Ian Clark retained the GT140 Island Masters at the Smallbrook Stadium last night.
On a night of hard and fast racing, Clark went through the evening unbeaten after a dominant and forceful display of motorcycle handling. On a track that had had a lot of recent rain, it was particularly dry and at times dusty, but as it settled in the riders adjusted to the conditions and put on a great evening’s entertainment, with plenty of passing and close racing.
Eight qualifying heats for a place in the final was the target for the 15 competitors with seven man races and Clark showed his intentions from the off when, starting off the back grid, he set a new track record for this class of racing completing 4 laps in just 83.7 seconds, this after shaking off the challenge of Steve Newsham and Adam Hawker. The second heat saw Wayne Broadhurst take victory from his son Max Broadhurst, again both started off the back grid with Vinny Smith third. The third heat saw Clark win again but not until he’d finished a terrific tussle with Wayne Broadhurst who pushed him every inch of the way, in a last to first victory. Heat four saw Newsham off the front grid and he made no mistake, with Max Broadhurst coming through the field to snatch second from Hawker.
Heat 5 saw Wayne and Max Broadhurst show their own intentions as they stormed to victory, but it was the battle behind them that was catching the eye, with Shane Knight snatching third.
Clark was on the front grid in heat 6 and he made no mistakes as he won with ease with Newsham and hawker having their own private battle for second with Smith pushed back to fourth. The seventh saw Wayne Broadhurst book his final position as he headed home Newsham and Hawker, who also did enough to book their slot in the final, with Luck Tuck just squeezing in with a fourth place finish.
The Final qualifying heat saw Clark book his place, although he was all but through beforehand, but he once again stormed through smashing his previously set track record in 83.6 seconds, Max Broadhurst and Vinny Smith’s second and third also put them in the grand final.
Before the main final there was a B final won by Lester Denham from Mark Evens. The main even saw Clark choosing the inside grid on the front row, next to him his main threat Wayne Broadhurst, with Max Broadhurst on three and Newsham on four Knight, Hawker, Tuck and Smith resigned to the back row. As the tapes rose, Clark shot away for a comfortable win with the father and son riders behind with Newsham breathing right up their exhaust pipes, Max though was to suffer from machine problems, with Newsham coming through to pass him and Wayne as well, Hawker taking fourth. It was a sad ending for Max who was looking good after returning from injury, but, there were no issues for Clark who was cheered on by his vast following.
As well as the GT140’s, there was also a Development trophy match between the Wight Wizards and a powerful Cradley Heathens. After a hopeful start when Harley Freeman came from the back to beat the vastly experienced Rob Hollingworth with Kye Elliott taking third, the homes took a 4-2. But that was as good as it got with the heathens slamming home four successive 1-5’s for an 8-22 lead, Freeman taking a nasty looking tumble in the process. James Jessop took a fall in the 6th heat which was stopped and awarded as it was on the final lap, with Freeman who had remarkably recovered from his fall taking second by the skin of his teeth.
The seventh heat was a rarity in its own, as it provided on one finisher Kye Elliott was unable to ride after machine issues, and the visitors Vinny Smith has no machine after his has burst into flames during the warm up, so the Heathens had no one to go in his place, that left just two riders Morgan Williams for the home side and James Laker for the visitors, however Laker fell on lap 2 on turn two trying just a little bit too hard, resulting in a 3-0 to the home side. The final heat saw Freeman take on two visitors Hollingworth and the previously unbeaten Hargrave, another 1-5 was on the cards as the raced away, but rather than team ride Hargrave chose to try and pass his teammate, duly losing control and clouting the safety fence allowing Freeman to take second and although Hargrave remounted it was the end of his maximum hopes.
Final score Isle of Wight 15, Cradley 30
There is more track action on Thursday 29th August, when team speedway returns with the Wightlink Warriors taking on the Cradley Heathens in the second leg of the Vince Mapley Trophy. With the Heathens tracking 15 year old wonder racer William Cairns, it promises to be something special.
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