WHATLEY SHINES AT PREMIER ROUND IN CORNWALL

Monday July 23, 2012 at 12:40pm
WHATLEY SHINES AT PREMIER ROUND IN CORNWALL

Last Sunday the Phoenix Tools Premier Motocross Championship made its second visit in to Cornwall to Fraddon Moto Parc for round 7 in the series. For a change the sun was shining and the track needed water early morning and a couple times during the day which was to produce some really fast racing not just in the experts, but in all classes. As usual there was a fair entry which included a wildcard entry from recent Patchquick Trophy winner Kristian Whatley and Lewis Gregory in the Experts.

Championship leader Jamie Skuse who had set the quickest time in qualifying, but it was Darren Shears with the best start in the opening race from Luke Hill with Whatley there in 3rd. Whatley was to get the better of Hill on lap 2 and was closing in fast on Shears who he past 2 laps later. Shears was soon to have Jackson Evans on his tail which was a battle and a half for several laps until the unlucky Shears was to come to a halt 2 laps from the end when his chain snapped. Whatley was to take the win with Evans 2nd and Skuse who had rode most of the race in 3rd gear after gearbox trouble coming through to take an excellent 3rd. In the second moto it was Hill with the best start from Luke Blanchard and Evans with Whatley well back. Evans was to pass Blanchard on the opening lap and now had his sights on Hill for the lead. As they went in to lap 3 Evans was all over Hill, but it was to come to an end as they entered one of the jumps and collided mid air, Hill managed to stay aboard, but Evans went down hard and this was to end his day as he had damaged his Collarbone. Meanwhile all eyes were now on Whatley who was now in 3rd after passing Gregory and was all over Skuse for second which he took a lap later. Hill knew Whatley was coming and tried his upmost to hold him off, but it wasn’t to be as Whatley went through on lap 6 and went on to take the chequered flag with Skuse taking 2nd with Gregory eventually taking 3rd. In the last moto it was Skuse with the early lead from Gregory and Hill with Whatley again with it all to do well down the field. Skuse really had the throttle twisted in this one and eased away from Gregory who was being pressured by Shears on lap 2 which was a real tussle. Whatley was up in to 4th and was soon to catch and pass Shears and within half a lap he was to get pass Gregory. Shears was to slip off on lap 4, but all the attention was on Whatley as he was closing in at a rapid speed and soon caught Skuse who he took on a fast lefthander and from there was to power away to make it a hat trick of wins, Skuse took 2nd with Gregory taking 3rd.

In the Over 35 Championship class there was some really good tussles and misfortune. Keith Hanson had set the pace in the first moto, but after a couple of laps was hunted down by Martyn Tucker and Mark Wilde with Tucker eventually taking the lead on lap 5. Wilde was giving his all to get pass Hanson until disaster struck for Wilde on lap 6 when he picked up a rear wheel puncture. Tucker was to take the win from Hanson with Wilde just creeping home to take 3rd. Hanson again set off in race 2 at a blistering speed from Jon Lock with these two easing away. Wilde was a man on a charge after not the best of starts and was up in to 3rd and was soon closing on Lock who he caught and passed at the end of lap 3 to move in to 2nd. Wilde was to gradually close in on Hanson and on lap 5 was to take the lead. Tucker was also to pass Hanson a lap later, then Tucker was take the lead from Wilde, who again had picked up a rear wheel puncture to his disgust. Tucker took the win; Steve Locke took 2nd with Hanson 3rd. The last race saw Jon Lock power away at the front from the off and with a clear track in front of him raced away to take the win from Tucker with Jason Fraser taking 3rd.

In the Over 40’s class there was a hat trick of wins for Johnny Hawkins who showed that he can still mix with the rest and in the over 50’s class Tom Lowe again dominated the proceedings with a hat trick of wins.

In the Tyremarks Junior Championship there was some of the best racing seen in the series this year. Ben Butler was to take the overall in the end with two wins and a 3rd, but he had some good hard tussles with the likes of young Loukas Maggio and Ben Sansom and also race 3 winner and Championship leader Ryan Blee.

OVERALL RESULTS

Phoenix Tools Expert Open Championship
1st Kristian Whatley (450f Par Homes Honda) 2nd Jamie Skuse (450f Apico Suzuki) 3rd Lewis Gregory (250f Apico Suzuki) 4th Luke Hill (450f HPR/DirtbikeXpress Honda) 5th Luke Mellows (450f TMC/Meredith Suzuki) 6th Brad Cavill (450f S J Hodder/Albion Honda)

M D Racing Over 35’s Championship
1st Martyn Tucker (450f Suzuki) 2nd Keith Hanson (450f Hanson Garage Honda) 3rd Jason Fraser (250 Gibbs Performance KTM) 4th Jon Lock (450f Albion Kawasaki) 5th Steve Locke (350f S J Hodder/Fowlers KTM) 6th Mark Wilde (450f S J Hodder Kawasaki)

M D Racing Over 40’s Championship
1st Johnny Hawkins (450f Hawkins Motors Kawasaki) 2nd Paul Ayres (450f Yamaha) 3rd Wayne Gill (250f Suzuki) 4th Robert Jago (????) 5th Paul Ford (250f Projuice KTM) 6th Wayne Slater (????)

M D Racing Over 50’s Championship
1st Tom Lowe (250f Honda) 2nd Tim Hawkins (450f Honda) 3rd Rob Baker (350f KTM)

Tyremarks Junior A
1st Ben Butler (350f Maunders Racing/Fusion Shelters KTM) 2nd Loukas Maggio (250f Phoenix Tools Honda) 3rd Ryan Blee (250f Gilletts Spar/Albion Kawasaki) 4th Toby Harvey (250f Honda) 5th Ben Sansom (250f Honda) 6th Curtis Hunt (450f Scoot n Commute Kawasaki)

Tyremarks Junior B
1st William Hawkins (250f Hawkins Motors Kawasaki) 2nd Richard Tapscott (450f Honda) 3rd Richard Grills (450f Yamaha) 4th Stuart Barfoot (450f Honda) 5th Edward Lewis (144 KTM) 6th Jay Lewis (????)

Tyremarks Junior C
1st Graham Sergeant (450f Tyremarks KTM) 2nd Aden Prout (250f Kawasaki) 3rd Ian Coed (????) 4th Peter Bickers (????) 5th Lisa Milward (250f Kawasaki) 6th Danny Morrison (250f KTM)

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