The pressure is on as CCM MMX heads for Dean Moor
By TMX Archives on 12th Jul 07
THE CCM British MMX Championship series heads to the North West this weekend when, for the third time, the West Cumbria club play host to round six of the eight-round series at its Dean Moor track between Workington and Whitehaven.
Although Brad Anderson has taken his PioneerYamaha to the fastest qualifying time at every round so far, he comesinto the Dean Moor round of the British Four-stroke Championship 47points adrift of series leader, PAR Honda's Wayne Smith.
Brad has had a year of mechanical gremlins and hassuffered three DNF's so far this year which have seriously dented hisattempts to retain the title for a third year.
Smith, still recovering from some nigglinginjuries, will be looking for two consistent rides to consolidate hisseries lead and, after a strong British Championship showing lastweekend, he is looking good for Dean Moor.
The Wiseco Honda brothers, Jody and Danny Smyth,are having a hard -fought battle for third spot in the championshipstandings with Jody currently holding a 14-point advantage over Dannyafter both came away from round five at Torrington with 40 points.
Neville Bradshaw, on the second PAR Honda, issteadily closing the gap on the Smyths but, like Anderson, has sufferedfrom DNF's which have hampered his challenge, while Jordan Rose inseventh place has shown he has got the speed to get himself in the topthree but his challenge has been halted by inconsistency.
Coming into round six having only been beaten inone race of the PAR Homes backed Under 21 Championship, you would thinkthat Molson Kawasaki mounted Ray Rowson would pretty much have thetitle sewn up.
He cannot relax, however, as Jamie Law on theRelentless 250F Suzuki, the rider who inflicted that defeat, has keptup the pressure on Ray all season and is only 38 points behind insecond place. These two have got a considerable lead over the rest ofthe field at this stage and you would expect one or the other to becrowned champion at the end of the year. Rowson is the hot favouritethough.
Sitting 70 points behind Law, currently in thirdplace, is Kristian Whatley. Kristian has just been signed-up to finishthe year as a Nigel Arnold Racing team member aboard a KTM and holds aslender eight point gap over the PAR Honda of Ashley Greedy. LukeRemmer also showed a good turn of speed in race two at Torrington andis making up some ground having missed the opening round of the seasonon his Pioneer Yamaha.
The British Quad championship is really beginningto hot-up with only five points now separating the top three riders inthe standings. When John Mitchell took his ATV World Yamaha to the topof the table after a slow start to the season, everybody was expectinghim to stretch out a lead but he found himself being pegged back tojust five points when Paul Winrow took his Interlock Honda to theoverall win last time out.
Early series leader, Dutchman Joe Maessen, isequal on points with Winrow on his Mercuria Yamaha and will be hopingthat at Dean Moor he can refind his early form and forge a path back tothe top of the leader board.
Lindsey Duke took second overall at Torrington'slast round and is now just a few points behind Willie Waggoott whoholds fourth in the standings with three rounds to go.
Qualifying practice will get underway at Dean Moor at 9:30am with the first race of the day at 12:30pm.
The circuit is situated near Pica and will be sign posted form the A595.