On Sunday 16th of June, the Norwich Viking MCC hosted round 4 of the ACU Eastern centre mx Championship at the spectacular Cadders Hill circuit. With Stebbings Car Superstore and the Norton Way Group backing the series, the English weather played its part once again to muddle with track conditions.
The morning qualifying session saw the expert class take to the track just as the heavy downpour began, and it proved crucial to lay a fast lap time down early on as the track was at its best. Up stepped (Apico Honda) Tom Grimshaw who would put his bike on pole and have the first gate pick.
Race one in the experts got underway with Grimshaw towards the front and Sam Nunn (John Banks Honda) buried in the mid pack. With mostly all the championship front runners towards the front, Nunn bravely fought his way through to the top 5 within the first lap and began about chasing down Grimshaw. Lewis Tombs (John Banks Honda) carried on his fine 2024 form and was battling with Luke Parker (MPM Kawasaki) on the opening laps. As the rain again begun to fall, Grimshaw tipped over and gave the lead of the race to Nunn who had by this point passed Tombs and Parker. Nunn then checked out and came home with the race win ahead of Tombs, Parker and Grimshaw.
In race two, it was Nunn and Grimshaw again who put on a great display of racing for the spectators to watch and further showing their dominance in this class for 2024. With wildcards Charlie Cole (Phoenix Kawasaki) and Taylor Hammal (Crendon Tru7 Honda) battling for a top 5 finish, that allowed Tombs and Parker to again go bar–to-bar in a fight for third. This time it was Grimshaw who would take the race win ahead of Nunn, Tombs, Parker and Hammal.
In the final race for the expert class, Grimshaw once again had his Honda dialled off the start and flew off the gate to take the holeshot. Last year’s champion and Norwich Viking club member Luke Parker was quick off the gate and rode very well to cling onto the rear wheel of Grimshaw for the best part of the 20-minute-long race. Nunn was third and in trying to close the gap to Parker, he would make a mistake and give himself too much to do. Grimshaw crossed the finish line arms aloft and looked elated to take his second race win. Parker would claw some points back in the championship with a very solid second place finish, ahead of Nunn and Hammal, who took his best result of the afternoon.
The expert overall went to Grimshaw, he finished a point ahead of Nunn who extended his lead for the 2024 title. Parker would take third and bring himself within 4 points of Tombs in the championship standings.
In the Junior championship class, it was Mitchell Meadows who dominated the day with a hattrick of race wins ahead of Aaron Framingham in second place. Current junior championship leader Tim Warnes rounded his day off with a 4-3-3 finish for third overall.
In the support B class, it was Vinnie Snell who won the overall with a 3-2-3 finish, ahead of Tyrone Tugwell in second with a 2-4-5. In third it was James Taylor with 2 race wins but a costly 14th in the second moto.
Support C was won by Ross Taylor with a 2-1-1 ahead of Lee Keyton in second with a 3-3-2. In third was Bradley Allen with a 4-2-8.
In support D the winner was Joel Doncaster with a 3-2-1, in second was Chris Gaut with a 2-3-3 ahead of Andrew Webster in third with a 10-4-2.
Full Results available in this link :- ACU Eastern Motocross Championship R4, ACU Eastern, United Kingdom - Official Event Results, MYLAPS Speedhive
Race report by Stefan Hicks
Images courtesy of Narna Media – Max Leveridge