16:04Last Saturday the Phoenix Tools Ifly Premier Motocross Championship moved down in to Cornwall to the ever popular Landrake Moto Parc which as per usual had been prepped well for the tenth and final round in the series. Three of the Championships had already been claimed, but not the Pro Experts, Experts and Over 40’s which were to go down to the final race in each class.
In the Pro Expert class there was just 31 points seperating Championship leader Shane Carless (Pictured at podium with Bike) on the Oakleaf Motorsport Honda who was riding with a serious knee injury and was in alot of pain and the Tony Maunders Racing Suzuki of Jamie Skuse, but setting the fastest time in qualifying was young Cornish wildcard Josh Gilbert on the St Blazey/Amped Husqvarna, but in the opening race it was fellow wildcard Luke Dean on the Meredith Suzuki who was to get the holeshot and the early lead from the St Blazey Husqvarna of John May and Sunny Thompson on the D S C Cornwall Kawasaki. Dean was well on it for the first half of the opening lap until he made a mistake which dropped him well down the field and in to the lead went May with Alfie Smith on the J K Yamaha now in 2nd who was soon all over May pressing for the lead which he took on lap 2 and he was soon in to a rythm pulling away all the time.
Gilbert was soon up in to 3rd with the Crescent / S J Hodder KTM of Todd Kellett right on his tail after passing May on lap 4 with Kellett and Gilbert involved in a good tussle for several laps which was thrilling the spectators, but in the end it was Kellett who got the better of Gilbert four laps from the end to move in to 2nd, but he wasn’t going to catch Smith who took the win with Gilbert taking 3rd with Carless a distant 7th. In the second race this time it was Gilbert with the best start from Skuse with Carless who had a better start in this one in 3rd. Gilbert was flying at the front for the opening lap, but a mistake on lap 2 saw him drop down in to 4th and now in the lead came Kellett who really had the throttle wound back from Skuse and Smith, but Smith had a problem a lap later with a damaged front brake and he was to drop off the pace a bit. Gilbert had got back in his rythm and was to get the better of Skuse on lap 4 and was gradually closing in on Kellett at the front, but on lap 7 Gilbert went in to a fast swooping right hander and got cross rutted and was to go down nigh on upside down (Pictured No 3) and back up in to 2nd came Skuse with wildcard James Dunn on the Hitachi Revo KTM breathing all over him in 3rd who got pass Skuse a lap later, but he wasn’t going to catch Kellett who took the win with Carless yet again taking 7th to hold on to his Championship lead. In the last moto again it was Gilbert with the best start from Carless and May, and it was a blistering opening lap from Gilbert with a clear track ahead of him as he had a full 3 seconds lead by the end of the first lap and he was to pull even more on lap 2. May and Smith had got the better of Carless early on and Smith was to pass May on lap 3 and was giving chase, but Gilbert was putting in much the same lap times, until on lap 5 when Smith was to close the gap after Gilbert was to pick up a rearwheel puncture and was soon to pass to take the lead, but he had to be at his best as soon to be right on Smith’s heels was Dunn who just ran out of time and Smith took the win with Kellett taking 3rd, with Carless coming home in 9th which was enough to give him the Pro Expert Championship.
In the Expert class things were also tight in the standings with the D S C Cornwall Kawasaki of Ben Butler heading the Championship by just 29 points knowing that a serious mistake or a DNf could cost him dearly. In the opening race it was third place rider in the Championship Jake Penny with the best start ahead of this years Junior Champion having his first ride in the Experts Jamie Carpenter on the Phoenix Tools Husqvarna with series leader Butler there in 3rd. Penny was to hold off Carpenter for the first couple of laps before Carpenter got pass to take the lead and from there was to go on to take the chequered flag and his dayview win in the Experts with Butler taking 2nd after passing Penny as did Ty Kellett on the S J Hodder Husqvarna who took 3rd. In the second race this time it was wildcard Jordan Carter on the Stone supplies Suzuki with the early lead from Butler and Penny with race 1 winner Carpenter there in 4t, but Carpenter was to take a nasty tumble through the whoops on lap 3 which was to end his day. Carter was put under a lot of pressure from Butler who eventually found away pass on lap 4 as did Kellett a lap later who was soon on Butlers heels looking to get pass which he did three laps from the end who went on untroubled to take the win from Butler and Penny. In the last moto it was Butler who led for the first half of the race until he was caught and passed by Kellett who was in fine form who from there raced away to take the win, but with Butler coming home in 2nd he had done enough to be crowned 2015 Expert Champion.
In the Over 35 Championship even though Nick life on the Gibbs Performance/St Blazey Yamaha had already retained his title there was still some really fast racing, but there was only one winner at the end of the day and that was wildcard Ben Harmon on the M D Racing Honda who led all three races from start and set a blistering pace to notch up a hat trick of wins.
In the Over 40’s this was a nail bitting class with just 9 points seperating Chris Brown on the Cheddar MX Store Kawasaki who was riding with a cracked rib and Terry House on the Crescent/New Milton Tyres Suzuki for the title. It was the T R Green Engineering Yamaha of Richard Green who set the early lead in the first race from Brown with House there in 3rd, but it soon to all change as Brown and House passed Green early on then House took the lead from Brown on lap 3 and from there went on untroubled to take the win. In the second moto this time it was Brown with the best start, but right in his wheelmarks was House who was climbing all over Brown on the opening lap who he passed on lap 2 dropping in to the valley and just as he did in the opening race went on untroubled to take the chequered flag, Brown 2nd and Green again 3rd. Going in to the last race things were all tied in the standings so it was a last race shoot out to become Champion and it couldn’t of been a better start for House as he led from the off and held a comfortable lead through the race to take the win and the Championship.
In the Over 50’s it had been dominated most rounds by already 2015 Champion Mark Gleadhill, but not at Landrake as back competing as a wildcard was Cornishman Mark Roberts (Pictured No 20) on the 250 Roberts Garage Honda who showed that he has still got the pace and notched up a hat trick of wins.
The six Champions from Left to right. Mark Gleadhill (Over 50’s) Terry House (Over 40’s) Jamie Carpenter (Junior) Shane Carless (Pro Expert) Ben Butler (Expert) Nick Life (Over 35’s)
In the Junior Championship class there was no Champion in the shape of Jamie Carpenter as he was riding in the Experts but there was still plenty to ride for as there was just 10 points seperating 2nd, third and fourth so the battle was on. In the opening race it was Harry Linton on the Wright Racing KTM with the early lead, but this wasn’t for long as he slipped off at the third corner and through in to the lead came 2nd place rider in the Championship Jason Brooke who was in a real hurry and from that point didn’t look back and took the win, but not so good for Bradley Barfoot who had been lying 3rd in the standings as his chain broke early on, he did return but well down the field. The second moto saw Cameron Packer with the early lead, but this was short lived as wildcard Aiden Williams got the better of him on lap 2 and from there raced away to take the win with wildcard Joe Eiffert taking 2nd and Brooke 3rd. In the last moto Eiffert hit the front from the off and was soon on his way untroubled to take the win with Brooke who had been consistant all day taking 2nd which was enough to clinch runner up spot in the Championship.
Report and Photos by Dave Rich