DTRA
National Dirttrack Championships Round 4 Dirt Quake.
Friday 18th
July
Norfolk Arena - Saddlebow Road,
King's Lynn, Norfolk PE34 3AG, United KingdomBy Simon Ackrill
The hottest day
of the year so far provided some real action at the Norfolk Arena.
Riders travelled from across Europe, America and Australia for the
largest dirt track weekend that has ever taken place outside the USA.
As the evening air cooled and the sun disappeared behind the
grandstands, the track became perfect and provided some excellent
racing.
It was 18 year
old Tom Neave who was the star of the night in the Pro class, beating
Aiden Collins in a nail biting final heat and taking the win in the
12 lap Grand Final. Tom was under pressure throughout from the Team
Kawasaki riders Alan Birtwistle and Oliver Brindley, whilst Collins
was pushing hard for 4th place. The result ended
Aiden’s
3 win run in the series championship and opens up the title race as
Collins will miss the next round.
The Restricted
class was dominated by a guest rider who needs little introduction.
Guy Martin showed his fellow competitors and the race fans that he is
able to transfer his skills from the roads of the Isle of Man to the
oval circuits of the main land. Championship contender Tom Clements
took a second place spot ahead of current Series leader Les Wood who
made up for some bad luck in the heats with a blistering ride in the
final from the back row to 3rd spot on the
podium.
Another guest
rider, the highly respected European flattrack series organiser Jan
Willam Jansen piloted his Dutch Brother’s Rotax to an excellent win
in the Thunderbike class ahead of the Co-Built Rotax of Guy
Sutherland, with Dave Chadburn current series leader having to settle
for a 3rd spot on podium.
Saturdays “Dirt
Quake” line up needs little introduction. The combination of
theatre, live bands and ‘run what you brung racing’ is becoming a
firm favourite in the UK and the USA. The DTRA Vintage class took
advantage of the large crowd to put on a great display of riding. A
heavy downpour made the first heat tricky but when the finals rolled
around the track was in prime condition. French rider Frank
Chatokhine battled with Guy Sutherland, Paul Harrison and Dimitri
Coste in an excellent fight for the top spots and it was Chatokhine
who managed to hold on for the win ahead of Sutherland and Harrison.
Pro
1. Tom Neave
2. Alan Birtwistle
3. Oliver Brindley
Restricted
1. Guy Martin
2. Tom Clemans
3. Les Wood
Rookie
1. Frank Chatokhine
2. Mike Johnson
3. David Gwyther
ThunderBike
1. Jan Willam Jansen
2. Guy Sutherland
3. Dave Chadburn
Vintage
1. Frank Chatokhine
2. Guy Sutherland
3. Paul Harrison
Alan Birtwistle Team Kawasaki
First Corner action
Guy Martin and Ross Herrod side by side
Guy Martin
Holeshot!
Oliver Brindley & Alan Birtwistle Team Kawasak
Oliver Brindley Team Kawasaki
Pro Class Podium - Winner Tom Neave, 2nd Alan
Birtwistle, 3rd Oliver Brindley
Restricted Class Podium - Winner Guy Martin, 2nd Tom
Clemans, 3rd Les Wood
Tom Neave
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