WITH five rounds completed and just three to go the ACU Events sponsored Trials Championship is on the homeward run.
The weekend of July 31st and August 1st sees the second visit of the season to Yorkshire with the Yeadon and Guiseley organised MacKenzie Trial to be held at Brimham Rocks, Pateley Bridge. The venue is off the A61 Ripon to Harrogate Road and the B6165 Pateley Bridge to Summerfield Road. For Sat Navers the info you need is HG3 4DW.
As with all of this year’s Championship rounds, practice sessions are on the Saturday between 3 - 5pm with the actual event starting at 10am on Sunday when the first of the Youth competitors are flagged away.
They will be followed approx 10 minutes later by the Experts B riders. This class has been dominated by Darren Brice who has so far won four of the five rounds although Josh Woods stopped his run last time out at The St David’s where Dan Farrer took a fine second place. John Crinson currently holds second in the class although he will want to bounce back from his last outing where his finished a surprising eighth. Look out also in this class for Guy Kendrew and Richard Timperley, both are very capable of podium finishes.
Experts A sees Scotsman Gary Macdonald continue his quest for the Class Championship. With Ian Austermuhle not contesting the last few rounds Gary has a comfortable lead over Jack Sheppard who has impressed everyone this season especially as he is 125cc mounted. Sheppard won The Mitchell in late May but The St Davids saw him uncharacteristically low in the order after superb rides from Andy Chilton and James Fry.
2010 will probably be too early in Sheppard’s career to take the overall class this year. Gary Mac should have the skill and experience to put many more points on the board this weekend to make all those long distance trips worthwhile. It will also be good to see Ben Hemmingway and Michael Phillipson both back out and riding at Brimham.
Talking of class domination James Dabill has been in total command in the Championship. Five rides and five wins means a perfect scorecard and he will remain Championship leader after the Mackenzie even if he posts a DNF. This does not mean the class has been boring, far from it as Michael Brown has been consistent throughout and Alexz Wiggs results have significantly improved since round two at Lochaber.
You cannot discount Shaun Morris either who has looked in fine form this season and was unlucky to have machine problems in the last round. One rider we have seen little of in 2010 has been Jack Challoner who has been away contesting the Italian Championship for his team. Jack’s results there and at World level have been superb so it should be an interesting little twist to see him back up against his British rivals.
So there you have it Round six should be fascinating and Brimham Rocks is a superb test of nerve and ability. For spectators it is well worth the visit as the sections are spectacular and also accessible, you can catch a number of them each lap and miss very little. Please note however that at the request of the Landowner there are no dogs allowed at the venue.