Report: St Blazey Premier MX Championship - Round 1
By Dave Rich on 22nd Mar 17
Last Sunday round two of the St Blazey Mx Premier Motocross Championship made its way down in to Cornwall to the ever popular Landrake Moto Parc, which as per usual was in prime condition and was to produce some fast racing.
Before racing started riders and spectators were united in making as much noise as possible for a minute to show their respect to a fellow rider and friend of many people in the South West, Mark Hucklebridge, who sadly passed away after a long battle against illness.
Going in to round two it was Todd Kellett who was leading the St Blazey Mx expert Championship, but Todd was a nonstarter after picking up a hand injury prior to the event so the Championship lead was to change.
Josh Gilbert had set the best time in qualifying and was to set the pace in the opening Expert race with the holeshot from Dan Thornhill and Jake Shipton, but a slight mistake on the opening lap saw Thornhill hit the front.
It wasn't long before Gilbert took the lead back with Shipton also getting pass Thornhill on lap two and giving chase.
Tommy Alba, Loukas Maggio and Jamie Skuse were to have their own little tussle mid-race with Skuse eventually passing both. Shipton was giving his all to close in on Gilbert, but it was to no avail, Gilbert took the win from Shipton with Thornhill a distant third.
In Race 2 this time it was Thornhill who had the best start, but not so good for Gilbert as he went to go around the outside of Thornhill exiting the first corner and went down heavily.
Shipton was soon on the gas and was all over Thornhill and took the lead by the end of the opening lap leaving Thornhill with Shane Carless breathing all over him.
Shipton eased away at the front and had a fair cushion by the end of lap three, but on lap four Shipton took a tumble losing the front and up in to the lead now came Thornhill.
Carless tried to stay with Thornhill, but he was put under a lot of pressure from Alba mid-race, which went on for several laps with Carless eventually making a mistake which dropped him well down.
Thornhill went on to take the win with Alba second and coming through to take third was Michael Ellis.
In the last moto, it was Corey Hockey with the holeshot from Gilbert and Carless with Shipton tucked in fourth all over Carless who he soon passed.
Gilbert took over at the front and Shipton moved ahead of Hockey on the same lap, but he had no answer to Gilbert who powered away at the front and went on to take a comfortable win with Thornhill finishing in third which gave him the overall and the Championship lead.
In the R C Motorhomes MX1 2-Stroke Championship there was some good racing as with the opening round.
Ricky Brown led the opening race early doors before losing out to 2016 Champion Leighton Holmes and Championship leader Ty Kellett who was in a real hurry as he soon passed Holmes and from there went on to take the win with Ben Milward after not the best of starts coming through to take third.
Race two saw Kellett lead from the off from Holmes and Brown, but Holmes stayed with Kellett in this one and on lap three passed and took the lead. Kellett kept with Holmes mid-race not letting him get away, and with just two laps remaining Kellett piled on the pressure and with it found away passed to take another win from Holmes with Milward again taking third.
In the last Moto Kellett led from the start and soon got into his rhythm and eased away to make it a hat-trick of wins.Holmes came home in second with Gareth Northam getting the better of Milward in the closing stages taking third.
In the MX2 2-Stroke class there was no stopping young Tom Darlow once he hit the front who notched up a hat trick of wins.
In the M D racing over age classes entries were full right up as with the opening round and there was some good racing in all classes. Defending over 35 Champion Wayne Shimell won the first two races, but was to be denied a hat trick of wins in the last one by Darren Banwell.
In the Over 40s there was no stopping wildcard Ben Harmon who took all three wins as did Championship leader in the Over 45's Richard Green with Steve Elford doing likewise in the Over 50s.
In the JCT Developments Junior Championship there was some of the best racing on the day with Championship leader Jake Curtis-Stevens yet again showing his class with a hat trick of wins,
But there was some good battles behind him between Jordan Barrs, Jamie Dixon, Harry Prichard and Jake Parker.
