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The 11th round of the championship was the Phoenix Mallory meeting. This got a good enough entry to give us a grid to ourselves. It also saw two out with us for the first time, John Dickinson on a CB35OK4 and Michael Burrows on a Yamaha RD250. Both these machines were just outside our eligibility regs, non standard wheels etc. and as a result, weren't eligible for points etc. Out for the first time this year were Mark Daniels on his RD400, last raced by Kevin Ambrose, and Andy Jackson. Andy was having his first run on the GSI000 he bought from John Shackleton at the last Cadwell meeting. He was his usual laid back self not bothering to get up till 8.15 that morning. No problem if you're at the circuit, but a bit of a problem when you're in Grantham. He just made it into the circuit and maintains he did get out in practice. Someone else who only just made it was Rob Eley who had his caravan fall in two. Actually, it was only the A frame, but that doesn't quite match the scale of his usual disasters. He eventually arrived with the A frame bolted together with a length of angle iron. He had the problem near someone who raced a sidecar and who was willing to help. Now I know that running an outfit prepares you for most things, but this man coped with Rob Eley rolling up on his door step with half a caravan in each hand. Ask yourself, could you? The first race was 14 on the programme and when it eventually got underway at 3.15, it was the 1300cc machines that started to pull away from the rest of the field and in fact, which took the first five places. Nigel Lawrence took first, 3 seconds ahead of Andy Jackson who got clear of the next 3 who finished within 0.9 see of each other in the order: Clive Wadey, Rob Eley, still with gearbox problems and Steve Cave. Karl Scott was the next finisher and he was in turn ahead of Tony Smith, Cass and Mel Coote. John Correia was the next home, ahead of Malcolm Price. The actual results showed Pete Mabberley behind John but this is something that does happen, sometimes the lap scorers crediting someone who has been lapped with an extra lap. Richard Insall was the next finisher, just 0.2 see ahead of Keith Chambers, he was followed home by Chris Spooner. Mark Daniels was the next to finish stating that the RD400 handled so much better than the RD250 that he used to run. Alec Gilfillan followed him home and he was ahead of Andy Charlesworth. Andy was in turn ahead of Pete Jarnell, Paul Paynter and Gordon Church. Gordon was followed home by John Dickinson, Howard Friend, Pete Mabberley and Michael Burrows. The second race got underway at 5.38 and was reduced to 5 laps but no one seemed to know anything about it. Apparently it had been announced over the paddock tannoy but it's not the best in the world. The first two places were a repeat of the first race but this time they were nowhere near as far clear with Steve Cave and Karl Scott finishing in that order within a second of Andy Jackson. Clive Wadey took the next place, ahead of Tony Smith and Rob Eley whose gearbox problems looked to be worse this time out. Malcolm Price was the next finisher followed by Mel Coote, Cass and John Correia. Richard Insall followed John home and he was in turn followed home by Keith Chambers and Mark Daniels. Next was Simon Briggs who was out on Karl Scott's spare XJ 550. Simon has this year destroyed his RD250 and 400 and had been out in the first race on Mark Daniels RD250 which he also broke. I think someone should have a quiet word with Karl. Alec Gilfillan was next, ahead of Chris Spooner and Gordon Church. For some reason Gordon went much better this time. Someone suggested he'd put something in his cocoa, or forgot to put it in depending on your point of view. Gordon was ahead of Andy Charlesworth and John Dickinson. Behind John it was Pete Jarnell who just got the better of Paul Paynter. Then it was Howard Friend who was ahead of Pete Mabberley who was in turn ahead of Michael Hand. It must be said Michael's RD400 was only running on one and a half cylinders for most of the race. For some reason it had taken a dislike to being thrown down the track in the first race. Michael is one of the few who doesn't have to worry too much about the problems of throwing a bike down the road. Apparently as he sits there worrying about how to find the money for the latest problem, Betty soothes his worried brow and I quote, tells him "Never mind, don't worry I'll do some extra overtime, how much do you need". I think he then said something like "For God's sake don't tell her I've said that". Behind Michael it was Michael Burrows. Steve Bailey. |