Full Report: Rd 6: BTC – John Hardaker Trial
By Colin Bullock on 16th Aug 17
THE sixth round of the RT Keedwell ACU British Trials Championships took place last Sunday when the Guisborough & District MCC ran their John Hardaker trial at Mountain Ash, Glaisdale, on the North Yorkshire Moors.
Gas Gas teamster Jack Price went in to last Sunday holding the lead in the Championship class with Michael Brown in second place and Jack Sheppard third.
Price and Brown had dominated the top spot on the podium but on Sunday it was Jack Sheppard's turn to take the win with a dominating performance on the Beta to keep himself right in the Championship fight.
Lap one out on the boulder-strewn moorside saw Shep take the lead early on with a lap for the loss of just 11 marks with only the tenth section putting a five on his punch card.
His closest rivals however suffered the same fate in the hazard so no harm was done.
There was a superb ride here though from Jack Peace with a strong two martk effort.
The only other rider to see the ends cards on lap one was local Scorpa mounted rider Andy Chilton who got through for three.
Lap two two saw a confident Sheppard circulate for 11 once more which was matched by Price.
Iwan Roberts was only one mark further back as he tried to pull some marks back on his rivals after a disappointing opening lap.
With just the final lap of 12 sections to go, Sheppard was seven marks ahead of his nearest rival, a nice buffer and one that he did not wish to give up.
He then proceeded to set the best lap of the day with a loss of just nine which gave the Ipswich rider a well-earned clear win from Dan Peace who, despite losing a five at section two, was riding superbly on the big rocks.
Jack Price made third, not what he was looking for, but enough for the Gas Gas rider to retain the series lead although Sheppard now lies only six points adrift with just the two remaining rounds in Scotland to go.
In the Experts it was Richmond club ace Richard Sadler who went into the Hardaker leading the class from James Fry and Dan Thorpe.
And by the end of the day nothing much had changed as the on-form Sadler took another win.
It was Richard's first lap which put him in control as he got out of section three which defeated all but Hugo Jervis, enjoying his best ever BTC result, and Luke Walker.
It was a section that remained tricky all day.
Sherco challenger Fry pulled marks back at section seven, but his run in over the last half of the opening circuit was not what he had hoped for.
At the change of punch card, it was actually World and British Ladies champ Emma Bristow who held second on 16 marks lost.
Obviously stung by this, Fry really got going posting two laps for just eight and 10 marks lost.
Sadler remained rock solid though with two more steady circuits to keep the Sherco man at bay with Gas Gas stalwart Dan Thorpe picking up third two marks ahead of Tom Affleck.
So far so good for Beta with wins in both adult classes.
In the Youth A it has been the Billy Green show so far with five wins from five rides and things were looking rosy for importer John Lampkin.
It did not turn out to be quite so clear cut for once though as imposing Scottish challenger Duncan MacColl came around after the opening lap with a three-mark lead over Green after Billy had suffered no fewer than five stops.
At this stage Olly Smith was in joint second place with Green.
Billy then showed everyone just why he is such a class act with a second lap for 18 which pulled him through to the front of the pack.
MacColl was not to be outdone however and with a great third lap he tied with Green on a mighty 70 marks lost apiece, only to find out that he would have to settle for second on the tie break rule.
It was a great day for Beta though, giving them a clean sweep on the day in all three classes.
Olly Smith took third relegating Ulster's Josh Hanlon to fourth on the day.
Billy will have to wait until Scotland, with MacColl on home ground, to claim the Youth A Championship.
