News

Luton and District Motorcycle Club - Motocross event at Old Park Farm, Toddington, May 3rd 2010

Reporter Andy Tindle
Pictures: http://www.hockeyphotos.com/motox/03-05-10/index.htm

Round two of the 2010 South Midland Championship started on a cold, wet and windy bank holiday Monday. It may have been May but it felt like October. Then the sun came out, shortly followed by hail. It was one of those "don't know what's going to happen next" days. The track had taken a battering in the last few months with Luton's first two meetings having to be cancelled, and it was soon apparent that despite the organisers best efforts the track would be quite a challenge to some riders. Glutinous mud at the lower part of the track even made walking the track difficult. Then the impossible happened - the crazy weather proceeded to improve track conditions so that by the end of the day the track was a dream to ride.

Motocross-starved riders had flocked to the event, so much so that an extra heat had to be held and with the over 40's and over 50's also competing in the championships it was a long day's racing.

Charlie Hollis, a former top rider in the AMCA MX1 championship was the star of the show winning the experts overall. Paul Burn who is last years South Midland Centre champion was also at the front, as was former ACU British Championship rider Alex Butler. Paul Edge who seemed to be one of the fastest riders on the day, should also have been up there with the leaders but was hampered by bad starts. Ryan Griffiths was consistently near the front and was set for a fourth place finish until two corners from the end of the final race when he ran out of fuel. Once qualifying was over, the Junior A Group was mixed in with the experts and Richard Carter really showed his mettle by winning both legs easily and finishing well up in the experts as well.

In the highly contested Junior B Group Robbie Waller proved to be in a class of his own, winning both races by some margin and taking the overall victory. Second overall went to Adam Collins, who after finishing as runner up in the first race, had to dig deep in the second race after a poor start with a fine ride through the pack. Third overall went to smooth riding Tim Soane from Trevor Edwards in fourth, with Craig Smith rounding out the top five after a strong second place finish in the final race.

Grant Martin lost a chain in his heat and found himself in the Junior C Group which he stylishly won. Leading lady of the day was Helen Morgan who struggled in the morning goo, but who stuck to her guns, gave it her all and showed the men she beat what determination can do.

The over 40's races were all frantic affairs with riders taking tumbles as they fought both the course and their competitors. Up at the front Rob Mead and Tony Leishman swapped the lead in all three races and they were closely followed by Fraser Law. Race two provided the greatest excitement as Tony and Fraser changed position more times than can be remembered. Sadly the battle did not last to the end of the race as Fraser overstretched himself and ended up in the dirt. He quickly remounted, but not quick enough to stop Paul Kroner passing. With the days racing done, Rob Mead came out on top only to have the win taken away from him when it was discovered he wasn't yet 40. That left Tony Leishman as the overall winner.

Not quite so frantic were the over 50's riders, not least because Reg Willis (one of the usual culprits at the front) had to retire after morning practice with a recurrence of an old shoulder injury. The battle at the front was an entertaining tussle between Andrew Brightman who took the wins in the first and second legs, Steve Eldridge who won the third leg and Nigel Miller who at the end of the day came third overall. Further down the field Steve Morgan and Roger Knibbs were snapping at each others heels in all three races and an honourable draw was called for. It was not to be - Steve claimed 33 points at the end of the day and finished in 5th place, while Roger was one point adrift.

The larger than normal crowd had a great spectacle, and hopefully they will have warmed up in time for the next championship round at Long Buckby in less than two weeks time.

Luton & District Motorcycle Club

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