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All content © Bob MuIIins | |||
 
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.
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.
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. 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. Or on socials Facebook Instagram and Twitter. |
Rock
Oil Round 1 "Off with a BANG"!
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.
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.