Former Formula Grasstrack champion Richy Guest and partner Den Edwards clinched the FGA best pairs on Sunday after a tense sudden death final.
Race Report by Ross Wharton – Images courtesy of Nick Goodwin, Sam Hall and David Baker
The meeting was to celebrate the 50th anniversary for the Association and it didn’t disappoint! With some epic battles throughout all classes.
The forecast threatened to ruin the day, but other than one heavy downpour halfway through the meeting, the sun shone down on the Alveley circuit.
The 5 youth classes were paired together meaning riders could be paired across all classes. Lilly Bence continued her winning form from the previous day, taking 5 wins from 5 whilst her partner Charlie Dowd took 3 3rd places and 2 2nds to give them overall victory.
Finley Theobald dominated the Cub class once again and despite his partner Albie Collier withdrawing after 2 rides, Theobald was drawn as AJ Bence’s ghost partner meaning they came 2nd overall. 3rd place went to the pairing of Jack Baker and Dalton Wright.
The Senior pairs produced some scintillating racing all day, with such a competitive line up, it was going to be tough to predict a winner. The pairing of Adam Hawker and Sam Hall made their way directly to the A final joined by Guest and Edwards. John Priest and Nick Bull took the last qualifying spot. The B final was made up of the pairings of Mark Scopes and Ant Rowson, Luke Priest and Jordan Cross, Graham Thomas and Steve Stait, and Ryan Ashcroft and Steve Adams taking the last place on countback.
Thomas would take victory but disappointment hit when team mate Stait didn’t finish, gifting the final A position to Ryan Ashcroft and Steve Adams.
In the final, Guest got out in front chased hard by Ashcroft with Hall and Hawker in hot pursuit. Despite Ashcroft closing in on Guest, he hung on to take victory, with partner Edwards in 5th it was enough to give them a victory of 12-11 against Hall and Hawker.
To finish off an incredible weekend, the top 16 individual scorers went to 2 semi finals with the top 4 from each going through to the Grand Slam final. Wayne Broadhurst took first pick of gates, followed by Ryan Ashcroft, Richy Guest, Phil Thomas, Mark Scopes, Max Broadhurst, Kevin Gwillam and last pick was Rob Fortune.
Broadhurst and Guest gated and went elbow to elbow into turn one with nothing between them, Broadhurst edging it exiting turn 2. Guest hit problems on lap 2 drifting down the pack whilst Ashcroft and Gwillam settled into 2nd and 3rd. Gwillam just edging out Phil Thomas for the last podium position.
The crowd applauded the rider’s as they came round on their lap of honour to finish off a tremendous weekends racing.
The next Formula Grasstrack takes place on 15th July at Hampton Hall. More information at www.formulagrasstrack.com
Results
Youth – 1st L. Bence & C. Dowd 72, 2nd AJ Bence & F. Theobald (ghost) 71, 3rd D. Wright & J. Baker 66
Senior – 1st R. Guest & D. Edwards, 2nd S. Hall & A Hawker, 3rd R. Ashcroft & S. Adams.
Grand Slam – 1st W. Broadhurst, 2nd R. Ashcroft, 3rd K. Gwillam
