Trying the Atkins diet
By TMX Archives on 27th Apr 07
STEVE Atkins, on his 450 ARK ATV Honda, opened up the defence of his 2006 QRA UK Quad Endurance title with a fine win at round one of this year's series, staged by the QRA, at Egbury, just outside Andover, on Sunday.
Tony Nash and his small, but keen, band of helpers laid out a long course using the available ground to its best advantage, with some nice twisty wooded sections, complemented with some blinding fast straights round the edge of the farmer's field.
The wooded parts were OK, but towards the end of the event, dust became a real problem on the more open sections of the course with riders having to be very careful with the poor visibility. Who would have thought it would be so dry in the middle of April?
As last year, the Pro class set off first, followed, after a short interval, by the Experts, 4x4, Clubman and Stock classes.
But new for this year were transponders, supplied and operated by ORE, which kept organisers, pit crews and riders well informed all the way through the three-hour non-stop race.
RESULTS
Pro: 1 Steve Atkins (450 ARK ATV Honda), 2 Andrew Davis (450 Team Suzuki), 3 Paul Winrow (450 Winrow Racing Honda), 4 Andy Downes (450 Winrow Racing Honda), 5 Stuart Jones (450 ARK ATV Honda), 6 Jason Wildman (450 ATV's R Us Yamaha).
Expert: 1 Ben James (450 Holeshot Racing Honda), 2 Roger Page (450 Suzuki), 3 David Bray (450 ARK ATV Honda), 4 Ben Morgan (450 Honda), 5 Max Walton (450 Walton-Wright Racing Yamaha), 6 Darran Bridge (450 D&E Yamaha).
Clubman: 1 Simon Lang (660 Free Flow Concrete Yamaha), 2 Lewis Hill (450 Rocketman Suzuki), 3 Julian Mawbey (450 Nick Firth Suzuki), 4 Jamie Blair (450 Honda), 5 John Page (450 JP Honda), 6 Robert Atkins (450 Honda).
Auto/ 4x4: 1 Richard Smith (4x4 ARK ATV Honda), 2 Ian Johnston (800 BRP Can-Am), 3 Anthony Smith (800 Can-Am), 4 Ross Tipper (800 Can-Am), 5 Jim Goddard (650 Arctic Cat), 6 Paul Taylor (750 Northan Transport Kawasaki).
Stock: 1 Lance Hand (300 Gas Gas), 2 Stephen Williams (450 Suzuki), 3 Moose Pittaway (450 Sid Hands Suzuki), 4 Wayne Bosworth (700 Yamaha), 5 Josh Cook (450 Suzuki), 6 Stephen Berry (500 Polaris).
For full report, results and pictures see T+MX NEWS, Friday, April 27, 2007.