For round six, the penultimate round of our 2024 club championships we went to Donington Park and once again we were blessed with dry weather.
Saturday Race One:
FP1 - Had its 2024 lone competitor, Andy Green, so not surprisingly he picked up all the points.
FP2 – Lee Marks took not only another victory, but this also clinched him the 2024 Battle of the twins Championship title. Second went to Paul Willis, with Andrew Howe in third place.
FP3 – Shaun Hennessy also took victory and class title from Haydon Smith, Gareth Sutton and Simon Spooner.
FPR Evo – Class newcomers hit the front with Craig Beggs taking the win from William Holland in second and Championship leader Nick Williamson third, followed by Ian Agnew, Stu Goodson and Neil John.
GP1 – Another class with only one entry, so Ian Henshaw took maximum points and a commanding lead in the Championship.
Suzuki Bandit Challenge – Neil Attenborough took victory also securing the 2024 Championship, ahead of Adrian O’Connor, Dan Tuplin, David Greenwood, Mark Wardle, Grant Davies, Keiran Barker, Craig Harri and Alex Laidlaw.
Bandit Seniors – It was a close battle with the three front runners, with Shane Watson eventually taking the win, from Richard Davis and Keith Chambers. 2023 Champion, Tim Hawkins finished his season with a bang, as he blew up his bike on the Friday test and although he had a ‘wet’ bike which he then set up for the dry conditions on race day, that too started to have issues, bringing a premature end to his season and his run in the Bandit Seniors championship, so we wish him well in his new class next year!
Sunday Race Two:
FP2 – Marks dominated once again from Howe and Gareth Skinner.
FP3 – Smith took a well-deserved victory ahead of Sutton and Spooner.
FPR Evo – A podium repeat of the day before, Beggs, Holland and Williamson.
Bandit Challenge – Attenborough, O’Conner and Greenwood took the honours, but with both Wardle and Tuplin crashing out, leaving Davies and Barker to pick up the pieces.
Bandit Seniors – This time the tables were turned with Davis taking the win from Waton and Chambers.
Sunday Race Three:
FP2 – Marks continued his domination of the class, with yet another victory.
FP3 – Smith repeated his form from earlier in the day with another win over Sutton and Spooner.
FPR Evo – Beggs made it three in a row, from Williamson, Agnew and Goodson.
Bandit Challenge – Attenborough had a clean sweep, from O’Connor and Greenwood.
Bandit Seniors – Davis from Chambers and Watson.
We now head to Anglesey for the season finale.
We would like to thank everyone at NG Road Racing, for once again hosting us as a guest club and a special thank you to the Orange Army!
WORDS: Keith Chambers , Pictures: Gordon Brady, gordie1960@hotmail.com