Fraser proves Hew's the boss
By TMX Archives on 22nd Feb 07
DESPITE still suffering from a sore hand after recently breaking his finger, Cornishman Jason Fraser blasted his two-stroke Husqvarna to a great win at Chavenage, near Tetbury, on Sunday.
In what was the first event in a nine-round series supported by Hewitt International Salvage Management, Fraser completed 11-laps of the seven-mile Gloucestershire circuit, finishing just under two-minutes ahead of eventual runner-up Brad Williams.
Also competing at Chavenage was Wiltshire motocross star Mark Hucklebridge, getting in some vital stamina training with the major outdoor racing season about to explode into action.
Admitting to being very impressed by the speed of the fast enduro boys, Hucklebridge matched Fraser and Williams' lap total for an eventual third place finish, but naturally rode with caution to avoid any unwanted injury before the 2007 MX campaign ignites. It meant that he was nearly seven-minutes down on the eventual winner at the completion of three-hours of racing.
With the Hewitt National Cross-Country Champs organised by the go-ahead Midwest MCC and offering a total prize fund of £7,000, an entry of nearly 250-riders were attracted to Chavenage. Despite recent snow, rain and hail, conditions for Sunday's event were surprisingly good as Arran Poolman grabbed the holeshot to lead the Expert class away into the distance while for fellow competitor Dave Nuttall the start proved rather disasterous. Unable to fire his Husaberg to life, he completed his first lap already 11-minutes behind Fraser.
HEWITT NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPS
Rd 1 - Chavenage (Midwest MCC)
Expert: 1 Jason Fraser (Husqvarna), 2 Brad Williams (Suzuki), 3 Mark Hucklebridge (Kawasaki), 4 Keith Jenkins (Honda), 5 Lewis King (Husaberg), 6 Jamie Paget (KTM), 7 Arran Poolman (Honda), 8 Max Hembroke (KTM), 9 Derry Milling (KTM), 10 Martin Jakeman (Yamaha).
Clubman Two-stroke: 1 Stuart Rawlings (Honda), 2 Martin Cheeseman (Gas Gas), 3 Richard Maisey (KTM), 4 Terry Beecham (Gas Gas), 5 Roger Billam (Yamaha), 6 Steve Biddle (Kawasaki), 7 Paul Davies (KTM), 8 Greg Hodge (KTM), 9 Anthony Rymer (KTM), 10 Chris Beeston (Honda).
Clubman Four-stroke: 1 David Wathen (KTM), 2 Malcolm Lean (KTM), 3 Ian Wathen (Honda), 4 Matthew Bath (Kawasaki), 5 Peter Kyte (Honda), 6 Ian Shuttleworth (Yamaha), 7 Richard Edwards (Yamaha), 8 Jon Truman (Yamaha), 9 David Lean (Honda), 10 Chris Stone.
Sportsman Two-stroke: 1 Haydn Crocker (Kawasaki), 2 Andrew Buxton (Honda), 3 Richard Tucker (KTM), 4 Tim Frost 5 Robert Clark (KTM), 6 Edward Hennessy (Yamaha), 7 Dane Palmer (Honda), 8 James Morse (KTM), 9 Jez Dance (KTM), 10 Chris Morse (Gas Gas).
Sportsman Four-stroke: 1 Adrian Francis (Yamaha), 2 Mark Woodman (KTM), 3 Graham Pitts (KTM), 4 Andrew Rogers (KTM), 5 Reg Jenkins (Yamaha), 6 Mark Anderson (Yamaha), 7 Duncan Shaw (KTM), 8 Nick Pottow (Yamaha), 9 David Hogan (Honda), 10 Mark Heyes (Yamaha).
Veteran: 1 Gerald Poole (KTM), 2 Jerry Adams (Yamaha), 3 Martin Coleman (VOR), 4 Glenn Powell (TM), 5 Andrew Collins (Yamaha), 6 Paul Hoskins (Suzuki), 7 Robert Shore (Husaberg), 8 David Jarman (KTM), 9 Terry Hoskins (KTM), 10 Philip Male (KTM).