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This event sponsored by Geoff Gamage.
What a cracking match this was after an even more cracking Lions v E-Vs opener. Plenty of close racing, yet more spills and thrills and some great performances. Rob Haywood looked the part from the off but his encounter with E-V series leader Colin Simmons almost wrecked his chances with a nasty bash on the knee after their first bend clash. Colin had led that one off the line but was overhauled by Rob and Rob Geach (doubling up after riding in the opening match) in the re-run to dent his chances of overall victory. Like his Astley & Tyldesley clubmates before him, Mark Grantham got stuck in and always looked a potential winner, stopped only by Rob H in the heats while the Poole man himself dropped a point to a freshly on-song Kev Greaves. These five always looked odds-on for the top places and so it proved, two run-offs necessary to decide the placings. Special mention as always to young Charles Mackie who dragged himself down from Glasgow to take part in the sport he's loved for so long. I'll say no more about the racing as there are probably more comprehensive reports elsewhere.
This was a super meeting to be involved in, the Vets racing is like wine (I had to take advice on this!) and just seems to get better with age.
Thanks to Mark Winwood for refereeing this one, Jason Keith for organising the pits and the Horspath backroom crew. And of course this event wouldn't have happened but for the sterling work and huge input of time, effort, cash and obvious respect for Horspath founder Wally Grant made by sponsor Geoff Gammage, thank you Geoff.
My light "kiss" with the Horspath fence coming out of turn four means I'll not forget this one in a hurry, as yet another broken hand will testify! Roll on Newport and the next Euro-Vets Grand prix round :)
Wow, what a contrast to the same meeting last year at Newport's immaculate raceway, the sun shining all day and not a drop of precipitation to be seen!
You'll have to wait a while for me to sift through the video clips in order to make sense of the action unless I can steal someone else's report in the meantime, but for now here are the programme details:
I will try to publish up to date results sheets some time today and also make an effort to get some video footage up here.
As a preamble I'd very much like to say a massive Thank You to Kev Greaves who provided the after-meeting buffet which went down extremely well with the gathering and once again our MC for the day Geoff Gamage who did another sterling job keeping the show rolling in the pits.
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Another wonderfully warm day at Lower Dicker Recreation Ground but a slightly disappointing turnout saw this one go ahead with two 9-man formats for the age categories.
Before I go anywhere trying to recall some of the racing I must once again commend the ladies who did a sterling job providing the after-meeting buffet and of course the track and surrounds looked super as usual. I always forget to mention hard working Neil Hollebon who was just about a one-man-band looking after not just the refereeing but also the somewhat troublesome starting gates under quite a bit of pressure. I should probably offer a bigger "Thank You" than usual to the Hellingly club who had not only us Euro-Vets to contend with today but a skirmishing horde from Norwich arriving spasmodically who would race the Lions the very next day - busy weekend for any club.
Anyway, here's the nitty-gritty. I do have a few videos to display when I get time and hopefull they'll jog my memory a bit in case no-one else reports the proceedings. (and apologies for no Newport saga yet).
Just quickly - Dave Hemsley and Paddy Wenn really shone through the heats looking very quick on what we all know is a famously tricky track to master and an even harder one to go fast on! Of course it's way too early to start picking winners but after maybe half the scheduled events we'll have a better idea as it's then a little easier to see the likely candidates after dropping their lowest score. Meantime in the Over 40s Dave, Steve, Craig and Mark are making the early running with consistently high scoring, while Steve, Norman andd Paddy have opened a slight gap in the Over 50s. Colin remains the only unbeaten rider after three rounds comfortably heading up the Over 60s and running very well in the 50s too.
A very warm day saw the hard-pressed track waterers defeated by the almost windless heat and intermittent bursts of sunshine as the Euro-Vets GP descended on Hearsall Common for Round Four of the 2018 series. Although there were several regulars missing there were a few debutants to compensate for that, led by (I believe!) our first Polish entrant, Coventry's just-turned-40 pocket rocket Dominik Rychardski and Great Blakenham superstar Jason Ashford in the Junior class; Wayne Tipton in the Over 50s and southern duo Rob Haywood and Les Stevens in the Big Lads group. Mother Nature really gave the Over 60s a boost today, got to be the ultimate growth area for Veteran racing!
In case I don't get a chance to recall any more detail I'll just offer my usual thanks to all at staging club Coventry, thank you so much for your efforts.
And I should mention some outstanding performances, easier to list them:
Dominik Rychardski - Wow, he hardly got off his seat.
Mark Winwood - That flat-out clash with the fence did nothing to slow him down.
Rob Geach - again Mister Entertainment with his dashing dives.
Jason Keith - one day his first bends/first few laps will get him a better reward.
Dave Frith - total mastery in the heats, deserted by Lady Luck in the Final.
Steve Harris - displaying endless energy once again in both age groups.
Paddy Wenn - Luck of the Irish? No way, sheer determination to the flag.
Graham Kemp - massive effort in every race, superb.
Paul Timms - lightning out of the gate as always, the absolute class of the Over 60s.
There were of course many other highlights, I hope the videos will show a few but as I'm taking a few days off it could be a while before they are ready.