Wednesday April 3, 2013 at 8:23am
It may have been one of the coldest Easter Weekends on record but there were plenty of hardy spectators glad to get out into the open air for their first smell of high octane fuelled motorsport of the year. The Darley Moor Motorcycle Road Race Club put on a double bill over Easter, with Rounds 1 and 2 of their Championship held on Sunday and Monday, the dedicated fans were treated to some superb racing and the first glimpse of a new star.
Out of a total 42 races over the two days 16 had a winning margin of less than 1 second, 10 of those less than 0.5 second. The rider of the weekend was a person whose first race meeting was Sunday’s event, Paul Wood, finishing the weekend with a race win and a 2nd place in the Newcomers races, 3 x top 3, 1 x top 5 and 2 x top 10 finishes!
Sunday 31st March
The Peak Cup got the race action underway and the spectators were immediately treated to some action up front with Danny Smith making the best start, leading for the first 3 laps whilst being hounded down by the current Champion, Jim Hodson. Hodson took the lead on the fourth lap, but any mistake would certainly see Smith regain the lead. Hodson managed to hold on until the flag with Smith in his slipstream, less than half a second behind as they crossed the finish line. Louis Turner-Laurent came home in 3rd place, Steve Hill 4th after holding off another Wigan rider, Jamie Hodson, in 5th. The second Peak Cup race saw a similar scenario, although this time Smith led for the first four laps until Hodson took the lead, but on this occasion he managed to stretch the gap to almost 2 seconds at the flag. Turner-Laurent once again came home 3rd, with Tim Poole, 4th, Hill, 5th and Jamie Hodson 6th.
Unfortunately, the second race of the day, the combined Formula Darley, Lightweight and 125cc had to be curtailed after the leader on lap 3, Tim Poole, crashed out. Phil Johnson was credited with the victory on his Formula Darley machine, Matt Zschiesche, 3rd on track, with the Lightweight win and Sarah Boyes, the 125cc victory. The afternoon’s race went without a hitch, Gary Dangerfield’s Formula Darley machine leading from Zschiesche until Adam Hoare, made up for a slow start on his Lightweight machine took the lead on Lap 5 and incredibly opened up a gap of 3 seconds at the flag, with Zschiesche 3rd. A superb ride from Ricky Tarren saw him take 4th place ‘on the road’, but 1st place in the 125 class, 35 seconds ahead of his nearest rival, Boyes.
Race 3 was for fans of four-wheeled motorsport, the 125cc Superkart UK Club Championship, provided yet an-other close finish. Lee Harpham leading from the flag for the first 6 of 8 laps, until Kirk Cattermole passed him on lap 7, the pair crossing the line just 0.32sec apart. The afternoon’s race provided an even closer finish, Harpham and Matt Isherwood dicing throughout the six laps, with Isherwood coming out on top by just 0.22sec, Cattermole this time in 3rd place.
The Sound of Thunder machines were sharing the track with a number of Classic machines, but Steven Hill made no allowances for anybody as he took both Sound of Thunder race wins from Neil Addy on another Sound of Thunder machine. On both occasions Gary Dangerfield was 3rd on track, but took the honours in the Mini Sound of Thunder class. Gary Freeman and David Bradley shared a victory apiece for the Classic machines.
The combined Steel framed 600/Pre Injection 600 races gave Anthony Porter two victories on his Pre Injection machine, leading all but the very first lap of the morning’s race. Martin Davis was the second Pre-Injection machine home in both classes, although after receiving a 10 second penalty for jumping the start in the first race, came home 7th on the road. Steve Price and Dave Marsden shared a class win for the Steel framed machines, whilst Dean Ephgrave was Runner-up in the class, in both races. The battle between these three riders should be very interesting throughout the year!
The Open Solo races saw the battle between Jim Hodson and Danny Smith resume, Smith taking the first race with a ‘flag to flag’ victory and leaving Hodson over 4 seconds behind. Paul Wood was 3rd after an exciting 3 way race long battle with Louis Turner-Laurent and Steven Hill, who finished 4th and 5th respectively. The second race saw one of the closest finishes of the day, with Hodson turning the table on Smith and leading throughout, although never more than 0.5sec apart all race, Smith having to settle for 2nd, just 0.19sec behind as they crossed the line, Turner-Laurent recording yet another 3rd place behind, with Alan Hughes 4th and Paul Wood 5th.
We’re used to seeing Shane Pearson’s name at the top of the results sheet, but not in the Pre 98’s class, although after leading the first race for four laps he failed to finish lap 5, allowing David Large to take the victory after pushing Pearson throughout. Matt Zschiese, Dean Ephgrave and Dave Marsden following him home for 2nd, 3rd and 4th places. Pearson made no mistake in the second race, finishing 21+seconds ahead of Large, with Ephgrave and Marsden following them home. This time Zschiesche made the mistake and failed to finish Lap 3 whilst in 3rd place.
The Formula 600 races gave two very different victories to Tim Poole, the first was a hard fought affair, finally taking the lead on the final lap, finishing just 0.6sec in front of Jamie Hodson, who had led from Lap 2, and Andrew Soar a further 2 seconds back. In the second race Poole led from start to finish, finally crossing the line with a 4.6sec advantage over Soar, with Hodson 3rd.
The sidecar race saw the pairing of Dave Holden and Heath Fairbrother taking victory in the first race after passing Mike and Rob Cookson on the second lap, although current Champions Ray Thomas/Neil Aslaksen failed to complete 1 lap. The second race saw them take a flag to flag victory, leaving Thomas/Aslaksen, Tony Thompson/Jack Jones and Dean Banks /Lee Saunders to battle for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th places.
Monday 1st April
If Sunday’s meeting got off to a good start then Monday’s was spectacular, once again the Peak Cup was the first race and once again Jim Hodson and Danny Smith provided the action. Hodson leading across the line on each lap, but the largest gap he had over Danny Smith was 0.5 sec, finishing the race just 0.08 apart, which included a backmarker in between them! In addition to this Paul Wood was able to hold off Louis Turner-Laurent for 3rd place. A similar situation occurred in their second race between Hodson and Smith, but this time Smith led for the first lap and was passed by Hodson on the second, the two being separated by no more than 0.6sec,
Turner-Laurent was 3rd, with Tim Poole 4th.
The first combined Formula Darley, Lightweight and 125cc race provided yet more thrilling racing, Gary Dangerfield leading from Brad Vicars for 5 laps, separated by less than a second all the time. Vicars then picked his moment on the final lap and took the victory, with Joshua Dranfield following them home in 3rd. Alex Woodhouse took the Lightweight honours, with Jake Archer the 125cc spoils, on his 80cc machine, after Ricky Tarren failed to finish the second lap. Their second race provided the same result, but this time Vicars took the lead on the fifth lap which allowed him to stretch a slightly bigger advantage at the flag.
Next on the grid was the new Classic 50 class, a chance to see and hear these tiny machines which once graced the grids on the Grand Prix scene. John Lee taking both wins from James Widdowson, the first by 1.2sec and the second by just 0.58sec.
The first combined Sound of Thunder and Classic race saw Steve Hill take the honours on his machine again, but behind him Brad Vicars and Gary Dangerfield were embroiled in a battle for the Mini Sound of Thunder spoils, Vicars once again getting the better of Dangerfield. With Hill not starting the second race it was left to Vicars and Dangerfield once more, this time Dangerfield was only able to lead across the line on one occasion, lap 4, Vicars taking the win by 0.6sec. In both races Gordon Thorpe took the honours for the Classic machines.
Anthony Porter continued his run of wins in the Steel Framed/Pre Injection 600 class, again leading all bar the very first lap of each race on his Pre Injection machine. On both occasions Steve Price followed him home on his Steel Framed machine, the second race having the closest finish, just 0.27sec separating the pair. Dean Ephgrave being the second Steel framed rider home in both races, leading the first lap of the second race, dropping back to fourth before reclaiming 3rd place, on the road.
Jim Hodson and Danny Smith repeated their Peak Cup battles in the Open Solo class again, Smith having to settle for 2nd, in both races. The star of the weekend, Paul Wood secured another 3rd place after overcoming Louis Turner-Laurent on the fifth lap of six in the first race. Unfortunately, Wood crashed out, uninjured in the second race, leaving Turner-Laurent to claim 3rd place.
Shane Pearson, once again took both Pre98 races, with Ian Morgan and David Large taking a 2nd and 3rd place each. In the first race John Bolsover was also involved in the second place race long battle, which went to Large, Morgan 3rd and Bolsover 4th.
Tim Poole had two relatively straight forward victories in both Formula 600 races, taking both races by over 6 seconds from Jamie Hodson. In the first encounter there was a tremendous battle between Jim Barnett and Ashley Blake, finally going to Barnett, but Blake would get the better of him in the second race to take 3rd place.
Dave Holden and Heath Fairbrother repeated their double victory from Sunday’s meeting; in the first race they beat reigning Champions Thomas/Aslaksen by 8 seconds. In the second race they had to overcome an inspired start from Cookson/Parker on their smaller 600cc outfit, leading for the first two laps until Holden/Fairbrother took the lead on lap 3, but they didn’t disappear into the distance, Cookson/Parker waiting for them to make a mistake, which never materialised, finally following them home, just 0.74sec behind. Tony Thompson and Jack Jones following both pairings home for 3rd place in both races.
As usual the final race of any Club Championship meeting at Darley Moor is the Newcomers race, this weekend it has all been about the one man, although he didn’t repeat his win from Sunday, recording a 2nd place behind Ashley Blake, but he did record the fastest lap of the race, a 60second dead lap, a fantastic effort considering the temperatures on the day.
If all future rounds of the Championship provide as much entertainment as this weekend, the Darley Moor Club is in for a fantastic year. Round 3 of the Championship is scheduled to take place on Monday 6th May 2013, but don’t put the extra layers of clothing away just yet!
The cost of adult admission to Darley Moor for all meetings, except the end of season Stars at Darley meeting, is £11.00 per day, children under 16 are free, Senior Citizens are £6.00. Parking and Paddock Transfer is free and a programme costs just £3.00.
For the Stars at Darley meeting adult admission is £15 and Senior Citizens £8.00, adult admission to the Test Days is £5.00.
Alternatively a Season Pass is available for £80, Senior Citizens £48 and this gives you access to ALL meetings at Darley, a total of 13 race days, not just the Darley Moor Club Championship events.
Advance Tickets at discount prices 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 £5.00 per unit per night. You can normally arrive after 5.00 pm on the Friday and stay until 10.00 am on the morning after the meeting.
Championship Standings
Peak Cup – 1st Jim Hodson, 36pts; 2nd Danny Smith, 24pts; 3rd Louis Turner-Laurent, 15pts
Open Solos - 1st Jim Hodson, 33pts; 2nd Danny Smith, 27pts; 3rd Louis Turner-Laurent, 14pts
Open Sidecars – 1st Dave Holden/Heath Fairbrother, 36pts; 2nd Tony Thompson/Jack Jones, 20pts; 3rd Ray
Thomas/Neil Aslaksen, 12pts
Lightweight – 1st Alex Woodhouse, 19pts; 2nd Matt Zschiesche & Adam Hoare, 15pts
GP125 – 1st Sarah Boyes, 15pts; 2nd Ricky Tarren, 9pts
Formula 600 – 1st Tim Poole, 36pts; 2nd Jamie Hodson, 22pts; 3rd Jim Barnett, 13pts
Formula Darley -1st Gary Dangerfield, 27pts; 2nd Brad Vicars, 23pts; 3rd David Carson, 16pts
Formula 125 – 1st Jake Archer, 33pts; 2nd Stephen Cambell, 18pts; 3rd William Green, 9pts
Formula 600 Sidecars – 1st John Shipley/Ian Cunliffe, 27pts ; 2nd Mike Cookson/Shaun Parker, 26pts; 3rd Dean Banks/Lee Saunders, 15pts
Steel Framed 600 – 1st Steve Price, 31pts; 2nd Dean Ephgrave, 24pts; 3rd Dave Marsden, 20pts
Pre Injection 600 – 1st Anthony Porter, 36pts; 2nd Martin Davis, 18pts; 3rd Richard Shipley, 16pts
Mini Sound of Thunder – 1st Gary Dangerfield, 30pts; 2nd Brad Vicars, 25pts; 3rd Joshua Dransfield, 17pts
Sound of Thunder – 1st Steven Hill, 27pts; 2nd Mark Tomkinson, 15pts; 3rdNeil Addy, 12pts
Pre 98’s (up to 500cc) –1st Alex Woodhouse, 27pts; 2nd Fred Burbidge, 22pts; 3rd Alan Jones, 14pts
Pre 98’s (up to 1300cc) – 1st Shane Pearson, 27pts; 2nd David Large, 25pts; 3rd Dean Ephgrave, 14pts
Classic 250cc
Classic 350cc – 1st Gary Freeman, 9pts; 2nd Tony Freeman, 6pts
Classic 500cc – Gordon Thorpe, 36 points
Classic 1000cc – David Bradley, 18pts