An overcast and cold start to the day at Iden sees all the crews getting to the line, eager to get going and get warm!
Race 1 sees chaos into the first bend, with Danny Gray/Lewis Gray stalling and causing the majority of bikes behind them to get caught up. Mark Banks/Chris Pannell take the holeshot, followed out by James Whitt/Jamie Greensill, Ross Bowers/Brad Connor and Arthur Walton/Faye Barnes. Lap 2 sees a mistake made by Jonnie Waters/Ian Sheppard, putting them out of the race. Mechanical problems for Walton/Barnes also mean they have to pull out of the race after only 2 laps. With Banks/Pannell still leading, the top 5 stayed much the same for the first half, with Bowers/Connor passing Whitt/Greensill, the crews are battling it out, and soon Hodges/Hodges, Oldfield/Parmenter, Lawry/Bishop and Grahame/Lloyd also come through to pass Whitt/Greensill. Unfortunately, a knock from another crew cause Ferryman/Ferryman to fall, leaving them to finish the race 5 laps down.
A couple of mistakes see Gray/Gray and Pannell/Parmenter get caught up, putting them back to 10th and 12th respectively. Hodges/Hodges came through to pass Banks/Pannell and take the win, however, as they are not registered for the championship the points go to Banks/Pannell. Previous championship winners, Blackman/Maguire finish the race in 8
th position, behind Whitt/Greensill.
Race 2 sees more chaos into the first bend caused by extreme amounts of dust being kicked up by the front few crews. With Bowers/Connor about to take the holeshot, they move out wide and the holeshot is quickly stolen from them by Banks/Pannell and Lawry/Bishop also sneak through the inside to take 2
nd. Bowers/Connor settle into 3
rd, with Grahame/Lloyd close behind them. However, it doesn’t take long for Grahame/Lloyd to take Bowers/Connor, moving them into 3
rd. Oldfield/Parmenter sits in 5
th, followed by Walton/Barnes, Hodges/Hodges and then current leaders Blackman/Maguire. Within the first lap, positions change again, putting Lawry/Bishop into the lead, Banks/Pannell in 2
nd, and Hodges/Hodges into 6
th. 3
rd is still being held by Grahame/Lloyd, 4
th by Oldfield/Parmenter and 5
th by Walton/Barnes. A close battle between Lawry/Bishop, Banks/Pannell and Grahame/Lloyd, eventually sees Grahame/Lloyd move into 2
nd, only to have a big crash, putting them back down the pack, eventually finishing in 10th. This left Lawry/Bishop and Banks/Pannell to fight it out and eventually Banks/Pannell came through in the lead. This was short lived, as Hodges/Hodges were quickly coming up through the pack and as the chequered flag was waved, Hodges/Hodges had taken the win, Banks/Pannell take 2
nd (and the winning points for the championship) Oldfield/Parmenter take 3
rd, Lawry/Bishop 4
th and Bowers/Connor 5
th. Blackman/Maguire finish in 8
th again.
Race 3 sees a much better start, with no crews getting caught up on the first bend, the holeshot went to Arthur Walton/Faye Barnes, followed by Grahame/Lloyd then Banks/Pannell, however Banks/Pannell quickly took 2
nd back from Grahame/Lloyd. Walton/Barnes hold the lead for several laps, whilst Grahame/Lloyd takes 2
nd back from Banks/Pannell and eventually moves up to take the lead from Walton/Barnes. Banks/Pannell sit comfortably in 3
rd, followed by Oldfield/Parmenter and Gray/Gray however and leave Bowers/Connor in 6
th and Blackman/Maguire up into 7
th by the time the last lap flag is waved. As the chequered flag is waved, Grahame/Lloyd have a large lead on Walton/Barnes, Banks/Pannell, Oldfield/Parmenter and Gray/Gray.
The overall win for the day goes to Banks/Pannell, 2
nd to Oldfield/Parmenter, 3
rd Bowers/Connor, 4
th Grahame/Lloyd and 5
th, Lawry/Bishop. 6
th goes to Gray/Gray, 7
th to Blackman/Maguire, 8
th Walton/Barnes, 9
th Kinge/Snell and 10
th Whitt/Greensill.
Todays’ results now put the Championship positions to : 1
st Bowers/Spencer, 2
nd Grahame/Lloyd, 3
rd Blackman/Maguire, 4
th Gray/Gray, 5
th Oldfield/Parmenter, 6
th Banks/Pannell, 7
th Lawry/Bishop, 8
th Walton/Barnes, 9
th Pannell/Parmenter, 10
th Kinge/Snell.
The next round of the Clubmans Championship will be at Wattisfield Hall, Diss, IP22 2NX on the 10
th May.
Words and Pictures by Polly Chewter