Graham Thomas stormed to another victory in the 6th round of the 2024 H&N supplies Ltd. Formula Grasstrack championship on Saturday at the popular Hampton Hall venue near Malpas in Cheshire.
Race Report and Podium Images by Ross Wharton – Action Images by Dennis Evans
Thomas made it a full seven-ride maximum but had to work hard for it. Late entrant and reigning champion Wayne Broadhurst managed to lead Thomas for two laps in the opening race of the day, but Thomas was able to get by to take first blood. They would meet again in their 5th ride, Broadhurst once again leading from the tapes and fending off Thomas until the last lap, where Thomas got by to take another win. Max Broadhurst would take the third qualifying spot for the Martin Parry Rose Bowl final ahead of Phil Thomas, whilst Adam Hawker, a flying Anthony Rowson, Colin How and a revitalised Marcus Crutchington would complete the 8-rider lineup for the 6-lap final.
Broadhurst Snr got away from the tapes and led with Graham Thomas in pursuit, and the rest of the pack close behind. Graham would make contact with Wayne going down the back straight on lap one but managed to stay upright and avoid a nasty fall. Anthony Rowson pulled himself into the final rostrum spot by lap two whilst Graham Thomas closed in on Broadhurst senior, finally getting by on turn 4, lap 3. Broadhurst jnr worked hard to get by Rowson on the 5th lap to take third, whilst Colin How would snatch 4th on the line from Rowson, who held off the challenge of Hawker with Phil Thomas and Crutchington finishing 7th and 8th, respectively.
Billy Budd’s return to FGA was entertaining, to say the least. The former junior champion struggled out of the starts and worked hard to get through the pack, passing rider’s on the outside and inside in all of his rides, take 3 second places during the heats, he managed to qualify 3rd for the B final. Budd was again slow away from the tapes and had to come from 6th on lap one to close in on leader Brandon Gutteridge. Budd got by on lap 3 to take the win. Fellow returnee David Meredith struggled with clutch gremlins in the heats but managed to come through to take 3rd in the B final.
Despite only three entries, the Junior class put on some fantastic duals between the returning Liam Cox and newcomer Joe Bain. On borrowed machinery for the day, Cox wound settle for 2nd in the opening race behind Bain, who was superb from the start. Cox would then real off four wins, often passing Bain from behind to take race wins. Four wins were enough to take the overall victory for Runcorn teenager Cox, with Bain taking 2nd and championship leader Issac Collins-Bullock in 3rd. Bain would take victory in the final, though.
The Cub class produced some great racing again. Archie Whitelam and Roman Ratcliffe would battle away with lone Cadet Charlie Dowd in all the heats. Dowd was fast away from the tapes while Ratcliffe and Whitelam challenged him for race wins. Unfortunately for Whitelam, he would slide off in the opening race on the final bend whilst leading. Gifting the win to Dowd, ahead of Ratcliffe. Whitelam collected his machine and pushed home for a valuable 4 points. Whitelam would win his remaining rides to take cub victory ahead of Ratcliffe, with Chloe Davis in 3rd. Jess Cox was a late entry and finished 4th ahead of Lucas Astley and AJ Bence. Charlie Dowd would take Cadet victory.
Lilly Bence once again won the E-bikes. In the second half of the meeting, Bence had to work hard to fend off the challenge of the improving Kobi Gutteridge, while Noah Bakewell came home in third ahead of JJ Falconer.
Results
E-Bikes – 1st L. Bence 48, 2nd K.Gutteridge 42, 3rd N. Bakewell 36, 4th JJ. Falconer 30
Cadet – C. Dowd 48
Cubs – 1st A. Whitelam 44, 2nd R. Ratcliffe 43, 3rd C. Davis 35, 4th J. Cox 32, 5th L. Astley 26, 5th AJ Bence 18
Juniors – 1st L. Cox 46, 2nd J. Bain 44, 3rd I. Collins-Bullock 36
Senior (top 10) 1st G. Thomas 48, 2nd W. Broadhurst 46, 3rd M. Broadhurst 45, 4th C. How 37, 5th Anthony Rowson 39, 6th A. Hawker 40, 7th P. Thomas 44, 8th M. Crutchington 34, 9th B. Budd 29, 10th B. Gutteridge 30.
