The Darley Moor Motor Cycle Road Race Club (DMMCRRC) were delighted to get their 2022 season underway with a Test Day on Saturday 9th and Round 1 of their 2022 Championship on Sunday 10th April at the Darley Moor Motorsports Centre, near Ashbourne and what an excellent start to the season it was. With the sun out, no rain and from the 22 races throughout the day there were 12 different race winners, with 6 races being decided by just 1sec or less, with former World Champions or a multiple Stars at Darley winner taking part in 7 of those races!
The former world champions were the Mansfield based Birchall brothers, Ben and Tom, having their annual extended ‘test session’ at the circuit whilst claiming no championship points, on their F600 machine. However, whilst their opening Sidecar race went as anticipated and taking the victory by over 13sec, although two Darley Moor regular crews did have the pleasure of leading them over the line in the opening laps, Bruce Moore/Amy Dodd (Southam/Crewe)
heading the field for the opening 3 laps and Steve Thomas/Danny Lewis (Birkenhead/Saughall Massie) who finished in 2nd place but recorded the Open Sidecar class victory. With the Birchalls failing to complete the opening lap in the second race the Formula 600 outfit of Chris Schofield/ Shane Colbrook (Rawtenstall/Grimsby), after coming home 3rd in the first race, were able to record a start – finish victory, leading the similar outfit of Mike Baker/Howard Killingsworth (Sutton Coldfield/Lincoln) by just over 4sec. The Thomas/Lewis pairing came home in 3rd place recording the Open Sidecar victory once more.
Multiple Stars at Darley winner, Richard Cooper (Hucknall) was a little busier than the Birchalls, due to the fact he had 3 different machines on hand for the weekend, Suzuki 1000, 600 and Honda CB500. His first venture out onto the grid came in the second race of the day, the non-championship Allcomers 2 race, for machines up to 1300cc. With a busy grid of 24 riders Josh Daley (Wigan) was able to record a start – finish victory and finish 6.5sec ahead of Cooper, the only rider to beat him to the flag on the day. With a very quick changeover of machine Cooper was back out again in the first Championship race of the day, although with two separate classes lining up on the grid together, Honda CB500’s and Classic machines, up to 500cc.
This race was one to keep the crowds on their feet with Cooper and good friend Daz Bellworthy (Derby), on CB500’s, plus Rob Hodson (Wigan) on a Classic machine, battling it out at the head of the field, throughout the six-lap race. Cooper led the opening lap, before Bellworthy, took over the lead for 3 laps then Cooper fought back and lead the trio across the line, separated by just 0.5sec, with Hodson getting his Classic machine up into 2nd place on the final lap. The afternoon’s race finished with the same result at the flag, although not as close, but still entertained the spectators throughout the 8-lap duration. The opening lap saw Bellworthy cross the line first, followed by Hodson, with Cooper 9th, almost 14seconds back. Hodson took over the lead, from Bellworthy, on Lap2, with Cooper still down in 7th. Hodson then lead for three laps, with Bellworthy in close pursuit, but Cooper slowly making his way through the field until he was shadowing Hodson at the end of Lap6, taking the lead on Lap7 and stretching a 2.5sec winning margin at the end of Lap8. Cooper’s third machine came out in the Formula 600 races and whilst a little more straightforward for him, with two start – finish victories, the battles behind provided the entertainment. At the end of the opening lap Ben Dale (Warrington) and Stephen Parsons (Carnforth) were separated by just 0.05sec and ended up in a four-lap battle until Dale failed to finish Lap5, leaving Parsons to finish 2nd and David Carson (Northwich) inherit 3rd place after his own race-long battle with Milo Ward (Rutland). The second encounter gave a similar scenario but the battle behind Cooper was a four-way, race long effort that finished with Parsons 2nd, Albert Walker (Retford), 3rd, Carson, 4th and Ward, 5th.
Prior to this David Carson and Albert Walker were also involved in a battle at the head of the field in the opening race of the day, the Allcomers 1, up to 650cc Twins, which started with Walker leading for the first 3laps, then Hodson led for 2 laps, with Carson 3rd. Walker then hit the front again on Lap6, whilst Carson moved into 2nd on Lap 8 and then into the lead on the final lap, with Walker 2nd and Carson 3rd at the flag.
The Carson/Walker battle then continued in the 700cc Twins races; the first race saw Carson take a start-finish victory, with Albert Walker 2nd, almost 2sec adrift at the flag and Jim Hodson (Wigan), 3rd. The second race was a little different, despite Carson leading across the line after each lap, but on this occasion, Walker was less than 0.5sec behind Carson after each lap, until he failed to finish Lap7, allowing Jim Barnett (Stafford) to take 2nd place, almost 35sec behind.
The Forgotten Era class, now split from the Classic machines, had a close battle at the head of the field, throughout the first race, between David Bradley (Matlock) and Mark Brailsford (Chesterfield). Brailsford led across the line on each occasion, but Bradley was within 0.5sec behind him, until the penultimate lap when he was just 0.2sec, then he made his move on the final lap to win by just 0.54sec! The second encounter saw Brailsford take a start-finish victory with Bradley not able to get any closer than 1sec away. Brailsford’s margin at the flag was stretched out to 6.7sec, over Bradley.
Mark Goodings (Doncaster) and Josh Daley (Wigan) also shared a win apiece in the combined Open Solo/Pre-Injection Open races. In the first Goodings hit the front on Lap2, with Daley in 5th, but after recording the Fastest Lap of the race on Lap5 he had moved up into 2nd place, 3.2sec behind Goodings, at the flag. Goodings was quickest off the line in the second encounter, just 0.3sec separating the pair after Lap1. Daley then made his move on Lap2 and held the advantage across the line after each lap, but Goodings was in his slipstream throughout, the largest gap between the pair was at the finish, with Goodings just 1sec behind. Pre-Injection honours went to Adam Walters (Derby) who inished 6th in the first and 7th in the second race.
Andy Whale (Birmingham) had to battle for both victories in the Lightweight class with Lewis Jones (Clipstone), who secured both Runner-Up places. The first encounter saw Jones lead for the first 4 laps, until Whale found a way pass on the penultimate lap and won by 1.1sec over Jones. Race two saw Jones at the front until Lap4 of 8, then Whale found a way past again and won by the slightly larger margin of 1.6sec.
Stuart Bradbury (Belper) recorded start – finish victories in the pre-Electronic 600 class, taking the first by almost 14sec and the second by over 20sec!
In addition to the regular Club Championships this opening Round played host to the ACU 50cc Championship and Owen Monaghan (Ilkeston) secured two victories. The first with a winning margin of 5.3sec over Philip Atkinson (Horley) with Luis Murphy (Warrington) a further 4sec behind. The second race was much closer between the trio, separated by little more than 1sec throughout the race; Monaghan taking the win from Murphy, with Atkinson 3rd.
This opening Round always brings several competitors in that wish to ensure their machines are ready for the full season of national, or international racing, but it also gives those that are new to the sport their first taste of track action. Now with a meeting under their belts it is only a month away until Round 2 is here, let’s see if there are to be any new challengers to the Darley regulars?
Round 2 is on Sunday 15th May with Practice scheduled to start at 10am, with the first race at 11.30am; the cost of adult admission to Darley Moor for all meetings, except the end of season Stars at Darley meeting, is £16.00 per day, children under 16 are free, and Senior Citizens are £12.00.
Advance Tickets at discount prices (£13 and £10) are also available on-line just visit the Darley Race Shop for full details - http://www.darleymoorstore.co.uk/.
There is ample room for spectators to camp and caravan at Darley Moor over the race weekends. The cost is £7.00 per unit per night (£6 in advance). Camping will normally be available from 4.00 pm on the Friday evening until 10.00 am on the day after the meeting or by special arrangement with the circuit management – Call 01335 343833.
Darley Moor is one of the few circuits in which dogs are welcome, provided they are always kept on a lead during race day and the owners act in a responsible manner.