English Beat: Moxley at the STP Green Light Nationals

Due to COVID19, there will not be any ACU and FIM Championships in 2020. But Santa Pod has saved the day and decided to run three races in a club series. This is the Green Light Nationals.

Funnybike

Funnybike riders faced a strong headwind during qualifying on Saturday, but the wind eased a lit on Sunday.

Stuart Crane has a new engine combination and had a soft set-up for this event. He ran 6.912 with a career personnel best of 198.03. The rear tyre was damaged and he had no spare, so was out of the show.

Phil Crossley has various problems during qualifying and ran a best of 7.491-175.08. Reigning ACU Comp Bike Champion Louis Davies has moved up to Funnybike and qualified third 7.523-157.99.

Another rider having issues was Lorcan Parnell, who qualified with a 7.604-187.38. Parnell ran an out of session run 6.929-195.54.

Mark Smith was on the bump spot 7.943-129.44.

Round one of eliminations and Mark Smith ran a jaw dropping personnel best of 7.173-179.97 against Crossley’s 7.382 to reach his first Funnybike final. Parnell was a no show (broken camshaft), so Davies had a bye to final.

Just before the finals were due to run, rain fell and bought the event to a close. The final was run at the next meeting, where Smith had a solo pass for the win after Davies was shutdown for an oil leak.

Comp Bike

Tony Clark was the number one Comp Bike qualifier with a 7.801-180.64. Phil Leamon was next 8.590-152.07. Chris Neary 8.666 edged Ian Burns for third spot (8.690). Burns had an electrical issue. Paul Hambridge had troubled qualifying sessions and ran 10.192.

Round one of eliminations and Clark had a bye run, but damaged his engine at the finishline (camshaft and valves). Hambridge broke at ¾ track against Leamon, and Burns ran 8.595 to beat Neary 9.660.

Leamon won the rain-delayed final when Burns no-showed.

Super Street Bike

Reigning ACU Super Street Bike Champion Steve Venables led the small field with a 7.093 at 203.28 mph. Stephen Mead was the next with a 7.222-198.13. Mark Dainty was doing suspension tests and ran 7.339-194.72. Mark Hope was trying different set-ups, resulting with a best of 7.415-188.95.

Graham Dance has new bodywork (15lbs lighter) and colour scheme and ran 7.644-187.34. Dave Smith has a new Owens turbocharger, was looking for a baseline and found a 7.768-169.17.

Steve Venables wasted a 6.970-208.02 in round one of eliminations when he redlit against Smith, who ran a stunning 7.326 at 196.43. Dance struggled off the start line against Mead, who took the winlight. Hope beat Dainty.

In the semis Hope ran 7.355-196.21 to beat Mead. Smith had a bye run and almost ran 200mph (199.68).

Smith took the win when Hope had a massive wheelie in the rain-delayed final.

8.50 Bike

Reigning 8.50 champion Jay Roe led the field with a near-perfect 8.501 ahead of Ross Morrison’s 8.514, Alan Morrison’s 8.523 and Ian Chrichlow’s 8.525.

Round one of eliminations and Chrichlow ran 8.502 to beat Leo Lester’s breakout 8.497.

In the semifinals, Roe eased pass Alan Morrison. Steve Howe had former ACU and FIM Super Street Bike champion Rick Stubbins tuning the bike and reached his first 8.50 final, beating Chrichlow with an 8.511 to Chrichlow’s losing 8.538.

Roe won when Howe redlit in the rain-delayed final.

9.50 Bike

Craig Wright ran a perfect 9.500 for number one 9.50 qualifier, but Martin Hallett ended Wright’s weekend in round one of eliminations. Hallett had a bye run to the final.

On the other side of the ladder, reigning 9.50 Bike champion Richard Sawatzki beat Alan Morrison in the semi to face Hallett in the final

Sawatzki redlit in the rain-delayed final and Hellett won.

ET Bike

Reigning ET Bike Champion Phil Pratt was the number one qualifier 9.113 (dial in 9.10). Reigning Super Twins Top Gas Champion Michael Gooding was in no 2 spot 9.418 (9.40) followed by Harrison Brown 9.631 (9.61).

In the semi-finals Peter Harrison broke out against Paul Adams and in the other semi Robbie Dobbie broke out against Pratt. Last years’ number one and two plates faced each other in the final at the next event.

Exhibition Bikes

Fuel Bikes were testing at this event. Reigning ACU Top Fuel Bike champion Steve Woollatt put on a show for the small crowd with three arrow straight runs against the headwind, with best figures of 6.490-195.41.