What a way to welcome the large crowd of race fans back through the gate for Round 4 of the Darley Moor Motorcycle Road Race Club Championship on Sunday 20th June 2021; extremely lucky with the weather, Marshalls thankful the extreme heat from three days previous had rescinded, the rain staying away giving perfect racing conditions and allowing several Race Records to be broken.
It was Nottingham’s Tom Fisher who topped the ‘achievements list’ on the day taking four victories and leading every lap except for the opening lap of the first Formula 600 race, that honour went to Jordan Bannon (Frodsham) who was the faster starting. Fisher was able to find a way through on Lap 2, leaving Bannon to battle with Albert Walker (Torquay). By the end of the six-lap race Fisher had stretched out a victory margin of over 3seconds from Walker, with Bannon a similar distance back in 3rd place. Their second encounter was more straightforward, for Fisher and Walker anyway; Fisher being the quickest off the line and finishing the opening lap with a 0.8second advantage over Walker, whilst Bannon was down in 5th place, behind Joe Duggan (Doncaster) and David Carson (Northwich). With Carson moving into 3rd place on Lap2, Bannon also found his way pass Duggan on Lap3 and then made his was through on Carson on Lap4. Fisher finishing the 8lap race with an almost 5.7second advantage over Walker, with Bannon a further 8seconds back. Fisher’s other two victories came in the CB500/Suzuki Bandit class, in a similar fashion, leading 2019 Champion, Mark Brailsford (Chesterfield) across the line on the opening lap of the first race, by just over 1second with Gary Cutts (Forest Town) a further 1sec behind. Cutts found a way through on Lap2 and left Brailsford to fight over 3rd place regular ‘sparring’ partner Liam Clements (Newcastle under Lyme), throughout the remaining laps, the pair split by just 0.25sec at the flag. The second race saw Fisher and Cutts 1st & 2nd respectively from the opening lap and once again Brailsford had to fend off Clements for the 3rd spot, this time the pair separated by just 0.36second across the line.
Two other competitors were able to chalk up three victories over the day; firstly Jim Hodson (Wigan) took a very convincing win in the opening race of the day, the non-championship Allcomers Race for machines up to 650cc, finishing ahead of Runner-Up David Carson by 34seconds. Unfortunately, for Carson, who in previous seasons has been the man to beat in the class, Hodson was also entered into the 700cc Twins races, and both resulted with similar outcomes, although Carson was able to reduce the gap significantly. Anthony Thane (Stoke on Trent) and James Barnett (Stafford) shared the 3rd and 4th place spots between them, Thane taking 3rd in the first race and Barnett the second.
Another 3x winner started their tally in the second non championship Allcomers race, for up to 1300cc machines, Josh Daley, another Wigan based competitor and in a similar fashion, taking a start – finish victory over Tim Poole (Northwich) by 10seconds. His other two wins came in the combined Open Solo & Pre-Injection Open races, the first a start – finish victory over Ash Stone (Matlock), with a 7.4second advantage at the flag. Milo Ward (Ashwell) was able to snatch 3rd place on the final lap from Poole. The second race was a much closer affair although Daley was still able to stretch out a 4.4sec advantage at the flag over Ward in 2nd. Stone was holding onto 3rd place until Lap6 (of 8) when Poole found a way through and finished 1.5sec ahead at the chequered flag. Each of these competitors were on Open Solo machines, the Pre-Injection class wins were shared by Adam Walters (Derby) in the first and Carl Morris (Etwall) in the second, Overall 8th and 6th, respectively.
Closest finish of the day was in the opening combined Junior/Senior race with Luke Gilbey (Carmarthen) and 2019 Champion David Glossop (Wilmslow) battling for the Senior class honours throughout the 6lap race. Gilbey led the opening lap, then Glossop took the lead and held it until the final lap when Gilbey retook the lead to the flag with a winning margin of just 0.4sec. A similar battle was taking place just a few seconds behind, for the Junior class spoils between Jamie Hanks-Elliott (Birmingham) and 2019 Junior Champion Katie Hand (Cabourne). After crossing the line in 6th on the opening lap Hanks-Elliott was into 4th on Lap2 and chasing Hand down, squeezing through on Lap3 and holding onto the class win, by just 0.3sec at the flag. The second encounter was totally different with Hanks-Elliott taking an excellent overall start-finish victory and a winning margin of 3.6sec, from Gilbey whose race positions shows the battle going on behind the leader between himself, Glossop and Hand; Lap1 – 4th, Lap2 – 3rd, Lap3 – 5th, Lap4 & 5 – 4th, Lap6 & 7 – 3rd, Lap8 – 2nd Overall and Senior class winner.
Many of the Junior/Senior entrants were also out in the Lightweight class and getting close to some of the front runners, but this time around it was Bobby Varey (Preston) who made his mark on the races from 4th place at the end of Lap1 he hit the front on Lap5, passing the leader from the opening lap, Andy Whale (Birmingham) who then failed to finish the Final Lap, allowing the victor a 10sec advantage over Jack Worth (Barnsley). The second encounter was certainly a fraught affair in the early stages with three different leaders at the end of the first three laps, finally settling with Varey at the head of the field and stretching out a lead of 4.6sec at the chequered flag over Whale, with Worth a further 14seconds back and Jake Bradley (Ollerton), the Lap1 leader, just 0.16sec behind him.
The Classic & Forgotten Era races were dominated by Dean Culley (Benthall) who took a start – finish victory in the first race with David Bradley (Matlock) circulating throughout in 2nd place and finishing 7seconds behind the leader, both on ‘Up to 1300cc’ machines. David Tetley (Thorpe Willoughby) held 3rd place throughout the race but took victory in the 500cc class. Graham Oakley (Chesterfield) finished 7th Overall but took the 250cc Class honours.
Bradley took the challenge to the first race winner in the second, leading for the opening four laps until Culley passed him on the Lap5 and finished with a 4second advantage at the flag. Tetley again circulated 3rd throughout taking the 499cc honours and Tetley recorded a 9th place Overall on this occasion, but still enough for the 250cc victory.
Warrington’s Ben Dale dominated the Pre-Injection 600 races with two start – finish victories the first by almost 20seconds and the second race saw his advantage almost halved.
Fans of three-wheeled motorsport were treated to a dominant display in the opening race with Howard Baker/Mike Killingsworth (Sutton Coldfield/Washingborough) recording another start-finish victory, on their Formula 600 outfit, with Roger & Bradley Stockton (Crewe) trailing them throughout, finishing 5seconds behind at the flag. After the Stockton’s passed them on the 6th of 8laps the first Open Sidecar pairing of Steve Thomas/Danny Lewis (Rockferry/ Saughall Massie) finished 3rd overall, but the Open Class victors. Race two saw the Stockton’s turn the tables on Baker/Killingsworth, passing them on Lap4 and opening a 6.5sec victory margin over their Formula 600 rivals.
Thomas/Lewis again finished in 3rd, Open class winners, but almost 15seconds back on the 2nd place pairing.
Special Guests for this Round were the competitors of the ACU 50cc National Championship with the 125cc Street Stock Championship running alongside. Philip Atkinson (Horley) took a start – finish victory, with Owen Monaghan (Ilkeston) in his wheel tracks throughout, finishing just 1.2seconds behind at the flag. Chasing the pair, on another Street stock machine, was Ryan Garside (Fleetwood) in 3rd. Warren Harvey (Warwick) was the first of the 50cc machines home, in 4th place with Scott Park (Lutterworth) taking the Runner-Up spot in the first encounter. Race 2 saw a totally different race at the head of the field Garside led the opening lap, then Atkinson and Monaghan took over exchanging the lead between themselves, until the penultimate lap when Garside got back up into 2nd place, behind Monaghan, with Atkinson 3rd and Harvey 4th once more.
As you can see a few new names amongst the results, some regular Darley stars moving to different classes but not long to go before the next Round to see how everybody fairs when Round 5 hits the track on 11th July 2021.
(Spectator tickets to be ordered prior to meeting at www.darleymoorstore.co.uk) Adult £13.00 Seniors £10.00 No overnight camping)
For any further information regarding race and test days please check www.darleymoor.co.uk; Facebook: Darley Moor Sports Centre; Instagram: darleymoorsportscentre; telephone: 01246 866537 or 01335 343833.
2021 Championship standings (After Round 4)
Junior Championship Class A – 1st Jamie Hanks-Elliott, 30pts; 2nd Scarlett Robinson, 24pts; 3rd Jack Smith, 10pts
Junior Championship Class B – 1st Katie Hand, 27pts; 2nd Freddy Oakley, 10pts; 3rd Lissy Whitmore, 12pts
Senior Championship – 1st David Glossop, 27pts; 2nd Elaine Moody, 22pts; 3rd Luke Gilby, 15pts
Classic & Forgotten Era up to 250cc – 1st Jim Hind, 15pts; 2nd Graham Oakley, 15pts; 3rd Geoffrey Mills & Loris Hunt 12pts
Classic & Forgotten Era 251cc to 500cc – 1st Hefyn Owen & David Tetley, 15pts; 2nd Meredydd Owen & Simon ehane, 12pts; 3rd Neil Lloyd & Mike Lees, 10pts
Classic & Forgotten Era 501cc – 1300cc – 1st David Bradley, 27pts; 2nd Martin Powell, 20pts; 3rd Dean Culley, 15pts
Lightweight Championship – 1st Andy Whale, 27pts; 2nd Steve Price, 18pts; 3rd Bobby Varey 15pts
Honda CB500 & Suzuki Bandit Championship – 1st Tom Fisher, 30pts; 2nd Gary Cutts, 24pts; 3rd Mark Brailsford, 20pts
Formula 600 Championship – 1st Tom Fisher, 30pts; 2nd Albert Walker, 24pts; 3rd David Carson, 13pts
Pre-electronic 600cc & 750cc Twin Championship – 1st Ben Dale, 30pts; 2nd Stuart Bradbury, 24pts; 3rd Shaun Evans, 20pts
700cc Twin Cylinder Championship – 1st Jim Hodson, 30pts; 2nd Dave Carson, 22pts; 3rd Sean Seddon, 12pts
Open Solo – 1st Josh Daley 30pts; 2nd Mark Goodings, 18pts; 3rd Ash Stone, 18pts
Pre-Injection to 1300cc – 1st Adam Walters, 27pts; 2nd Carl Morris, 25pts; 3rd Brendan Brown, 12pts
Open Sidecar – 1st Steve Thomas/Danny Lewis, 27pts; 2nd Keith Waddington/Mick Storey, 18pts; 3rd George Holden/ Oscar Lawrence, 15pts
Formula 600 Sidecar – 1st Howard Baker/Mike Killingsgworth, 27pts; 2nd Roger Stockton/Bradley Stockton, 27pts; 3rd Mick Alton/Keith Brotherton, 10pts
Report By Brian George Photography/PR
Photos by Tony Else Photography