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JASON THOMAS WINS CANADA HEIGHTS IN STYLE!!

7th Sep 2010

The sand of Kent`s Canada Heights MX track was the venue for this weekend`s 3rd & final round of the inaugural ACU British XC Championship. With the South East experiencing another dry summer, the ground was parched & dusty. Clerk of the Course Kurt Pringle & his Sidcup MCC team wove together an intricate 5 mile lap that was full of interesting features. Beyond the MX track, the course threaded it`s way through a wood over logs before bursting out into the sunlight for a mile of stubble trouble around a mowed field & there was a rock pile with an easy & a hard route. The second half of the course was through another wooded section where the track was narrow & the surrounding vegetation held the dust in the still air.

The 2 hour morning race for Clubman, Over 50s & Sportsman started at 10.00am. The leaders took full advantage of a clear run at a fallen tree in the woods that held up the rest of the field as bikes began to pile up around it. Ellis Tuckey had a flying first lap but he faded later. Cameron Harris was the best Clubman, James Muddle was 2nd & Adam Redding was 3rd. In the Over 50, Colin Cowley was 1st, Colin Brown was 2nd & Geoff Mayes was 3rd. Alan James finished 5th to secure the O50 Championship. Macej Berdysz was the best Sportsman ahead of Francis Hills & Andrew Graham was 3rd.

The 2.5 hour main race started at 1.30pm. Jason Thomas - riding a V Customs KTM - took the holeshot from Ashley Wood on the Steve Plain GasGas. Ollie Moyce was 3rd on his Midwest Husaberg but as they rounded the second corner Ollie dropped his bike & the series leader - KORR Racing`s Daryl Bolter - collided with him. Neither rider was injured but Daryl broke his de-compression lever.

With the mayhem behind him, Jason Thomas settled back to dominate the race from the front when Dorren Coutts (above) came from nowhere. He launched himself off the Ski Jump & into the lead. It was a wake up call for Jason & he re-took the lead in the trees. For the opening 3 or 4 laps these 2 riders were locked in a race of their own as they gradually pulled away from the rest of the field. Inevitably - with years of GNCC racing in America behind him - Jason gradually pulled away from Dorren.

Daryl Bolter (left) was under the weather after a week of bronchitis but he worked his way back into 3rd to maintain his hold on the championship. Tim Foreman was going well until he lost his rear brake. Tyson Maytom-Jones picked up some rope in his back wheel & MIdwest team mate Jamie Paget stopped to give him a hand. Steve Dopson`s arms were pumped up like Popeye the sailor but he kept going. Mark Gessey had a water leak & he had to keep topping up his KTM from his Camelbak so he didn`t have a drink all day.

As the clock ticked down, the drama cranked up. Approaching the gate to start his final lap, Daryl Bolter was informed by his fiancée Katie Stokes that he was just over 1 minute ahead of Ashley Wood. Either the news or the chicane caught Daryl out & he stalled his bike. Without the de-compression lever the KTM refused to start. 30 seconds seemed like an hour as Daryl pumped the kickstart while Katie & Ashley`s dad Trevor looked towards the trees for any sign of the number 22. Finally the motor of Daryl`s bike fired up & he was away.

Jason Thomas took the overall win with 13 laps. Dorren Coutts was the runner up on 12 laps. Daryl Bolter was 3rd, Ashley Wood was 4th & Ollie Moyce was 5th. Rich Ely on the Fast Eddy Honda was best of the Experts from Jack Plowman. James Burroughs was 3rd, Tom Healey was 4th & Midwest`s Tyson Maytom Jones was 5th. In the Vets Ady Smith was the winner. He clocked up 12 laps in 2 hours & 40 minutes which was the 7th best score overall. David Salkeld was the runner up & Jack Twentyman was 3rd. The best Clubman was Tom Howe. Max Varney was 2nd & Lee Hattersley. was 3rd. The event was sponsored by Race-FX & Freestyle Bikes.The time keeping was in the safe hands of Andrea & Richard Snowden. The medical cover was excellent.

At the end of the event Sidcup`s Peter Burrell presented the awards, prizes & goody bags to the winners & the series champions were announced. Daryl Bolter won the championship. Ashley Wood was the runner up & Ollie Moyce was 3rd. Ady Smith won the Vets with maximum points. Jack Twenty man was the runner up & David Salkeld was 3rd. Tyson Maytom-Jones was the best of the Experts ahead of James Burroughs & Tom Healey. Keith Jones proved that consistency wins prizes with 3 4th places he was the Best Elite Clubman ahead of Lee Hattersley & Tom Howe - with a late dash - was 3rd. Alan James won the Over 50s from Peter Neale & Gordon Macpherson. Jez Dance was the Best Clubman. James Reeve was 2nd & Cameron Harris was 3rd.

Daryl Bolter said `I knew I would struggle with my breathing to keep up with Jason & Dorren so I concentrated on putting in the laps & staying ahead of Ollie & Ashley. It is probably the most tired I have felt after a race for a long time but I`ve done what I needed to do to win the Championship for everybody`.