19:59Last Sunday the 2015 Phoenix Tools Ifly Premier Motocross Championship got underway with the opening round at Whiteway Barton, Kingsteignton where the morning began with a lot of drizzly rain in the air, but that didn’t deture the many spectators who were in attendance and were entertained with a full entry in all classes.
The Expert class for 2015 consisted of two Championships in the shape of a pro expert class and an expert class which was stacked with talent and included a couple of Wildcard entries.
The Pro expert class was really thrilling and was to produce three different winners during the day. Alex Snow on the Phoenix Tools/Ifly Husqvarna was to win the opening race after taking the lead from the first corner, but he had to be at his best as the D S C Cornwall Kawasaki of Sunny Thompson was to push him for a couple of laps early on and a late surge from Shane Carless on the Oakleaf Motorsport Honda towards the end of the race was to put Snow under a lot of pressure. It wasn’t the best of starts for Snow in the second race, but it was for wildcard Lewis Trickett on the MBO Sport Yamaha who with a clear track in front of him stormed away at the front. Snow was to make good progress, but on lap 8 his bike had a problem and was steaming and he had to pull up. James Harrison on the Phoenix Tools Ifly Husqvarna and the Tony Maunders Racing Suzuki of Jamie Skuse were to have a real ding dong mid race with Skuse eventually moving into 2nd who towards the end of the race had another Phoenix Tools Ifly Husqvarna of Alfie Smith closing in, but it was Trickett who took a convincing win from Skuse. Carless had the best start in the last race and led for the first couple of laps before Snow who was out on his spare bike got the better of him, but a man on a mission after not the best of starts was Smith who was absolutely flying who by midrace was lapping nigh on two seconds quicker than the leading two. Smith caught and passed Carless and a lap later was to pass Snow to take the lead and from that point went on to take the chequered flag and with it became Championship leader after the opening round.
Ty Kellett on the S J Hodder Husqvarna was in fine form onboard his 2-stroke as he was to notch up a hattrick of wins in the expert class to become the early expert Championship leader.
In the Over 35 Championship class there was no stopping defending Champion Nick Life on the Gibbs Performance/St Blazey Yamaha who was to lead all three races from the off and was to set a blistering pace in all three races which he won by some considerable margins. Rick Hanson who this year was on a Readypower KTM was his nearest rival who also rode at a fair pace who was rewarded with a hattrick of second places.
The Over 40’s Championship saw many new faces on the scene, and this included Terry House on the Crescent Suzuki who was soon to show that he is a threat in 2015 as he took the first two races by storm, but it was Richard Green on the T R Engineering Yamaha who denied him in the last race along with wildcard Leigh Williams who took 2nd from House who ended up finishing in 3rd.
In the Over 50’s class defending Champion Mark Gleadhill carried on where he left off in 2014 and was to put up a fine display of riding and took a hattrick of wins, but there was good rides from both Steve Lyons and Sammy Doble.
In the Junior Championship class there were many new riders including many riders who were having there first ride in the Adults. The Junior Championship class was to produce some of the best racing on the day with young 15 year old Jamie Carpenter on the Phoenix Tools Ifly Husqvarna winning the opening race, but Jamie was to go down in a mayhem in the second race just four corners in to the race and was way down the field. Wildcard Bill Farleigh was to lead the proceedings in this one and looked to have it in the bag, or that was what everybody was thinking. Carpenter really had the throttle wound back and was on a mission and was easing his way up through the field and by the start of the last lap was right with Farleigh pressing for the lead and the pressure got to Farleigh as he dropped it exiting the u-turn and through went Carpenter who took an excellent win. In the last race it was Farleigh who initially led the race for one lap, until he was overhauled by Carpenter on lap 2 and from there Carpenter didn’t look back and was to go on to notch up the win to make it a hattrick on the day.
Report a Photo by Dave Rich