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P.A.R.Homes Lmt. /Bache’s Bargains
2008 Welsh Open Motocross championship, Final Round
The final round of the 2008 Welsh Open Motocross championships sponsored by P.A.R.Homes and Bache’s Bargains picked up where round two had left off, in the rain and the mud! Its been a long time since the superb mid week series has suffered so badly with the weather which again was a factor in the crowd of just over 1,000 spectators.
 Those who did attend had a bit of extra quality to observe in the experts line up this time out however as local hero Mark Jones returned, as did former champions Gary Davies and Gordon Crockard, the Crockstar flying in from the States less than 24 hours prior to the event. It was however the new kid on the block, Ray Rowson, that was to show the elder statesmen the way! Shane Carless took the holeshot but Ray Rowson was quickly past and lead up the first hill climb out of turn two where Kip Herring had got tangled up with a couple of other riders, the trio hitting the soft slippery Welsh mud. Rowson pulled clear taking Carless with him while Crockard, some six seconds adrift lead Gary Davies and Mark Jones. Carless got careless though and dropped the bike, falling back to sixth place leaving Rowson some fifteen seconds clear. Rowson pushed on relentlessly while it would seem the experience of the GP riders told them there was little point in trying to catch a flying rider with such a big lead on what is essentially a very fast track. Rowson eventually took the win over twenty seconds ahead of Crockard, Jones, Davies and Carless who made up a place to take fifth from Jamie Lewis. Moto two and once again it Rowson into an early lead from Mark Jones and Davies. The race progressed along the same rutted lines as the opener in that Rowson by lap three was some twelve seconds clear of Jones and that’s largely how it stayed, with riders probably more preoccupied in staying on rather than winning! Moto three and Rowson was already two bikes clear by the sweeping first left hander. Leading home and starting lap two Rowson had the hat trick of wins in his sights, that was until his front washed out as he exited the wall off death leaving him to watch his fellow expert class riders stream past. It mattered little though as the championship was in the bag and the message from the pit board read slow down, “Dash For Cash” to come. Shane Carless took over the lead with Crockard just behind him, the result of which was to turn the red Irishman brown. The race was probably the closest of the night with Carless holding out for a notable win. The weather almost lifted for the Dash for Cash, but it was short-lived. Somewhat unsurprisingly Rowson holeshot and sped off into the lead. Kip Herring once again found himself on the floor in the opening corner and looked more like a flounder in the mud than a Herring. Carless also lost it on lap two as the back end threw him off under power. Rowson romped off to another twenty second plus win from Crockard with Jamie Lewis at last having some luck and picking up third place.
 Race one of the Junior and Senior class saw Kristian Jones holeshot and lead Phil Lloyd home over the finish table top to start lap two. Jones got caught out by the increasingly heavy rain however and ended up picking his by now brown Honda up off the floor. Lloyd took full advantage and sped off with Junior rider Luke Davies in hot pursuit from Eirwyn Roberts. The lead was not to change in the opener though as Lloyd rode a well controlled race to take the chequered flag. A brave moto two holeshot saw Gary Hickey go wide and sweep past race one winner Lloyd. That was about the highlight of the evening for Hickey as he dropped back. Kristian Jones picked up the lead as Lloyd also dropped back allowing Karl Harrison into runner-up spot. Harrison’s Wednesday luck was in though as Jones lost his way again, this time on the penultimate lap opening the door for Karlson to take the win from Aled Bliss. Phil Lloyd got a good start in the final moto and pulled clear early on. Kristian Jones put on a wild show to get into second spot from junior class leader Luke Davies. It was not to be though and Jones was soon back on the floor. Lloyd got to the penultimate lap and then lost the lead leaving Davies coast home to take the overall and his third Junior class maximum of the night with Lloyd seemingly happy in second knowing he was picking up maximum Senior points.
Louise “Little Lou” Williams took a superb holeshot in the opening Novice class race . Williams lost time in the whoops while others simply lost all hope, it seemed as if half the class fell fowl of the muddy waves in the opening lap. Williams soon had the buzzing sound of the 125cc KTM ridden by Kyle Symmons for company and the lead pair made it a two horse race. Williams looked odds on but a late challenge saw Symmons take the win. Moto two saw the novice riders decide to outwit the whoops at the top of the hill by almost all falling off in turn two at the bottom of the track! Louise Williams once again and much to Kenny Kay’s delight lead home to start lap two from race one winner Symmons. The determined young Welsh lady was not letting another lead slip however and she rode superbly to take the win from Symonns. Aled Price took the local beginners wins from Ryan Jones. With Kenny Kay almost giving the final Novice race win to Williams before the gates dropped, disaster struck, or more to the point Williams front wheel struck, the gate! The curse of Kay! It mattered little though as the numbers could not be seen, even after the opening lap, so no race result was recorded!
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