A CHEAP WEEKEND AWAY (FOR SPECTATORS)

Tuesday July 21, 2015 at 4:20pm

With the school holidays underway if you haven’t booked to go away anywhere why not bring the caravan, motorhome or tent along to the Darley Moor Motorsport Centre, near Wyaston, Ashbourne, Derbyshire (DE6 2ET) for Round 6 of the Darley Moor Motor Cycle Road Race Championship on Sunday 26th July 2015?

‘Pitches’ are available from 4pm Friday afternoon through to 10am on Monday morning with the cost per night being just £5 per ‘pitch’, entry fee to the circuit on the Sunday is £12.00 (Senior Citizens £8.00) and children under 16, plus parking and Paddock Transfer are all free. There is also no need to find kennels for the dog as Darley Moor is one of the few race circuits to allow them, provided they are kept on a lead at all times during race day and the owners act in a responsible manner.

As the Championship approaches the ‘business’ end of the season there are a number of local riders perfectly placed and in-line for a share of the silverware. With a maximum of 18 points available in each class, whatever happens this weekend Newcastle under Lyme’s Brendan Brown will still be leading at least two championships. This talented rider is racing machines at either end of the power and weight scale, often stepping off of one machine and getting straight back out on the other machine, and achieving the same result, victory in both classes! Currently leading the 125GP Championship, for the lightest machines taking to the grid, by just 4 points from Hull’s Derek Clarke and then on the largest and most powerful bikes to line-up on the grid he leads the Open Class by 21 points from Simon Bowyer, also Newcastle under Lyme, with Jim Hodson 30 points behind. In the Peak Cup class he enjoys a 19 point advantage, again over Bowyer, with Jamie Medhurst 24 points behind. In another class Medhurst has just a single point lead in the Formula 600 Championship over Lloyd Shelley, with Richard Wardle 15points from the head of the table. Shelley is also involved in another very close Championship, currently lying 3rd in Sound of Thunder (SoT) class, but only 2 points behind leader, Paul Gibbs, with Gary Henriksen separating the pair.

High Peak’s Chris Moore will be another rider still heading two Championships at the end of next weekend, currently enjoying a 37 point lead in the Lightweight Championship and a 24 point lead in the Pre98’s (Up to 500cc) class, over Andrew Clarke. Whilst Derby’s Virgil Stevenson will certainly be leading the Pre98’s (Up to 1300cc) class, currently enjoying a 25 point lead, over Richard Stubbs, with Dean Ephgrave a further 16 points adrift. Ephgrave is currently 2nd in the Steel Framed 600 class, needing to close a 15point gap to Championship leader Anthony Porter. The Pre Injection 600 machines line-up on the grid alongside the Steel Framed machines and in this class Andy Lowe will also be leading his Championship following next weekend’s racing, will he be able to extend his 25 point lead?

The Mini Sound of Thunder and Formula Darley championships have the same three riders in the top 3 Championship positions, Stuart Hall currently 3rd in both, 14points and 17points adrift from the top of the table in Mini Sound of Thunder (MSoT) and Formula Darley, respectively. Whilst Brad Vicars and David Carson each lead a class and are 2nd in the other, Vicars with a 6 point advantage in Formula Darley, whilst Carson has just a single point lead in the MSoT class. Two more Championships destined to go down to the final round.

The Formula 600 Sidecar class is another in which a single point separates the top 2 pairings, John Chandler/Karl Schoefield having the advantage over Howard Baker/Mike Killingsworth, whilst Gary and Dan Knight are just 10 points back in 3rd place. In the Open Sidecar class Anthony Eades/Nick Roberts enjoy a 21point advantage over Dave Thomas/Neil Aslaksen.

The remaining five classes; Formula 125, Classic 250, 350, 500 and 1000 all take to the same grid each weekend and the leaders of each class all have a very healthy advantage on their relevant class; Formula 125 - James Hind 39 points; Classic 250 – Geoff Hadwin, 30 points; Classic 350 - Brian Prescott, 41 points; Classic 500 – Gordon Thorpe, 30 points; Classic 1000 – James O’Brien, 51 points and could possibly become the first Darley Champion of the year, next week.

As always Practice will starts at 10am, with the first race scheduled for 11.30am.

Advance Tickets at discount prices are also available on-line just visit the Darley Race Shop for full details - http://www.darleymoorstore.co.uk/.

Championship positions (after Round 5)

Peak Cup

1st Brendan Brown, 55pts; 2nd, Simon Bowyer 36pts; 3rd Jamie Medhurst, 31pts

Open Solo

1st Brendan Brown, 60pts; 2nd, Simon Bowyer 39pts; 3rd, Jim Hodson 30pts

Open Sidecars

1st Anthony Eades/Nick Roberts 57pts; 2nd Dave Thomas/Neil Aslaksen, 36pts; 3rd Keith Waddington/Stu Lacey, 20pts

Lightweight

1st Chris Moore 63pts; 2nd Matty Whelan, 26pts; 3rd Darren Spruce, 18pts

GP125