Express delivery at Brampton
By TMX Archives on 4th Aug 10
LOWER Gelt Farm Brampton, offered up and presented in pristine condition by the East Cumbria MCC, was the Maxxis standard venue chosen to host the penultimate round of this year's Express Insurance BYMX Series.
Going into the event both 85cc divisions were on an absolute knife-edge with a clear leader holding sway in both the Junior 65s and the Youth Open section. However, following a pair of storming performances from both Josh Gilbert in the Small-wheels and Adam Sterry in the Big-wheels all four section leaders will now enjoy something of a comfortable points cushion as they look forward to the series finale at Cusses Gorse in September.
This week began with the 65cc division where the top four riders put on an outstanding show for the crowd to behold. Quickest qualifier Keenan Hird had yet to win a National overall in 2010 but he shifted that particular monkey off his back with an aggressive and controlled display in all five races. Hird backed up his two race victories with two seconds and a third as he looked the complete package for the first time this year.
Taylor Hammal was also in top form picking up the first moto win and together with a consistent scorecard he also beat Albie Wilkie in the final race to claim second spot on the podium. Championship leader Wilkie may have had his points lead cut to 13 but his sensible racing head allied to his spectacular jumping ability meant he was always at the pointy end when it came to the crunch. A solitary heat win and third overall was Albie's reward.
Little red-rocket Alex Brown can count himself unlucky to come away with just fourth after he gave the front trio their first fright since way back at Norley. Brown scored his first ever heat win in moto three but had to concede defeat after a fall in the final showdown. The top six was completed by James McFayden and the rapidly improving Daniel Bewley.
The Small-wheel 85cc class has often been the most exciting division on show and so it proved once more with all the Championship contenders contributing to the racing spectacle. One lad however had his own particular mission and that was Cornishman Josh Gilbert. Josh knew he had a task on his hands on the rough, sandy circuit but he laid down a real touch of class across his 3-3-1-2-3 scorecard and ultimately banked his second overall win of the season.
Oliver Osmaston yanked himself up off the ground on more than one occasion but had also a very useful turn of speed when required - and his points haul (including victory in heats four and five) was enough to elevate him to second behind series leader Gilbert.
Jay Lamb found himself on the podium despite a troublesome day one. Lamb's Sunday performance of 2-4-2 blasted him up the leaderboard and rubber stamped his third podium on the bounce.
As usual the fight for the remaining places among the top six was frantic although fourth place man Robert Yates would have scored higher but for a painful looking race five crash over the Dunlop table-top. Fifth and sixth places were taken by the ever-smiling Essex boys Alfie Bowtell and Lewis Houghton.
FOR FULL REPORT AND PICTURES SEE T+MX SUGUST 6.
Express Insurance BYMX Series Rd 6 - Lower Gelt Farm, Brampton (East Cumbria MCC)
Open
1 Tom Kelly (Honda) 50
2 Gary Sharp (KTM) 44
3 Ryan McLean (KTM) 40
4 Nathan Watson (KTM) 38
5 Connor Walkley (Kawasaki) 36
6 Jake Gowan (KTM) 35
7 Harry McKenna (Yamaha) 34
8 Luke Norris (Honda) 33
9 Luke Newman (Honda) 32
10 Damon Wales (KTM) 31
Dunlop Tyre Award: Luke Newman.
Monster Energy Top Performance Award: Matthew Flemming.
Express Insurance Top Gun Award: Ryan McLean:
Championship Standings: 1 Walkley 274 points, 2 Kelly 251, 3 Watson 246, 4 Sharp 238, 5 Norris 214, 6 McLean 206.
Big-wheel 85cc
1 Adam Sterry (Honda) 50
2 James Harrison (Honda) 44
3 Liam Garland (Honda) 40
4 Ben Watson (KTM) 38
5 Jack Kelly (Honda) 36
6 Mickey Eccles (Kawasaki) 35
7 Corie Southwood (Suzuki) 34
8 Glenn McCormick (KTM) 33
9 Sam Winterburn (Suzuki) 32
10 Rob Davidson (Honda) 31
Dunlop Tyre Award: Glenn McCormick.
Monster Energy Top Performance Award: Brad Todd.
Honda Xtreme Challenge: 1 Adam Sterry, 2 James Harrison, 3 Liam Garland.
Championship Standings: 1 Sterry 270 points, 2 Watson 247, 3 Kelly 228, 4 Harrison 224, 5 Garland 218, 6 Southwood 188.
Small-wheel 85cc
1 Josh Gilbert (KTM) 50
2 Oli Osmaston (Honda) 44
3 Jay Lamb (Honda) 40
4 Rob Yates (Suzuki) 38
5 Alfie Bowtell (Yamaha) 36
6 Lewis Houghton (KTM) 35
7 Casey Connelly (KTM) 34
8 Sid Evans (KTM) 33
9 Jay Hague (KTM) 32
10 Jack Seaborne (KTM) 31
Dunlop Tyre Award: Alfie Bowtell.
Monster Energy Top Performance Award: Charlie Hamlet.
Championship Standings: 1 Gilbert 253 points, 2 Osmaston 238, 3 Yates 238, 4 Lamb 215, 5 Mewse 214, 6 Evans 213.
Junior 65cc
1 Keenan Hird (KTM) 50
2 Taylor Hammal (KTM) 44
3 Albie Wilkie (KTM) 40
4 Alex Brown (KTM) 38
5 James McFayden (KTM) 36
6 Daniel Bewley (Kawasaki) 35
7 Jed Etchells (KTM) 34
8 Nathan Bache (KTM) 33
9 Jake Edey (KTM) 32
10 Arron Woodward (KTM) 31
Dunlop Tyre Award: Alexander Brown.
Monster Energy Top Performance Award: ??
Championship Standings: 1 Wilkie 267 points, 2 Hird 254, 3 Hammal 252, 4 McFayden 212, 5 Edey 205, 6 Brown 203.
Adult Two-stroke Championship
250cc: 1 John Richardson, 2 Luke Coppin, 3 Ryan Pottenger.
125cc: 1 James Dunn, 2 Bryn Clarke, 3 Charles Statt.
Monster Energy Top Performance Award: Corrie Nemeth.