Acerbis signs off at Pontilas
By Sean Lawless on 8th Sep 17
A weekend of WFO racing is on the cards as the Acerbis Amateur Nationals sign off with two days at Pontrilas.
Ben Walsh wrapped up the CCM Junior Open title last time out at Farleigh Castle and Brian Wheeler did the same in the Vets Over 40 class but there are still six championships to be decided in Herefordshire.
Paul Johnston and Luke Gidney have been going toe-to-toe pretty much for the whole season in the Two-stroke Open class with Johnston getting an early advantage before Gidney moved into a narrow lead. Riding a borrowed CR500, Johnston struck back at Farleigh and turned a six-point deficit into a six-point advantage but it's too close to call heading into Pontrilas.
The battle for third is lead by Aiden Wharton who has a comfortable lead over Jamie Fort.
The Moto Connection 125cc title is looking an odds-on cert for Lewis Dowdeswell who's 163 points clear of teenaged talent Dylan Spencer with mid-season pace-setter Nathan Claughan a further 43 points adrift.
Andrew Wilson holds the advantage in the Paradise MX-backed MX1 class with a 22-point lead over Lewis Meadows although with five blocks of racing still to go and 40 points for a race win the title fight isn't over just yet.
Jacob Joyce holds a lonely third - too far away to catch second and comfortably clear of fourth.
It's almost as close in the Craigs Motorcycles MX2 class where Scott Hamilton leads defending champion Brad Wheeler by 23 points. Wheeler took eight points out of Hamilton's lead at Farleigh but he'll need a big slice of luck if he's to overhaul him this weekend.
Neil Roe is a safe third but realistically is out of striking distance of the leading pair.
Nadiya Jones holds a 157-point lead in the Ladies class and should easily wrap up the title at Pontrilas. Instead, the best battle should be between Ellie Sleightholm and 2015 champ Tanisha Thomas who are separated by just 14 points in second and third.
The Roberts Plant Vets Over 50s also looks to be a shoo-in with defending champion Alan Eaves 125 points clear of Adrian Lewis. Warren Berthiaume is third a further 32 points off the pace having missed a round but, if he races, occasional series competitor Andy Watkins is a possible tip for the overall over the weekend.
Practice kicks off at 9am both days with racing from 10.15am.
Pontrilas is just off the A465 Hereford to Abergavenny road at Howton Court, seven miles south west of Hereford. Postcode is HR2 0BG.
