Carson Tops the Weekend’s Points Tally at Darley Moor

Monday August 19, 2024 at 11:49am

The third of six race meetings for the Darley Moor Motor Cycle Road Race Club was held at the Darley Moor Sports Centre, near Ashbourne DE6 2ET (or What3Words:bounty.behalf.charm) on Sunday, 11^th August 2024 and a hot affair it was for competitors, Marshals and spectators alike

A big thank you from the Club to all the Marshals who were ‘stuck’ out on track for the day, playing their part in the smooth running of the day, despite the heat, which caused a ‘problem’ for the Centre’s purveyor of fine gelato, requiring extra supplies of ice cream to be urgently brought in during the afternoon.

Topping the points tally once more was David Carson (Northwich) who secured five wins from six starts, including the opening race of the day, the combined Wilson Trophy and Darley Cup race. Nick Clare (Winsford) was quickest off the line with a returning Jim Hodson (Wigan) in his wake, for the opening lap until Carson found his way pass on Lap2 and after setting the Fastest Lap of the race hit the front on Lap4, eventually stretching out a lead of over 6sec at the flag, with Hodson finishing 3^rd, less than 2sec behind Clare, in 2^nd spot, all on Darley Cup machines. First of the Wilson Trophy machines was Championship leader Peter Fell (Burton on Trent) who circulated in Overall 4^th throughout the race. The afternoon’s race would see Jim Hodson at the front, with Carson 2^nd, with Clare and Fell in a battle on the opening lap. Again, Carson hit the front on Lap4, extending his lead to over 12sec at the flag with Clare and Hodson battling it out throughout the race, with Clare passing Hodson on the final lap. Fell once again taking the honours in the Wilson Trophy class, from Matt Zschiesche (Stoke on Trent), with 4^th and 5^th places overall, respectively.

Carson was back out for the Open 600 Championship in which he finished the opening lap 5^th and although a mid-pack battle dropped him to 6^th, a fight back allowed him to reclaim 5^th again and hold it to the flag. At the head of the field Adam Mather (Nottingham) was quickest off the line, but Joe Holdsworth (Huddersfield) passed him on Lap2 at opened up a 4.5sec advantage by the end of the 8Lap race. Mark Goodings (Doncaster) ensured the large crowd were entertained, finishing Lap1 in 6^th place and taking a position each lap until he was up into 3^rd on Lap4, just 1sec behind Mather. Despite recording his quickest lap on the final circulation, he could only reduce the gap to 2^nd place down to 0.4sec, with Jack Worth (Barnsley) taking 4^th place, 0.4sec adrift of Goodings, but 1sec ahead of Carson. The afternoon’s race would play out a little different although again Mather was quickest off the line, this time with Carson in his wake and hitting the front on Lap5, of 10. Worth was in 5^th place after Lap1, but Goodings, again keeping the spectators happy, was down in 9^th. Lap3 saw Worth into 3^rd, with Goodings into 6^th. By Lap6 Goodings was in 4^th, almost 2sec back on Mather, the next two laps would see the gap halved each time, then on the penultimate lap, with the help of a backmarker, the gap to 2^nd place was reduced significantly, Mather, Worth and Goodings separated by less than 1sec, setting-up a dramatic final lap, which saw Mather drop to 4^th, Worth and Goodings overcoming him to claim 2^nd and 3^rd respectively. The trio separated by 0.28sec at the chequered flag, 5sec back on Carson. Another double victory for Carson came in the combined 650cc and 700cc Twins races although in the first race it was Jim Hodson who was quickest off the line, on his smaller machine, with Carson taking the lead on Lap4, but Hodson holding 2^nd Overall and the pair claiming their respective class victories, a popular victory for the Hodson name at Darley Moor, the first for some time. With Hodson among several riders not to make the grid for the afternoon’s race Carson was able to claim his 5^th victory of the day.

Adam Sheriff (Barnsley) recorded four wins from four starts, firstly with a start – finish victory in the opening Forgotten Era & Classics race on his Up To 1300cc machine, with Steve Price (Stockport) taking the Up To 500cc honours with a 2^nd place Overall, over 20sec behind. Although the positions were the same for the second race it was a completely different race with the pair battling throughout and finishing just 1.3sec apart, at the end of 10laps. Sheriff and Nick Clare ensured the spectators were entertained again in the opening Pre-Electronic 600 race, Clare quickest off the line with Sheriff tailing him, never separated by anymore than 0.5sec throughout the 8laps, until the Final Lap when Sheriff crossed the line 0.6sec ahead of if him. The second encounter saw a similar result, but again a different race; Clare again quickest off the line, but Sheriff took the lead on Lap2 and stretched out a 10sec advantage over him by the end of the 10laps.

Another multiple winner, Matthew Bell (Sheffield) whose day got better as it went on, especially after the second race of the day, the combined Open/Pre-Injection Open in which Mark Goodings took a start- finish victory over Bell, who despite, recording the Fastest Lap of the race, followed him home in 2^nd place, 1.6sec adrift on Open class machines. Daniel Stubbs (Derby) finished 5^th Overall, the first of the Pre-Injection machines home. The second encounter saw Bell record the start – finish victory leaving Goodings to overcome a quicker starting Adam Walters (Derby) on Lap2 and set about chasing down Bell, bit despite recording the Fastest Lap of the race finished 2^nd, 3.6sec behind Bell. Once again Stubbs finished 5^th Overall and the first of the Pre-Injection machines. Bell, Goodings and Walters kept the spectators on their feet in the opening Ben Godfrey Trophy race, the trio separated by 1.2sec after the opening lap; Walters, leading from Goodings, with Bell,3^rd. Same positions after Lap2, but a little closer, 0.6sec separating them. Bell then passed Goodings on Lap3 and hit the front on Lap4, with Goodings following him pass Walters on Lap5 and closing to within 0.2sec over Lap6 and 7, but disaster struck on the final lap when he failed to finish, leaving Bell clear for victory and Walters, 2^nd. The afternoon’s race was to see the closest finish of the day, but with Bell crossing the start line first each time. Again, despite the Fastest Lap being recorded by somebody other than the winner, Goodings again, on the final lap, but still finishing just 0.35sec behind in 2^nd place, with Walters dropping back, 14sec behind the leaders at the finish.

The combined Lightweight/Honda CB500 races saw Peter Fell claim two straightforward overall victories on his Lightweight machine, but behind him there were two battles between Matt Zschiesche and Jordan Poole (Stoke on Trent) for Honda CB500 honours. In the opening race the pair were circulating throughout the 8lap race in 2^nd and 3^rd respectively, only being split, on the Lap Chart, by back markers on the final lap. However, the second race was to be a little different with Poole taking the battle to Zschiesche, the pair only split by more than 0.2sec on Lap2 and when backmarkers helped Zschiesche’ cause on the penultimate lap, when they were 1.2sec apart, but by the chequered flag Poole had closed the gap to 0.6sec, with the help of the fastest lap of the race.

Fans of three-wheeled motorsport witnessed a very dominant display by the new leader of the Open Sidecar Championship, Alan Molyneux/Rob Coppock (Ormskirk) who led all bar the first lap of the afternoon’s race when the joint leaders of the Formula 600 Sidecars, Howard Baker/Mike Killingsworth (Sutton Coldfield/ Lincoln) coming into the meeting, had their only spot of ‘glory’ in leading that opening lap until the machine failed to finish Lap2. This after the machine failed to finish the opening lap of the first race. Benefitting from Baker/Killingsworth’s misfortune Alun Thomas/Andrew Miller (Bridgend/Leamington Spa) and Dan Knight /Ash Gibson (Congleton/Denton). Whilst the Knight/Gibson pairing came out on top of their battle with Thomas/Miller, in the opening race, after taking the lead on Lap8 of 10, finally finishing over 4sec ahead of the challengers, the second race was to see more disaster for a team. After finishing Lap2, 2^nd Overall, they slipped down to 4^th on Lap3, then 5^th on Lap6 before failing to finish Lap7, leaving Thomas/Miller to battle it out with Richard Butler/Kenny Cole (Leicester/Bath) for 600cc honours. Thomas/Miller taking the class victory by just 0.2sec from Butler/Cole.

A cracking days racing, a lovely day weather wise and whilst it was almost two months since the previous Club Championship meeting, the next one is only a month away, so now your appetite has been whetted you only have until 9^th September to wait for Rounds 7 and 8.

The kids may have returned to school, but it could be an opportunity to have another escape and with the Darley Moor Sports Centre being one of the few places running motorsport events AND allowing dogs on site, providing they are kept on a lead during race days, this could be another opportunity for a cheap weekend away with the family. Camp over from Friday night through to Monday morning, for just £7 per night, or £6 if booked in advance. Raceday action on track will begin at 10am, with the first race scheduled for 11.30am. Advance tickets are available now, just visit www.darleymoorstore.com: Sunday Adults £13, Seniors £10 (Sunday On The Day prices of £16 and £12, respectively). Plus, the recently upgraded Chequered Flag Café opening from Saturday 9am – 8pm, Sunday 8am – 6pm) to keep you fed and watered with their fast-growing reputation for quality food.

Championship Standings (after Round 6)

Forgotten Era & Classic up to 500cc

1st Steve Price, 90pts; 2nd Iain Davis, 66pts; 3rd Mike Lees, 38pts

Forgotten Era & Classic up to 1300cc

1st Adam Sheriff, 90pts; 2nd Martin Davis, 48pts; 3rd Martyn Cooper, 20pts

Wilson Trophy

1st Peter Fell, 75pts; 2nd Matt Zschiesche, 61pts, 3rd Jordan Poole, 54pts

Darley Cup

1st David Carson, 82pts; 2nd Nick Clare,70pts; 3rd Mark Pattinson, 30pts

Ben Godfrey Trophy

1st Matthew Bell, 77pts; 2nd Mark Goodings, 69pts; 3rd Adam Walters, 66pts

Open 600cc 2024