The Premier League
By Team TMX on 21st Oct 15
Last Saturday the Phoenix Tools iFly Premier Motocross Championship moved into Cornwall to the popular Landrake Moto Parc which had been prepped well for the 10th and final round of the series. Three of the championships had already been claimed but not the Pro Experts, Experts and Over 40s which went down to the final race in each class.
In the Pro Expert class there were just 31 points separating championship leader Shane Carless – who was riding with a serious knee injury – and Jamie Skuse but setting the fastest time in qualifying was young Cornish wildcard Josh Gilbert.
In the opening race it was fellow wildcard Luke Dean who got the holeshot and the early lead from John May and Sunny Thompson. Dean was on it for the first half of the opening lap until he made a mistake which dropped him down the field. Into the lead went May with Alfie Smith all over him, pressing for the lead which he took on lap two and he was soon pulling away.
Gilbert was up to third with Todd Kellett right on his tail after passing May on lap four with Kellett and Gilbert involved in a good tussle for several laps which was thrilling the spectators. In the end it was Kellett who got the better of Gilbert four laps from the end to move into second but he wasn't going to catch Smith who took the win with Gilbert third and Carless a distant seventh.
In the second race this time it was Gilbert with the best start from Skuse with Carless third. Gilbert was flying at the front for the opening lap but a mistake on lap two saw him drop down to fourth.
Kellett led from Skuse and Smith before Smith had a problem with a damaged front brake and dropped off the pace. Gilbert got back into his rhythm and got the better of Skuse on lap four and was gradually closing in on Kellett at the front until, on lap seven, he went into a fast right-hander, got cross-rutted and went down.
Skuse moved back into second but was knocked back a place by wildcard James Dunn. Kellett took the win with Carless yet again taking seventh to hold onto his championship lead.
In the last moto it was Gilbert with the best start from Carless and May and he set a blistering opening lap with a clear track ahead of him. May and Smith had got the better of Carless early on and Smith passed May on lap three. With the win looking in the bag Gilbert picked up a rear wheel puncture and Smith, Dunn and Kellett got past.
Carless came home ninth which was enough to give him the Pro Expert title.
In the Expert class things were also tight in the standings with the DSC Cornwall Kawasaki of Ben Butler heading the championship by just 29 points.
In the opening race it was Jake Penny who holeshot ahead of newly-crowned Junior champion Jamie Carpenter on the Phoenix Tools Husqvarna with series leader Butler third. Penny held off Carpenter for the first couple of laps before Carpenter got past and stayed there all the way to the chequered flag for a debut win in the Experts. Butler was second after passing Penny, as did Ty Kellett on his SJ Hodder Husqvarna.
In the second race it was wildcard Jordan Carter on the Stone Supplies Suzuki with the early lead from Butler and Penny with Carpenter in fourth. Carpenter then crashed hard in the whoops on lap three which brought his day to a premature end.
Carter was put under a lot of pressure from Butler who eventually found a way past on lap four, followed a lap later by Kellett who was soon on Butler's heels looking to get past which he did three laps from the end to take the win from Butler and Penny.
In the last moto it was Butler who led for the first half of the race until he was caught and passed by Kellett. Butler came home in second to secure the 2015 Expert title.
In the Over 35 championship even though Nick Life had already retained his title there was still some really fast racing with wildcard Ben Harmon leading all three races from the start to notch up a hat-trick of wins.
The Over 40s was a nail-biter with just nine points separating Chris Brown – who was riding with a cracked rib – and Terry House.
Richard Green set the early pace in the first race from Brown with House third but it soon changed as Brown and House passed Green early on, then House took the lead from Brown on lap three for the win. In the second moto Brown holeshot but right in his wheeltracks was House who was climbing all over Brown on the opening lap. House made a pass stick on lap two on his way to his second win of the day with Brown second from Green.
Going into the last race things were all square in the standings and House reeled off a gate-to-flag win to claim the crown.
The Over 50s class had been dominated by 2015 champion Mark Gleadhill but wildcard Mark Roberts ended the season on top with a hat-trick of wins.
Despite new champ Jamie Carpenter moving up to the Experts there was still plenty to race for in the Juniors as there were just 10 points separating the next three riders.
In the opening race Harry Linton held the early lead but he slipped off in the third corner and through into the lead came Jason Brooke who rode smartly to take the win and strengthen his grip on series silver. Bradley Barfoot, who had been lying third in the standings, broke a chain and although he finished the race after running repairs he was well down the field.
The second moto saw Cameron Packer with the early lead but this was short-lived as wildcard Aiden Williams got the better of him on lap two and from there raced away to take the win with wildcard Joe Eiffert taking second and Brooke third.
In the last moto Eiffert hit the front from the off and took the win with Brooke taking second which was enough to clinch the runner-up spot in the championship.
