FAST & FURIOUS!
By Team TMX on 30th Sep 15
Paul Edmondsons big weekend at Hawkstone Park could not have had better weather or a better turnout for what proved to be one of the best events of the Fast Eddy Racing season.
The mecca of UK moto-cross was in pristine condition for the beginning of two hard days of Sprint and XC racing.
Fast Eddy's track team worked alongside Salop Motor Club to give riders a first-class Hawkstone experience.
A landslide of last-minute entries swelled numbers considerably across all classes and following a capacity FED day entry that rode the MX course until 1pm, two GBXC Sprint groups attacked two special tests which took the course into the surrounding woodland.
The Pro, Expert, Clubman and Clubman Veterans hit the Enduro test first, while the Sportsman, Novice, Youth and Sportsman Vets charged at the MX test, which also included a good chunk of woodland.
The first group had the unenviable task of the hard layout for the Enduro test, which included two very tricky climbs that became harder as the event progressed.
Starting on the hallowed Hawkstone MX track the course soon entered woodland and the first climb hit riders hard straight from the off.
It was followed by a lengthy woodland section with an even longer and steeper climb before flowing through the woods and back to the start area. Lee Sealey made his intentions clear and rode consistently throughout the day to win the Pro class.
He gained enough of a lead to hold on through the afternoon as David Herring won every MX special test to take second place, while Jack Staines upped his game on a new KTM to take third in the Pros after some hard-charging runs in the morning session.
Jedd Etchells topped the Expert class ahead of Brad Williams and Joe Chambers, while Alex Walton won the Clubman category and posted the third fastest time overall in his group.
Elliott Bradshaw and Ryan Phillips followed him home, both over two minutes adrift. Andy Daniels had another terrific day to win the Clubman Vets class ahead of Dave Coles and Dave Grimshaw.
In the other group of riders who tackled the MX test in the morning and Enduro test in the afternoon Ben Clark and Brad Lilburn began a weekend long battle, which saw Clark win the Youth 13-16 class with Lilburn second and Max Ditchfield third.
Sam Nunn took the Under 13s win in style from Cole Cookland and Sam Davies, while at the other end of the age scale Andy Harvey took the Sportsman Vets win from Shaun James and Andrew Whieldon.
Tom Grimshaw headed up the Sportsman class followed by Mike Dutton and Luke Fisher, while Dawson Marriott won the Novice class ahead of Frankie White-Edwards and Josh Powell.
As the last bike left the Salop team went into action grading the track for long hours into the evening.
Sunday morning dawned cool but bright and the freshly graded track was in mint condition as the youth riders took to the line for a special Rock Oil Youth XC race.
The Big-Wheel 85/150F group was first away and Archie Collier grabbed the holeshot just ahead of Cole Cookland.
Cookie soon took control and built a terrific lead but he needed it as the second batch of riders left the line.
Charlie Chater hit the front first but Sam Nunn soon put his extensive MX experience to good use and within a couple of laps was chasing down Cookland at the front of the pack – despite being on a Small-Wheel 85.
Nunn slowly closed the gap and on the half-hour mark took the lead and went on to take victory from Cookland and Chater, all three on 11 tough laps.
Cookland's consolation was victory in the Big-Wheel 85/150F class ahead of Harrison Holdcroft and Archie collier, while Nunn's overall win gave him top spot in the Small-Wheel 85s, followed by Charlie Chater and George Yardley.
In Junior 65cc Adam James held a 40-second advantage over Keelan Hope, with Cory Cookland third.
Things got serious for the Steady Eddy riders as the track tape was removed from across the bottom of the fabled Hawkstone Hill. A huge entry lined-up on the start for the first of the day's adult races.
The youth riders gave it their all as they powered off the line and into the tight right-hander at the end of the long start straight and the Youth 13-16 class didn't hold back, hitting the corner as hard as any class over the weekend.
Harry Edmondson was first to exit, just ahead of Jacob James, James Palmer and Max Ditchfield.
Harry took his chance and tried to distance himself from the pack but with some very good riders in the field he couldn't escape too far.
And disaster struck on lap seven as he DNF'd, leaving Ben Clark and Brad Lilburn to scrap it out at the front, a battle Lilburn eventually won.
The lead changed hands numerous times but Lilburn's 125cc gave him the edge over Clark's 85cc.
Max Ditchfield took third overall and in class as youth riders dominated the first five positions.
Young Tom Grimshaw won the Sportsman class, having a great day to head Ryan Hughes and Cole Regan-Hunter.
You had to go down to eighth overall to find a rider of any vintage, in the shape of the freight-train dressed as a dustman powering powered a tatty old Honda up the big hill one-handed while rolling his goggles – Keith Staines.
He may have climbed higher up the overall ranks if he didn't have to stop and pull his racing pants up after most jumps but he certainly proved he still has what it takes to ride quickly and entertain the crowds at the same time as winning the Sportsman Veterans.
Novice class rider Adrian Latham was top of his group.
With the hill in play and a few extra sections of woodland included, the Fast Eddy Original got underway on Sunday afternoon.
An impressive line-up of Pro, Expert, Clubman and Clubman Veterans was on hand to provide the weekend's finale, over two and a half hours of flat-out racing.
The Pros left the line in a whirlwind of sand. Jack Staines and James Dent were wheel-to-wheel into the first corner but it was MXer Ashley Greedy who powered through into the lead as Jack Eddy, Daryl Bolter, Gary Daniels and Tim Foreman bulked out the leading pack.
Greedy made good going over the rutted surface but in just the blink of an eye Jack Edmondson had hit the front and was tearing away from the rest of the pack.
As riders settled into a fast-paced rhythm, Daryl Bolter seized second spot ahead of Greedy and began to chase young Edmondson down.
Greedy was fighting off a strong challenge from Jack Staines for most of the middle section of the race as some top runners started to fall by the wayside.
David Herring was out after five laps and Jamie Law after 12, then to everyone's surprise race leader Jack Edmondson retired to the pits after 11 laps with clutch trouble, as Bolter seized the moment and powered on to the win.
James Dent worked his way through to second spot as an exhausted Greedy held third.
Expert Jedd Etchells made the top three overall, two minutes clear of Charlie Frost, who wasn't expecting to race until his stolen machine was recovered earlier in the week.
Frost made the most of the reunion to claim second in the Experts as Robbie Dawson finished third, the race providing a fitting climax to a brilliant weekend.
