WHATLEY RETAINS PATCHQUICK TROPHY WITH HATTRICK OF WINS

On Wednesday evening 26^th June the Premier MX team hosted the 67^th running of the famous Patchquick Trophy at Phoenix Moto Parc, Kingsteignton in Devon which again was sponsored by Phoenix Tools. There was great interest for this year’s event and with the track in prime condition there was some excellent racing to be seen by well over a thousand spectators.

In the main event for the Patchquick Trophy there was no stopping the man on form in 2013 onboard the MBO Sport Yamaha Kristian Whatley who was to retain the Trophy after a fine performance. In the Opening race it was the St Blazey Mx Suzuki of John May who was to set the early pace with many riders going wide including Brad Anderson on the L P E Kawasaki who was totally last, but was soon on the pace. May was to hold the lead for the opening lap before Whatley and Shane Carless on the Oakleaf Kawasaki forced there way pass on lap 2 and these two had a battle for a couple of laps before Whatley took control and was in cruise mode and started to ease away, but with 2 laps remaining Whatley had a rear wheel puncture and Carless was starting to close, but Whatley held on to take the win with Frenchman Milko Potisek after a long tussle with the Phoenix Tools Honda of Luke Hawkins taking 3^rd.  

In moto 2 this time it was Whatley from the off and with a clear track was soon to put some distance between himself and Carless who was now in 2^nd after passing Jackson Evans. Anderson had a better start in this one and was pushing Evans on lap 2, but unfortunately for Anderson he went a bit wide on a right hander and got caught in a rope and took him off the track, he did return, but was later to retire. Carless was giving his all in this one and was desperate to close on Whatley, but this was short lived as Carless had picked up a front wheel puncture on lap 9 of the 14 lap race and he went down at the bottom of the deer park hill which was to let Whatley get away who was to go on to notch up win number 2 from Evans who took 2^nd ahead of Potisek.

In the last moto it was Evans who squeezed Whatley out at the first corner with the early lead and was to set a blistering pace from Whatley on the opening lap, but as they entered lap 2 Whatley dropped it on a lefthander, luckily he kept the bike running and only dropped one place to Carless who was now in 2^nd. Evans had upped the pace at the front and Whatley could see this and soon found away pass Carless and set after Evans who he caught and passed 3 laps later to take the lead. Carless was to catch and pass Evans midrace, but he had no answer to Whatley in this one who took a comfortable win and with it retained the Patchquick Trophy.

In the Junior A class for the Vic Ashford Cup there was some really fast and exciting racing, but at the end of the day the Cup went to young 16 year old Todd Kellett on the Team Green Kawasaki but not without a fight. In the opening race it was Welshman Grant Bryant with the early lead from Tom Brown and Gradie Featherstone, but a terrible opening lap for one of the favourites Jay Thomas on the K J Services KTM who was down in 31^st after a collision with another rider. Kellett was in 13^th as they entered lap 2 picking them off one by one, Featherstone dropped the Oakleaf Kawasaki which dropped him well down the field, but all eyes were on Thomas who was blitzing the field and by the end of lap 3 was up in to 12^th. Kellett had also passed a few and on lap 4 was to take the lead and from there was to go on to take the chequered flag from a brilliant effort from Thomas who took 2^nd with Featherstone coming back to take a well earned 3^rd. The second moto saw Kellett dominate from the minute he took the lead on the opening lap who was to show what a young up and coming talent he is and was to go on to take the win and the Vic Ashford Cup with Thomas again finishing in 2^nd and Featherstone 3^rd.