RAW Enduro - Rock Oil Championship
By TMX Archives on 2nd Nov 16
The finale to an awesome year of RAW Enduro competition was held at the superb Driffield Training area on Sunday.
In its first year with Lubricants giant Rock Oil as headline sponsor, the RAW Hare & Hounds Championship has seen riders battle through highs and lows, as well as providing some of the best races on the most thought out courses which RAW Enduro have to offer.
Organiser Wayne Braybrook has provided a platform for events in the north of England, which are second to none.
In a fantastic line-up of Youth riders, RAW Enduro riders Saul Hirst and Richie Moorhouse had a winner takes all race.
Hirst had the better of Moorhouse at this event and his larger 125cc bike certainly gave him the advantage over the Driffield lap. Taking the win and championship was a great end to his first competitive racing season.
Moorhouse was pleased to place runner-up having given his all. Race two rider Archie Wakefield held on to a credible final podium place. Jamie Williams a trials covert in his first year of enduro action dominated Youth B and took the title.
Sam Boyd celebrated his runner-up place and is ready for a full championship attack next year. Speedway ace Jordan Palin turned to the bumps of Driffield for the weekend earning a fine third place.
A packed AM race start saw just over 100 riders going head-to-head around the revised course for this final race of the season.
Holeshot ace Lee Pallet was the Sportsman Vets winner. A returning Andy Pulfrey was delighted with second on the day, and Damian Lord held on to second in the title chase taking a solid second in class on the day. Graham Dickinson secured the Sportsman laurels by doing just enough taking fourth on the day.
MX ace, Tim Gardham used the event for training riding both AM and PM races. Josh Hornshaw was runner-up on the day after his disappointment of a flat tyre at round seven, which hampered his progress.
Super Vet Mark Houson was the boss in the Over 50 class out on his MX bike. Andy Maben was runner-up, and Ian Hayworth grabbed enough points from seventh on the day to take the overall Championship win back home to sunny Lancashire.
In another high capacity Novice class Nick Manger was the winner ahead of Steven Brown, who was chuffed to bits with his second place finish to the season.
A short break for the morning trophy presentation was followed by the start of the PM race which had no fewer than 15 top Experts lined up ready to skip around the now testing Driffield lap.
Returning from Injury D3 KTM rider Sam Winterburn took on the challenge in style grabbing the holeshot. Fast MX men like Gav Houson and Tim Gardham were backed up by the regular Enduro guard of Chris Hughes, Brad Limburn and Lee Sampson.
Setting a hot pace Winterburn dragged Houson and Gardham with him, while William Hoare was tagged on to the back of the group looking strong.
With a full 2.5-hour race, the course sorted the men from the boys.
Winterburn took advice from his crew when blistered hands slowed his pace. Hoare hit the front and gritted his teeth to battle through complete with blistered thumbs to take an awesome win.
His riding buddy Gav Houson, using the event as a warm up for the Skegness beach race finished third.
Sam Winterburn claimed second as he finds his fitness levels again after a two-year break.
William Hoare's win was very impressive, watch how this lad gets on in the SuperEnduro indoor championship, which is his next challenge.
The Expert Vets class was another winner takes all battle. Anthony Ayrton and John Bradford were bashing bars for a large part of the race. In the end it was a tie-break which decided the championship as both riders finished the season on 115 points.
Anthony Ayrton takes the win by virtue of his better final race result. Anthony Tempest kept them all honest by taking a fine third on the day and in the championship for his season long efforts.
Kris Weston has had a great end to his season on a new 150 KTM, taking the Clubman win from the hard- charging Oliver Allbones who placed runner-up, just missing out on the extra lap as the flag went out. Simon Howden saved his best until last by taking the Clubman Veteran win on his KTM 150.
Championship winner Andy Harvey placed runner-up with Julian Holmes taking a well earned third place back home to North Yorkshire.
To sum up the season, the RAW Enduro events organisation in their second year of promoting events have provided some of the best races for their supporters, always a club to mix up the tracks to give fresh new challenges, as well as offering a variety of terrain so each rider has chance to shine on their favoured terrain. Well done to each and every rider who has competed this season, 2017 is set to have yet another fresh challenge as the Rock Oil Championship sees new venues introduced as well as the old favourites getting a winter make over to ensure they're in perfect condition for next season.
Special thanks from Wayne Braybrook goes to all RAW marshals and helpers "you really are the backbone of the club, efficient as ever,” he said.
It is now time for a well-earned rest as the plan for 2017 is etched is stone.
RESULTS
PM Race (2.5-hrs)
Expert: 1 Will Hoare 19 laps, 2 Sam Winterburn 19, 3 Gav Houson 19, 4 Brad Limburn 19, 5 Chris Hughes 18, 6 Ryan Heinz 18.
Expert Veteran: 1 Anthony Ayrton 18 laps, 2 John Bradford 18, 3 Anthony Tempest 17, 4 Mark Raynor 17, 5 Julian Holmes 16.
Clubman: 1 Kris Weston 18, 2 Oliver Allbones 17, 3 Lewis Ellis 17, 4 Dom Richardson 17, 5 Phil Blacka 17, 6 Neil Marshal 16.
Clubman Veteran: 1 Simon Howden 17, 2 Andy Harvey 16, 3 Julian Holmes15, 4 Mark Horrobin 14, 5 Kieron Norburn 12, 6 Mark Cockfield 5.
AM Race (2-hrs)
Sportsman Veteran: 1 Lee Pallet 14 laps, 2 Andy Pulfrey 13, 3 Damian Lord 13, 4 Lee Parry 13, 5 Neil Myers 13, 6 Andy Kirby 13.
Sportsman: 1 Tim Gardham 14 laps, 2 Josh Hornshaw 13, 3 Paul Raine 13, 4 Graham Dickinson 13, 5 Harry Conner 13, 6 Ben Walker 13.
Over 50: 1 Mark Houson 14 laps, 2 Andy Maben 13, 3 Andrew Dean 13, 4 Mark Pierpoint 12, 5 Steven Howes 12, 6 Jonathan Wadsworth 12.
Novice: 1 Nick Manger 13 laps, 2 Steven Brown 13, 3 John Andrews 12, 4 Bruce Hall 12, 5 Jordan Salmon 12, 6 Simon Tate 12.
Youth Race (1.5-hrs)
Youth A: 1 Saul Hirst 11 laps, 2 Richard Moorhouse 11, 3 Archie Wakefield 10, 4 Jack Winn 9, 5 Ben Wood 9, 6 Robert Crayston 9.
Youth B: 1 Jamie Williams 10 laps, 2 Sam Boyd 9, 3 Jordan Palin 8, 4 Josh Knight 7, 5 Hayden Stansfield 7, 6 Tommy Tait 7.
