Saunders is just Super'
By TMX Archives on 9th Apr 08
HEAVY overnight snow, followed by a rapid thaw in glorious sunshine then yet more beefy snow showers, all this just a week after British Summertime had officially begun (!!!) were the ingredients which made the deciding round of the 2008 AMCA Superclass Championship a severe test of endurance and character.However, the fact that the event at Tirley even proceeded was thanks to a mammoth logistical effort by the organising Worcester MCC to tow just about every vehicle both in and out of the slippery paddock area. This was matched by the great skill and determination displayed by all riders as they were forced to adapt to radically changing track conditions.
Due to tight time restrictions, just two blocks of action were eventually completed, enough to secure home club rider Ben Saunders the 2008 AMCA Superclass title, though his closest rival, Clinton Barrs, did snatch the overall verdict on the day.
With the sun shining and the thaw complete, the hillside track was in surprisingly good condition, but there was drama before the gate had even dropped for the opening Superclass moto. Scott Mathia discovered that his KTM had picked up a rear-wheel puncture. While Mathia was still back in the pits, the pack roared away led by Tom Fish. However, quickly Fish was passed by both Clinton Barrs and Ben Saunders. Desperate to claim the first AMCA title of the season, Saunders blasted into pole position while Aran Agius, Aaron Crowder, David Campbell, Lee Dunham and Jamie Powell were all in hot pursuit. As Fish slipped gradually down the leader-board to an eventual 11th place Brad O'Leary was moving rapidly in the opposite direction despite losing the use of his rear brake. At the flag, Brad eventually snatched third spot behind winner Saunders and Barrs, while Campbell was fourth and Agius fifth. In a great tussle for sixth spot, Powell narrowly edged out a very impressive and determined Dunham who, aboard his 250F, had earlier made his intentions perfectly clear by posting the fastest qualification time.
In complete contrast, a blizzard greeted riders at the start of Superclass moto two, making conditions extremely treacherous. Campbell displayed all of his vast class and experience to grab a glorious holeshot closely followed by Saunders, Aaron Poolman, Barrs, Agius, Crowder, Dunham and Powell. After just two laps, Saunders had again hit the front with Barrs also following him past Campbell. Showing impressive early season form, Barrs eventually managed to demote Saunders for the win with Campbell in third, Poolman fourth, Agius fifth, Dunham a great sixth and once again top 250F rider. Despite finishing level on 47-points each, Barrs took the overall victory on the day from Saunders, courtesy of his moto two success. However the all-important AMCA Superclass crown goes to Saunders. Due to a couple of lengthy red-flag stoppages, the support riders at Tirley were also restricted to just two blocks of shortened races. In Expert MX2, Tim Truman took maximum points whilst Ben Smith topped the MX1 group.
Like the Experts, the Seniors racing also produced an MX2 maximum, honours going to Robin Harrision with 15-year-old Ashley Shipton top performer in MX1. Three groups of Junior Unlimited racing resulted in victories for Stephen Jones, Curtis Mears and Peter Trotman. The group three success of Trotman's proved to be the closest of the day after he had finished level on 27 points with Corie Mcshane. Completing the Tirley action, Lee Truman won both Inter-Junior races to earn the overall verdict ahead of Jack Hill and Sacha Williams.
AMCA SUPERCLASS
CHAMPIONSHIP
Rd 2 Tirley (Worcester MCC)
MOTO ONE: 1 Ben Saunders (450F Delkevic Kawasaki), 2 Clinton Barrs (450F Fowlers KTM), 3 Brad O'Leary (450F AMS KTM), 4 David Campbell (450F Honda), 5 Aran Agius (450F Thornbury Kawasaki), 6 Jamie Powell (450F Stevens Yamaha), 7 Lee Dunham (250F MotoXtreme Kawasaki), 8 Charlie Hollis (450F Mission Control Honda), 9 Aaron Crowder (450F Sandiford Honda), 10 Arran Poolman (450F MotoXtreme Kawasaki), 11 Tom Fish (450F Murray Harper Suzuki), 12 Owen Delaney (250F T&W Yamaha), 13 Shaun Pearce (250F Honda), 14 James Lane (250F Sutton Honda), 15 Danny Blakeley (250 Silvesters Yamaha), 16 Paul Coward (450F Honda), 17 Richard Meakin (450F Honda), 18 Carl Benjamin (250F Thornbury Kawasaki), 19 Rick Du-Feu (450F Delkevic Kawasaki) 20 Steven Bailey (450F Honda).
MOTO TWO: 1 Barrs, 2 Saunders, 3 Campbell, 4 Poolman, 5 Agius, 6 Dunham, 7 O'Leary, 8 Crowder, 9 Hollis, 10 Meakin, 11 Powell, 12 Delaney, 13 Michael Reynolds (250F Yamaha), 14 Coward, 15 Benjamin 16 Blakeley, 17 Lane, 18 Simon Lane (250F Sutton Honda), 19 Craig Chamberlain (450F Honda), 20 Bailey.
OVERALL: 1 Barrs 47 points, 2 Saunders 47, 3 Campbell 38, 4 O'Leary 34, 5 Agius 32, 6 Poolman 29, 7 Dunham 29, 8 Crowder 25, 9 Hollis 25, 10 Powell 25.
FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS: 1 Saunders 119 points (CHAMPION), 2 Clinton Barrs 103, 3 Brad O'Leary 86, 4 Hollis 78, 5 Campbell 77, 6 Crowder 76, 7 Poolman 61, 8 Agius 59, 9 Dunham 57, 10 Fish 52, 11 Powell 50 12= Delaney & Stephen Tillotson 30, 14 Pearce 28, 15= Andy Marchant & Lee Payne 24, 17 Meakin 21, 18= Benjamin, Blakeley, J Lane & Scott Mathia 20, 22 Bailey 14, 23 S Lane 10, 24 Chamberlain 3, 25 Du-Feu 2, 26 Dan Hill 1.
SUPPORT RACES
Expert MX1: 1 Ben Smith (450F Kawasaki), 2 Shaun Sabin 3.
Expert MX2: 1 Tim Truman (250F Suzuki), 2 Alex Barnes (250F KTM), 3 Kevin Williams.
Senior MX1: 1 Ashley Shipton (250 Yamaha), 2 Jonathan Hawkins (450 Suzuki), 3 Matthew Teague (450 Suzuki).
Senior MX2: 1 Robin Harrison (250F KTM), 2 Gareth Morgan (250F Yamaha), 3 Daniel Bishop (250F Yamaha).
Junior Unlimited Group One: 1 Stephen Jones (450F Honda), 2 Lewis Williams (250F KTM), 3 Benjamin Hawkins (250F Kawasaki).
Junior Unlimited Group Two: 1 Curtis Mears (125 Suzuki), 2 Daryl Perkins (250F Suzuki) 3.
Junior Unlimited Group Three: 1 Peter Trotman (300 KTM), 2 Corie McShane (125 KTM), 3 Jordan Pugh.
Inter Junior: 1 Lee Truman, 2 Jack Hill (85 KTM), 3 Sasha Williams (85 Suzuki).
For full pictures see T+MX NEWS, Friday, April 11, 2008