It was not just a day but a whole year to remember for Josh Day the 20 year old paint sprayer from Cirencester after the final round of the NG series this weekend at Oulton Park. Because not only did he win the George White Superbike 600 race, but also the 600 championship.
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Not only that but Josh also won the coveted Co-Ordit Performance Relay Challenge, which has a prize that could quite literally change young Josh’s future. Pete Bradshaw, boss of the Co-ordit team set up this performance relay to push a young rider through to a full time Team Co-ordit ride at National level in the National Superstock 600 series with the bike and all the teams backup at their disposal for the 2010 season. No one can put a value on this prize, as the true value is down to what Josh does in 2010…..the ride could as I said change his life.
Josh and the Dayo racing team, headed up by his father Martin have made huge sacrifices this year to get Josh through the year. Josh’s brother Alistair even stood aside from his first steps in racing to allow all the funds to go Josh’s way. Although several local sponsors are onboard including Mainstream Digital, Corinium builders, W Lea, Gary Vardy and George White, the funds were running dry by mid season.
A chance converstaion with Andy Rothery, one of the Clubs streetstock riders at Cadwell Park saw Andy and his Air Environmental company throw the Dayo Racing team a life line. To win both 600 and Co-ordit series was the best way to repay all these sponsors and that is exactly what Josh has done. This weekend Josh got the better of the 600 grid that included Freddie Russo, Thomas Fisher, Chris Beverley, Tom Young and Rich Bearcroft. Bearcroft, who pushed Russo all the way for second place was delighed that after being away from the grids for the last four months was still able to cut it at the sharp end, and now looks forward to next season with renewed enthusiasm.
For the superbike classes we had an influx of BSB competitors getting in some extra lap time prior to their final round at the Cheshire circuit next month. Joining NG regulars Richard Cooper, Phil Bevan, and Lee Keeble we had the bonus of Chris Burns on his LCT GSXR, Victor Cox with his J&L R1, Billy Mellor on the Form it CBR and Matthew Whitman on the No Limits CBR.
Cooper returning back to the NG fold after his BMW WSB call up was in prime form and took the Progressive Solutions Powerbike in fine form ahead of Burns and Bevan. A hard charging Whitman came through to fourth at the flag after a poor start to just pip Lee Keeble on the line. The Phoenix Motorcycles Open saw mayhem on the warm up lap after an incident saw Mark Compton go down in the damp conditions.
As riders took avoiding action Cooper was one that was unable to make it to the line. The race saw a geat fight between Burns and Cox with Burns grabbing the gap he needed in the latter stages to take the win. Bevan again took the final podium spot ahead of Keeble, Chris Pope and Josh Day who way pitting his 600 against the 1000’s in fine style.
13 year old Lee Jackson is making the most of his move up from the F125 Aprilia now that he has his hands on an RS 125 GP Honda. The young Lincolnshire lad fought hard race long against the more experienced James Ford on his E3 RS125 but after more than a dozen lead changes in the 8 lap Refined Recruitment 125 final it was the win for Jackson.
Third was Sam Hornsey who could not repeat his morning qualifying form in the afternoon on a damp track and had to settle for third. Outgoing NG 125 champ Corey Lewis was a gutted spectator though after leading the first two laps of the final and gapping Jackson and Ford to the tune of almost 2 seconds before an electrical fault forced him down pit lane. But it was good to see Corey enjoying a relaxing days racing, spending much of the day with brother Jay and the G and B Williams team on pit wall taking in all the day’s racing.
Matthew Davies (Mountain Aprilia F125) took top spot in the Steve Lynham F125 final from early race leader Thomas Williams and Max Symonds who delighed his team by grabbing his first poduim of his short career one day after his 14th birthday.
Dave Hampton and Daniel Jackson were another pair who provided the crowd with a race long head to head. The two TZ250 riders pushed to the very limit at each and every corner as the nimble 250 strokes proved once again that they really are a great racing tool. Hampton eventually took the win but we were denied the chance to see them battle with this years Dara Brady 2-stroke champion Tony Davies who had set the fastest lap in qualifying. His normally ultra reliable Llandovery Tyre and Batteries TZ was sidelined after an engine failure in an earlier race.
Alan Percival more recently an R6 rider wheeled out his old ZXR 400 Kawasaki for the A and R Racing F400 final and took an impressive 25 second win over Ben Cole. Although Ben wasn’t too dissatisfied as this runner up spot was his best finish of the year, heading home the NG regulars. Dan Millard came through to third place but missed out on third place in the season long championship by just one point. Fast qualifier Tony Meredith was ruled out after his gearbox exploded as he dragged away from the line.
Duncan Gibson (JHP 1098 Ducati) continued his good run of form with another race win in the Team Spidey Sound of Thunder heading up probably the best race of the day between himself Paul Willis on his KTM and Andy Jones with the A&B Commercials 999. It could have gone any one of three ways but Gibson took the win from Willis who was showning that he really is settling in with the new KTM. Willis a 6-time NG champion from the 80’s and ‘90’s is really enjoying his racing again, delighting in telling everyone that the last time he raced at the Cheshire circuit was back in the 1970 when he was up against Barry Sheene and Steve Parrish.
In the smaller Big C Mini Twins class it was a win for Scott Witts on his SV 650 over Tom Llewellyn and James Francis who was using this meeting to settle in to the SV that he will be using next year after listing this seasons Streetstock 400 championship. BSB Bike Magazine rider Simon Andrews was having a fun outing on a bog-standard ER-6….wing mirrors and all. Although he took 4th in qualifying they did not come to the grid for the final.
NG has three classes for streetstock machinery with the smallest 400cc class having former factory Suzuki GB team rider from the early 1990’s Chris Morley back on the racing grids. Chris had to retire from racing back in ’93 after fracturing several vertebrae but is making a comeback on an FZR400 with his main aim of enjoying being back on track and he says “…maybe taking a win !”.
And that is exactly what he did in this NG 400 Streetstock final heading home Mark Ireland and Joshua Jones. The Metzeler/DTR 700 Streetstock class saw the second win of the year for Matthew Billington on his MB racing 675 Triumph. Billington had started the year well with three podiums in the first three rounds including a win at Pembrey but the fourth outing of the year saw his tumble resulting in a broken shoulder, ruling him out of the middle part of the season. Now back to full fitness Billington headed home newly crowned 2009 champ Nick Andrews. One noticeable non starter was Roo Cotton, 8 time winner this year….why ?…… his machine sponsor has already sold the bike !!!. Roo was not too down hearted though, as there is a new R1 on the way for next year.
Hilary Phillips has a heartstopping moment in qualifying as his Fox Enterprises GSX-R suffered a steering damper failure forcing him out and meaning a back row start for the final. Phillips fought through though to take second place and grab the points he needed to lift the Mezteler/DTR 1300 title. He was not able to close down top 2009 newcomer James Jiff though who won by also 15 clear seconds and setting a new class lap record in the process. Gary Johnson came back from an earlier jump start to grab third on his Harrow Fireplaces GSX-R.
Ian Drowne and stand in passenger Ben Ransley secured a good win in the CSC Open Sidecar final. Drowne has lifted the sidecar crown in this his second year back after a 10 year lay off from the grids. He last won the title back in 1995. The former multiple National Hillclimb champion was visibly delighted as he crossed the line on his Mick Robson/West End Precision 1000 Shellbourne Suzuki to take the flag ahead of another former NG champ Andrew Williams and James Hibberd. Mick Robson made a winning return to the sidecar grids in the Century 2000 F2 class after illness has kept his away for the best part of 12 months. Robson with Ken Edwards in the chair of the SFB Racing Ireson Honda headed home Richard Lumley and Paul Skinner with the Lumley 600 Kawasaki with new and very welcome backing from KCP Environmental.
Josh Day was given the performance of the day award, whilst Matthew Billington received the newcomer award.
So with all the championships now decided Phil Bevan is the NG Road Racing Phoenix Open Champion for 2009 with Bradley Hughes taking the F125. Alistair Ray is the new 125GP winner and Tony Davies has regained the 400 2 stroke title. F400 honours go the way of Chris Beverley and Josh Day the 600cc.
Sound of Thunder champ is last years mini twin winner Darryl Alexander with Alexander’s successor being Stephen Sweetman in the Mini Twin. Streetstock classes go to James Francis (400) Nick Andrews (700) and Hilary Phillips (1300). Bevan also has the Powerbikes win in the pocket and in the Sidecars Ian Drowne/Jonathon Allum has the open with Miles Bennett/Kevin Perry the F2. James Kiff and Scott Witts have newcomers silverware secured in their respective classes.
All awards and prize money will be handed over on Saturday 21st November at Hatherley Manor Hotel at the Annual Prize giving Night.
