Dad is the way to do it Matt
By Dick Law on 2nd Dec 11
Matthew Neale, riding his dads immaculately prepared 500 Ariel, won the 31st running of the Eastern Four-stroke Thumpers Pre-65 trial at Thorrington, just outside Colchester last Sunday.
His loss of a miserly four marks placed him 17 clear of second place man Paul Edwards on another 500 Ariel.
Neale was riding the big booming Pre-unit four-stroke like he does his modern trials bike, hopping in the sections, making it look easier than it really was.
And as he approached the end of the 17-section, three-lap event he said: "It all started well as I cleaned the first lap, but I then dropped a single dab on section one and two at the start of the second.”
He lost another mark towards the end of that lap and another single dab four sections from the end of the event gave him his total of four – which was amazing on such a heavy machine.
Edwards' event started with some dropped marks at the opening two sections but a couple of threes at the end of the lap sealed his fate and wrecked his chances of challenging Neale for the class win.
Previous winner Mark Fletcher didn't start well on his 500 Royal Enfield, with a costly five on the second section robbing him of the runner-up spot as he finished the day just two marks behind Edwards, with Clive Dopson on a rigid 490 Norton a creditable fourth, two points further back.
Stephen Monk, on a 250 Triumph in the Unit Construction class, started the day badly as he had a single dab at section one, but then rode the rest of the event without loss.
David Strank, on his 250 BSA, started the trial in the same way as Monk by losing a point in section one, but seemed to have trouble on section 13 where he had a dab on two out of three visits.
Combined with a careless three in section 15, that gave him a total of seven and the runner-up spot in the class.
FOR FULL REPORT AND PICTURES SEE T+MX DECEMBER 2
NATIONAL Eastern Thumpers Trial
Poplars Chase Farm, Thorrington, Essex (Eastern Four-stroke Assn)
Hard Route
Pre-unit: Matthew Neale (Ariel) 4 marks lost, Paul Edwards (Ariel) 21, Mark Fletcher (Royal Enfield) 23, Clive Dopson (490 Norton) 25, Colin Mote (Ariel) 36, Trevor Baker (Matchless) 65, Ray Humm (Royal Enfield) 66.
Unit Construction: Stephen Monk (Triumph) 1, David Strank (BSA) 7, Chris Collins (BSA) 10, John Kendall (BSA) 27, Paul Britton (Triumph) 29, Daniel Carter (BSA) 33, Mick Clarkson (Triumph) 64, Darrel Glover (BSA) 75, Trevor Hill (Triumph) 89.
Two-stroke: Graham Brown (James) 1, Allen Collier (BSA) 11, Bryn Matton (BSA) 13, Kevin Hood (Sprite) 15, Kevin Plummer (BSA) 17,Sam Cook (BSA) 24, Alan Brown (James) 27, Julian Wigg (DOT) 28, Dave Spurgeon (250 Greeves) 41, Graham Braybrook (BSA) 43.
Easier Route
Tele-Rigid: Graham Hayward (James) 20, Stan Metcalf (BSA) 38, Wesley Butcher (BSA) 48, Bernard Rodemark (BSA) 57.
Sidecar: Paul Fishlock/ Debbie Merrell (Ariel) 10, Mark Kemp/ Bob Chapman (Ariel) 10, Pete Pesterfield/ Gordon Smith (Ariel) 15, Alan Hornsby/ Martin Ackers (Triumph) 36, Andy Abraham/ Fiona Neale (Matchless) 73, Roger Abbott/ Colin Keane (Matchless) 150.
Gentleman Class: Paul Houghton (Triumph) 6, Roger Finch (Sprite) 9, John Chapman (250 James) 14, John Dudley (James) 16, Steve Wright (Triumph) 23, John Mantle (AJS) 23, John Beasley (Greeves) 26, Graham Sewell (Greeves) 27, Colin Rose (Triumph) 32, Richard Challis (BSA) 37.
