The Green party
By TMX Archives on 26th Oct 07
IMPROVING in every round so far, Steve Allen followed two third places with two runner-up spots and, on Sunday recorded his third consecutive win in round eight of the ACU Sammy Miller championship.
Steve won the Rigid class in the South Birmingham club's Greensmith Memorial Trial based at the Powys Arms, Lydbury, north in Shropshire again, ahead of series leader Bernard Rodemark, and this time well clear of Godfrey Hannam, Peter Collins and Nigel Townsend, who were all far ahead of previously third in the series Mike Holloway.
A hopefully very rare incident cost Neil Gaunt his only failure so far in the Sammy Miller rounds when the Midlands Air Ambulance circled over the second group at Hamperley looking for a casualty, who had been injured at a Hare and Hounds running in the same area. Luckily the damage was not serious to the rider but almost underneath the noisy chopper Neil was unaware that his Ariel motor had stalled and, too late he realised that he was going nowhere, except eventually to his first runner-up spot after six consecutive wins, just one mark behind series runner-up Martyn Wilmore.
Racking up win number five in the Two-stroke class Peter Salt made relatively light work of the seven group 30 section course finishing five ahead of Mick Parkes making his second appearance in the series after his runner-up spot in the Rhayader round way back in June, both far ahead of Paul Brimlow and even further ahead of third in the class Graham Roberts who finished level with Neil Walker.
A close battle in the Unit class ended with Dave Wood one mark clear of Peter Gaunt both ahead of series leader Paul Ansty, and Keith Gardner, all leaving local ace Nick Woolley far behind.
New kids on the scene Pete Pesterfield and Neil Hannam scooped top points in the Pre-Unit Sidecar class seven ahead of Paul Fishlock and Debbie Merrell as Andy Abraham with Barry Pocock balancing the outfit outgunned first and second round winners John and Paul Young who were having their first outing since May, but are still in second place. Rob Cameron and Andy Smith held off Guy Stanley and Gary Marchant by one mark after Guy and Gary drove out of a stream in the penultimate group at Marshbrook and tried to destroy a rather solid bush in front of my camera, to the great amusement of their fellow competitors.
A close battle in the Unit class ended with Ali Haigh recording win number three from three rounds just one mark ahead of Les Minton and Ken Garfield who lost out on a tough climb out of the quarry in the final group where their 350 BSA failed to match the big motors and they had to foot out, still in front of Ian Hannam and Debbie Smith who still hold a comfortable lead overall.
As usual class eight, for Specials was headed by foreign machines, led by Phil Whiffen on his Fantic one ahead of Colin Leese, Honda, followed by Stephen Bisby riding his Ossa Gripper.
Expatriate Yorkshireman Bill Myers who has lived for many years in West South Wales dropped a stack of marks but won class nine and, almost as expected Keith Wells cleaned up in class ten, losing one third of the marks lost by runner-up Roy Trump.
RESULTS
SAMMY MILLER BRITISH BIKE TRIALS CHAMPS
Rd 8 Greensmith Memorial Trial (South Birmingham MCC)
Class 1 Rigid: Steve Allen (350 Matchless) 2 marks lost, Bernard Rodemark (290 BSA) 8, Godfrey Hannam (500 Ariel) 16, Peter Collins (350 AJS) 23, Nigel Towsend (350 AJS) 24, Mike Holloway (410 Matchless) 34.
Class 2 Pre-Unit Springer: Martyn Wilmore (500 Ariel) 9, Neil Gaunt (500 Ariel) 10.
Class 3 Two-stroke: Peter Salt (250 Francis Barnett) 18, Michael Parkes (250 Greeves) 23, Paul Brimelow (246 James) 56, Graham Roberts (250 Sprite) 61, Neil Walker (250 Francis Barnett) 61, Brian Cotterell (250 James) 75.
Class 4 Unit Construction: Dave Wood (250 BSA) 5, Peter Gaunt (250 Royal Enfield) 6, Paul Ansty (250 BSA) 10, Keith Gardner (200 Triumph Cub) 12, Nick Woolley (200 Triumph Cub) 35.
Class 5 Pre-Unit Sidecar: Pete Pesterfield/ Keith Laker (500 AJS) 10, Paul Fishlock/ Debbie Merrell (500 Ariel) 17, Andy Abraham/ Jenny Greene (410 Matchless) 30, John/ Paul Young (500 Ariel) 34, Rob Cameron/ Andy Smith 43, Guy Stanley/ Guy Marchant (500 Royal Enfield) 44.
Class 6 Unit Sidecar: Ali Haigh/ Barry Pocock 10. Les Minton/ Ken Garfield (350 BSA) 11, Ian Hannam/ Debbie Smith (441 BSA) 17.
Class 8 Specials: Phil Wiffen (300 Fantic) 6, Colin Leese (250 Honda) 7, Stephen Bisby (250 Ossa Gripper) 10, Martin Gilbert (300 Fantic) 13, Alan Miles (250 Honda) 15, Kirby Bennett (200 Fantic) 18.
Class 9 Trail (Hard): Bill Myers (200 Beta Alp) 50 John Kenny (Suzuki) 64.
Class 10 Trail (Easy): Keith Wells (185 Honda XL) 4, Roy Trump (175 Whitehawk) 12, Joe Howells (200 Triumph Cub) 15, John Richardson (156 Fantic) 15, Chris Gardner (250 Yamaha) 16 John Hughes (BSA) 21.