Thirty-five races in two days completed the East Midland Racing association championships at Mallory Park, with all the titles being decided over these last two days.
The Buildbase Mallory Trophy, always the club’s most prestigious trophy, went to Louis Dawson, as did the Tamworth Yamaha Allcomers series. The first Buildbase race was a race-long battle between Dawson and former champion Lee Wilsonwhich went to Dawson by inches as the two became embroiled with three back markers as all five machines crossed the line as one at the flag. The first Allcomers race was won by Zac Corderoy, making a racing comeback by one second from Dawson, whose victory lifted him above Ryan Oliver and into top spot in the championship. Sunday’s damp races saw Steve Brittain come through to take the win from Luke Burnett and Jed Bird while Dawson slipped back to fourth place, but that place was enough to clinch the championship. Burnett won the second Buildbase race from Corderoy, who took the final Allcomers race from Ashley King and Mikey Leeson.
Luke Burnett was another double champion, winning the Open 600 title from Jed Bird after finishing in that order in all three races over the weekend. Luke also won the Powerslide Motorcycles / Properly Protected Rookies championship taking his tenth, eleventh and twelfth race wins in the series (out of thirteen – he was second in that one). He also took the Craig Rudge Trophy for winning the final Rookie race from Phil Kemp and Aiden Wells who overhauled Andrew Lloyd in the closing laps
The Bridgestone/Fast Bikes 500 championship has seen brilliant desperately competitive racing all season, so it was a bit of a surprise when Darren Faulkner opened up a gap early in the first 500 race on Saturday while Paul Sawyer eventually extricated himself from a group which included Martin Radford, Shay Commins, John McLaren and Dan Brett, who finished third to sixth in that order with 0.6 seconds covering all four. Sunday’s first race saw Shay Commins holding a narrow lead over Paul Sawyer with Faulkner a close third ahead of Radford. The third race, on a damp track, was led for most of the distance by Sawyer, with Commins always close behind just ahead of Jamie Page, with Faulkner nine seconds off the leader in sixth place. The result brought Paul Sawyer the title ahead of Commins with Faulkner third. Darren Faulkner won all three of the 500 Twins events.
Up until Saturday night Steve Brittain had an unbeaten run in the Pre-injection races, taking all eleven races, but on Sunday the run came to an end. Aaron Staniforth was last on to the grid for the first race of the day (extra rasher of bacon at breakfast?), but came from the back of the grid to win by seven second from Nic Sweet with Brittain down in fourth place. The final even wetter race saw Nic Sweet leading for most of the race only for Staniforth to come past on the very last lap and take the victory.
Richard Saunders came to the final rounds of the Bitubo Hawk Racing Minitwins series in the lead of the championship and made sure of his title with three straight wins. In the Lightweight class Darren Corkett was challenged by Andrew Bailey, but two wins for Darren opened up the lead and although Bailey won the last trace, the title was Darren’s.
George Hopper won the first of the 125-450 races on his Ninja 300, beating Kim Rose on her 125 Honda with Emma Franklin taking third by inches from Giles Harwood. On a damp track on Sunday morning Kim Rose was the winner with Charlie Tranter putting up a brilliant performance to take second on his Aprilia 125, Hopper coming home third. The afternoon’s drying track saw Hopper win again with Charlie Tranter again taking second; Lucca Allen took third ahead of Kim Rose.
Wayne Lockey won the first W A S Automotive sidecar race after an early tussle with Andy King, Sean Hegarty coming home third ahead of Paul Kirby. Sunday’s first race saw George Holden take the win from Lockey with Roy Tansley in third place, Kirby taking fourth ahead of Andy King. The Phil Dongworth race on Sunday was won by Andy Founds, but the trophy is reserved for regular EMRA members, and it was Wayne Lockey who takes home the heaviest trophy in sidecar racing – not for the first time. The WAS Automotive championship has gone to Paul Kirby and Thomas Graves.