Stars’ Finale at Darley Moor

Tuesday October 8, 2019 at 10:24am

The Darley Moor Motorcycle Road Race Club will be opening the gates of the Darley Moor Motor Sport Centre near Ashbourne (DE6 2ET) this weekend, 12th – 13th October, to a host of British Championship regulars and Road Race competitors when they hold their end of season Stars at Darley Meeting. In addition to the two 10 lap Stars at Darley races there is also the matter of fourteen Club Champions to be decided plus a very special piece of silverware to be presented to the overall winner of the combined Pre-electronic 600 & 750 Twins race, The Jake Hingley Trophy, in memory of a racer who began his career at Darley Moor in 2012, in the Steel Framed class; unfortunately his career was cut short at Cadwell Park in 2014.

The entry list for the Stars at Darley include regular visitors to the event four time winner and current Star of Darley, Richard Cooper (Hucknall) with the Buildbase Suzuki, TT Legend John McGuinness (Morecambe) entered on Suzuki, G&S Kawasaki riders Milo Ward (Wellingborough)and Tom Fisher (Nottingham), Powerslide Motorcycles’ Brad Clarke (Swadlincote) then previous Darley Moor regulars Brad Vicars (Tadcaster) plus Forest Dunn (Northern Ireland) and Dan Sayle (Isle of Man) pitting his 250GP machine against the larger road based machines. Obviously, there will also be the contingent of regular Darley Moor competitors hoping circuit knowledge will give them the advantage over the guests: Andy Taylor (Chesterfield), Ben Scranage (Bolton), Jim Hodson (Wigan), Carl Morris (Etwall), Richard Eglin (Derby), Ash Stone (Matlock) and Josh Daley (Wigan) will be ready to battle it out with the national championship runners.

The Club Championship races take on a different format at this final Round, instead of the usual 6 and 8 lap races there is just the one 15 lap race, but with double the usual points tally, 36points available for a race win. Darley Moor’s history books are all ready to be rewritten this weekend when the, new for 2019, Junior

Championship takes to the circuit. The top three of this Championship are all young ladies, Katie Hand (Cabourne) looks favourite to be the Club’s first female Champion, with a 22point lead over Scarlett Robinson (New Mills) and Jamie Hanks-Elliott (Birmingham) a further 6points back. Only Jack Worth (Barnsley) has a mathematical chance of lifting the title, 36points behind the leader, but disaster would have to strike all the ladies. David Glossop (Wilmslow) and Freddie Simcox (Newark) will be looking to set their own piece of Club history alongside the Junior Class when they fight it out in the same race to determine who will become the first Senior Champion. Glossop currently enjoys a 16point advantage over Simcox.

Apart from the two champions already decided at Round 6 only four other class leaders enjoy a similar or greater advantage at the head of table to Katie Hand’s. In the Classic and Forgotten Era classes Graham Oakley (Chesterfield) enjoys a 32point advantage in the ‘up to 250cc’ class and David Bradley (Matlock) a 27point lead in the ‘501c – 1300cc’ class. Whilst Tony Griffiths (Pontypridd) has just a 10point advantage over Mike Lees (Congleton) in the ‘251cc – 500cc’ class. Griffiths is also in with a shout of the Lightweight Championship, currently 3rd, 26points adrift of Chris Moore (High Peak) who has just a single point advantage over fellow High Peak resident James Ford, at the head of the table. Liam Clements (Newcastle under Lyme) needs to overturn a 26point deficit to prevent Mark Brailsford (Chesterfield) becoming the 2019 Honda CB500 and Suzuki Bandit Champion.

Rich Baker (Crewe) is in with a chance of becoming a double champion, currently at the head of two championships. Enjoying a 33point lead over Zach Tansley (Derby) in the Sound of Thunder class, but in the Formula 600 class he only has slender 5point advantage over David Carson (Northwich) who has already become the 2019 Mini Sound of Thunder Champion.

There is another possibility of a double champion being crowned in the Peak Cup and Open Solo class with the same riders being in the top three of each class, albeit in different positions. Josh Daley (Wigan) enjoys a 9point advantage over Richard Eglin (Derby), in the Open Solo class with Ash Stone (Matlock) 16points adrift of the top spot. However, in the Peak Cup class Stone has a 12point lead over Daley, with Eglin a further 17points back in the Championship.

The final solo class left to be decided is the Pre-Injection Championship, currently headed by Adam Walters (Derby) with a 12point lead over Anthony Froggatt (Worksop).

Fans of three-wheeled motorsport will enjoy the battle for Sidecar honours, the Open Sidecar Championship to be decided between Roy Tansley/Jack Fox (Derby) and Anthony Eades/Nick Roberts (Hyde). The Tansley/Fox outfit go into this final round with just a 9point advantage of their rivals. The gap at the head of the Formula 600

Sidecar class is just a little bigger with Roger Stockton/Bradley Stockton (Winsford) having a 17point advantage over Brian Afflatt/Aaron Gorman (Goole), but George Holden/Oscar Lawrence (Stoke on Trent/Kingsclere) are just a further 6points behind the 2nd place team.

Saturday 12th October is set aside for a Practice Day, from 10am through to 5pm with a session for Stars at Darley competitors only, scheduled for 2.30pm – 3.30pm. Sunday 13th October will see Practice start at 10am, with Stars Qualifying scheduled for 11.15am and First race 12 Noon.

Saturday admission is £6 for Adults, £4 Seniors and Sunday £16 Adults, £10 Seniors, Children under 16 free on both days.

There is ample room for spectators to camp and caravan at Darley Moor over the race weekends. The cost is £6.00 per unit per night. Camping will normally be available from 2.00 pm on the Friday evening until 12.00 noon 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 always kept on a lead during race day and the owners act in a responsible manner.

2019 Championships (After Round 6)

Junior Championship

1st Katie Hand, 70pts; 2nd Scarlett Robinson, 48pts; 3rd Jamie Hanks-Elliott, 42pts

Senior Championship

1st David Glossop, 64pts; 2nd Freddie Simcox, 48pts, 3rd Simon Hart, 16pts

Classic & Forgotten Era up to 250cc

1st Graham Oakley, 91pts; 2nd Glenn Atkinson, 59pts; 3rd Geoff Hadwin, 30pts

Classic & Forgotten Era 251cc to 500cc

1st Tony Griffiths, 64pts; 2nd Mike Lees, 54pts; 3rd George Pidcock, 37pts;

Classic & Forgotten Era 501cc – 1300cc

1st David Bradley, 58pts; 2nd Geoff Martin, 31pts; 3rd Jamie O’Brien, 26pts

Lightweight Championship