Pearce/Rod Pearce (Suzuki)
Fastest Lap: Bryan/Bell 1m 38.86s 79.38 mph.
Race Two, 12 Laps, 26.04 miles
1. Holden 20m 01.57s 78.38 mph.
2. Sean/Mark Hegarty (Suzuki)
3. Neary
4. Bryan
5. Wil Smith/Phil Iremonger (Honda)
6. Fenwick
7. Bell
8. Coombes
9. Kershaw
10. Lindley
11. Shand
12. Henry
13. H.Baker
14. Paul/Steve Sanderson (Suzuki)
15. Miles Bennett/Kevin Perry (Honda)
Fastest Lap: Holden/Winkle 1m 38.32s 79.82 mph (Record)
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