Four Wins for Shelley Again at Darley Moor

Wednesday July 19, 2017 at 3:56pm

Round 4 of the Darley Moor Motor Cycle Road Race Championships provided yet another perfect day for racing and spectating on Sunday 16th July 2017 with some fantastic battles out on track throughout the 23 race programme.

Again it was Lloyd Shelley (Burntwood) who registered the most victories with four wins from four starts in the Formula 600 and Sound of Thunder (SoT) classes, recording three fastest laps. Tom Fisher (Nottingham), his rival in the Formula 600 classes preventing him from a full set by recording the fastest lap in their second race. The pair kept the crowd entertained throughout both races, the first a 6 lapper and the second 8 lap race.

Although Shelley led across the line after each lap Fisher was never any more than 0.5sec behind, finishing the first race just 0.28sec behind and 0.38sec back in the second. Matthew Zschiesche (Stoke on Trent) following them home for 3rd place on both occasions. Shelley’s SoT victories may have been a little less frantic than the Formula 600 wins, but he still saved his quickest lap of the day until his final race. Zschiesche followed Shelley home for two Runner-Up spots on his Sound of Thunder machine.

Running alongside the SoT were the smaller Mini Sound of Thunder machines, whereby David Carson (Northwich) and Joe Walton (Preston) shared the spoils, after two race long battles, each taking a class victory and 2nd place. The pair were also out dicing for honours in the combined Formula Darley/Lightweight races and whilst Walton was the quicker starter on both occasions, leading after the first lap, it was Carson who claimed both class victories, whilst Walton had to settle for the Runner-Up in class for the Formula Darley machines. However, it was Chris Moore (High Peak) who was first across the line on both occasions on his Lightweight machine, taking the Overall victory from Carson by almost 2 seconds each time.

Leon Jeacock (Kirkby Mallory) and Ben Scranage (Bolton) also enjoyed battling it out between each other in their four races. Jeacock taking three victories and a Runner-Up spot, whilst Scranage had one victory and two second places. In the opening race of the day, the Peak Cup, Jeacock led across the line, after the first lap, with Scranage following close behind, staying within 1sec for the first 3 laps until Jeacock managed to stretch his lead to over 4secs at the flag. However, the pair lined up on the grid for the first Open Solo race and this time Scranage stayed in contention for the 8 lap race distance, never any further away than 0.8sec for the entire race, but despite putting in the fastest lap on the race on Lap 4 could not get any closer than 0.45sec from him. Jeacock’s winning margin just 0.67sec at the flag. The tables were turned for the second Peak Cup race with Scranage leading across the line on each lap, with Jeacock having to make up for a slower start, crossing the line 5th after Lap1 and up into 2nd place by Lap4. He then set about reducing the 4.5sec deficit, but despite recording the fastest lap of the race on Lap8 Scranage was able to maintain the advantage and claim the victory by 0.9sec at the end of the 10lap race. The second Open Solo race started very similar to the Peak Cup race, Scranage leading the opening laps and Jeacock making up for the slower start. With Jeacock moving into 2nd place on Lap2 and still over 3sec from the leader after the 3rd lap disaster struck Scranage as he failed to complete the 4th lap, leaving Jeacock to record his third victory of the day, by over 6 seconds.

After competing in the Peak Cup and Open Solo races on his 1,000cc four-cylinder superbike, capable of 190mph+, Jeacock threw his leg over a 500cc twin cylinder commuter style machine, capable of 130mph maximum, and recorded a Runner-Up spot in the first and 5th in the second race. Richard Cooper (Nottingham) took victory in the first race and recorded the Runner-up spot in the second race behind Andy Whale (Birmingham) who did not start the first race.

Following on from a 3rd place in the first Open Solo race Jamie Pearson (Derby) claimed two start-to-finish victories in the Pre-Injection (up to 1300cc) races, taking the first from Andrew Lowe (Stone) by 5sec and then winning the second race by over 15sec from Matthew Smith (Swadlincote). Prior to his 2nd place in the Pre-Injection (up to 1300cc) race Lowe took a start-to-finish overall victory on the same machine in the opening Steel Framed 600/Pre-Injection 600 race, by 2sec from Dan Millner (Hope Valley). Unfortunately, after leading the first 4laps of the second race, opening up a gap of 2.5sec on Millner he failed to finish the 5th lap, handing the victory to him. Antony Porter (Chesterfield) secured the Steel Framed class victories with overall 3rd place in both races.

The two sidecar races saw Dan Knight/Matthew Rostron (Northwich/Formby) claim both victories on their Formula 600 sidecar, the first after leading across the line on each lap with Howard Baker/Mike Killingsworth (Sutton Coldfield/Lincs) just 2sec behind, but the second was a little harder following a slower start and being 3^rd the first lap, then into 2nd on Lap2 and chasing down the Baker/Killingsworth outfit before squeezing past on Lap7 and stretching out a 3sec lead after the 10 laps. Anthony Eades/Keith Box (Hyde Wolverhampton) took the Open Sidecar honours on each occasion, recording two 5th places overall.

Mike Harding (Haslington) took the Overall victory in the first combined Classic/Formula 125 race on his 1000cc machine, followed home by Simon Collins (Tetbury) on his Classic 350cc, with Geoff Hadwin (Cumbria) 3rd, on his Classic 250; Liam Clements (Stoke on Trent) 4th on his Classic 500 and Franco Bourne (Crook) 5th on his Formula 125 machine. After failing to finish the second lap of the first race David Bradley (Matlock) took the victory, on his Classic 1000 machine, in the second race; Collins again recorded the Classic 350 victory, with an overall 2nd place; Clements the Classic 500 win, 4th Overall; Gary Whitman (Watford) the Formula 125 victory, 6th Overall; whilst Hadwin was the Classic 250 victor, 7th overall.

That was the action for Round 4, not too long to wait for your next bout of action at the Darley Moor Motor Sports Centre when Round 5 takes to the circuit on Sunday 14th August 2017. As normal Practice starts at 1000hrs, with the first race scheduled for 1130hrs.

The cost of adult admission to Darley Moor for all meetings, except the end of season Stars at Darley meeting, is £12.00 per day, children under 16 are free, and Senior Citizens are £8.00. Parking and Paddock Transfer is free and a programme costs just £3.00. Adult admission to the Test Days is £6.00, Senior Citizens 65 and over £4.00.

For the Stars at Darley event on 9th October the adult admission price is £16.00 and Senior Citizens £10.00.

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. Camping will normally be available from 4.00 pm on the Friday evening until 10.00 am on the day after the meeting or by special arrangement with the circuit management – Call 01335 343833.

Darley Moor is one of the few circuits in which dogs are welcome, provided they are kept on a lead at all times during race day and the owners act in a responsible manner.

2017 Championship standings after Round 4

Peak Cup

1st Ben Scranage, 38pts; 2nd Steven Procter, 30pts; 3rd Jim Hodson 28pts;

Open Solo

1st Ben Scranage, 42pts; 2nd Julian Tillotson, 34pts; 3rd Andy Taylor, 25pts;

Open Sidecars

1st Anthony Eades/Keith Box, 54pts; 2nd Brian Wilson/Mike Fairhurst, 32pts; 3rd Ray Thomas/Neil Aslaksen, 21pts; 3rd

Lightweight

1st Chris Moore, 69pts; 2nd Graham Wilson, 40pts; 3rd Gavin Mills, 16pts

Formula 600

1st Lloyd Shelley, 54pts; 2nd Steven Procter, 42pts; 3rd Matthew Zschiesche, 19pts

Formula Darley