19:16Last Sunday the Phoenix Tools Premier Motocross Championship made its return to Whiteway Barton, Kingsteignton for round 7 in the series which also incorporated the penultimate round of the 2-Stroke Championship. As with most of the South West temperatures have been high and things were a bit dry so water had to be used prior and during the day to try and control the dust.
In the Gabriel Insulations Expert class entries were a bit on the low side, but never the less there was still some good racing to be seen. In the opening moto it was a flyer off the line for James Kensington on the Tony Maunders / M D Racing 2-Stroke KTM to much applause ahead of Championship leader Jamie Skuse and Tommy Alba (Pictured No 681) on the D S C Cornwall Kawasaki. Kensington was to lead for a lap and a half before Skuse on the Tony Maunders Racing Suzuki went pass with Alba moving up a lap later who was soon pushing Skuse for the lead which went on for several laps, until lap 7 when Alba grinded to a halt after his front brake stayed on which put him way down the field and up in to 2nd came Kelvin Townsend who had the Stones Supplies / MotoXtreme Kawasaki of Jordan Carter all over him who soon found away pass, but he wasn’t going to catch Skuse who took the win. In race 2 this time it was Townsend who had the best start from Skuse and Alba and these three powered away at the front at some rate. Alba managed to get the better of Skuse on lap 4 and was soon breathing all over Townsend pressing for the lead which he was to take a lap later and from there was to gradually pull away and went on to take the win with Skuse taking 2nd just a head of Ben Hunt on the FWC Racing Yamaha who came on strong towards the end of the race. In the last race this time it was Tom Moore on the A D Homes / Wulfsport Suzuki with the holeshot ahead of Alba and Townsend. Moore was absolutely flying at the front as was Alba who was soon all over Moore on lap 3 and was to take the lead, but this was short lived as Alba was to divert off the track powering out of a uphill right hander and was eventually to come off and back in to the lead was Moore again with Skuse now up in to 2nd who was to gradually catch Moore and went pass on lap 10, but Moore was to stick with him for a couple of laps, but in the end Skuse took the win from Moore who took an excellent 2nd ahead of Hunt who again took 3rd.
In the Over age class there was no stopping Over 35 Championship leader Wayne Shimell on the TyreMarks Husqvarna even though he was riding with a knee injury who again took a hat trick of wins ahead of Cheddar Mx / M D Racing Honda of Ben Harmon and James Price who finished 2nd and 3rd respectively in all three races. In the Over 40’s it was Chris Brown on the Cheddar Mx Honda who was to take the wins in the first 2 races, but there was no stopping Championship leader Stuart Rawlings in the last race who led from start to finish. In the Over 50’s there was no Championship leader in the shape of David Ford so the deficit was there to be cut which was exactly what was to happen with Alan Packer on the Simpsons Plant Hire Honda who was nearest to Ford in the standings taking two wins and a 2nd just been piped for a hat trick by Adrian Toy in the last one.
In the R C Motorhomes there was several riders missing including 2nd place rider in the standings Will Worden so things would change in the standings, but at the end of the day there was only one winner and that was Championship leader Leighton Holmes (Pictured No 564) on the Moto 64 KTM who increased his Championship lead to 121 points with one round remaining, but moving up in to 2nd has now come the Inchains Yamaha of Ben Milward who was consistant finishing 2nd to Holmes in all three races.
The Tony Maunders Junior Championship as usual was fast and furious with some really fast racing. In the opening race it was Tyron Cleaver (Pictured No 70) on the Thornbury Mx / Bradley Turner KTM who was to set the early pace from Championship leader Harry Linton on the Bridgestone KTM with these two making off at the front and were to have their own tussle for the first couple of laps before Cleaver was to go down when his front wheel washed out dropping down off the veranda which was to let Linton hit the front. Cleaver was to remount still in 2nd, but he had no answer to Linton who went on to take the win. In the second moto again it was Cleaver with the best start from Bradley Barfoot and Pearce, but by the end of the opening lap Pearce had hit the front. Linton was soon in 3rd and was soon to pass Cleaver and was up in to 2nd and now had his sights set on Pearce who he caught and passed on lap 7 and started to get away, but a mistake from Linton on the last lap gifted the win to Pearce with Linton 2nd and Barfoot taking 3rd after Cleaver took a tumble on the last lap. In the last race it was Jay Lewis who had the best start from Pearce and Ben Cryer, but not the best of starts for Linton who made an early mistake and was well down. Pearce was to stick with Lewis for the first couple of laps then made his move and hit the front and from there went on untroubled to take the win from Lewis with Barfoot taking 3rd.
In the Junior B class it was Daniel Griffin (Pictured No 471) who won the opening race, but there was no stopping Michael Merrick in the other two who took two convincing wins.
In the Junior C class it was all about a up and coming youngster 16 year old Kyran Brown who totally dominated all 3 races.
Words and Pictures by Dave Rich