South East win the Solo British Team Grass Track Championships at Ugley

The South East region were crowned British Solo Team Champions at Ugley on Sunday after a thrilling afternoons racing in warm sunny conditions. Despite being robbed of 2 of their top stars, Vince Kinchin and Mitch Godden, through injury the South East just managed to win the solo overall with 329 points, just 14 points ahead of the Eastern region with Midlands on 231 points in third.

The event, which was dominated the last time it was ran back in 2000 at Bridgewater by the Eastern team was revived by the Dunmow Club this year and hopefully will remain on the calendar in future years after a brilliant days racing that finished at a very reasonable time of 5.15pm with no serious injuries to any riders. Despite the fiercesome heat the Dunmow Club watered little and often and kept the dust down without making the track slippery and causing subsequent accidents. The lap scorers kept everyone updated with regular points scores so the enthuisastic crowd could check their totals throughout the afternoon.

The 250cc event was dominated by the Eastern region lead by Adam Shipp who had 2 wins, Dave Knowles from East Yorks also notched up 2 wins with the remaining leg being taken by Georgie Wood (South East) in a brilliant ride coming from last to first after he wound up the four stroke machine to its limit! Second in this class were East Yorks followed by the South East. The other members of the winning Eastern team were Steve Syrett, and Gary Wells.
Eastern 110 points, East Yorks 105 points South Eastern 97 points

In the 350cc event the pre meeting favourites were the South East with Bob Dolman, Dave Mears and Matt Etherington starring and so it turned out that they did the business on the day with each of them taking a heat win, the fly in their ointment was Richard Smith (Eastern) who took 2 wins. In a thrilling final the 3 South Eastern riders were in the first three positions and looked like team riding the race between them, but Smith powered through the middle of the pack scattering the South East riders all ways!
South Eastern 121 points Eastern 100 points Midland 93 points

The 500cc event saw the biggest accident of the day in the final when Darren Rolph (Eastern) who had already won 2 heats dropped it entering the first bend and Tim Nobes ( Midland) could not avoid him and the bike cartwheeled into the ropes providing a heart stopping moment for onlookers. Both riders were ok, but Rolph was excluded from the re run as being the cause of the stoppage. The Midland team dominated this event supplying 6 of the 9 heat wins and their team of Phil Ashcroft, Rob Finlow and Tim Nobes even finished 1, 2, 3 in the final !
Midland 135 points, South Eastern 111 points, Eastern 102 points

The 1,000cc cc sidecar event had pre event joint favourites in the Yorkshire and the South East. Teams, but the determined Yorkshire riders of Rob Bradley and Rod Winterburn notched up 3 heat wins each to accrue the valuable points early on, other heat winners were Myles Simmons (South East), Andy Gribble (Cornwall) and Paul Whitelam (Midland). Midlands Mark Cossar overturned early in the afternoon after his passenger lost his grip and came off the outfit, the passenger was later taken to hospital with concussion. The final saw Myles Simmons take the win after initially being challenged by Rod Winterburn, with the Yorkshire team of Winterburn , Bradley and Chris Winterburn packing in and finishing 2, 3 and 4th respectively.
East Yorks 59 South Eastern 47 Cornwall 37

A fine days racing with lots of overtaking in almost all of the 36 races, and not a single false start or rider protest all day !

Tim Nobes in action. Photo by www.tonynichols.co.uk

This Years Teams

Cornwall Gold/Yellow Team Manager: Ken Hicks
1,000cc Sidecar Jamie Bree/Mark Truscott, Andy Gribble/Nicky Owen, Phil Sims/Gareth Bemister, Res James Goudge/ Dave Goudge

Eastern White Team manager: George Wilby
250cc Solo Adam Shipp, Steve Syrett, Gary Wells Res Mark Woods
350cc Solo Karl Rushen, Richard Smith, Rhys Wilding, Res Chris Ward
500cc Solo Scott Campos, Darren Rolph, John Yeldham, Res Dean Garrod
1,000cc Sidecar Ian Lewis /Dave Moyes, Derek Page/Steve Slaney, John Stafford/Lee Jones

East Midland Red Team manager: Rob Smith
250cc Solo Micky Allen, Justin Grocock, Craig Smith, Res Brett Edge
500cc Solo Scott Anderson, Ben Fenn-Smith, Mark Richardson, Res, Martin Grocock
1,000cc Sidecar Stef Blyth /Jason Gill, Craig Smith/Brett Edge, Paul Whitelam/Alan Elliott,

East Yorks (Combined with Yorkshire and North East Centres)
Black Team manager: Dave Brown
250cc Solo Malcolm Gardner, Dave Knowles, Richard Lively,
350cc Solo Joshua Birkett, Andrew Whittaker, Peter Wildbore
500cc Solo
1,000cc Sidecar Rob Bradley/Shaun Simpson, Chris Winterburn/Liam Brown, Rod Winterburn/Gareth Winterburn,

Midland Amber/Red Team manager: Gary Appleby
350cc Solo Tim Curnock, Tom Perry, Mark Taylor, Res Darren Drew
500cc Solo Phil Ashcroft, Rob Finlow, Tim Nobes, Res Tom Perry
1,000cc Sidecar Mark Cossar/Tom Cossar, Matt Fumarola/Andi Wilson, Peter Lloyd/Nick Wilson, Res Fred Skinner/Stephen/Russell

South Eastern Sky Blue Team manager: Graham Hilton
250cc Solo Russell Little, Paul Simmons, Georgie Wood, Res Ben Isley
350cc Solo Bob Dolman, Matt Etherington, Dave Mears, Res Stuart Mears
500cc Solo Vince Kinchin, Dave Mears, Martyn Sturgon, Res Mitch Godden
1,000cc Sidecar Myles Simmons/ Kevin Woodley, Rob Wilson/Terry Saunters,
Robbie Wilson/Colin Hill, Res: Mark Warren/Anthony Grant.

South Midland Amber Team manager: Fred Sparkes
250cc Solo Colin Bird, Chris Bird, Steve Darvill Res Harland Cook
500cc Solo Rory Caviell, , Harland Cook, Rick Gregory, Res Jason Newitt

South Western Green /White Team manager: Sylvie Pattison
500cc Solo Ben Masters, Stefan Maunder, Barry Young, Res Sam Foley

Wessex Royal Blue /White Team manager: Vic Osmond
350cc Solo Jody Hodgson, Jon Shanes, John Weeks, Res Barry Woodruff
500cc Solo Paul Derrick, Rod Melksham, Barry Woodruff, Res Jody Hodgson

2000 overall champions....Eastern Centre. Can we do again in 2009???