Josh Gilbert finally got the job done and will now have his name etched on the famous Patchquick Trophy after a solid performance at Little Silver last night.
A healthy crowd of spectators turned out to see Gilbert take two race wins and a second, ahead of Harri Kullas who took the final moto win. Conrad Mewse, rounded off the podium trying to hang on to them on his 250.
A bumper crowd attended Little Silver Moto Parc, Exeter as returning since 2019 was the famous Patchquick Trophy motocross event which had kindly been sponsored by Monsters of Dirt and was hosted by (SWOR) South West Off Road in conjunction with the West of England Motor Club. This year’s entries had flooded in and there were a full 120 riders in attendance which including many top names in the sport and even included Estonian Harri Kullas and many past winners of the Trophy including the likes of Jeff Perrett who won it back in 1999. The track had been watered the previous day and during the day and evening to try and keep the dust down the best they could, but with the sun out all day and a little breeze things soon dried, but never the less there was still some good racing to be seen.
To get the event underway every rider had to practice and put in a qualifying time to determine who would go in to group A the Patchquick Trophy class, Group B and Group C.
In the opening Patchquick Trophy race it was the last winner of the Trophy back in 2019 Jake Shipton on his 450 Fus Marsh Geartec Husqvarna with the best start from Kullas on the Cab Screens Yamaha followed by Cornishman Josh Gilbert on the S C Sporthomes Husqvarna but not the best of starts for one of the South West top riders Conrad Mewse who was up against it abit out of the gate against the big 450’s to his 250f. With the opening lap completed Kullas was now leading from Gilbert with Shipton back in third who was to lose ground on the leading two as they were gradually getting away at the front. Mewse was flying on his Stebbings Car Superstore KTM and with four laps gone he was up in to fourth and was all over Shipton and was to pass the latter a lap later and was now in third, but all eyes were on the leading two as Gilbert was pressing Kullas at the front and it seemed to rattle Kullas as he went into a sharpe righthander at the bottom of the hill and his front wheel washed out and through went Gilbert who was to go on to take the win from Kullas with Mewse a respectable third.
In the second moto this time it was Kullas at the front from Gilbert and Shipton with several riders going down just after the first corner which held up a few riders with Mewse being one of them, so he had a lot to do as by the end of the opening lap he was still back in sixteenth. Kullas and Gilbert just as they did in the opening race were to pull away, but Kullas was unable to shake off Gilbert who was to stay within striking distance all through the race until two laps from the end when Gilbert started to close right up on Kullas and literally shot around the outside to a big cheer from the spectators and took the lead and again was to go on to take the win from Kullas, Shipton third with Tom Grimshaw on the Chambers Gas Gas just holding off Mewse who came home in fifth.
The last race saw Kullas again head the pack with Gilbert in tow from Dan Thornhill fellow Cab Screens Yamaha rider with Shipton in fourth who was soon all over Thornhill who he passed on the second lap and moved up in to third with Mewse also passing Thornhill on the same lap who was soon to be pressing Shipton and really piled the pressure on which saw Shipton go down hard and unfortunately Shipton was forced to retire from the race with a twisted bike. Kullas was well gone at the front in this one with Gilbert knowing all he had to do was bring it home in second to win the Trophy and that was exactly what happened Kullas took the win with Gilbert who had loads of support being clapped home in second with Mewse taking third which was to give him third spot on the podium and leading MX2 rider.
In group B there was some really close racing with Brandon Baker leading the opening race to begin with before being pursued by Bradley Taylor who manged to get pass Baker on the second lap and Baker was soon under pressure from James Kensington who was all over him with Kensington finding away pass mid race, but he had no answer to Taylor who took the win. In the second encounter it was Baker again with the best start from Jordan Gosling and Taylor. Baker was to pull away a bit at the front, but moving up through the field after not the best of starts was Kensington who by the end of the opening lap was in second and was closing in all the time on Baker who he was to catch and pass on the third lap and from there Kensington held off Baker to take the win and with it the overall.
In group C it was a start to finish win in the opening race for Troy Gillet with Kieran McClelland after a long hard battle with Jamie Knight taking second where as in the second race it was Knight who led early doors before being passed by McClelland and Ben Harding with McClelland going on to take the win to add to his second place in the opening race to give him the overall.
Photos & Report by Dave Rich.