Round two of the Bickers Lifting/Stebbings Car Superstore sponsored Eastern Motocross Championships took place at Cadders Hill, Lyng in Norfolk on Sunday, staged by the Norwich Vikings club. With the tough circuit in excellent condition for racing, and 200 riders entered, the scene was set for a cracking day's racing.
With first round winner, Lewis Tombs, spectating with an injured hand, the premier championship saw Luke Benstead taking over at the top of the leaderboard, but it was not an easy day for the Cambridgeshire ace. After setting the fastest time early in the practice sessions, Benstead's bike developed engine problems. However, in the first moto, Benstead stormed to the front of the twenty minute long race, chased by Jack Brunell, local youngster, Calum Mitchell, and Declan Whittle. Mitchell and Whittle, riding on their home circuit, managed to push Brunell down to fourth place, and closed on Benstead, who managed to head them over the finish line despite realising that his bike was giving him problems. Brunell was fourth, holding off a great battle between teenagers, Sam Nunn, and Ben Clark.
Benstead came to the start line for the second leg on a borrowed Yamaha two stroke machine, and was struggling to get into the top ten after the first lap, and at the front, Brunell was holding off a strong challenge from the 2018 champion, Shaun Southgate, who tried several times to take the lead, but Brunell held him off to take the win. Tom Grimshaw fought through a high-speed pack of riders to reward him third place ahead of Connor Hughes and another exciting battle for fifth between Clark and Sam Nunn.
Race three saw Southgate in charge on his Herts MX Honda, and led throughout to take the overall win on the day, and once again, Mitchell and Whittle were involved in a big battle for second place, with young Mitchell getting the verdict. Brunell finished a good day in fourth place and second overall, with MX2 series leader, Ben Clark,(RFX KTM) holding off Grimshaw for fifth place. Benstead was back riding his GH Husqvarna, and nursed it home in eighth place, which was enough for him to lead the championship on 116 points, just five points ahead of Southgate.
With a bumper entry of 160 junior grade riders, the fastest forty from timed practice competed in the Eastern Junior Championships, and racing was equally as exciting as the experts premier class.
Race one saw Sidcup's Perry Galloway taking the win, with some hectic battles going on behind him. Toby Avis fought through for second place, with Max Bickers storming through the fast group of the leading riders to claim third, just ahead of Jack Youngs, Ethan Etheridge and James Camwell. The second leg was probably the best race of the day, Youngs led for the first two laps, before Galloway took over until a mistake at the top of the circuit dropped him down the leader board. Fifteen-year-old William Farrow then took over at the front chased by Youngs and Tomas Hardcastle, who had started down in seventh place on the first lap. A mistake from Youngs allowed Hardcastle into second place, who chased Farrow home for an exciting finish. Bickers had to work hard for a well-deserved third place finish again, just ahead of Avis, Youngs and series leader, Kane Fisher.
The third moto saw Chris Lake leading on the first lap, but was soon passed by Galloway, who led for another two laps before Toby Avis took over to take the win and also overall victory on the day. Hardcastle ended his day in second place, with William Farrow getting the better of Galloway for third place.
In the supporting group A, overall victory went to Joe Eaton, who had a couple of wins and a third place. Chelmsford's Joe Salmons was third in both the first and second races, but a win in race three saw him finish second overall ahead of veteran Steve Atkins.
Group B supports saw Diss club rider, Jack Whitlam winning overall with a win and two second places, and consistent riding saw Chris Elvin claiming second from Surrey visitor, Roger Frean, who had won the first two moto's but a lowly 14th place spoilt his overall chances.
Luke Clifton narrowly beat Charlie Dormer in group C for the overall, with Lee Scott taking third place. Sam Cushion had earlier won the first two races, but problems in race three saw him finishing in fourth on the day.
Round three of this highly popular championship takes place at Blaxhall on July 28th.
Full results on Speedhive
Report by Charlie Ralph
Photos by Sophie Brinkley