Race Reports
2015 R1 Leuchars
Round 1 Comerton Farm Leuchars 29/3/15
Report by Allan Hughes
The 2015 Scottish twinshock championship kicked off in fine style with a huge entry at Comerton Farm Leuchars in the sunny Kingdom of Fife,with most of Scotland a washout this small Fife peninsula stayed dry and sunny for most of the day.
The deep sand track seems to be a favorite for the mono support class but it seems to take its toal on the older machines as the track starts to cut up,First up was the pre77 class Argyle man Richie McFadden romped home for 3 straight wins unchallenged, The father and son duo of Garry and Jordan Britton had a epic battle for the other 2 podium places with Garry clinching the runner up spot ahead of son Jordan who finished the day with third overal. Don Fullerton had a good haul of points to claim forth overall dispite bike problems.
Next up was the four stroke class trying to muscle their heavy old bikes around the deep sand track club chairman big Ricky Caldwell was in a class of his own, The former four stroke championship winner was back to his best and cleaned up with three race wins unchallenged for the overall on the day. Kevin Crawford looked smooth with three second places but could not match the pace of Caldwell at the front but none the less took second overall,The surprise of the class was club secretary Joe Mclean who put in a solid days work to get third overall although word around the padock was he had found a shortcut but this was quickly dissmissed at the prize giving.
The over fifty class had drawn a big entry current over fifty champ Davie Puller had his work cut out keeping the field behind him but just seemed to be doing enough and took three wins,Scott Napier and Johnny Rutherford swaped places through out the three races with Napier getting two seconds and a third for a second overall with Rutherford third and James Grieve chasing them hard for forth overall.
Blasting off the line in the under 300cc twinshock class was long time club member Bill Bruce making a return to racing after a long lay off to take three race wins on his very quick 250 can-am, Mike Vandermerwe, James Hill and the fast gating Alex Joiner and Graeme Miller went head to head for the last two podium places after three hard races Vandermerwe took second and Hill third, Joiner looked impresive in the first race with a second just behind Bruce but a DNF in race two and a bad start for race three dropped him to sixth overall on the day.
Now the race everyone was waiting for the twinshock open class dominated for as many years as I can remember by Scottish Twinshock legend Paul Chiappa, as the gates dropped Chiappa charged to the front to take race one from Craig Smith in second and James Mclean in third, For many years this has been the norm for Chiappa to dominate the open class but for this race meeting Smith had other ideas, in race two and three Chiappa and Smith went at it as hard as they could from the gate to the flag with Smith winning race two and three for the overall with Chiappa second and Ayrshire man Callum Baird in a solid third. James Mclean managed forth dispite a change of bike after race one due to gearbox problems on his 490 maico.
Off in a plume of sweet smelling blue two stroke smoke was the tiddlers of the 125 evo class. The sound of the small capacity two strokes being ridden flat out in the sand was a joy to behold. Three riders stood out from the pack P. Baxter, Roy Potts and Brian Colligan. Baxter with a race win and two second place finishes secured the overall victory, then came the hard charging Potts with a race win, a second and a third place finish, for a well earned second place overall. Colligan managed a race win and two third places for the last spot on the podium. Newcomer to the 125 evo class Kieran Smart did himself proud with a fourth overall on the day.
The open evolution class is going from strength to strength with yet another increased entry. Coming off the back of a good season last year Gordon Morrison looked to be pre event favourite for the win, but a crash in race one and mechanical problems in race three left Morrison with the third overall. Brian Alexander back in the evo class after sometime away racing modern bikes put in a sterling effort to take second step on the podium, but consistancy and an accident free day put Alan Reid on the top step for the overall victory. Kenny Hope made a return to racing after a very long layoff and was rewarded with a forth overall, he will be one to watch as the season progresses, and the bike fitness comes back.
The modern two stroke open championship only in its second year seems to be proving popular not only with young riders but the veterans too!! Jason Martin scorched to three straight wins, eagarly chased by Bob Jack on his KTM 150, the little bike was struggling in the deep sand to get on terms with Martin's pace, but three second places was a good haul of points on the day. A change of bike for the 2015 season has seen vast improvements for Sean Rennie three third places for the hard charging Fifer would give him the last place on the podium. Last years open two stroke champion John Kenny had a day to forget stalling on the line on his first race and a couple of bad starts left him down in eleventh place.
The monoshock championship races filled the gates to capacity. Young Paisley man John Adamson was out in a class of his own taking three race wins and lapping almost half of the field the British Championship rider had his 450 KTM on the limit and was an absoulte pleasure to watch. Ryan McLean and Neil Chatham were going at it all day with McLean managing to hold on for second overall. Chatham filled the last podium spot. Colin McLuckie secured forth overall with a gritty performance ahead of two past Monoshock champions Mark Wilson and Ross Fitzsimmons who finished fifth and sixth respectively.
The traditonal end of day Grand National race for all comers on any bike was won by young John Adamson, second was Paul Chiappa on his twinshock maico 490. Third place went to evo rider Stewart Pullar on his Honda CR 250, and a well deserved forth place went to young William Penrice riding his 125 evo bike holding off many of the modern riders.
Next round is 26th of April at mid Argyle moto park.
Pre 77
1st R Mcfadden
2nd G Britton
3rd J Britton
4th D Fullerton
5th B Robertson
6th C King
Fourstroke
1st R Caldwell
2nd K Crawford
3rd J Mclean
4th E Britton
5th C Wilson
6th F White
Over 50s
1st D Pullar
2nd S Napier
3rd J Rutherford
4th J Grieve
5th K Birse
6th D Bruce
250 Twinshock
1st B Bruce
2nd M Vandermerwe
3rd J Hill
4th G Miller
5th L Hart
6th A Joiner
500 Twinshock
1st C Smith
2nd P Chiappa
3rd C Baird
4th J Mclean
5th C Robertson
6th R Smith
Evo 125
1st P Baxter
2nd R Potts
3rd B Colligan
4th K Smart
5th G Peterson
6th J Young
Open Evo
1st A Reid
2nd B alexander
3rd G Morrison
4th K Hope
5th M Hannah
6th D Ross jnr
Twostroke open
1st J Martin
2nd B Jack
3rd S Rennie
4th C Meechan
5th M Osinski
6th J Baxter
Monoshock
1st J Adamson
2nd R Mclean
3rd N Chatham
4th C Mcluckie
5th M Wilson
6th R Fitzsimmons
Grand National
1st J Adamson
2nd P Chiappa
3rd S Puller
4th W Penrice
5th C Laird
6th D Reed