Marshall law
By TMX Archives on 9th Aug 07
EIGHTEEN months ago, Kevin Eddolls, one of the driving forces behind the recently formed Dorset Classic club, invited me to one of their events.
Last Sunday I finally arrived at their SummerScramble, near Gillingham to be greeted by sunny weather (remember thesun?), an entry of over 120, comprising three classic classes and threegroups of twin-shocks and a track which was just right for ''bednobs''- the local expression apparently for old bikes with limited suspensiontravel. Perfect conditions, in fact for a perfect day's sport. And that is just how it was.
The man of the meeting was undoubtedly KristianMarshall. This young man, from nearby Shepton Mallet, mounted on a1981/82 Maico, was tremendously quick everywhere. He dominated the Agroup, winning all three legs comfortably and then switched on hisparticular brand of magic to annihilate the Grant Slam runners - a mixof all the classes, pre-65, pre-74 and twin-shock.
Dean Pennington did a similar job in Twin-shock B,while the best story of the lot belongs in the twin-shock C group. HereDavid Hoskins, aboard one of his father's Veslosk creations - anancient 350 Velocette engine bored out to 380cc and levered into one ofIan's frames with a specially made swinging-arm for extra movement,cleaned up the group with a score of 1-1-3. When did you last see anold Velo mixing it with Japanese and German exotica - and winning?Magic, sheer magic.
Phil Anslow, Tim Manton and James Newstead werethe outstanding performers in the Classic classes. Phil took the up to350cc class chalking up 1-1-2 in the process. Steve Salmon was a goodsecond overall with 2-2-1, a score which owed something to his 250having its work cut out to pass Kevin Willmer's 350.
In the over 350cc class, Tim Manton was back tohis winning ways, posting 1-1-2 along the way, although he faced amajor threat from James Newstead on the big ex-Jim Aim Metisse whichhas been reduced to 650cc. James had the Triumph nip up in the firstleg but posted second in the second and won the third easily from atiring Tim Manton. With just two points separating them, Ady Matthewsand Roger Dunford completed the leaderboard.
If James Newstead was a tad disappointed with hisperformance in the over 350 class, he more than made amends in thePre-74 class. Out on his Cheney B50 for only the second time (and stillrunning it in!), he swept the board with a very smooth hat trick. ChrisWood was second on each occasion and John Ralph, making a welcomereturn to racing after a break of several years and still aboard his old Husky, was third each time.
Then came the Grand Slam. My money was on KristianMarshall, a good choice as you can see. How would the classiccontingent cope with the twin-shocks though? James Newstead, after apoor start, seemed just as quick as the Marshall Maico and Tim Mantonperformed what one unkind spectator described as a ''rollingroad-block'', just a whisker ahead of a horde of twin-shocks led byPaul Webb. It worked like clockwork, just like the Dorset club.
DORSET CLASSIC SUMMER SCRAMBLE Gillingham, Dorset (Dorset Classic MCC)
Workers Race: 1 Paul Feltham (500 JBR Honda), 2 Nigel Martin (500 Husqvarna), 3 Mike Popperwell (500 Husqvarna).
Pre-65 up to 350cc: 1 Phil Anslow (350 BSA), 2 Steve Salmon (250 Greeves), 3 Kevin Willmer (350 BSA).
Pre-65 over 350cc: 1 Tim Manton (500 Cheney Jawa), 2 Ady Matthews (650 Triumph), 3 Roger Dunford (500 Jawa Metisse).
Pre-60: 1 Chris Castles (650 Tribsa), 2 Alan Arnott (600 BSA Gold Star), 3 Rob Griffiths (650 Tribsa).
Pre-74: 1 James Newstead (500 Cheney BSAZ B50), 2 Chris Wood (500 BSA B50), 3 John Ralph (400 Husqvarna).
Twin-shock Goup C: 1 David Hoskins (380 Velosk), 2 Kevin Hamblin (400 Suzuki), 3 Chris Lapham (380 CZ).
Twin-shock B: 1 Dean Pennington (400 Suzuki), 2 Mike Gillingham (500 Husqvarna), 3 John Harris (500 Barigo).
Twin-shock A: 1 Kristian Marshall (490 Maico), 2 Richard Carter (580 CCM), 3 Paul Webb (500 Honda).
Grand Slam: 1 Kristian Marshall (490 Maico), 2James Newstead (500 Cheney BSA), 3 Tim Manton (500 Cheney Jawa), 4 PaulWebb (500 Honda), 5 David Lane (510 Husqvarna), 6 Kevin Moor (500Sportac).