Back on Wednesday evening June 21st many spectators were out in numbers including former British Superbike Champion and World Superbike rider Scott Redding to witness the 75th running of the famous Patchquick Trophy event at Little Silver Moto Parc Exeter which again 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.
Rain had fallen prior to the day of the meeting and water was put down before the racing commenced which was to keep the dust down and was to produce many deep ruts in places which made things a bit tricky in some areas of the track.
Many of the countries top riders were in attendance along with a couple of foreign riders who ride in this country who were joined by some 80 plus Junior riders. Practice and qualifying got underway at 4pm to determine who would go into the A Group to contest for the Patchquick Trophy and who would go in to the B & C groups.
Last Years winner of the Trophy Josh Gilbert had set the fastest time in qualifying so he had first pick at the gate in the opening race of the three Patchquick races, but as they hit the first corner it was the Estonian Harri Kullas who was only making his second appearance at this event on the Cabs Screens Crescent Yamaha who had the inside line from the Gabriel SS24 Ktm of Taylor Hammal with the Crendon Fastrack Honda of Gilbert there in the mix, but there was a few fallers prior to the first corner including former World Enduro Champion Steve Holcombe on his Factory Beta making his first appearance at this event and last year’s British Enduro Champion Alex Snow on his ASR Gas Gas. Gilbert was in a real hurry on the opening lap and passed both Hammal and Kullas to take the lead with John Adamson on the ASA United Gas Gas soon up in to fourth and was all over Hammal which was thrilling the crowd for several laps before Adamson forced his way pass Hammal on lap 4 when he got the better traction going up one of the hills. Gilbert was still leading with Kullas still not far behind who was now gradually closing in on Gilbert who seemed a bit out of shape and on the next lap was right with him as they came behind backmarkers and Kullas went through and there was no response from Gilbert which let Kullas go on to take the win with Gilbert who told me after the race he was suffering with arm pump taking second ahead of a distant Adamson who came home in third.
In the second Patchquick Trophy race it was nigh on a carbon copy of the first race with Kullas again with the inside line ahead of Hammal with Dan Thornhill this time tucked in third on the Chambers Racing Husqvarna ahead of Gilbert. Kullas was to ease away on the opening lap and up into second was soon to be Gilbert after passing both Thornhill and Hammal and was soon to be breathing all over Kullas on the third lap challenging for the lead on several occasions until on lap five when a backmarker came into play and forced Gilbert to take a different line and he got cross rutted and went down and he was to rejoin back in fourth behind Hammal and Adamson. Kullas from that point went on to take his second race win of the night with Hammal taking second a head of Gilbert who got the better of Adamson taking third.
In the last Patchquick Trophy race Gilbert was a nonstarter after burning his arm in the second moto and decided to sit it out. Kullas again had the starts off to a tea with that inside line this time piping one of his teammates Sam Nunn on his Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha with Adamson this time there in third. Kullas had a clear track in front of him and used it to great advantage and pulled away to great effect with Nunn still there in second after three laps but clawing their way up through the field was both Hammal and Holcombe with Hammal eventually passing Nunn and in to second with Holcombe also passing Nunn and in to third. These two had a real tussle for a couple of laps with Holcombe determined to get pass which he did on lap seven, but he had no answer to Kullas who went on and took a hattrick of wins on the night, Holcombe finished an excellent second with Hammal third. Kullas was obviously a clear overall winner and will get his name added to winning that famous Trophy, Hammal was to take second overall with a 4,2,3 scorecard with Adamson third overall with a 3,4,4 scorecard.
In the B class it was Billy Saunders who was to dominate the opening race and led from the start to finish ahead of Andy Bushin and Jordan Gosling who took third, whereas in the second and last moto for the B class it was Gosling who led early doors from Saunders with Bushin there in third but midway through the race Saunders got the better of Gosling and took the lead then with just two laps remaining Bushin got pass Gosling and was up into second and was soon to catch Saunders and on the last lap was all over Saunders and he managed to get pass Saunders to take the win with Saunders a close second and Gosling third which left both Saunders and Bushin on the same points, but with Bushin beating Saunders in the last race he was to take the overall with Gosling taking third overall.
In the C class it was Reegan West who was to take the overall with a win and a second with Jon Jones and Tom Sharpe both tied on points at the end of the two races, but it was Jones who was to take second overall with the better result in the last race.
For the Results >>CLICK HERE<<
Race Report and Images by Dave Rich