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Snetterton

25th May

Round 3 and 4 - BSA 125 Open National Championship

Round 3 and 4 - 125 ICC Superkart Championship including the UK Cup

Qualifying and Results.

Report by Michael Groves

Photos by PLJ Photo's - http://www.pljphoto.com/

Round 3 & 4 of the 2009 British Long Circuit Championships for the 125 Open and 125 ICC Classes took place at Snetterton on Bank Holiday Monday. The meeting was also the UK Cup for the ICC Class. We also had in attendance were a handful of 210 drivers contesting their Long Circuit Challenge, and half a dozen 250 National drivers taking advantage of practice before their National Championship round in June.

The paddock awoke to a sunny dry day with showers predicted. The weather from the morning continued well into the afternoon, providing us with amazing conditions for some close racing at the Norfolk venue. Luckily the rain arrived after we had finished the prize giving and photos.

The newly crowned 125 Open “0” Plate champion Lee Morgan was nearly a second a lap faster than 2^nd place Daniel Edwards, with 2008 ICC Champion Dan Butler in 3^rd. Deposed UK Cup winner James Irvine was one of a four kart group separated by half a second, with Manxman Jason Kitchin 5^th, championship frontrunner Louise Colin 6^th and Ben Willshire 7^th. The 125 ICC class was headed up by Lloyd Scrivens, his only challenger being newcomer Chris Needham less than a tenth behind. 3^rd fastest was Ben Hughes, with Adam Underhill and Kevin Gray 4^th and 5^th. The 210 Class had Simon Bateman on pole, with Bob Pooley second and Don Thompson third.

In the it was 250 driver Sam Moss who headed the way, comfortably faster than 2^nd place Pete Tillson-Hawke and Michael Groves , the latter contesting his last Superkart race. Richard Sanders was 4^th fastest in class, a further four seconds back, with Andrew Dean running in his motor taking 5^th in class.

Race 1 saw Dan Edwards, Lee Morgan , Louise Colin and James Irvine battled tooth and nail throughout, until Edwards dropped well back on lap nine, recovering to finish fourth. At the flag though it was Lee Morgan who held on to win, with Colin 2^nd and Irvine 3^rd battling hard to the end. Jason Kitchin was looking rapid from the start but was sidelined on lap three, Ben Willshire taking 5^th ahead of Noel Lindsay . Daniel Butler ended finishing a lap down after under steering off at Russell and damaging his nose. The 125 ICC class saw its first true race for the win. Lloyd Scrivens dominated at Mallory Park in March, but found himself tussling with rookie driver Chris Needham both using the tow from the 125 Open’s down the straight. Eventually Scrivens had to accept second place, Needham mugging him at the final corner to take the flag 3 tenths ahead of his race long combatant. The fight for 3^rd was just a close! Ben Hughes was a comfortable third place until lap seven, when the scrap between Kevin Gray and Adam Underhill reeled him in. The trio were locked together for the final three laps, but Hughes eventually won out, crossing the line 0.03s ahead of Gray, with Underhill a further quarter of a second back! The 210 class saw a clear win for Simon Bateman, but a war between Bob Pooley and Don Thompson. The pair were never more than a second apart at the line, Pooley eventually holding off the 2008 champion by half a second.

Starting from behind the 125’s, Sam Moss wasted little time charging through the pack, taking the overall lead by lap three and eased to a 36 second overall win by the flag. Pete Tillson-Hawke finished 2^nd in class and 5^th overall, comfortable after the early demise of Michael Groves .

The New-Era Motorcycle Club were very well organised as normal throughout the day, and race two, which was scheduled for half-past five actually took place three quarters of an hour early!

It was another duel at the front, this time between Edwards and Morgan. They broke free of the pack at the end of lap three, and waged war from then on in. Across the line, it was Edwards who took the flag first, three seconds clear of Morgan who had been right on his tail the previous time through, with Jason Kitchin a delighted third place. He must really thank Dan Edwards father for rebuilding his engine after Race 1 in which he seized it. Behind him was a four kart train, which was separated by six tenths of a second at the flag. It was Louise Colin who headed up the group, followed by Dan Butler, James Irvine, and top ICC driver Chris Needham. At one point the 3 opens were side by side giving Needham the opportunity to keep with them via the tow. Needham was a delighted class winner, smashing the lap record and taking the 2009 UK Cup in impressive style, matching the achievement of his father Gary Needham. It was clear Gary was proud of Chris's driver . Gary in one year winning the GP , The UK Cup and British Championship. " That's when we had 40 on the gird" This is despite it being only his second race in three years! Lloyd Scrivens was a very lonely 2^nd place, eight seconds behind Needham but doing his own championship aspirations no harm whatsoever, with Kevin Gray edging out Adam Underhill by 0.04s at the line, the duo having arrived at the final chicane side by side, where they had spent most of the weekend!! In 210, Simon Bateman took another class win, but wasn’t anywhere near as comfortable as he was in race one, finishing only three seconds ahead of Bob Pooley, with Don Thompson a lonely third.

Again it was 250 driver Sam Moss who took the flag first, although this time he took until lap seven to get to the front, and eventually took a thirteen second lead across the line for a double win. Pete Tillson-Hawke looked to have a contest on his hands with Michael Groves , who had made a stunning start from the back of the grid, harassing him in the early stages. However, at the end of lap three Groves was sidelined at the final chicane following a rather spectacular spin whilst attempting to take Tillson-Hawke and a 210 backmarker round the outside! Tillson-Hawke cruised to an easy second, with Richard Sanders taking third. Sadly Michael Groves bowed on his karting carrier out at Russell's on lap 4 due to a spin.

A very successful and clean days racing was wrapped up well before the rain eventually came down in Norfolk , and we look forward to another trip to Snetterton on the 28^th of June for the 5th and 6^th round of the 250 National MSA British Championship and the 125 classes at Darley Moor on June the 21st.

Formula 125 Open: Race One:

1^st: Lee Morgan, Raider – SGM, 12m57.94;

2^nd: Louise Colin, Anderson – Pavesi,

3^rd: James Irvine, F1 – Pavesi,

4^th: Daniel Edwards, F1 – TM,

5^th: Ben Willshire, Anderson – SGM,

Formula 125 Open: Race Two:

1^st: Edwards, F1 - TM, 12m53.56;

2^nd: Morgan, Raider - SGM,

3^rd: Jason Kitchin, F1 - TM,

4^th: Colin, Anderson - Pavesi,

5^th: Dan Butler, F1 - TM,

Formula 125 ICC: Race One:

1^st: Chris Needham, Gold – VM, 13m10.21;

2^nd: Lloyd Scrivens, Tony – Pavesi, ;

3^rd: Ben Hughes, Arrow – TM,

4^th: Kevin Gray, Energy – TM,

5^th: Adam Underhill , BRM – TM, .

Formula 125 ICC, Race Two ( UK Cup of ICC):

1^st: Needham , Gold – VM, 13m02.52;

2^nd: Scrivens, Tony – Pavesi,

3^rd: Gray, Energy – TM,

4^th: Underhill, BRM – TM,

5^th: Bruce Crawley, Energy – TM,

Formula 250 National: Race One:

1^st: Sam Moss, Anderson – Honda,

2^nd: Peter Tillson-Hawke, F1-Honda,

Formula 250 National: Race Two:

1^st: Moss, Anderson – Honda, 1

2^nd: Tillson-Hawke, F1-Honda,

3^rd; Richard Sanders, ADE-Honda,

Formula 210 National: Race One:

1^st: Simon Bateman, Anderson – Nametab,

2^nd: Bob Pooley, Anderson – BPV,

3^rd: Don Thompson, Swift – Villiers,

Formula 210 National: Race Two: