Stars Ready For Darley Moor Finale

Just the ‘small’ job of the final weekend of racing for this season, 8^th – 9^th October, for the Darley Moor Motor Cycle Road Race Club when they host the 47th Stars at Darley meeting at the Darley Moor Motorsport Centre, near Ashbourne, DE6 2ET, plus there is still the matter of deciding the remaining 2022 Club Champions over the final two Rounds.  Already the list of entries for the Stars races is looking very good and worth the ‘on the day’ £18 entry fee or £15 Seniors alone (Advance Tickets at discount prices (£15 and £12) are also available on-line just visit the Darley Race Shop for full details - http://www.darleymoorstore.co.uk/.  Of course, children under 16years go free).   

The action begins with Practice from 10am and racing scheduled to begin at 12.15pm, then, for both days, one 12Lap ‘Stars at Darley’ race, plus the Club Championship races, an 8Lap race first, followed by a 10Lap race whereby the championship are awarded.  The regular number of points will be available for both Round 7 and 8, rather than double points for the final round as in the past.  In addition to the racing their will also be a Parade of Legends on both days, the ‘Legend’ may be the rider or the machine and there is certainly a huge variety of machinery; from a 250cc Aermacchi to a 1000cc V-Twin Honda.

So far, the Club have received entries from current Star of Darley, Hawk Racing’s, Leon Jeacock (Leicester) and team-mate, 6x Star of Darley, Richard Cooper (Nottingham), plus another 6x Stars title holder, John McGuiness MBE (Lancaster), entering his 23^rd consecutive Stars at Darley event, then returning to the Darley Moor paddock will be Harry Jackson (Nottingham), Dave Glossop (Wilmslow) and Richard Wardle (Stoke on Trent).  There are also the regular Darley Moor competitors, front runners this season Matthew Bell (Sheffield), Daz Bellworthy (Derby), Mark Brailsford (Chesterfield), David Carson (Northwich), Ben Dale (Warrington), Josh Daley (Wigan), Mark Goodings (Doncaster), Kaine Sheriff (Barnsley) and Adam Walters (Derby).  Of course, Daley and Goodings both flew the Darley Moor flag high last year with Daley recording a 3^rd place on the Sunday and Goodings being the Winner of the John Newbold Trophy for highest placed Club competitor with 5^th Overall.

With the Final Round’s former double points tally being a thing of past Goodings could be one of several Club Champions that may be decided on the Saturday.  Just finishing ahead of Daley and Bell will be enough for him to secure the Open Solo Championship.  Similarly, if Ben Dale can achieve the same feat over the already crowned 2022 700 Twins Champion, David Carson, he will be the Formula 600 Champion and victory in the Pre-Injection 1300 class on Saturday for Adam Walters, will be enough to secure that title, whilst Daz Bellworthy has a 14point deficit to make up in the Honda CB500 & Suzuki Bandit Championship.   Mark Brailsford is just 4points behind championship leader, Martin Davis (Manchester) in the Forgotten Era 1300 class, so that title is most likely to be decided on Sunday.

Away from the ‘Stars’ competitors and Dean Ephgrave (Hucknall) needs to beat Stuart Bradbury (Kilburn) on Saturday to keep his Pre-Electronic 600/750 Twin Championship alive and 3^rd placed, Nick Clare’s (Winsford) title aspirations are not over yet., just a further 5points behind.

Peter Fell (Burton on Trent) needs to record just 4points on Saturday to put the Lightweight Championship out of Andy Whale’s (Birmingham) reach and finishing ahead of Steve Price (Cheadle) and Mike Lees (Congleton) on Saturday will be enough for Paul Hawksworth (Castle Donington) to claim the Forgotten Era 500 class title.  Recording just a handful of points over the weekend will be enough for Oliver Presswood (Bath) to lift the Classic 500 title.

Onto three-wheeled competition and both the leaders of the Open Sidecars, Steve Thomas / Danny Lewis (Rockferry/Wirral) and Formula 600 Sidecars class, Howard Baker/Mike Killingsworth (Sutton Coldfield/Lincoln), are in similar position; finishing ahead of their nearest challenger on Saturday should be enough to stake their claim on this year’s title.  It all sounds so simple when just considering the arithmetic, but motorcycle racing is not that simple even if the weather is, apparently, booked!