Monday August 13, 2012 at 2:03pm
Last Sunday the Premier MX team hosted round 8 of the Phoenix Tools Premier Motocross Championship at Waggadon Farm, Nr Torrington. Luckily a lot of rain had fallen overnight which was needed and this was to leave things a bit tacky for practise and qualifying, but by the time racing commenced the track was nigh on perfect and produced some thrilling racing.
It was a welcome return in the Experts for young Tommy Alba who had been out for a while with illness and it was he who had set the fastest time in qualifying on a 250 2-stroke, but it was Luke Hill with the best start in the opening race and was to set the pace from Luke Blanchard and Liam Taylor with Championship leader Jamie Skuse there in 4th, but well down the field was Alba who had it all to do. Hill was in a real hurry at the front and started to get away from Blanchard who soon had Skuse all over him after Taylor had dropped it. Blanchard was put under huge pressure from Skuse for a couple of laps and on lap 5 Skuse found away pass and was now after Hill who had a 5 second lead, but Skuse seemed to be slower in to the corners as he had no back brake and wasn’t to catch Hill who took the win with Connor Walkley coming through to take 3rd. In the second moto again it was Hill with the best start from Skuse and Kelvin Townsend. Hill and Skuse were flying on the opening lap and eased away from Townsend and this was the case for several laps with Townsend mid race being caught and passed by both Luke Mellows and Alba. On lap 7 Skuse made his move on Hill and was to hit the front and was soon in cruise control and went on to take the win from Hill with Alba a close 3rd. In the last race it was Hill again with the best start from Townsend and Blanchard with Skuse midfield. Blanchard could see Hill getting away at the front and was to quickly get pass Townsend on the opening lap, but a lap later Blanchard tried a bit too hard and went down and Townsend was back in 3rd, but all over him was now Skuse who was soon joined by Alba to make it a three way battle. Skuse and Alba got the better of Townsend on lap 5 and were now closing on Hill. Skuse managed to get away from Alba and was to catch and pass Hill on lap 8 to take the lead and went on to take the win and the overall, but all eyes were on Alba as he was all over Hill on the last lap and did get pass Hill as they entered the last but one corner, but unfortunately for Alba he ran up over a berm and went down and gifted 2nd to Hill with Alba remounting to take 3rd.
In the Over 35 Championship class there was some really fast and furious racing which included Rick Hanson making a return from injury. In the opening race it was Mark Wilde with the best start from Keith Hanson who was struggling with a hand injury and Mark Roberts, but by the end of the opening lap it was Keith Hanson at the front after Wilde had made a mistake and up in to 2nd had come brother Rick Hanson after passing Roberts. Rick was in a real hurry and went pass brother Keith with ease to take the lead and from there went on to take the chequered flag with Jason Fraser taking 2nd just a head of Wilde who came back to take a close 3rd. In the second moto it was Jon Lock with the early lead from last years Champion Martyn Tucker with Rick Hanson in 3rd who was all over Tucker on the opening lap who he disposed of and now had his sights set on Lock who he got pass a lap later and with a clear track in front of him gradually pulled away and was to take a comfortable win from Lock with Wilde taking 3rd. The last moto was a domineering one for Rick Hanson as he led from the off and was untroubled to make it a hattrick of wins, Wilde took 2nd with Lock 3rd.
In the over 40’s class there was a hattrick of wins for Paul Aryes, but he had to work hard as David Ford was a close 2nd in the first two races and Wayne Gill was to push him in the last moto.
In the Over 50’s class again it was one of our oldest riders Tom Lowe at the age of 62 who took the honours with a hattrick of wins.
In the Junior Championship class there was two wins for James Buckingham with the other one going to Ryan Allen, but it wasn’t the best of days for Championship leader Ryan Blee who took a tumble in the opening race and was said to have broken his foot, but he did carry on to finish 7th overall on the day.
OVERALL RESULTS
Phoenix Tools Expert Open Championship
1st Jamie Skuse (450f Apico Suzuki) 2nd Luke Hill (450f HPR/DirtbikeXpress Honda) 3rd Tommy Alba (250 Oakleaf Kawasaki) 4th Luke Mellows (450f TMC/Meredith Suzuki) 5th Brad Cavill (450f S J Hodder Honda) 6th Kelvin Townsend (450f Gibbs Performance Suzuki)
M D Racing Over 35’s Championship
1st Rick Hanson (450f Hanson Garage Yamaha) 2nd Mark Wilde (450f S J Hodder Kawasaki) 3rd Jon Lock (450f Albion Kawasaki) 4th Jason Fraser (250 Gibbs Performance KTM) 5th Keith Hanson (450f Hanson Garage Honda) 6th Steve Locke (350f S J Hodder/Fowlers KTM)
M D Racing Over 40’s Championship
1st Paul Ayres (450f Yamaha) 2nd David Ford (200 Projuice KTM) 3rd Mark Pickard (????) 4th Wayne Gill (250f Suzuki) 5th Alan Packer (250 Yamaha) 6th Paul Ford (200 Projuice KTM)
M D Racing Over 50’s Championship
1st Tom Lowe (250f Honda) 2nd Tim Hawkins (450f Honda)
Tyremarks Junior A
1st Jordan Broadway (450f Kawasaki) 2nd James Buckingham (450f Quay Garage Honda) 3rd Ryan Redwood (250f Yamaha) 4th Olly Jones (250f Bob Jones Heating KTM) 5th Lewis Barfoot (250f Honda) 6th Josh Broadway (250 KTM)
Tyremarks Junior B
1st Ryan Hooper (250 KTM) 2nd Richard Grills (450f Yamaha) 3rd Richard Tapscott (450f Honda) 4th Neil Hawker (????) 5th Liam Gooding (125 KTM) 6th Scott Hooper (450f Honda)
Tyremarks Junior C
1st Richard Tucker (????) 2nd Roy Hooper (450f Honda) 3rd Matt Sansom (????) 4th Gary Reece (????) 5th Danny Morrison (250 KTM) 6th Graham Hookway (????)
Next Round September 9th Little Silver Moto Parc, Exeter.