The Castle Combe Grand National had a bit of everything for the biggest crowd that “The Combe” has seen in years. All the regular races, plus the Honda-6 on track for a couple of laps in the hands of John McGuinness… and even a flypast by the Red Arrows.
In a meeting that saw perfect racing conditions no less than 14 class lap records were broken over the weekend. Not only that but in the Open class Joe Burns on his JG Speedfit ZX10 set a new outright two wheel lap record for the Castle Combe circuit at 1min 10.9 (93.92mph). 22 year old “Burnsie” made the trip down from Newcastle upon Tyne, at the request of his sponsor John Guest of JG Speedfit. Burns said he “….was not too keen to start with….but will now definitely be back next year” . He not only took all three NG Open races but also the Rygor / Mr Blast King of Combe Trophy race……again setting new lap record figures.
His three wins were all over former King of Combe, Daniel Cooper on his Tsingtao WK ZX6R and Phil Bevan on his ZX10. Cooper said that, “He would have loved to have been able to bring his big bike to the Combe”. The little 600 is some 60bhp down on power but Cooper who had a great time at this years TT, loves this his local circuit and that showed in his racing.
Dale Thomas had his best and most consistent weekend for a long time with three good races just off the podium in the Open’s and pressured Bevan all the way in the last of the triple-header series. Mark Compton was pleased to set the second fastest time to Burns in qualifying on his ten year old GSXR 1000. He was rewarded in the races with a couple on top sixes, one of which was even after taking in a 10 second penalty for a jump-start, but just blotted his record as he clipped the apex on the Bybrook chicane on the penultimate lap of race three….but as ever was grinning from ear-to-ear.
Cooper keeps his head in hectic 600 Open....
Daniel Cooper won both 600cc finals, but they were very different races. Saturdays race saw the leading group split asunder as Corey Lewis ploughed into the Recitcel barriers at Bybrook, doing at least two complete summersaults through the air. At the time he was in second and most of the following riders thought the race would be stopped, but Corey sprung to he feet and the marshals worked miracles to get the incident cleared. Oblivious to this was Copper who kept in pinned to gain an advantage that he held to the flag over Sam Thompson and James Harrison, with series leader Max Symonds in close attendance. Sunday’s race was far more hectic with Cooper, Dale Thomas, Scott Pitchers and Bradley Jones at full tilt all race. Cooper took it but Dale Thomas made up for a mechanical dnf on Saturday with a new lap record as he pressed Cooper right to the flag.
Rumley’s assault after battery !!!....
Reigning Sound of Thunder champion Darren Rumley suffered in qualifying as his battery failed, and with no time posted was forced to start at the back of the grid for the final. Although he forced his way through to fifth the front runners were out of reach. James Harrison took his first Thunder classes win after fighting with and just fending off Dave MacKay and the hard charging Chris Richardson. Rumley was in no mood to let points slip away on Sunday and set off on his KTM… this time from his rightful pole position. He built up a 4.5 second lead by half race distance, but by now Harrison was in second and chasing hard….very hard, and going into the last lap there has just half a second in it. In true champions style Rumley and his CR Signs KTM RC8 set a new lap record on the last lap to lead home Harrison, Richardson and Paul Willis on his elderly Aprilia Mille.
The rest of the action in brief...
Defending champ Phil Bevan took 50 points in the Powerbikes to get himself to the top of the points table as we hit mid-season. Anthony Van-Looy and Simon Gates shared the honours in the F400, whist in the 400 Street class it was another double top for Daniel Tilley despite starting one race from the back of the grid.
Liam Delves was not headed in the F125 whist on the GP125’s Mark Clayton showed why he is being tipped for greatness with another dominating weekend, on the little Honda. GP45’s saw Ben Masters took his first win… but normal service resumed on Sunday with the appearance of Sam Wilford, he won every race he has ridden in so far this year. That was until the 500 open on Sunday when Mark Strudwick, having his first outing on a TZ250 hunted down Wilford on the final lap. Saturday had seen Clayton beat all the 500’s on his 125 but crashed out of Sundays race when in that leading group.
It was two wins in the Mini Twins for Nigel Reed heading out series regulars, whilst Keith Clarke and David Carson shared the top points in the Super Twins. Chris Hobbs and Phil Webber were almost inseparable in the700 Pre Injection, in the 1300 division Adam Jeffery took Saturdays race, but had to started Sunday at the back of the grid after a wheel spindle failure cost him in qualifying. Adam forced through to third at the flag, setting a new lap record on his rampage, as Thomas Payne took his first race win.
Andrew Gooding was unbeaten in the 1300 Street class as the top two in the championship suffered. Richard Hughes had the chain come off his Honda on Saturday but bounced back to take second on Sunday, whilst Saturdays runner up Simon O’Donnell parted company with his BMW1000R in Sundays race. Things were a bit more straight forward in the 700cc class with Murray McConnachie take both final, Tom Vear got a well deserved lap record in Saturdays race…..it was however short lived as Murray set new figures on Sunday !!!!.
The Lansdowne Classics were also on show this weekend and Duncan Fitchett grabbed on hard fought win on his GB Access Norton, but Mike Edwards was in no mood to let any more points slip as he took both other races on his immaculate Ripley land G50.
Performance of the meeting.... Talan Skeels-Piggins
There was not must discussion needed for the recipient of the Clive and Pam Flood Performance award.
Talan Skeels-Piggins, a T4 Paraplegic, who is a Paralympian in skiing is back on a bike and back in racing on his MW Solicitors SV650. Without the use of his lower limbs he need assistance to keep the bike upright when stationary, so that means on a packed grid he has to start from the back of the grid every time !!!!.
So all the more impressive that he grabbed a couple of top 10’s in the Mini Twins, and in one of those races making 15 place in one lap…..need I say more….performance of the weekend.
This meetings special award winners…
Clive and Pam Flood Performance of the meeting Talan Skeels-Piggins
Bardahl Newcomer of the meeting Thomas Payne
250 GP Dunlop performance tyre winner Chris Martin (Saturday) - Mark Strudwick (Sunday)
Streetstock Metzeler performance tyre winner Tom Vear
Report by Russ Gardner
Images by EDP – www.edpphoto.com