On the 21st of April, the Woodbridge DMCC hosted round two of the ACU Eastern centre championship in front of a bumper easter monday crowd! Backed by season sponsors Stebbings car superstore and Templant hire LTD, round two was played out in overcast but dry conditions. With 200 riders competing and a busy 15 race schedule it was sure to be a fantastic days racing on a tough and testing track.
In the expert class there was plenty of top wildcards with the likes of Chris Mills (MVD Racing Yamaha) and Joel Rizzi (Dirtstore Triumph) alongside the Eastern Centre regulars who were sure to put up a stiff test.
Race one of the Expert class saw Chris Mills pounce from the gate and into an early lead, with Rizzi, Sam Nunn (John Banks Honda) and Calum Mitchell (Worx Scaffolding Total Triumph) all close in behind. Luke Benstead (Comptons Car and Commercial KTM) also made a solid start inside the top five and set about defending his position from Ben Mustoe (ASA United Gas Gas), who was looking to continue his good form to start the season. Mills and Rizzi locked horns for most of the race but the latter was never really close enough to make the pass. Current championship leader Sam Nunn would make a costly error dropping out of the top 5 and gave Mustoe an easy pass on his way into third place, while Mitchell’s charge fizzled out with a couple of laps left leaving him in fifth. Mills neatly made his way past back markers and took the chequered flag closely followed by Rizzi in second and Mustoe in third, with Benstead coming home in a solid fourth place.
Expert class race two would see Chris Mills once again fly from the gate and grab the holeshot ahead of Tom Murphy (Destination MX Apico GMR Yamaha) up at the sharp end for the first time after a DNF in race one. Rizzi again showed good start speed with local star James Cottrell (ASA United Gas Gas) also in the mix early on. Murphy and Rizzi traded blows, but this only allowed Mills to dictate the tempo at the front and he was soon in full control, ready to make it back-to-back race wins. Rizzi made the move stick on Murphy for second while Nunn and Mustoe battled for fifth place with the latter claiming that position towards the end of the race. Mills would again finish first, with Rizzi coming home in second and Murphy holding on for third. James Cottrell pleased the local crowd to finish fourth on his return to Eastern Centre racing.
The third and final expert race would see Cottrell take the holeshot and lead for the opening laps with Murphy, Benstead and Mitchell all chasing him down. Mills was in the top five and set to work about closing the gap with race leader Cottrell, taking the positions in between swiftly. Unfortunately, Rizzi had some bike issues meaning he didn't start the third race, and leaving the overall podium with it all to play for. Mills was too quick for Cottrell and blasted past into the lead, never looking back all the way to the finish. Cottrell hit the deck and was left watching as his second place slipped away leaving Mitchell to pick up the pieces. Mills completed a stylish hat-trick of race wins ahead of Mitchell with his best result of the day, Murphy in third, Benstead in fourth and Mustoe in fifth.
The Expert overall would see Mills on top of the podium with 75 points, Calum Mitchell in second tied on 52 points with third placed Ben Mustoe but with a better final race result.
In the Junior Championship class, it was James Wadsworth who claimed the first race win ahead of Alfie Geddes-Green in second, but it was the latter who would have the last laugh. The final two race victories were claimed by the youngster Geddes-Green who put on a real quality display at the front of the pack showing experience beyond his age to put him in the driving seat of the overall with a 2-1-1. James Wadsworth finished the day second overall with a 1-3-2 and in third was James Rowsell with a 3-2-4.
Support B overall was claimed by Kevin Palmer with a 1-1-2 ahead of Aaron Smith in second with a 4-2-3. In third was Joe Scillitoe with a 6-3-1.
The support C class honors were taken by Mark Goodson with 3 race wins ahead of Joseph Mulley-Forsdike in second with a 3-2-4. In third was Harry Hawes with a 4-13-3.
The support D class was won by Perry Fiddy with 3 race wins, in second was Ben Cook with a 10-2-2 and in third was Thomas Bond with a 3-6-3.
Full race results available here:-