Midwest spins the Wheeler fortune
By Mike Wood on 15th Nov 07
BEING based in Melksham, Wiltshire, it was rather fitting that Midwest MCC should stage the final round of its very successful Hewitt National Cross Country championship just outside the town at Whitley on Sunday.
The championship, held over a total of eightrounds with a rider's best six scores counting in the overallstandings, started way back on February 18. Going into the Whitleymeeting, only the Clubman Two-stroke and Sportsman Four-stroke titlesremained undecided.
Already Jason Fraser, David Wathen, Dane Palmerand Gerald Poole had sewn up the respective Expert, ClubmanFour-stroke, Sportsman Two-stroke and Veteran championship crowns.
But before Sunday's action got underway though, atwo-minute silence was impeccably observed by everybody present toremember the country's war dead. So, at three minutes past 11am, theengines roared into life with the Expert class leading the charge.
Unfortunately, almost right on cue, rain alsostarted to fall, leaving conditions rather slippery for the opening fewlaps on the four-mile grassland circuit. Thankfully, that rain was tostop fairly quickly and from then onwards the going just got better asthe entry embarked on their final three-hour blast of the season.
With Hewitt champion Jason Fraser a non-starter inthe Expert class, it was Darren Wheeler having his first outing aboarda Midwest Racing supplied Husaberg who led the way. Indeed, Wheelerwent on to take the eventual win, completing a total of 21 laps, aneffort matched by Sam Simmons.
At the finish, Wheeler was one-minute, 18 secondsahead of Simmons with Keith Jenkins one lap down in third and NeilThomas fourth. Next came a group of six riders totalling 19 lapscompleted, the fastest being Jeremy Box.
Having already won five of the Clubman Two-strokechampionship rounds, Richard Maisey was favourite to confirm a titlevictory at Whitley. However, Maisey still had to better the ride of hisclosest rival, Geriant Coombes, a feat he eventually achieved.
While Maisey completed 19 laps for a runners-upspot on the day behind Paul Davies, Coombes finished in seventh on atotal of 18 laps.
HEWITT NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPS
Final Rd Whitley, Melksham, Wiltshire (Midwest MCC)
Expert: 1 Darren Wheeler 2702. 41 points, 2 SamSimmons 2683. 71, 3 Keith Jenkins 2661. 74, 4 Neil Thomas 2546. 64, 5Jeremy Box 2511. 94, 6 Michael Caddick 2470. 88, 7 Marcus Barnes 2470.43, 8 John Wheeler 2438. 50, 9 Hans Kaashoek 2426. 82, 10 HadleighWells 2405. 91.
Clubman Two-stroke: 1 Paul Davies 2441. 55, 2Richard Maisey 2432. 65, 3 Nigel Seldon 2426. 61, 4 Terry Beecham 2409.37, 5 Dane Palmer 2389. 60, 6 Steve Biddle 2356. 79, 7 Geraint Coombes2351. 87, 8 Ian Barnett 2325. 50, 9 Chris Beeston 2307. 49, 10 VinceLarcombe 2305. 64.
Clubman Four-stroke: 1 Ian Shuttleworth 2552. 72,2 David Wathen 2544. 88, 3 Matthew Bath 2527. 95, 4 Tyson Maytom-Jones2511. 24, 5 Stuart Keedwell 2485. 24, 6 Malcolm Lean 2443. 95, 7 TonyHobbs 2442. 64, 8 Peter Kyte 2371. 89, 9 David Lean 2362. 16, 10 JackRobinson 2335. 98.
Sportsman Two-stroke: 1 Freddie Davis 2287. 64, 2Paul Jones 2268. 14, 3 Jez Dance 2222. 22, 4 Jeff Cripps 2213. 98, 5Chris Morse 2155. 08, 6 Chris Meaden 2148. 85, 7 James Morse 2139. 28,8 Robert MacFarlane 2097. 79, 9 Dave Morse 2086. 58, 10 Dave Goffin2076. 80.
Sportsman Four-stroke: 1 Jason Dreyer 2375. 58, 2Adrian Francis 2271. 93, 3 Mark Woodman 2252. 07, 4 Andrew Rogers 2247.11, 5 Philip Gilder 2221. 42, 6 David Hogan 2157. 30, 7 Graham Pitts2147. 65, 8 Mark Anderson 2134. 72, 9 James Cullen 2132. 35, 10 MatthewHarris 2121. 35.
Veteran: 1 Lewie Davis 2261. 64, 2 Paul Hoskins2238. 07, 3 Terry Hoskins 2193. 74, 4 Andy Taylor 2187. 00, 5 PhilipMale 2136. 89, 6 Roger Newport 2135. 90, 7 Graham Jones 2115. 12, 8Derek Cook 2111. 63, 9 Rich Watts 2107. 38, 10 Dave Fletcher 2045. 65.
See T+MX News, Friday, November 16, 2007 for full report and pictures.