Wednesday May 9, 2012 at 9:46am
Round 3 of the Darley Moor Motorcycle Road Race Championship took place on Bank Holiday Monday with the showery weather conditions giving competitors a difficult day to achieve optimum machine set-up. Although the conditions played into the hands of the more experienced racers that could change settings on their trusted machines very quick, there were riders who had switched to much faster machinery and showed their rivals that they will be challenging for the silverware on a regular basis in their new classes.
The Peak Cup class got the racing underway this weekend and it was no surprise to see Jim Hodson taking the chequered flag. Behind was Louis Turner-Laurent who moved into 2nd place on Lap 2, with Lee Vernon just managing to hold off Phil Worthington throughout the entire distance for 3rd place. Richard Wardle, racing with a broken collarbone, sustained at the previous Round a month ago, held off an impressive F600 debut from Rob Hodson (Jim’s older son), for 5th place. Rob’s second race was even more impressive, holding 2nd place from the very first lap, finishing behind Jim, but with a small gap to Jamie Pearson, winner of the Marshal’s Rider of the Day Award, 3rd and Richard Wardle 4th.
Jim Hodson was again showing his class in the Open Solo races, taking both race victories, the first from Jamie Pearson, 2nd and Louis Turner-Laurent, 3rd. In the second Phil Worthington was able to hold off Pearson for 2nd with an ever improving Danny Smith 4th, aboard his 1,000cc R1 Yamaha for the first weekend. Danny Smith had previously failed to finish the Peak Cup race; he then recorded a 5th in the first Open Solo, 8th in the second Peak Cup and finally the 4th place in this final Open Solo race.
In addition to the season long Championships at each meeting, Round 3 hosted the first half of The Curtis Milner Trophy, in memory of a young rider who started his racing career at Darley Moor, but suffered an accident on the road. The winner of the Trophy is to be decided over the two Formula 600 races at this and the next Round, due to be held on 24th June 2012. At present last year’s winner, Richard Wardle is leading, despite racing with a broken collarbone, sustained at the previous Round a month ago. With Jim Hodson beaten only on this occasion into second place, you can be sure the decider next time around will be an exciting one. Phil Gibbon secured 3rd place in both races this weekend and will certainly be amongst those most likely to lift the Trophy next time round. However, the surprise of the Formula 600 races was Rob Hodson who recorded a 2nd and 4th place, on his first meeting aboard a F600 machine! Younger brother, Jamie’s meeting didn’t go well, lasting just 5 laps of the first Peak Cup race and ending after just 3 laps of the first Formula 600 race.
Running alongside the Formula 600 machines this weekend the Formula Darley class honours were split evenly between Phil Johnson and Gary Dangerfield, both recorded a win and a 2nd.
The combined Lightweight, 125GPand Formula 125 races saw Adam Hoare record two comfortable victories from Ricky Tarren, the GP125 double victor, with James Nagy the Formula 125 double winner.
Ian Morgan secured a double victory in the Pre98 class, with Stu Riley 2nd and Alex Gallemore 3rd on both occasions.
Closest finishes of the day occurred in the Sound of Thunder races, Chris Gardner just able to stretch a winning margin of less than 2sec over Lee Vernon’s Mini Sound of Thunder machine in the first. Martyn Green secured the Runner-Up spot in the larger category and Phil Johnson the Mini SoT Runner-Up. Green beat Gardner to the line in the second race, but only by 0.33sec, for the Sound of Thunder victory, whilst Vernon secured the smaller class victory from Gary Dangerfield, also by less than 1sec.
It was a day of mixed emotions for the Sifleet family racing with regular guests, the Long Circuit Kart Club. Father, Lionel taking a comfortable victory in their first race, whilst son Aaron failed to finish Lap 7. The tables were turned in the second race, Aaron winning, whilst Lionel was on the side-lines by the time Lap 2 had finished.
In the combined Steel Framed 600 and Pre Injection races, Stu Riley was first across the line and Jon Skelson 2nd on their Pre Injection machines. Following these home were Steve Price and Stephen Smith on their Steel Framed machines. The second race saw Alex Gallemore take the overall victory on his Steel Framed machine, with Riley the first Pre Injection machine home. After leading across the line on Lap 1, Price slipped down to 4th place after losing the battle with Dean Ephgrave for 3rd.
Birmingham’s Roy Hanks and daughter Julie Hanks-Elliott secured a double victory in the Sidecar races, the first from John Shipley/Ian Cunliffe and the second from Anthony Eades/Ian Greensmith.
The next Round of the Championship and the second half of the Curtis Milner Trophy is scheduled for Sunday June 24th, where hopefully Curtis’ parents, Craig and Tina will be available to present the Trophy to the winner and hand out the £500 prize fund to the top 3.
Practice starts at 10.00am, with the first of 19 races due to start at approximately 11.30am. Adults £11.00, Senior Citizens £6.00, kids under 16 free, parking & paddock transfer free, with Programmes £3.00.
Championship standings (After 3 Rounds)
Peak Cup
1st Jim Hodson, 54pts; 2nd Phil Gibbon, 19pts; 3rd Lee Vernon, 16pts
Open Solos
1st Jim Hodson, 42pts; 2nd Lee Vernon, 21pts; 3rd Jamie Pearson 19pts
Open Sidecars
1st Anthony Eades/Iain Greensmith, 45pts; 2nd Ray Thomas/Neil Aslaksen 16pts; 3rd Kenny Howles/Marc Maier, 6pts
Lightweight
1st Adam Hoare, 36pts; Rob Hodson 2nd, 18pts; 3rd Matthew Burrows, 14pts
GP125
1st Ricky Tarren, 51pts; 2nd Lee Shallcross, 31pts; 3rd Lewis Bramwell, 18pts
Formula 600
1st Jim Hodson, 39pts; 2nd Phil Gibbon, 24pts; 3rd Richard Wardle, 21pts
Formula Darley
1st Gary Dangerfield, 34pts; 2nd Phil Johnson, 24pts; 3rd Rob Hodson, 12pts
Formula 125
1st David Carson 33pts; 2nd Keenan Armstrong, 31pts; 3rd James Nagy, 18pts
Formula 600 Sidecars
1st John Shipley/Ian Cunliffe 21pts; 2nd Roy Hanks/Julie Hanks-Elliott 18pts; 3rd Glyn Jones/Richard Murphy, 15pts
Steel Framed 600
1st Dean Ephgrave 39pts; 2nd Alex Gallemore 30pts; 3rd Steve Price 28pts
Pre Injection 600
1st Anthony Porter 25pts; 2nd Stu Riley 22pts; 3rd Steve Poulson 18pts
Mini Sound of Thunder
1st Lee Vernon 27pts; 2nd Gary Dangerfield 26pts; 3rd Ben Crowe 21pts
Sound of Thunder
1st Martyn Green 33pts; 2nd Chris Gardner 21pts; 3rd Steven Hill 18pts
Pre 98’s (up to 500cc)
1st Tim Sayers, 27pts; 2nd Robert Garmory 25pts; 3rd Wez Pearce 13pts
Pre 98’s (up to 1300cc)
1st Ian Morgan 39pts; 2nd Alex Gallemore 25pts; 3rd Stu Riley 14pts