Chris clears the Wall'
By TMX Archives on 26th Feb 09
NORTH Berks MCC attracted a superb entry of 122 competitors to the 50th staging of their National Wallace Cup trial at West Hagbourne, near Didcot on Sunday. As per recent years, the Wallace represented the opening round of the ACU Novogar Clubman trials championship.With reigning Novogar champion, James Fry, not competing in this season's series, there will be a new king for 2009 and following Sunday's event, Chris Pearson took an early advantage by producing a stunning performance which was to see him lose just three marks. Indeed, so good was Pearson that he matched the final scores recorded by the top two Expert riders at the Wallace, Sam Connor and Sam Haslam. There were to be numerous tie-breaks for the scorers to resolve. Runner-up in the Novogar, Matthew Jones' loss of 17 marks was matched by third placed Jason Turner, fifth placed Jonathan Richardson and sixth placed Ben Wibberley both recorded a score of 20.
So, in surprisingly dry conditions, the Novogar lads, joined by three determined ladies in Emma Bristow, Becky Cook and Maria Conway, left the Horse and Harrow public house to attack the 38 sections carefully plotted by Stu Robinson and his hard working North Berks crew.
Following the opening five sections at Napper's Bank and Cress Beds, Chris Pearson, Matthew Jones, Buster Regan, Jonathan Richardson, John Crinson and Andrew Blackman remained unpenalised in the main Novogar championship. Next up though was the spectacular rock sections at Seymours Arena where the audience was about to be amazed by the wizards of balance. In the seven Seymours sections, Pearson was in majestic form with another clean sheet whilst Richardson on his 125cc MRS Sherco and Phil Disney lost just one mark each.
Also performing with distinction in the arena and thus ensuring that they remained in Novogar contention was Jones, Regan, Crinson and Wibberley.
Another six sections on the adverse banks at Lollingdon Lane, littered with tree roots, caused no hiccups for Pearson as he marched relentlessly onwards, still unpenalised. Richardson, though, was again the star, keeping his tiny Sherco buzzing with a gutsy, stylish ride for an incredible loss of just one single mark. Also Sherco mounted, Jason Turner lost two at Lollingdon whilst Gary Jenkins, Simon Welch, Crinson and Rob Warner only added another three to their totals.
NOVOGAR TRIALS CHAMPS
Rd 1 – Wallace Cup Trial at West Hagbourne (North Berks MCC).
NOVOGAR POINTS SCORERS: Chris Pearson (MRS Sherco 3 marks lost, Matthew Jones (MRS Sherco) 17 (29x0), Jason Turner (290 Sherco) 17 (27x0), Buster Regan (Beta UK) 19, Jonathan Richardson (125 MRS Sherco) 20 (30x0), Ben Wibberley (Stevens Gas Gas) 20 (27x0), Phil Disney (Appleyard Beta) 22, John Crinson (Birkett Scorpa) 26, Gary Jenkins (MRS Sherco) 27, Simon Welch (270 BVM Beta) 30, Becky Cook (MRS Sherco) 32, Andy Blackman (Monster Gas Gas) 35 (26x0,4x1,3x2), Greg Marshall (Gas Gas) 35 (26x0,4x1,0x2), Neil Jones (250 Beta) 37, Rob Warner (RAW Montesa) 38.
SERIES STANDINGS after 1 (of 8) rounds: 1 Pearson 20 points, 2 Jones 17, 3 Turner 15, 4 Regan 13, 5 Richardson 11, 6 Wibberley 10, 7 Disney 9, 8 Crinson 8, 9 Jenkins 7, 10 Welch 6, 11 Cook 5, 12 Blackman 4, 13 Marshall 3, 14 Jones 2, 15 Warner 1.
Novogar 125cc Series: Jonathan Richardson (125 MRS Sherco) 20.
Novogar 125cc Series Standings: 1 Richardson 20 points.
Novogar Over 40 Series: Richard Allen (Gas Gas) 54 marks lost, Kevin O'Reardon (Gas Gas) 57, Mick Boam (Scorpa) 57, Kevin Morphett (250 Beta) 60, David Clinkard (250 Beta) 64, Michael James (John Lee Gas Gas) 70, Mark Reason (250 Beta) 86.
Novogar Over 40 Series Standings: 1 Allen 20 points, 2 O'Reardon 17, 3 Boam 15, 4 Morphett 13, 5 Clinkard 11, 6 James 10, 7 Reason 9,...
NEXT ROUND: Mar 2 – Colmore Cup Trial (Stratford on Avon MCC).
NON-CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSES
EXPERT CLASS: Sam Haslam (JST Gas Gas) 3 marks lost, Sam Connor (Beta UK) 3, Ross Danby (280 JST Gas Gas) 6, James Dabill (JST Gas Gas) 7, James Fry (MRS Sherco) 19.
50/50 ROUTE: Maria Conway (Beta UK) 10 marks lost, Joel Mitson (250 Scorpa) 21, Gary Doyle (290 Sherco) 23, David Pratt (Gas Gas) 24, James Ray (250 Sherco) 25, Scott Dommett (250 Beta) 28, Richard Tickner (250 Beta) 30, James Connor (Beta) 31, Darren Butcher (270 Beta) 33, Robert Faulkner (250 Scorpa) 37.
FOR FULL REPORT SEE T+MX NEWS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009
Becky Cook beat the majority of the lads with a superb ride, finishing the day in 11th place.