Sizzling finale goes down to the wire...
By TMX Archives on 2nd Nov 07
IN a season finale that went down to the last race of the last event of the year, Husqvarna's Rob McNealy became Southern Supermoto's Expert champion for 2007.
It's been a long year, and luckily for the club the weather for the final championship round at Lydd International Raceway on the most south-eastern corner of Kent, was mainly dry after a quick early morning shower had made the almost seaside track as slippery as an eel.
Paul Angear lead pack into turn one with McNealy in his shadow, as an over excited Dean Hillier went in too hot, and slipped off, collecting Craig Williamson in the process.
By the end of the first lap, McNealy was in the lead as Angear fought off the attentions of Brad Davey.
At half-distance, McNealy had opened up an eight-second lead over Angear and Davey who were still disputing second, with Mark Jones fourth, and the ever smiling George Clements, on a borrowed Honda, moving up to fifth after starting in the middle of the grid.
At the flag McNealy won by 12-seconds as Angear, Davey and Clements crossed the finish line as one, with Jones and Ryan Dixon heading the best of the rest.
In moto two, McNealy led from the start and was chased round the first lap by Angear, but as they crossed the finish line for the first time, Clements had ousted Angear for second and was in pursuit of McNealy.
For lap-after-lap the two fast riders were never separated by more then a couple of seconds as Clements did all he could to find a way ahead of the Husqvarna in front.
SOUTHERN SUPERMOTO CHAMPIONSHIP
Final Rd - Lydd International Raceway, Kent
Expert Overall: 1 Rob McNealy (450 Husqvarna), 2 George Clements (450 Honda), 3 Paul Angear (450 Honda), 4 Brad Davey (450 Suzuki), 5 Tristan Ovenden (525 KTM), 6 Darren Lee (450 Honda).
Final Series Standings: 1 McNealy, 2 Angear, 3 Lee, 4 Davey, 5 Williamson, 6 Jones.
Intermediate Overall: 1 Leigh Field (450 Honda), 2 Mike Cherrett (450 Suzuki), 3 Lance Pugsley (450 Honda), 4 Gary McCallum (630 Husqvarna), 5 David George (450 Honda), 6 Mark Richardson (525 KTM).
Final Series Standings: 1 Pugsley, 2 Gilbody, 3 McCallum, 4 Brian Harris, 5 Paul Harris, 6 Dooling.
Novice One Overall: 1 Steve Spring (250 Honda), 2 Justin Bateman (250 Honda), 3 James Griffin (450 Honda), 4 Danny French (500 VOR), 5 Andrew Merritt (450 Honda), 6 David Huggins (520 KTM).
Novice Two Overall: 1 Nick Hewitt (525 KTM), 2 Darren Mowat (450 Honda), 3 Tim Shakespeare (450 Honda), 4 Simon Falco (450 Honda), 5 Steve Windless (650 Husqvarna), 6 Mathew Wakeman (570 Husqvarna).
Final Series Standings: 1 Bateman, 2 Phipps, 3 Merritt, 4 Spring, 5 Bourn, 6 Tickner.
Youth 125/250cc Overall: 1 Benn Robb (250 Kawasaki), 2 George Gough (125 KTM), 3 Perry Hillier (250 Suzuki), 4 Robert Hartley 125 Honda), 5 Lewis Cornish (150 Honda), 6 Robert Harries (125 Yamaha).
Final Series Standings: 1 Robb, 2 Gough, 3 Hillier, 4 Hartley, 5 Harris, 6 Cornish.
Youth 85/150cc Overall: 1 Jordon Holiday (85 Honda), 2 Jake Dixon (85 Yamaha), 3 Sam Gilbody (85 Honda), 4 Kane Robson (85 Honda), 5 James Compton (85 Yamaha), 6 Dani Field (85 KTM).
Final Series Standings: 1 Dixon, 2 Robson, 3 Gilbody, 4 Field, 5 Berry, 6 Holiday.
See T+MX News, Friday, November 2, 2007 for full report and pictures.