Vets storm the Castle
By Nick Haskell on 17th Sep 14
The legendary Farleigh Castle Grand Prix circuit has witnessed plenty of fantastic events in its time and last weekends Vets MXDN was another entry in the history books.
Two awesome days of racing at the famous Wiltshire circuit were capped by team GB taking the overall honours in the EVO class team event.
An excellent performance from the whole British squad saw them top the podium ahead of the impressive Belgium and USA line-ups.
Ryan Voase's masterful display launched team GB into a commanding position from the word go as the 35-year-old Yorkshireman took a maximum four wins out of four.
Ryan's super show was ably backed up by strong performances from Brian Wheeler and Craig Pratley, who finished second and seventh overall in the individual standings.
The fourth member of the squad, Neil Prince, had a bad third race which pushed him outside the top 20 in the overall rankings.
Voase, though, was on fire all weekend and launching himself out of the gate at the start of race one he was already several bike lengths ahead before they reached turn two.
Irishman Gordon Crockard was in second spot as they disappeared out into the wooded section, closely followed by Wheeler, Gary Davies and ex MX3 champion Sven Brugelmans.
There was to be no repeat fairy-tale victories for John Dowd, though, as the popular American trailed down in 21st place at the end of the opening lap, with his fellow countrymen Doug Dubach and Rodney Smith even further back.
Brugelmans forged his way past Wheeler as the diminutive Belgian Werner DeWitt disposed of Davies to take fifth on the opening lap.
A mistake by team USA's Greg Crater, who was seventh going into turn two on the opening lap, dropped him out of the top 40 and left him with plenty of work to do.
‘Junkyard Dog' Dowd hauled his way up through the pack to take seventh spot at the flag, just behind a determined Pratley.
There was absolute carnage in the first turn at the start of race two, which left ‘factory' Phil Mercer sprawled across the track and in need of medical attention.
But, as the race continued, Wheeler held the advantage with Brugelmans and Voase in his wheeltracks.
Problems for the Belgian saw him touring back to the paddock at the end of the opening lap, elevating Voase into second spot.
Wheeler's time out front was shortlived, though, as Voase moved ahead on lap two, the pair finishing some twelve seconds ahead of third-placed Crockard as Americans Crater, Dowd and Dubach rounded out the top six.
Pratley, 30th at the end of the opening lap, hauled his way through the pack and up to twelfthth at the flag with Prince two places further back.
Team USA's strong performance in race two brought them back into contention and closer on points to team Belgium.
At the front team GB held a commanding lead but with two more races on Sunday, it was still all to play for.
Brugelmans was out to make amends for his race two disappointment and shot into an early lead at the start of race three, but with three riders in the top five it was looking good for team GB.
That was until Pratley stalled his Honda in the final turn at the end of the opening lap, losing a hatful of places as he kicked the machine back into life.
At this stage Belgium were looking strong with three riders in the top eight but there was no stopping Voase, who forced his way to the front at half-distance, leaving Brugelmans to fend off a charging Crockard, who snatched third from Wheeler on the final lap.
The fourth and final EVO team race again saw Voase scamper off at the front of the pack, with Wheeler in close attendance.
Pratley, meanwhile, had made another good start and was holding fourth at the end of lap one before losing a position to the charging Brugelmans on lap two.
But it was a done deal for team GB, with Voase and Wheeler taking the top two positions as Pratley clung on for sixth at the flag, losing out to David Cools and John Dowd in the dying moments.
After years of trying, the Belgian's finally came up trumps and clinched a popular victory in the Twin-shock Vets MXDN.
But it was a close call as they were pushed hard by a well-organised German squad who were unlucky to lose Laurent Lacasse in race three after he was unceremoniously rammed while holding second spot by Belgian Brik Schelfaut and was unable to restart his big Husqvarna. Team France claimed the final podium place.
There were some terrific scraps in the weekend's other races, especially in the EVO 250 group A with ex British champion Brad Anderson taking four victories from his four rides, although the popular North Eastener was pushed hard all the way by young Todd Kellett.
The latter had the crowd urging him on, as he gave it his all in an effort to stay with Anderson.
Similarly, in the EVO 125cc class Saturday's double race winner Jon May had the crowd on their feet after a crash in the first turn of race three left him dead last.
The Bristol man scythed his way up through the pack and into second by half distance but leader Tom Church held too much of an advantage for May to make up despite his best efforts.
There were no such mistakes in the fourth and final moto, as May relegated early leader Aaron Poolman in the early stages with Church claiming second spot next time around.
John Dowd claimed victory in the Under-50s Twin-shocks with four wins from four rides, after early leader Wayne Butt suffered punctures in his first two outings while holding a commanding lead.
Butt managed to claim runner-up spot, narrowly edging out Belgian Kris Veraegen to make it an all-Maico podium.
Doug Dubach achieved a similar result in the Over 50s Twin-shocks, claiming four out of four with Belgians Jos Claessens and Jan Geboers holding the final podium slots.
There was no such luck for Greg Crater though in the EVO 500cc class as he had to give best to Graeme Irwin, who claimed the honours with four victories, Ty Kellett taking bronze.
In the Pre-83 125 class there was a spectacular win for Franco Ulivi on his Italian Villa machine.
The Italian secured three out of four victories on what was probably the oldest machine in its class, despite a crash in his third race leaving him having to claw his way through the field to grab seventh at the flag.
Victory in his final race saw him edge out Lee Holland for the overall by the narrowest of margins, Holland graciously congratulating the Italian as they stopped in the pit area.
Frenchman Jean-Francois Hellaine took his 570 Suzuki to victory in the Four-stroke class, whilst Gary Jones took the overall in the Pre-85s.
There were wins also for Ollie Jones in EVO 250cc Group Two and Boris Minoretti in EVO 250 Group B.
