Scranage Is Top Scorer at Darley Moor

Tuesday June 19, 2018 at 11:20am

Round 3 of the Darley Moor Motor Cycle Club Championship took place last Sunday, 17th June and provided, once again, some excellent races for the spectators.

Ben Scranage (Bolton) took home his fair share of the silverware after taking four victories, winning both Peak Cup and Open Solo races, recording the fastest lap in each and leading across the line on every lap except one when Carl Morris (Etwall) got the better start in the second Open Solo race. The first Peak Cup race saw Stephen Parsons (Cumbria) take the Runner-Up spot on his 600cc machine with Harry Jackson (Mansfield) in 3rd. In their second encounter Jackson chased Parsons throughout the 10 laps race and managed to find a way past on the penultimate lap and hold on until the flag. The Open Solo races saw Jackson follow Scranage home on both oc-casions. Parsons recorded two victories in the Formula 600 races, the first by 5.4sec over Jamie Pearson (Derby) who had enjoyed a race long battle with Matt Zschiesche (Biddulph) and just pipped him to the line by 0.3sec. With Pearson not making the grid in the second race Zschiesche took the Runner-up spot from Rich Baker (Crewe) a further 3seconds back.

In the opening Championship race of the day Chris Moore (High Peak) took a start-to-finish victory in the combined Classics/Formula 125 race on his Classic 350 machine. Richard Molnar (Preston) was just over 1sec behind in 2nd place, on his Classic 500 machine, with Mark Cronshaw (Rossendale) a similar distance behind in 3rd place on another Classic 500 machine, the first Classic 1000 machine home was David Bradley (Matlock) in 4th, whilst Geoff Hadwin (Cumbria) was the first Classic 250 home in 11th place. Samuel Laidlaw (Appleby) was able to hold onto the Formula125 top spot, despite a challenge from Callum Beach (Conway) in the closing stages, the pair finishing 13th and 14th respectively. Moore and Molnar repeated their positions in the second encounter, but Craig Milner (Alfreton) took the Classic 1000 class victory, finishing 3rd Overall, ahead of Bradley. Hadwin took the honours again for the Classic 250 machines, whilst McAuley Longmore (Willenhall) chased Callum Beach down for the Formula 125 victory, passing him on the penultimate lap and finishing 12th overall.

Moore and Molnar were also out in the combined CB500/Formula Darley/Lightweight races, although Moore had a totally different result after failing to finish both races. In the second race, after fighting his way to the front on Lap5 and leading for a further lap he failed to finish Lap7. Molnar on the other hand recorded a 4th and 2nd place overall; a Formula Darley class 3rd place and victory in the second race. Martin Robbins (Worcester) took the Formula Darley class victory in the first race after recording 2nd overall. Gillian McGaw (Kilmarnock) took the Runner-Up spot for the Formula Darley class, on both occasions. James Ford (High Peak) took a start-to-finish victory in the first race, followed up by a hard-fought victory in the second race on his Lightweight machine, whilst Andy Whale (Birmingham) was the first CB500 machine across the line on both occasions, recording 6th Overall each time.

The spectators were entertained with the combined Steel Frame 600/Pre-Injection 600 race providing the closest finish of the day. Ant Porter (Chesterfield) recorded a start-to-finish victory, on his Steel Framed machine in the opening race, with Dave Marsden (Birkenhead) just 1.2sec behind on a similar machine with Andrew Scanlon (Thatcham) finishing just a further 0.5sec behind in 3rd, the first Pre-Injection machine home. However, the second race saw a race long battle between Porter and Marsden, the pair exchanging the lead throughout the race with Marsden taking the victory by just 0.1sec with Scanlon finishing 3rd again, less than 1sec behind.

Jamie Pearson and Dave Marsden were also out in the combined Pre-Injection and Mini Sound of Thunder races, with Pearson taking the victory in both races. The first race saw Pearson take the lead on Lap3 and stretch out a 4sec advantage over Adam Walters (Derby), with Marsden a further 10sec back in 3rd place, benefitting from Anthony Froggatt (Worksop) failing to finish the final lap. Ross Richards (Chesterfield) was the first Mini Sound of Thunder machine home in 6th place overall. The second race saw Pearson lead throughout, Walters repeat his 2nd place, whilst Froggatt secured the 3rd spot ahead of Marsden in 4th. On this occasion it was David Carson (Northwich) finishing top Mini Sound of Thunder machine home, again in 6th place.

Tony Baker/Mike Killingsworth (Sutton Coldfield/Lincs) were comfortably leading the first sidecar race when they failed to finish the penultimate Lap, handing the victory to Anthony Eades/Keith Box (Hyde/ Wolverhampton). In the second race the Eades/Box pairing suffered their own problems, failing to finish Lap6 whilst lying in 3rd place. Gary Wilson/Mark Griffiths (Blackpool) had led from the opening lap until the chasing pair of Steve Thomas/Allan Schofield (Wirral) passed them on Lap9 of 10.

The next action at the Darley Moor Motor Sports Centre will be a double header in August when Rounds 4 and 5 take place on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th August 2018.

Practice should start at 10am, with the first race scheduled to start at 11.30am; the cost of adult admission to Darley Moor for all meetings, except the end of season Stars at Darley meeting, is £12.00 per day, children under 16 are free, and Senior Citizens are £8.00. Parking and Paddock Transfer is free and a programme costs just £3.00. Adult admission to the Test Days is £6.00, Senior Citizens 65 and over £4.00.

For the Stars at Darley event on 9th October the adult admission price is £16.00 and Senior Citizens £10.00.

Advance Tickets at discount prices are also available on-line just visit the Darley Race Shop for full details - http://www.darleymoorstore.co.uk/.

There is ample room for spectators to camp and caravan at Darley Moor over the race weekends. The cost is £5.00 per unit per night. Camping will normally be available from 4.00 pm on the Friday evening until 10.00 am on the day after the meeting or by special arrangement with the circuit management – Call 01335 343833.

Darley Moor is one of the few circuits in which dogs are welcome, provided they are kept on a lead at all times during race day and the owners act in a responsible manner.

2018 Championship standings

Peak Cup

1st Harry Jackson, 31pts; 2nd Ben Scranage, 22pts; 3rd Lloyd Shelley, 16pts;

Open Solo

1st Ben Scranage, 36pts; 2nd Harry Jackson, 30pts; 3rd Richard Eglin, 16pts;

Open Sidecars

1st Steve Thomas/Neil Aslaksen, 26pts; 2nd Anthony Eades/Keith Box, 25pts; 3rd Gary Knight/Dan Ev-anson, 18pts;

Formula 600

1st Lloyd Shelley, 27pts; 2nd Matt Zschiesche, 22pts; 3rd Jamie Pearson, 21pts

Formula Darley

1st Martin Robbins, 31pts; 2nd Tony Griffiths, 24pts; 3rd Richard Molnar, 13pts;

Formula 125