Mitchell retains Quad crown
By TMX Archives on 22nd Aug 07
PAUL Winrow lead the pack round turn one at the start of the first quad race, with Carl Bunce and Lindsey Duke in tow, but three turns into the race Winrow had trouble: I came round the turn and drifted on to one of the berms the solos had thrown up and the bike dug in and came to a stop. I had to rock it from side to side to get it free and lost five places.''
By the end of the lap, Winrow was back to second and chasing down leader Simon Hammersley, but Mitchell was in real trouble.
He hadn't qualified well, then messed up the start and got himself stuck in a boggy bit on the opening lap. He finished the lap in last place.
By the halfway stage, Winrow was in the lead, JoeMaessen was pushing Hammersley for second, and Mitchell was in sixthplace and flying.
With two laps to go, Maessen passed Hammers-ley for second and a lap later Mitchell pushed him down one place further.
David Hammersley got the holeshot in race two, with Brother Simon second and Winrow third.
On lap two, the two championship contenders wentup the hill side by side and, as Mitchell turned into the corner,Winrow had a choice, hit Mitchell, or the fence?
He hit the fence and the Honda stalled, dropping Paul back to eighth place, behind David Cowan.
Mitchell took the lead on lap three and put insome fast laps to make a break from Simon Hammersley, Richard Tordoffand David Hammersley.
Mitchell took the win and the championship fromTordoff, Simon Hammersley and Chris North, with Winrow coming homefifth after stalling his bike in the rhythmn section.
After the racing two-time champion Mitchell said:In the first race I got a terrible start and got the bike caught in arut out the back of the circuit which put me in last place. I messed upagain later on in the race but managed to get third. The second racewas more straight forward and it's great to win the championship forthe second time.''
CCM BRITISH QUAD-CROSS CHAMPS
Rd 7 Howton Court, Pontrilas (Oxford Ixion MCC)
1 John Mitchell (ATV World Yamaha) 20 + 25 = 45
2 Paul Winrow (Interlock Lonestar Honda) 25 + 16 = 41
3 Richard Tordoff (Anderson ATV Suzuki) 16 + 22 = 38
4 Simon Hammersley (Lamos Yamaha) 18 + 20 = 38
5 Chris North (450F KIK Honda) 13 + 18 = 31
6 Leon Beda (Mercuria GYTR Yamaha) 14 + 15 = 29
FINAL SERIES STANDINGS after 7 rounds: 1 John Mitchell 287 points(CHAMPION), 2 Paul Winrow 270, 3 Joe Maessen 254, 4 Tordoff 191, 5Waggott 187, 6 Duke 174,
For full report, results and pictures see T+MX NEWS, Friday, August 24, 2007.