The 2023 Barracks Bonanza Grasstrack
delivered yet again with a day of fast, furious & scintillating action.
Witnessed by a bumper crowd in pleasant conditions racing was top quality
throughout the day on a superbly prepared & maintained race track.
The 500cc solos were outstanding with
breathtaking action being the norm as each heat contained close racing &
positions changing regularly to produce a spectators paradise. Chris ‘Bomber’
Harris, Dave Meijerink, Charley Powell, Theo Pjiper, Paul Cooper, Stephen Green
were all prominent in the heats. Young guns Mickie Simpson, Cameron Taylor,
Jack Roberts & Chad Wirtzfeld all had good day’s a d were always in the
thick of the action. The final saw amazing racing with Powell & Meijerink
flying neck & neck into the first corner with Cooper in third place who was
soon passed by Bomber exiting the corner, the battle up front still raged on
with Powell gaining the upper hand over Meijerink, Bomber then battled his way
to second place & on the last bend came inside Powell to win an amazing
final. The crowd were again treated to an incredulous final ending with Bomber
taking the honours with Powell & Meijerink completing the podium places.
The unfortunate Roberts and Pijper both suffered mechanical issues and failed
to finish the A final.
Over to the ‘Big Chairs’ who always
entertain the crowd, the 1000cc sidecar crews even had the army boys in attendance
in awe with their jaw dropping action. With Mark Cossar out of the equation due
to a spill on the speedway the night before many crews believed they could win
this prestigious event. The heats were hotly contested, Terry Saunters/ Liam
Brown were amassing the points closely followed by Colin Blackbourn/Carl Pugh,
Tom Cossar/Wayne Rickards & Matt Fumarola/Andi Wilson having one of their
best meetings in recent times. All six crews got off the line in the A final
powering into the first bend with Tom Cossar seemingly having the edge. However
Colin Blackbourn found the tight line & was extremely fast, although the
other crews battled hard they could not catch him so it finished Blackbourn / Carl
Pugh, ahead of Tom Cossar / Wayne Rickards, then Fumarola / Andi Wilson.
The Uprights yet again produced good
quality action with all heats closely contested & although Dave Mears &
Ben Phillips etc. were pushing hard to get on the winners podium it was the
established stars in this class that shone again. Bob Dolman was super quick
all day & got the gate in the final, he was chased over the 4 laps by Tony
Atkin & Jason Prynne but however hard they tried it was the impeccable &
unbeaten Dolman who took the honours.
Dalton Grasstrack Club must be
congratulated on staging a top quality and very well organised event &
surely if they continue to receive the backing of riders & supporters it
can only be a massive boost for the sport, leading to further great days on the
grass and rekindle those halcyon days thus reminding people what a fantastic
spectacle Grasstrack is.