19:07Sunday April 19th saw the return of the Phoenix Tools Ifly Premier motocross Championship with round 2 taking place at Crediton Raceway in Devon. After what was a very dry week leading up to the event every effort had been made to prep the track and with water being put down prior and during the day the track produced some really fast and thrilling racing which was witnessed by many spectators.
In the Pro Expert class the day started well for the Phoenix Tools/Ify Husqvarna rider Alex Snow after his disasterous opening round as he was to notch up the fastest time in qualifying, but unfortunately for Snow the day was again one to forget. In the opening race it was a blistering start for the Oakleaf Motorsport Honda of Shane Carless from Championship leader Alfie Smith, but with just two corners completed several riders were to go down which included Snow who was right in the thick of it who was to pick up a arm injury which was later revealed as badly bruised and not broken as first thought. Meanwhile Carless was to lose the lead to Smith on the opening lap and Smith was soon pulling away. Jamie Skuse on the Tony Maunders Racing Suzuki had moved up in to 3rd and was giving chase, but the front two of Carless and Smith was getting away all the time. By the end of lap 5 Smith had a cushion of 5 seconds over Carless, but on lap 6 Carless had closed that deficit and was soon all over Smith who he was to catch and pass two laps from the end and from there took the win from Smith and Skuse. In the second moto it was the Cab Screens Yamaha of Dan Thornhill who had the best start from Carless with Skuse again there in 3rd. Thornhill really had the bit between his teeth at the front and was to pull away from Carless for the first couple of laps, but as the race went on Carless was to gradually close in on Thornhill and was soon to pass and take the lead and from there went on to the chequered flag ahead of Thornhill with Skuse a close 3rd. In the last race this time it was the D S C Cornwall Kawasaki of Sunny Thompson with the holeshot with Carless again there right in his wheel marks and Smith tucked in 3rd. Thompson had loads of support and was cheered on and he was to get away at the front and led for the first 4 laps comfortably until a slight mistake on lap 5 saw Carless close right up and was to find away pass a lap latter. Thornhill hadn’t had the best of starts in this one, but had worked hard and was now in 3rd and was closing in on Thompson all the time which in the closing stages of the race turned in to a real battle royal with Thornhill getting the better of Thompson on the very last lap to take 2nd behind Carless who made it a hat trick of wins and with it takes the Championship lead after 2 rounds.
In the Expert class there was some really good tussles and the class was to produce three different winners and with it a new Championship leader as the early leader Ty Kellett was a non starter. There were wins each for the Phoenix Tools/Ifly Husqvarna rider Charlie Putnam and Ben Butler on the D S C Cornwall Kawasaki who took the overall on the day with Ryan Redwood on the G V Motorcycles Honda taking the win in the last race which has now given him the Championship lead.
In the Over age class which consisted of Over 35, Over 40 and Over 50’s there was some really fierce battling especially between Nick Life current Over 35 Championship leader and Terry House who heads the Over 40’s Championship. House looked good on the Crescent Suzuki in the opening race and was soon on the gas at the front, but a mistake on lap 2 was to cost him the lead and several places. Life was to be a clear winner in this one, but there was some hard racing for 2nd between Ben Harmon and Rick Hanson, with Hanson taking Harmon on the last lap as did House who came through to take 3rd and leading over 40’s rider with Graham Beale taking the win in the over 50’s category. In the second moto again this was one to watch as it was to go right down to the wire between Life who had led for most of the race and House, as House was to challenge hard on the last corner with both riders going down with both bikes stalling, but it was House who thought the quickest and pushed his bike over the line to take the win with Life 2nd and top over 35 with Beale again taking the honours in the Over 50’s class. In the last race the battle was on at the front in this one between Life and Harmon who had led the race early on, but in the end it was Life who took the win and top Over 35 with Chris Brown denying House a hat trick of wins in the Over 40,s but there was no stopping Beale in the Over 50,s who made it a hattrick of wins on the day.
In the Junior Championship class again there was some of the best racing to be seen as in the first race it looked as if it was going to be a easy win for wildcard Bill Farleigh after he got the better of Reagan Skinner on the Cheddar Mx Store Honda early on, but this wasn’t the case after Championship leader Jamie Carpenter on the Phoenix Tools/Ifly Husqvarna who had made a mistake early on was to claw his way back and was to be challenging Farleigh in the closing stages and literally was within half a bikes length at the line. Farleigh again was to dominate most of race 2 with Carpenter again well down the field, but this time Farleigh had to hold off Gareth Artus which again was a nail biting finish. Farleigh was out to make it a hat trick in race 3, but this time it was a better start for Championship leader Carpenter who was to have the hole shot and from there went on to take a comfortable win and now leads the Championship by 61 points after two rounds.
Report and Photos by Dave Rich