On a very unseasonably cool and overcast Sunday, the Bewdley MCC held their Summer Spectacular event in memory of John Bennett, John Pearson and Lucy Tibbets. Whilst the weather certainly did not match its title expectations at Alveley, keeping the spectators warm was some great action out on track featuring Youth, Adults, Sidecars and Quad classes. In total, the Bewdley club efficiently got through a mammoth 70 race programme, so it’s a massive well done to them.
Throughout the meeting, there were to be several very close finishes, with arguably some of the best racing coming in a highly competitive 250cc solo class. The fun began right in the first heat when the spectacular Hayden Watts generated lots of speed to literally come from nowhere and pass Aiden Arthur right on the line! Watts was then also involved in a super three-way battle during his second ride, beating Graham Thomas and Ricky Scarboro. Both Thomas and Scarboro also picked up wins during the meeting along with Shane Knight to thus set up an eagerly awaited final. In that decider, Thomas led the way with Scarboro and Watts chasing hard and continually hunting the fast outside route to try and reel in Thomas and get within striking distance. Just when their determined efforts appeared in vain, Scarboro then cleverly switched to the inside making a textbook cut-back to surprise Thomas and also hit the front. On the final corner, Watts then attempted an identical move but narrowly failed, being forced to settle for a gallant 3rd as Scarboro took a great win with Thomas the runner-up.
In the 350cc solos, Jack Roberts won all three qualifying heats and looked a firm favourite to top the podium. In the final, though, Barry Powell got off to a flyer and led the way with Roberts in hot pursuit. On lap two and with Roberts right on Powell’s back wheel came the decisive moment! With Powell slightly lifting, Roberts was forced to shut off the throttle and momentarily lose his momentum. From here onwards, Roberts chased in vain, but it was to be a victory to Powell. In a super scrap for 3rd, Steve Garside just got the better of Jamie Fenn-Smith. Special mention in this class must go to John Cox, who, after suffering mechanical issues with his own bike, then borrowed a mount from Youth Intermediate rider Thomas Vining. Despite that reduction in horsepower, John still qualified for the 350cc final, eventually taking 5th spot.
Continuing his remarkable comeback journey, Martin Williams was to bag another super overall victory in the 500cc solo’s. Williams, though, did not have it totally all his own way, with the fast-starting Luke Harris and Jack Roberts making him work hard. Indeed, in the second heat, Harris led all the way and looked set for victory, only for the classy Williams to round him on the final turn and then win the sprint race to the flag, taking the verdict by the very narrowest of margins.
After coasting to victory in his opening two GT140 heats, it then went wrong for current British Champion Ian Clark, suffering machine failure in heat three when leading. With Wayne Broadhurst (2), Paul Smith and Luke Wicks also taking heat wins, Clark, following his earlier DNF, just about amassed enough points for final qualification. In the final, Smith led into turn one, but Broadhurst rode around the whole pack to spectacularly swoop into pole position. With Clark hugging the shorter inside line, he smartly got himself up to 2nd but was unable to close down eventual winner Broadhurst. In this one, Mark Chessell took 3rd ahead of Max Broadhurst and Smith.
Showing just why he is the boss of the Uprights; Tony Atkin won all four of the Bewdley heats. In the third clash, though, Darren Phillips led for a couple of laps and did go on to earn 2nd overall, with Shaun Bickley 3rd.
Over in the Pre-75 class, John Shipley, on his big RMS BSA machine, made the very long trip from County Durham to compete. And his mammoth journey was certainly worthwhile, taking the overall win just one point ahead of Ricky Scarboro. The decisive clash came in the opening heat when Shipley was first past the chequered flag, whilst Scarboro had to settle for 3rd behind John Priest.
And what about those Youth aces? Well, it started with the tiny E-Bike class where Lilly Bence absolutely destroyed her rivals, storming to four massive wins chased home by Kobi Gutteridge and Arthur Winterburn. Over in the combined Autos/Cadets class, the day certainly didn’t go quite to plan for Alfie Shipp! Not starting heat one after suffering bike issues at the tapes, he then also stalled in the final race. In between, though, he did score a brace of wins, but it was Albie South bagging the overall win with Levi Collins in 2nd. The Cadets winner in this one was Charlie Dowd.
Youth Juniors belonged to the very impressive Finley Theobald as he scorched to four impressive heat wins, with Ryan Curl chasing him home on each occasion and Brayden Blyth taking 3rd.
The final class was for Intermediates which quickly turned into a tasty head-to-head battle at the front between Thomas Vining and Ollie Binns. Vining won the opener, and despite consistently gating in front, he was then to be overhauled by the very stylish Binns. Taking the final three wins, Binns topped the podium ahead of Vining and Dylan Amies, who finished a strong 3rd in all four heats.
With Louis Skelding suffering an injury in the 500cc Sidecar class, this one went down to a two-crew race. Phil Rowlands/Scott Gutteridge took all four heat wins, but Simon Field, with 250cc solo pilot Karl Bedingfield in the chair, certainly made them work hard for glory.
In the 1,000cc Right-hand Sidecars, it was Mark Cossar/Carl Blyth all the way. After winning all three of their qualifying heats, the dynamic duo then led the final from gate to flag ahead of Michael Austin/Wayne Rickards and Billy Winterburn/Thomas Newton. Austin and Winterburn were the only other crews to score heat victories in this class.
The busy Bewdley programme was completed by a Quads class which saw them also competing for the ACU Gold Cup. Fittingly, the eventual winner was to be the Bewdley MCC Chairman Lee Hazelwood, although the event did not get off to a good start for him! With a heat one DNF, Lee had to work hard and amass enough points for final qualification. Scoring a brace of wins, he just about made the final cut. Throughout the heats, the super Colin Strudwick had remained unbeaten, with the entertaining Dean Morford, Lewis Strudwick and David Nixon also scoring race wins. In the final, though, it was Hazelwood all the way, with Colin Strudwick, Andrew Watson and Morford next up.
Report and Images by Mike Wood
Results
Youth E-Bikes 1 Lilly Bence 48 points 2 Kobi Gutteridge 44 3 Arthur Winterburn 40.
Youth Autos 1 Albie South 44 points 2 Levi Collins 42 3 Alfie Shipp 35.
Youth Cadets 1 Charlie Dowd 48 points.
Youth Juniors 1 Finley Theobald 48 points 2 Ryan Curl 44 3 Brayden Blyth 40 4 Chloe Davis 36 5 Joshua Lister 30 6 AJ Bence 15 7 Jess Cox 7.
Youth Intermediates 1 Ollie Binns 47 points 2 Thomas Vining 45 3 Dylan Amies 40 4 Liam Cox 36 5 Logan Ketteringham 32.
GT140 Solos Final 1 Wayne Broadhurst 2 Ian Clark 3 Mark Chessell 4 Max Broadhurst 5 Paul Smith 6 Luke Wicks 7 Lee Harding 8 Ron Steward 9 Kevin Bundock 10 Lester Denham.
250cc Solos Final 1 Ricky Scarboro 2 Graham Thomas 3 Hayden Watts 4 Karl Bedingfield 5 Aidan Arthur 6 Shane Knight 7 Max Derrick 8 Adam Hawker 9 Austin Riches 10 Andrew Rowson.
350cc Solos Final 1 Barry Powell 2 Jack Roberts 3 Steve Garside 4 Jamie Fenn-Smith 5 John Cox 6 Karl Miles 7 George Pardoe 8 Will Thurlby 9 Simon Bence 10 Alan Brook.
500cc Solos 1 Martin Williams 48 points 2 Jack Roberts 42 3 Luke Harris 42 4 Ryan Ashcroft 34 5 Phil Ashcroft 33 6 Jason Garrad 28 7 Will Thurlby 21 8 Harrison Rodgers 17 9 Steve Brook 15 10 Paul Clifton 10.
Pre 75 Solos 1 John Shipley 46 points 2 Ricky Scarboro 45 3 Martin Adams 37 4 Stephen Dowling 34 5 John Priest 30 6 Russell Hall 7.
Uprights 1 Tony Atkin 48 points 2 Darren Phillips 44 3 Shaun Bickley 39 4 David Hollingsbee 32 5 Max Dent 31 6 Peter Dugdale 24 7 Mike Toplis 18 8 Eddie Rouse 16 9 Jason Prynne 9.
500cc Sidecars 1 Phil Rowlands/Scott Gutteridge 28 points 2 Simon Field/Karl Bedingfield 20 3 Mike Skelding/Louis Skelding 8.
1000cc RH Sidecars Final 1 Mark Cossar/Carl Blyth 2 Michael Austin/Wayne Rickards 3 Billy Winterburn/Thomas Newton 4 Steve Adams/Johnny Childs 5 Russell Hall/Sam Hall 6 Clint Blondel/Connor Measor.
Quads ACU Gold Cup Final 1 Lee Hazelwood 2 Colin Strudwick 3 Andrew Watson 4 Dean Morford 5 Lewis Strudwick 6 David Nixon.