Thunder Bolt strikes down Expert stars
By TMX Archives on 22nd Aug 07
THE abnormal summer weather played a major part in the outcome of the seventh round of the National Putoline Hare Scramble Championship.
The course at Bolton by Bowland was in good condition up until the weekend, but rain started to fall on Saturday.
The youth race went off well so the decision wasmade to continue on Sunday, but torrential rain set in through thenight and this resulted in a course which was extremely difficult formost riders. The famous Bowland hills and off-cambers forcedearly retirements.
The youth racing got underway at 2pm on Saturdaywith the Senior B and Junior riders - and the conditions were OK. InSenior B, Billy Grimmer took the win from Davey Todd, with both riderscompleting eight laps. Third was Ayrton Aldridge on seven laps.Becca Dawson had her best result so far in Senior B, finishing fourth.
In the Junior class, Harrison Bell put in anoutstanding performance to complete six laps, three laps ahead of BillySteinman and Charlie Robinson.
All the youth riders coped with the conditionsextremely well and on this basis a decision was taken to run the adultclasses. As Sunday dawned it was clear the weather and track conditionshad deteriorated but with competitors already arriving the organisershad to continue.
At 9am the Sportsman, Novice and Senior A youthclasses blasted off around the circuit. Liam Ward, on his elderlyYZ125, was the early leader in the E1 class, chased hard by Mick Robson.
Ward continued building a lead and looked set fora comfortable win but his bike seized on the final lap, leaving Robsonto claim the glory from Tez Watson, both completing five laps.
NATIONAL PUTOLINE HARE SCRAMBLE CHAMPS
Rd 7 - Bolton by Bowland, Lancs (DirtBike Traxs)
MAIN RACE (Sun)
Expert: 1 Paul Bolton 6 laps, 2 Biff Smith 6, 3 Anthony Ayrton 5, 4 Neil Hodgson 4, 5 Edd McIntosh 3, 6 Gary Lancaster 3.
Clubman E1: 1 Robert Taylor 4, 2 Phillip Hancock 3, 3 Dom Garnham 3, 4 Tom Edwards 3, 5 Steve Jemison 3, 6 Harry Hillas 3.
Clubman Open: 1 Adrian Clarke 5, 2 Ben Airlie 5, 3 Chris Ball 4, 4 Simon Cartwright 4, 5 John Bolton 3, 6 Martin Hancock 3.
Over 40: 1 Brett Haley 5, 2 Mick Kendall 4, 3 Jack Twentyman 4, 4 John Lofthouse 4, 5 Anthony Crowe 3, 6 Phillip Brown 3.
SPORTSMAN RACE (Sun)
Sportsman E1: 1 Rob Wright 5, 2 Tez Watson 5, 3 Chris Berrill 4, 4 Karl Waltho 4, 5 Richard Sheen 4, 6 Tim Jones 4.
Sportsman Open: 1 John Weir 6, 2 Stuart Gordon 5, 3 John Holt 5, 4 Jonathan O`Connell 5, 5 Ryan Patrick 5, 6 Nick Owen 4.
Seniors A: 1 Josh Taylor 6, 2 Michael Briggs 5, 3 Josh Bendell 5, 4 Rob Dawson 4, 5 George Knowles 4, 6 Thomas Healey 3.
Novice: 1 Robert Berry 4, 2 David Bolton 4, 3 Matthew Waddington 3, 4 Dean Thackeray 3, 5 Stephen Marshall 3, 6 John Tozer 3.
YOUTH RACE (Sat)
Senior B: 1 Joe Deakin 11, 2 Billy Robinson 10, 3 Ayrton Aldridge 10, 4 William Hillas 9, 5 Davey Todd 9, 6 Robert Johnson 8.
Junior: 1 Harrison Bell 7, 2 Billy Steinman 6, 3 Max Griffin 4, 4 Daniel Bewley 4, 5 Ben Clarke 4, 6 Justin Stalpers 4.
For full report, results and pictures see T+MX NEWS, Friday, August 24, 2007.