This forthcoming Sunday, 22nd May, will see Round 3 of Darley Moor Motorcycle Road Race Club’s Championship get underway and in addition to the regular classes of solo motorcycles, sidecars and karts there will be an extra class for the East Midland Racing Association’s Earlystock machines.
Once more you can certainly guarantee some exciting racing and in addition to the local riders who are regularly at the front there are many that are intent on breaking into this group of quick racers.
The combined Formula 125/125GP races have seen Ricky Tarren (Tamworth) take both victories at Round 1 and two Runner-Up spots at the second Round to head the Championship standings. A little further down the field William Green (Buxton) has finished inside the top 10 on all four occasions, 5th and 4th at Round 1, followed by 8th and 9th in the second Round. Asher Durham (Derby) on an 80cc machine recorded a 5th and 4th place at Round 2, both riders will be at racing this weekend and looking to improve their positions.
Anthony Porter (Chesterfield) will obviously be the hot favourite Formula Darley and Mini Sound of Thunder race wins after being the victor in all his races so far this season.
Matt Zschiesche (Stoke) has finished inside the top 5 on each occasion in both Formula Darley and Lightweight classes with a best finish of 3rd in Formula Darley, but taking a Lightweight race victory at Round 2.
Alex Woodhouse (Chesterfield) will be up against Porter in both classes, to date his best results have been in the Mini Sound of Thunder where a 2nd and 3rd were achieved at Round 1, this was despite a 10 second penalty being given for a jump start! His best result in the Formula Darley class was 4th at Round 1.
The larger capacity Sound of Thunder class will see Jamie Medhurst (Long Eaton) as the favourite, despite failing to start the first race of the season, he has since won the following 3 races. James Ford (High Peak) will be the rider most likely to succeed if Medhurst suffers any problems, recording 3x 2nd places so far. In the absence of Medhurst and Ford in Race 1 of the first Round Gary Henrikson (Matlock) recorded his best finish, a Runner-Up spot, since then two 5th places and a 6th have been achieved.
After missing Round 1 Neil Addy (Buxton) recorded a 3rd and 4th place finish at Round 2, so will certainly be looking for top 3 finishes in the future.
Medhurst and Ford will again be battling it out in the Formula 600 class, but they will need to get the better of Richard Wardle (Stoke on Trent) who has been the victor on each occasion so far. Whilst Medhurst secured the Runner-Up spot in both races at Round 2, Round 1 could only offer him two top 5 finishes.
Ford will be hoping to break into the top 10 of this hotly contested class. With a best finish of 4th and worst of 6th, Ross Richards (Chesterfield) will looking to break into the top 3 this weekend. Martyn Cooper (Stoke on Trent) will at least behoping to equal his best result of 6th so far, or finish inside the top 10 at worst.
Cooper, Richards and Wardle will also meet in the Peak Cup, but here they will be up against the 1000c machine of Shane Pearson (Derby), who failed to finish the first race of the season, but has since won the other 3 races. Cooper has recorded an 8th, 2 x 9th and an 11th place, Wardle a 3rd and 2x 4th, and Richards a 4th, 2x 7th and a 9th in the Peak Cup.
Pearson has also mirrored his Peak Cup class results, 3 wins and a non-finish, in the Open Solo class. This weekend he will possibly face some extra local opposition in the form of Kevin Cooper (Stoke on Trent) after he has entered this class for the first time this year.
Kevin has been busy in the Pre98s class where he has taken two victories at Round 1 and two Runner-Up spots at Round 2. In this class he has been challenged for local honour by Gavin Heath (Leek), 2x 2nd at Round 1 and a 3rd and non-finish at Round 2; Nigel Tyson (Chesterfield) recorded 2x 3rd places at Round 1 and Jon Skelson (Leicester) a 3rd and 4th at Round 2, all are entering Round 3.
Skelson will be another racer having a busy weekend as he has entered the Steel Framed 600 races where he has recorded two Runner-up spots at Round 1 and two victories in the second Round. Gavin Salt (Leek) will also be
lining up in this class and recorded a 2nd and 3rd place at Round 2.
Ben Godfrey (Long Eaton) returns to Darley Moor for the Lightweight class races after recording a race win and a Runner-Up place at Round 1.
Roger Golling and Rob Dean (Stafford) were the first of the local sidecar racers to get their entries in and after recording a 4th and 8th at Round 1, they were got into the top 3 at Round 2, recording a 2nd and 3rd.
At present there is just one local rider entered into the East Midlands Racing Association Earlystocks’ races, Daniel Bullin (Long Eaton) but he has been a regular top 10 finisher, so another opportunity to cheer on your local racer will certainly be here.
As always Practice begins at 10.00 AM with the first race expected at 11.30 AM.
Entrance admission Adults £11.00, Senior Citizens £6.00, kids under 16 free, parking & paddock transfer free, with Programmes £3.00. Food is available throughout both days at the ‘Darley Diner’.
For further information please log onto the Club’s website www.darleymoor.co.uk where you can also listen to Live commentary direct from the meeting if you cannot attend.
