Report: British Bike Bonanza
By Andy Withers on 7th Aug 16
Martin Guilford and Michael Geraghty on their Yamaha Wasp outfit served up a dominant display in the latest round of the Pre-84 Sidecar Championship.
On a fast track at Galhampton, the Summer Scramble was peppered with showers but this could not dampen excitement of the sidecar racing.
In the first two races Guilford made the holeshot and pulled out comfortable leads, Phil Rogers/Greg Wernham finishing second in the first followed by Mallows.
In the next race Rogers was second to Guilford but Mallows charged after him for the first ten minutes of the race. Mallows took second by showing great bravery, passing around the outside on the steep drop when Rogers was on the brakes.
In the third race, Andy/Tim Breacher made the holeshot and by the end of the first lap it was Guilford in front with Mallows charging behind.
Mallows gave everything but ran wide coming into the start/ finishing straight, then his throttle got stuck open and he took out the fencing on the bottom corner causing his retirement.
This was a poor reward for some excellent entertainment and Guilford pulled away completing a well-deserved hat-trick.
In the Pre-65 over 350/Pre-74 over 250 races Luke Hickie took the holeshot in the first two races but was overtaken by Cheney BSA-mounted Kristian Marshall and Tim Dallaway.
Marshall secured a hat -trick of victories in the Pre 74 class, taking two seconds and winning the third.
The fastest rider on show was Dallaway in the Pre- 65 class, showing great form taking both the first two heats, power sliding on the sweeping turns on his Hickie BSA.
However, Dallaway and Hickie failed to start the last race as the rain showers took their toll on riders allowing Bryan and Stuart Smith to get the points needed for a one-two overall.
In the Pre-65 under 350s, the Smiths were again challenging for honours against Andy White, sharing the first three places in all three races on their BSAs with White coming out on top. In the Pre-74's under 250 Gary Green was in great form on his CZ, winning the class with two victories and a second but Luke Winn on his Greeves did take the third race to grab the runner-up spot overall.
The Twin-shocks attract large fields in Dorset and produce very competitive racing and this meeting was no different.
Highlights included Phil Cutler dominating in the 125cc class winning all three races on his Honda.
Mark Lapham rode superbly to win the Twin-shock C including a race with goggles around his neck.
Gavin Coombes overran a berm in race two taking out his CZ; it couldn't be re-started which put him out of contention.
Among the Olduns Sammy Doble created great excitement with his all action style, taking the lead half-way through lap two, then falling off and chasing the pack. He eventually grabbed second in race one and top overall.
In the YoungUns Kristian Marshall turned on the style, winning the first two races but he couldn't shake off a determined Kev Feltham who took two seconds and won the last race which Marshall failed to start. Feltham won overall from Bryan Withers and Luke Hill.
Pre-84 Sidecars: 1 Martin Guilford/Michael Geraghty, 2 Phil Rogers/Greg Wrexham, 3 Andy/Tim Breacher , 4 Shaun Mallows/Colin Dunkley - all Yamaha Wasp.
Workers: 1 Nigel Martin (520 Sportac), 2 Marcus Feltham (600 Rovarna), 3 Jon Drescher(440 Maico).
Pre-65 up to 350cc: 1 Andy White (250 BSA), 2 Bryan Smith (250 BSA), 3 Stuart Smith(250 C15).
Pre-65 over 350cc: 1 Bryan Smith (650 Tribsa), 2 Stuart Smith(500 Tribsa), 3 Tim Dallaway (500 Hickie BSA).
Pre-74 up to 250cc: 1 Gary Green (250 CZ), 2 Luke Winn (250 Greeves), 3 Ady Matthews (250 CZ).
Pre-74 over 250cc: 1 Kristian Marshall (500 BSA), 2 Gary Green (250 CZ) , 3 Shaun Lovegrove (500 BSA).
125cc Twin-shock: 1 Phil Cutler (125 Honda), 2 Kevin Cutler (125 Honda), 3 Paul Osman (125 Yamaha).
Twin-shock D: 1 Dan Morley (465 Yamaha), 2 Lee Sawatzki (250 Yamaha), 3 Chris Connett (250 Kawasaki).
Twin-shock Elite Olduns: 1 Sammy Doble (490 Maico), 2 Paul Feltham (440 Maico), 3 Kevin Moore (500 Sportac).
Twinshock Elite YoungUns: 1 Kev Feltham (600 Rovarna), 2 Bryan Withers (500 Honda), 3 Luke Hill (540 PDS Triumph).
