March 23 2015.

Round 1, Sunday 8th March 2015, Stourport


Dragon Quad Club opened their year with round one of the MCF Quad Cross Country series on the outskirts of Stourport on Severn.

The youth quads got proceedings underway with three separate classes competing in the 90-minute event. George Betton was first away with Aaron Davies, also Yamaha-mounted, hot on his heels. Davies took over at the front on the second of the 12-minute laps and held the lead until the gremlins struck with two laps to go. Bretton re-took the 250cc Expert lead, a position he held until the chequered flag fell. Running in third, Bradley Johnson took full advantage of Davies’ misfortune and stepped up to the second step of the podium. Danny Percival also suffered an early season jinx and started the year with a DNF.

Callum Brooks was the first of the 250 Clubman riders away and chased hard to finish the race in second overall and to take the class win, just four minutes behind Bretton. Axle Bone crossed the line in third to take second in the clubman, with Chad Pryce just a minute off of his exhaust.

Callum Lockett was the sole 125cc rider in the race and found the going tough for the little bike – he eventually succumbed to the terrain on lap four.

The club, now running under the MCF banner, were able to run a 30-minute race on a shortened circuit, for the riders that will make up the future of the series. Two classes were catered for; up to 90cc and 50cc machines. Frank Marsden shot away at the front on his Suzuki 80cc two-stroke, with Rhydian Neville chasing on the newer four-stroke 90cc Suzuki. Marsden build up quite a lead until his machine’s brake started giving him problems, losing him a total of eight laps and dropping him to third in the race; second in the class at the flag. The tiny 50cc machines with the MCF’s youngest licence holders aboard, did fantastically well in the damp conditions and Louie Holt completed 21 laps to take victory from Dexter Betton.

The rain really started to fall for the start of the main adult race over a 150 minute duration. Yamaha-mounted Paul Winrow got away at the front of 86-strong field. Sheldon Seal on the KTM was hot on the heels of Winrow and snuck through to lead on lap three, but Winrow was back through just a lap later. The lead continued to change hands until lap nine when Winrow slipped back behind Luke Davies’ Yamaha and Rhydian Owen. Seal went on to take the first win of the year, with Winrow pulling through to second at the flag ahead of Davies and Owen. All four Expert-plus riders completed thirteen laps.
Ryan Walters headed home the Expert class with 12 laps, finishing the best part of three minutes ahead of Joshua Waring. Yamaha-mounted Matty Morris took the Clubman win, again on 12 laps, ahead of Amy Price-Draper. Jamie Bone took the honours in the Sportsman class over Jacob Woodward.

The club welcomed its biggest-ever entry for the 4x4 classes at this season opener. Martin Benbow who took his big 1000cc machine to first place with 12 laps completed, also finished a very credible seventh overall. Chris Nelson crossed the line just over a minute behind Benbow for second, with Jon Morgan taking third. Local rider Nil Martin took victory in the 4x4 Light class with 11 laps, Graham Illing crossed the line, a lap down, in second and David Rendell finished third.

Round two will be held on the 19th April. Venue to be advised.

RESULTS
Adult Expert +
1. Sheldon Seal, 13 laps, 2. Paul Winrow, 13 laps, 3. Luke Davies, 13 laps.
Adult Expert
1. Ryan Walters, 12 Laps, 2. Joshua Waring, 12 Laps, 3. Ryan Griffin, 12 Laps.
Adult Clubman
1. Matty Morris, 12 Laps, 2. Amy Price Draper, 12 Laps, 3. Elizabeth Price, 11 Laps
Adult Sportsman
1. Jamie Bone, 11 Laps, 2. Jacob Woodward, 11 Laps, 3. David Goldsmith, 10 Laps
Adult 4X4
1. Martin Benbow, 12 Laps, 2. Chris Nelson, 12 Laps, 3. Jon Morgan, 12 Laps
Adult 4x4 Lights
1. Neil Martin, 11 laps, 2. Graham Illing, 10 Laps, 3. David Rendell, 9 Laps
Youth 250 Expert
1. George Betton, 7 Laps, 2. Bradley Johnson, 7 Laps,
Youth 250 Clubman
1. Callum Brooks, 7 Laps, 2. Axel Bone, 7 Laps, 3. Chad Pryce, 7 Laps
Youth 90 Miniquad
1. Rhydian Neville, 28 Laps, 2. Frank Marsden, 20 Laps
Youth 50 Miniquad
1. Louie Holt, 21 Laps, 2. Dexter Betton, 12 Laps

Pictured above; 90cc class-winner Rhydian Neville