Tuesday November 13, 2012 at 4:27pm
Words by: Dave Cornish
Images by: Alec Trusler
The BSMC circus rolled into a misty Three Sisters Circuit and with the various class championship titles still not confirmed it was all to play for. Several BSB and MX stars were also entered which added extra spice to the season finale.
The 450 Elites provided perhaps the most exciting racing of the weekend as Chris Hodgson (Skyzone) proved his determination to hold onto his #1 plate as he took the first race win from a closing Lewis Cornish (NPS/DCR) with Ben Robb (Drilltec) rounding out the top three. Race two, and the fireworks really began as Cornish, Douglas Cunningham (Motosupplies/Aquarius) and Hodgson battled it out bar to bar until all three riders touched as they fought for the same inch of tarmac and the British Champion crashed. Cornish and Cunningham continued to scrap to the line with the win going to Cunningham from Cornish by the narrowest of margins with Robb picking up third spot. The final was really turned on its head as Brad O’Leary (SHR) took the hole-shot and managed to keep the chasing pack at bay all the way to the flag. Behind him was mayhem as an eight rider freight train tripped over each other in an attempt to get in a position to challenge for the lead. In the end it was Hodgson and team-mate Davey Todd who took second and third behind O’Leary but it was all that Chris Hodgson needed to hold onto his 450 Elite title.
The Open Elite ranks were swelled by several BSB racers Kiaran Hankin, Richard Cooper, Barry Burrell and Adam Jenkinson all took to sliding around the greasy tarmac like natural supermoto racers. Talking of which pole sitter Christian Iddon (SHR) early fall in race one allowed Hodgson to take a straight forward victory ahead of Cunningham and an on form Richard Blakeman (D3 KTM) with a charging Iddon getting back up to fourth on the last lap. Former 9 times supermoto champion Iddon made amends in race two as he shook off Hodgson to take the win with Todd in third spot from Cornish and Ben Stafford (SHR) in fifth. The final saw Iddon and Hodgson fighting for every inch of track, As the race wound down it looked as though Hodgson was lining up a move to pass Iddon but after a few close calls he eased off to take runner up position and also the Open Elite championship title as Iddon took the race win. Stafford rounded out the podium with Swedish rider Kevin Fagre in fourth place as many of the usual contenders dropped down the pack in an incident packed race.
The slippery conditions proved tricky for all classes but Daniel Drayton sporting his recently acquired #1 plate showed exactly why he’s the newly crowned 2012 Junior champion by comfortably beating his nearest rivals Dylan Henderson and Matt Raven in all three races.
The Michelin Clubman Cup had a ‘wildcard’ rider in the shape of MX GP star Jamie Law (D3 KTM) who used his off road skills to the max to take the overall win from Karl Geary Snr (D3 KTM) Tim Johnson and Simon Bentley (Central Motors) who all clearly had the edge on the tarmac but simply couldn’t stay with Law on the dirt sections. However the consistent results over the season deservedly gave Tim Johnson the championship Michelin Cup title.
Meanwhile once the qualifying had sorted out the National classes into A and B it was Jamie Law and BSB racer Richard Cooper who was heading the usual National regulars. Law followed this up in race one with a comfortable win in front of Keith Topliss (Killer Racing) and Tim Johnson. Will Moore (NPS/MX500) put a bad qualifying to the back of his mind in the following two races as he took both race National A wins from Keith Topliss his brother Ben and Tim Johnson who once again showed that he had the consistency to win championships. Keith Topliss stayed in front of Law in the trophy final with Moore on the top step of the podium.
The National Bs enjoyed several race winners Alan Henderson (Henderson-Britton) in race one from Joe Edwards and Darren ‘Sausage’ Corkett but perhaps the most noticeable winner being 14 year old Kayla Barrington who showed the boys how to ride the dirt by taking the race two win from Bruce Birnie and Paul Reynolds. However Reynolds made amends in the final as he just beat Edgars Ivuskans and Josh Harvey (Killer Racing) to take the B’s top silverware A final thought must go out to top British Elite runner James Addy who missed the final round due to a nasty injury to both his wrists and forearms.