Kings cracker gets Phoenix off to a flyer
By TMX Archives on 14th Mar 14
Last Sunday the opening round of the Phoenix Tools Premier Motocross Championships took place at Phoenix Moto Parc, Kingsteignton.And on a glorious day with the sun out and with a well-prepared track after the wet weather, spectators were there in numbers to witness a brilliant opening round.
In the Expert Open class there a great line-up and expectations were high.
Defending Champion Luke Hawkins had set the fastest time in qualifying, but it was Kelvin Townsend who got the best start in the opening race.
His lead was short-lived, though, as within half a lap Alex Snow had powered his way to the front.
Hawkins moved up to second on lap two and was giving chase while there was a real battle going on behind him between Townsend and John May.
This tussle went on for several laps with Jake Shipton and wildcard Lewis Gregory soon joing the scrap.
Shipton tried a bit too hard on lap seven and went down, lettiing Gregory through, who then passed both May and Townsend on the same lap.
Snow claimed the win with Hawkins a comfortable second and Gregory third.
In the second moto again Townsend got away to a blistering start, but right behind him were team-mates Hawkins and Snow, who were looking to get past early on.
Townsend held the racing line until lap four when a slight mistake saw Hawkins and Snow sneak through and start to ease away.
Josh Gilbert was also putting Townsend under pressure, but a mistake saw him drop back.
James Dunn stormed his way up through the field and got the better of Townsend but in the end it was a win for Hawkins from Snow and Dunn.
The last moto saw Dunn soon into his rhythm and he powered away at the front. Snow gave his all to stay with Dunn, but a mistake and then a problem with the bike on lap four saw Dunn ease away at the front. Shipton was now in second trying his upmost to close on Dunn, but there was only going to be one winner in this one and that was Dunn with Shipton second and Carless third.
In the Over 35 Championship class there were several new names on the line including Nick Life, who this year had registered to compete in all the series.
In the opening race Jamie Deadman set the early pace and led for the first three laps.
But he soon came under pressure from Life who, after not having the best of starts, had forced his way up through the field.
On lap five Life finally got past Deadman and from there stormed away to take the win.
Martyn Tucker got off to the best start in moto two, with Life again well down the field.
Tucker held the lead for the first four laps before he was caught and passed by Gavin Flagg, who then gave his all at the front trying to hold off Life.
But it wasn't long before he found himself back in second as Life took over and went on to notch up his second race win.
In the last race Tucker again held the early lead, but with a better start in this one it wasn't long before Life took over at the front to complete a convincing hat-trick of wins.
In the Over 40 class it was all about one rider, wildcard entry Brian Wheeler, who is no stranger to riding in the South West and dominated all three races from another wildcard and fellow Southwest rider Wayne Butt.
The Over 50 Championship class saw a welcome return to riding for Mark Gleadhill who demonstrated that he still has what it takes to compete, as he notched up a brilliant hat-trick of wins.
In the Tyremarks Junior Championship class there were many new names on show and in the opening race Leon Burt set the early pace after a blistering start, but as the race continued he was gradually reeled in by Luke Sturgeon.
These two swapped places several times mid-race before Sturgeon took control and claimed the win.
Sturgeon wasted no time in the second race once he hit the front and he completed a hat trick of wins.
