All content © Bob MuIIins

Rock Oil Round 1 "Off with a BANG"!
Rippon and Spencer Head R1

Images: CH-Images
Words: RAW Media

Wayne Braybrook and his RAW ENDURO team did the impossible on Sunday, they delivered a perfect course for Round 1 of the Rock Oil Enduro Hare & Hounds Championship at Ripon. Against all odds, with the current UK weather being so horrendous, it took all of Braybrook's knowledge and experience to create a course suitable for all abilities.

A massive turn out for the youth event saw fifty youth riders line up, not only for Rock Oil Round 1, but the Northern Youth Enduro Championship also opened its 2020 account. A fresh unridden track saw all youth riders having the benefit of no ruts or sloppy hills.

Billy Rippon was the man on a mission in Youth A taking a cool first championship win. RAW Enduro Team rider Bert Boam ended up in third place after a hard battle with Sam Boyd who placed P2. Youth B top spot went to the Machine known as Tobias Stansfield, tough and strong in these conditions, the tank just pushed on to take a well-deserved win in class. Harley Mudie placed in second spot after his bike refused to start at the flag, Harry Walker looked hot favourite for the win until he had a misfire which hampered his progress. Dad Ben got his ear bent for that one…. Oliver Bowman won the junior 65cc Class from Jack Houghton in second, with Brooke Mudie taking third place trophy home. True to his word Wayne Braybrook created an Auto Only "Simple" route which ran on just the top forest complex within the main lap. Jacob Bragg smashed the win out of 8 Autos in the class, with Harry Croft delighted with runner up.

With a course that was well healed in, it was the turn of a huge Adult AM race which was designed just for Sportsman Novice and Over 50 ability riders. Always a great way to segregate rider ability, RAW will always where logistically possible split the Adult races into two. An average lap time ran at around 12 minutes, Mick Robson was the winner in sportsman vets, chased home by Mark Vardy after an uncharacteristic slow start. Andy Kirby nabbed third on the day, after Steven Dean slowed in later stages due to an uncovered eye injury. A 23 rider strong field of Over 50's saw a class line up, Karl Greenhall was top man on 11 laps completed. Andy Harvey Grabbed second spot, just holding off D3 Racing Boss Neil Crayston for third. Anthony Turner topped the 54 sportsman with Cameron Baker Haste in runner up place. Brandon Burns has been moved from Youth to Adults, Clerk of the course Wayne Braybrook assessed his speed as too high for the Youth Class. This upgrade is clearly spot on, as the tough kid from the North East stuck his RAW/Carcredit365.com KTM on the box in third.

Nathan Handley was Novice winner on 10 laps completed, with lots of new to enduro Novice riders signed up, it's looking like another great Novice class battle throughout.

No less than 19 Expert riders headed the PM race. Jack Spencer and Ryan Crowder are on form, with 2019 Champ Lewis Ellis, 2017 Champ Phil Hancock, and Josh Bailey all in the hunt, the Expert battle was on. Spencer and Crowder headed the field in the early stages before Crowder ripped his chain guide off seeing him DNF when he was a podium dead cert. This left Spencer to take the win from Cole Cookland showed great consistency to take runner up place at the flag, looking smooth and fast. Factory Phil Hancock out on his New Beta Racing 300 was very happy to return to the sharp end in third.

In the Clubman class 2020 is already looking like being a real close season with all rounds going to be crucial. Less than 57 seconds separated the top three riders. Scott Hipwell drew a line in the sand taking the win on his Appleyard Husky. Tommy Grimmer another rider on a Beta Racing 300 was happy enough with his runner up place, and Richard Taylor grafted all race to take home a solid third place championship points.

A big pat on the back to all the RAW Marshals who did a great job making sure this event ran like clockwork. Well done to all riders Youth and Adults.

Results

NEXT RAW EVENT: Another top Class MOD proving ground lays waiting for Round 2 on March 15th. Driffield training area is an awesome 650 Acre all weather site, with a Clean Concrete Hard Standing paddock which will be open for Camping on Saturday 14th 9am.
Keep up to date with RAW Events on the RAW Enduro website www.rawenduro.co.uk

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