Thundersport GB set their stall out at the weekend after opening 2009 with a thrilling programme at Mallory Park.
With some touting the event as the best meeting held at the Leicestershire circuit for a decade, the series continues to deliver some great racing action along with an exciting paddock atmosphere.

Record numbers attended the meeting and qualifying was held on Friday with racing on both Saturday and Sunday, including full television coverage, gorgeous grid girls and plenty of spectators appearing for a race weekend that even had the year’s best weather so far.

DUNLOP APRILIA SUPERTEENS

After a year like 2008, it was difficult to believe that this class could get any better until you looked at the entry list.
With some ten names all capable of winning the title, it was Belfast born Andy Reid who celebrated his birthday on Sunday that grabbed pole on the Friday ahead of Lee Jackson, Connor Tagg and Danny Murphy.

Tagg was the man to beat though and although Jackson claimed the remaining one victory, Reid’s four podiums keeps him in close behind Tagg in the overall standings.
Newcomer Danny Murphy and Australian Matt Davies and Ben Gautrey were all in good form over the weekend too but another pre-season favourite Wayne Ryan, had a weekend to forget after a disastrous Saturday.

Wins for Sam Cherry and Scott Pitchers in the Nitro races, gives the pair a well earned boost before round two also.

BRIDGESTONE THUNDERSPORT 500

New class, new riders, full grid and close racing action is a true review on what this new series provided us with at the weekend.
John Butcher, Chris Pickersgill and Jonathan Harrison had the best of the results throughout the weekend but with Neil Roberts close to the trio all weekend and Newcomer Daniel Beugel taking the final win on the Sunday and the lap record, this Championship looks as though it could be between as many as seven or eight riders.

GIMOTO STREETFIGHTERS & SUPERTWINS

Michael Price and his formidable black Triumph 675 dominated this class all weekend, he destroyed opposition and defending Supertwins champion Lee Reveley, whose four rostrums keeps him in the hunt, will have his work cut out this season.
Stewart Bradford, Rob McNealy and Brian Greenfield all had podium visits in the Supertwins class and can take hope from that.

Jamie Wilkins on his Aprilia Tuono won three from four Streetfighter ‘A’ races, but a consistent Andy Denyer and Chris Matthews who both had four visits each to the three steps, will ensure it won’t be an easy ride for Wilkins in 2009.
Streetfighter ‘B’ is also close with Ian Popplewell only just ahead of Martin Stanier in the points table. Steve Parrot in third is only a handful of points behind them and Utting, Morley and Page are also within touching distance.

BSN.COM JUNIOR POWERBIKES, MINITWINS & MOTO 450

The word ‘junior’ couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to the three riders that took the weekend by storm. Between Junior Powerbike riders Alex Hutchinson, Steve Tomes and Rob Elsmere you have a probable 60 years worth of racing experience and the trio provided us with some old school class.
With little between all three, Tomes (on a borrowed Hornsey Steels Honda), and Hutchinson are joint leaders of the title race on 86 points with Elsmere in third on 69.

With thrills and spills in the Supertwins, 27 points separate the top five as a very consistent Chris Boland leads the way ahead of Richard Willshire and Jamie Morris. Dan Hopkins is joint fourth after winning both the races he finished on Sunday and he is joined by Leigh Hutchinson who also had a podium visit.
Paul Turner and Darren Smith were the only pair on Moto 450’s, and although they were involved in plenty of racing action, they’ll hope to be joined soon by some more 450’s currently being developed.

PIRELLI FORMULA 600

Gary May surprised nobody by winning all three races in this weekends opener. With new rules in the class and a field that’s grown by 57%, there is more competition out there for May, but they’ll all be aware of who the current Champion is after a thrilling display.
Michael Price and Paul Charman both made regular podium visits and now need to seek for that extra half a second that will have them causing the #13 machine problems.

METZELER 600 SUPERSTOCK

Another new class for 2009 and another full grid, this gives you a good look at who the next challengers of Gary May could be in the future.
Trick bits racing star John Simpson was pole and even with a hard fought victory under his belt on the Saturday during an 18 lap battle with Jeacock, mechanical problems meant that his new rival stormed to the top of the leader board.
With Dean Brown winning the final photo finish race of the day, you again look at seven or eight riders that can all win races this season.

E2E SOLUTIONS GP3 & GP3 CUP

The last of the genuine racing classes has a fantastic field of entrants this season with dozens that will undoubtedly claim silverware this year.
One very young man in 13-year-old Frazer Rogers was the star of the show though, some impeccable riding on his Magnum motor sport powered JDF Machine saw the 2008 Superteen Champion take a perfect three from three wins at Mallory.
The Cup rider leads the overall Championship by 23 points from a talented Sam Hornsey, with Arnie Shelton in third.
Shelton is only just second in the cup class too, as he leads Simon Low by a single point ahead of a long list of young budding stars.

CIA INSURANCE GP1

A full grid of well know names battled it out to try and beat a defending Champion Gary May at Mallory, with Peter Baker the only man that managed it on Sunday.
May’s old foe Rob Hoyles was on the podium all three times but couldn’t get the better of Gary as the number #13 bike ended the weekend with a whopping five wins from six races and leading both Championships he won last season.
With rumours of an R1 on the way for Gary to compete in the class, the competitive field don’t want to be leaving it too late to mount a challenge.