18:14Last Sunday the Phoenix Tools Ifly Premier motocross Championship made its way back in to Wiltshire to Marshfield which played host to round 6 in the series. A lot of rain had fallen leading up to the event, but with the sun shining on the Saturday the track was in fine stead on race day and was to produce some really fast and exciting racing for the many spectators who were in attendance.
In the Pro Expert class it was James Harrison on the Phoenix Tools Ifly Husqvarna who had set the fastest time in qualifying ahead of fellow team mates Alex Snow and Alfie Smith, but that didn’t deture Championship leader Shane Carless on the Oakleaf Motorsport Honda as he had a blistering start in the opening race with the holeshot, but this was short lived as with just a couple of corners completed Harrison had taken the lead and Snow was up in to 2nd and they were pulling away from Carless. Harrison was soon in to a rhythm and was starting to get away from Snow on lap 2 and Carless who had the Tony Maunders Racing Suzuki of Jamie Skuse breathing all over him with Skuse eventually getting pass and up in to 3rd, but he had no answer to the leading two. Carless was to be caught and passed by Smith on lap 5 who was then to close right up on Skuse which turned in to a battle royal for a couple of laps before Smith got inside of Skuse on a fast lefthander and up in to 3rd. Harrison seemed to be slowing on the last couple of laps and Snow was to gradually reel him in, but Harrison held on to take the win from Snow with Smith 3rd. In the second moto again it was Carless who had the best start and the early lead, but just like the opening race it was short lived and Smith took over at the front within a couple of corners and Smith looked hungry for this one as he powered away on the opening lap. Snow and Harrison were to get the better of Carless on lap 2 and were to have there own tussle for a couple of laps before Harrison found away pass Snow. Carless had a problem midrace which was later revealed that he had lost pressure in his forks and was dropping back down the field. Snow was to dig deep midrace and closed right up on Harrison and pressurised him for a couple of laps before forcing his way pass in to 2nd and was to close in on Smith, but Smith held strong to take the win. In the last race Carless was there at the front again momentarily before Snow went through on the opening lap and also Skuse. Harrison got the better of Carless on lap 2 then caught and passed Skuse a lap later and was now chasing Snow for the lead, but there was no way Snow was giving up the lead in this one as he held a comfortable margin most of the race to take the chequered flag with Harrison 2nd and Smith 3rd.
In the Expert class there was just 23 points separating Championship leader Charlie Putnam on the Phoenix Tools Ifly Husqvarna and the Danger UK Husqvarna of David Keet (Pictured No 555) with James Kensington on the Tony Maunders Racing 2-stroke KTM just 8 points adrift in 3rd. Keet was to lead the opening race and looked well settled, but a slight mistake midrace was to let Ben Butler on the D S C Cornwall Kawasaki through in to the lead, but Keet was to haul him back in and with just 2 laps remaining Keet was to strike and regained the lead and went on to take the win. In the second moto it was disastrous opening lap for Championship leader Putnam who went down and was well down the field. Butler led the race for several laps from the off before he was put under pressure from Keet midrace which turned in to a real tussle for several laps before Keet got the better traction up one of the hills and took the lead and from there went on untroubled to take the win. The last Expert race was a thriller with Butler leading from Keet for most of the race, but with less than 2 laps remaining Putnam was right on there tail and it was going to be a three way battle to the flag with Butler literally taking the win by a whisker from Putnam who had got the better of Keet on the last lap.
In the combined Over 35, Over 40 and Over 50’s races the opening race was red flagged after a collision between the leading 2 in the over 35’s Championship Nick Life and Rick Hanson on the opening lap which unfortunately sidelined Hanson for the rest of the day. The race was restarted and it was Life who initially had the lead, but not for long as Martyn Tucker on the SR75 Molson Suzuki was to storm past him as did the Crescent New Milton Tyres Suzuki of Terry House (Picture No 49) with House passing Tucker on lap 2 to take the lead and from there went on to take the win with Life taking 2nd a head of the Cheddar Mx Store Honda of Chris Brown. In race 2 this time it was Life who led for the opening lap before House piled on the pressure and forced his way to the front and literally stormed away from life to take his second win with Brown again taking 3rd. In the last moto House led from the off and showed his authority with a comfortable win to increase his Over 40’s Championship lead after taking a hat trick of wins.
In the Junior Championship class again it was Championship leader Jamie Carpenter who everybody was out to beat. Jamie was in fine form again and literally blitzed the rest of the field and notched up another fine hat trick of wins, but he too does make mistakes as he stalled it in the last race, but with his lead advantage being so much he restarted still at the front and now heads the Championship by some 134 points with 4 rounds remaining.
Report and Photos by Dave Rich