The 2007 Two stroke British Championship finally got under way at Canada Heights for their first round last weekend. MCFedation and the team behind last years DEP Challenge have got together to run a British Championship event combining 125 and 250cc two stroke machines only, running expert and junior classes everyone was welcome who participates in motocross and holds a valid license including top stars such as Mark Eastwood, Stuart Flockhart, Ryan Voase, Dave Willett and last years champion Ben Taylor.
With the track condition looking like its been cared for by experts who know how to groom a motocross circuit, fantastic weather and the day organised and run like clockwork, the first round kicked off in grand style.
With somewhere in the region of four hundred riders registered and taking part at the first round, qualifying was a blast.
In the 125 class Nicky Watts scorched to a superb qualifying time and set the pace for others to follow.In the 250 class it was local rider Mark Eastwood who got to grips with Swanley circuit and dominated timed practise.
Junior 125 class were first off the line, it was that well organised DEP even provided umbrellas for all forty riders on the line to make sure know one suffered with the heat. Steve Garrett took advantage of his great starts and put in three dominating races for a much deserved maximum. He was followed home over the line by Josh Silver, Brett Smith, Kieran Porter, Michael Randell and Steve Harris, all these riders put on a great display for the cheering spectators.
In Junior group B we had three different winners and they were Lee Baggs, Daniel Haswell and James Berrill, these three riders swapped places all day in what turned out to be some close exciting racing. Behind these three you had Darren Reed, Anthony Weaver and Daniel Lunt battling for fourth, fifth and sixth.
In the expert races it was a pleasure to watch, David Willett took the first two after battling through traffic to get to the front in each but race three was a different story, Matt Ridgeway looked liked he had the hole shot in the bag but went down heavily after too much front brake going into the corner, while he was trying to pick himself out of the dirt, Willett, Nicky Watts, Stuart Edmonds and Co went passed. Watts meant business and set about charging from the front, Steve Bixby, Jim Davies and Edmonds were on the chase but to avail. Then out of nowhere came the flying Honda of Willett slicing through riders like a knife through butter, eventually on the final lap with a few corners to go Willett took his chance but Watts held firm and crossed the line for a fine final moto victory - what a race!Willett took the overall from Watts, Edmonds, Davies, Ridgeway and Ryan Hamblin.
With the anticipation of listening to that sweet sound of 250cc two strokes leaving the start line everyone who was anyone gathered around the Canada Heights chestnut fencing to watch the 250cc races.Again it was a mixed bag of results in the Junior 250 races with two different race winners Adam Wheeler who took race one and Dale Raynor who took the next two.The racing was tight so a handful of riders could have taken the overall including Ashley Hudson, Scott Senter, Martin Cuddy, Ashley Pennycook, Simon Smith and Simon Jenkins. But the experience of Raynor made the difference in the final race over Simon Smith to take a well deserved and nail biting victory.
Mark Eastwood dominated the experts with three emphatic race wins, Mark who has been riding the two stroke machines since they released the movie epic "One Million Years BC" with the gorgeous Rachel Welsh, Mark didn't make a mistake and looked oh so comfortable in all three races - undoubtedly he's the rider everyone needs to keep an eye on for the championship. Eastwood did have to bar bang with a few experienced players to get to the front including the much anticipated clash with him and fellow tough cookie Jason Higgs. Kawasaki rider Ryan Voase looked at home on his 250 kwacker and may well lead the strongest challenge to the title behind Eastwood, Ryan who is a superb enduro rider led for a while in stages of the races but couldn't contend with Eastwood's strong overtaking manoeuvres. Battling with Voase was the Disco king himself Stuart Flockhart who has been racing the two stroke all year, they both shared points but Voase came away in second overall and few pounds richer by virtue of better race finishes.David Willett also rode in all three races in the 250cc class, some were saying he couldn't manage it due to the heat but he proved everyone wrong with a strong fourth overall.Just behind Willett came last years 125 champion Ben Taylor in fifth and then the PAR Homes Honda rider Chad Yarranton who swapped his 250F machine for a two stroker for this championship only, just behind in sixth.James Lassu, David Andre and Anthony James were only a whisker away from the leading pack.
All roads lead to Mildenhall on the 6th May for the second round of the championship, if this round has anything to go by then Mildenhall and the remaining eight rounds will be some of the best and most competitive racing of the year - for sure!
125 Juniors
1 Adam Reynolds 129
2 Paul Shires 120
3 Sean Stevens 114
4 Sam Holloway 100
5 Aaron Wakefield 84
6 Chris Glover 81
7 David Rawlins 75
8 Stuart Dyerson 71
9 Ryan Tomkins 69
10 Sam Arbon 66
250 Juniors
1 Ricky Lethaby 135
2 Alex Smith 120
3 Eddy Carr 111
4 Kenneth Fuller 103
5 Arron Sewell 101
6 John Butler 92
7 Drew Smith 88
8 Ian Fagg 86
9 Adam Wheeler 70
10 Ashley Hudson 68
125 E
xperts
1 David Willett 132
2 Nicky Watts 126
3 Stuart Edmonds 108
4 Jim Davies 99
5 Matt Ridgeway 96
6 Ryan Hamblin 84
7 Paul Willis 73
8 Luke Kennett 70
9 Steve Bixby 67
10 Brett Wheeler 62
250 Experts
1 Mark Eastwood 135
2 Ryan Voase 120
3 Stuart Flockhart 120
4 David Willett 105
5 Ben Taylor 89
6 Chad Yarranton 87
7 James Lassu 78
8 David Andre 70
9 Anthony James 67
10 Jason Higgs 64