Some like it 'ot
By TMX Archives on 23rd Nov 06
A BRIGHT cold morning greeted the entry of 65 riders at this famous Yorkshire Trials venue for the 12th 2006 Yorkshire Classic Club championship trial at Dob Park, Otley. Three laps of 12 sections per lap were ridden with with eleven sections for the Rigid and Clubman classes.
A good selection of sections, mainly consisting of rocky stream beds with one or two greasy climbs, was provided by clerk of course, Hedley Cockshott.
Section three, at the bottom of the wood provided the first real test, drop down steep bank cross stream to a very steep greasy climb them U-turn left, drop back down steep slope to very tight right turn into rocky stream bed up over large loose rocks to left turn across stream to rutted exit.
The sharp right turn into the stream was where most marks were being lost. This turn was even tighter for the large capacity machines, only three clean sheets from the big machines with Gary Mitchell, Peter Baldwin on Ariels and George Emmott on his Triumph twin.
Bob Anderson parted with a big dab on the first lap as the Ariel tried to fold on him as he made the turn into the stream. Eight clean sheets from the smaller classes showed the difference between the large and smaller sizes of machines.
Section four, in and out of a stream featured a U-turn that was the mark-taking part of the section with rear tyres slipping off the bedded-in rockery. Only John Maxfield mastered the section on all his visits as Richard Thorpe parted with a dab on his first visit, while Dave Emmott on the Triumph twin lost a dab on his second lap.
Section eight was a long winding section up a dry stream bed which had a sting in the tail in the form of a step up and over a set of large greasy tree roots. Dabs were going down in the early part of this hazard but the tree roots took the main of the marks as rear wheels spun on them and heavy footing was taking place to keep forward motion.
Mitchell, Thorpe, Maxfield and Tony Dillon Cud were the only four clean sheets. Steve Thomas parted with just a dab on his first visit, while a lot of the entry lost double figures in this section.
Sections nine to 12 were set in an area never before used by the club, two stream bed sections, a greasy climb section then to number twelve which was the biggest mark taker of the day.
A steep climb in amongst large greasy ebbed in rockery to a left turn with exposed tree roots. Thorpe, on his James and Young Emmott Triumph twin showed how to do it right on all their three visits. Maxfield parted with his only mark of the day on his third lap, a dab.
Alternative routes were provided in most of the sections for the Rigids and Clubman class machines, coming out best in these classes was Mick Haslem out for the first time on a Tiger Cub, again Keighley brothers, Colin and Tim Pawson, took the one-two in the Rigid class.
RESULTS
Pre-Unit Springer: Bob Anderson (Ariel) 15 marks lost, Gary Mitchell (Ariel) 26, Dave Emmott (Triumph Twin) 29.
Tele-fork Rigid: Colin Pawson (Matchless) 100, Tim Pawson (Ariel) 103.
Twin-cylinder: George Emmott (Triumph) 15, Graham Wilkinson (Triumph) 31, Gary Marshall (Triumph) 32.
Two-stroke: Richard Thorpe (James) 3, Steve Thomas (Bantam) 15, Mick Dickinson (Bantam) 35.
Unit Under 246cc: John Maxfield (Cub) 1, Steve Rayner (Cub) 18, Chris Bradley (Cub) 24.
Unit Over 246cc: Philip Clarkson (BSA) 12, Andy Littler (BSA) 28, Bob Baker (BSA) 49.
Vintage Two-stroke (Eased Sections): Jill Driffield (Bantam) 45, Mick Preston (James) 46, Bill Hill (James) 82.
Clubman (Eased Sections): Mick Haslem (Cub) 38, Frank Anderton (James) 40, Frank McMullen (Cub) 53.