Bache’s Bargains / PAR Homes Ltd  Welsh Open Motocross Championship 2010
Round 2

It was another outstanding night of racing at round two of the 2010 Bache’s Bargains /PAR Homes Ltd sponsored Open Welsh Mx Championship in front of some 2,000 spectators at Cwmythig Hill. As in the opening round the sun shone and the racing was again top quality.

Four times winner and defending Champion Brad Anderson had returned from a stint in Australia to take on the 1998 series champion Gordon “Crockstar” Crockard and fellow Irish rider Martin Barr, while Jamie Lewis headed the Welsh line-up of experts making it more of a home nation’s battle for round 2.

Anderson took race one holeshot and led Crockstar round to start lap two - the GP pair were already a few seconds clear of the chasers headed by Lewis. It seems though that Anderson must have bumped into Crocodile Dundee while down under for he had the measure and tamed the snapping Crockstar, keeping him at arm’s length in the early stages. Three laps in saw Crockstar lose drive and second place to Lewis at the top of the track - Anderson now sat comfortably out in front. Lewis however was in for a torrid time and it was only a couple of laps before the 450cc Kawasaki had passed Lewis and set off in pursuit of Anderson once more.

Crockard’s pace was exceptional and by the last lap flag he was once more up onto leader Anderson who responded by picking up the pace just enough to lead home for the opening moto win from Crockard. Lewis controlled third from Martin Barr with Shane Carless taking fifth place and top 125cc class position.

Moto two saw Anderson holeshot once more but this time Martin Barr was on the early pace and briefly took the lead. The lead was brief however as Anderson was out in front once more by lap two with Crockard now battling with Lewis for third spot. Anderson pulled around a four second gap and likewise Barr was about the same from Crockard as the race held pace almost from start to finish - this by far was Anderson’s easiest race win of the night. Lewis took out a post just before the finish line but the post had the last laugh as it took Lewis off the Honda and left him limping into fourth spot.

Moto three saw Jamie Lewis take an outstanding holeshot going wide into turn one and railing the PAR Honda along the berm. The effort deserved more but with Anderson hunting down his third win of the night the close of lap one had followed the night’s form as he led Lewis and Crockard over the finish line. While Lewis once more concentrated on holding onto second place Anderson pushed on to open up his lead. Lap three and Lewis found that his Honda had no answer to the power of the Kawasaki of Crockard as it blasted past up the start straight. By now Anderson was clear so Crockard went into crowd-pleasing mode throwing the bike sideways over the finish line lap by lap. Anderson’s third win of the night secured him maximum points and the winner’s purse.

Not content with the night’s winnings so far however, the ‘Dash for Cash’ was in his sights as he took his third holeshot of the night, once more followed by Crockard. The pair headed off into the setting Welsh sun leaving Lewis to eventually take the third place prize money which will be useful to add to next year’s wedding fund and about time too! However, the pair at the front were so tight they could have been mistaking for lovers as they were close enough to hold hands. Anderson led until the penultimate lap when Crockard pinned it from the wall of death up the big hill and used the pace to take an outside line and make a superb pass on Anderson who had taken the tighter “race” line. Anderson chased and was quickly rewarded as Crockard lost drive in the loose dust that formed the finish line berm, while the Kawasaki spun sending clouds of dust high but not Crockard forward - Anderson stormed up the inside and once more into the lead. With the last lap flag out there were to be no more mistakes and it was win number four as well as top earning for the Champion.

The combined Senior and Junior class racing saw Llandrindod Wells farmer Wayne Price who had the cash in sight as he battled to take top Senior place. Price took the opening race win from “TNT Racing” rider Tom Davies who had made the long cross country trip up from Carmarthen. It was another travelling Welshman, Rheinallt Davies from Machynlleth who took the final podium place in the opening race. Shropshire’s Carl Haycock was a cog in the wheel as his Husqvarna took him to moto two victory from Price. Ryan Thomas had his trip from Haverfordwest made worthwhile by taking third spot. The Price was right in moto three as Haycock DNF’d the race and the positions moved up one, Price took his second race win of the night while Thomas took runner-up from Justin Kendrick-Jones.

Junior in name but not in ability Bromsgrove rider Chris Povey was consistent to take runner-up each time out and thus the overall Junior class win. Scott Meredith was by the far the fastest rider in the class taking moto one and the win, however it went “back” south to his home town of Newport in moto two as an early crash meant he almost began the race from the rear. Jason Rowlands picked up the moto two victory and only lost out in overall first place to Povey by a single point. Tim Burrows took third overall.

In the Local Beginners and Novice class it was the usual mixed bag of results. Newtown’s Ross Kenyon and Brecon’s Ben Prosser were tied after the first two races but it was Kenyon who took the final moto win and the overall top beginner spot. Novice by name but usually not by nature, Arthog rider Jack Evans proved the cause by stylishly taking races one and three as well as a hard-fought runner-up spot in moto two after a poor start. Saundersfoot-based Adam Uka had taken runner-up in the opener and then the race win in moto two with Evans out of the running. Uka crashed out of moto three with Sam Coleman, also of Saundersfoot took runner-up in the final moto after also crashing out in moto two.

Don’t forget the final round of this superb series takes place on Wednesday evening 7th July – Don’t miss the action!!