Kawasaki’s Gordon Crockard wins the opening round of the 2012 Retink Irish Motocross Championship, while Ed Allingham (EHA KTM) ensured a strong start to his championship campaign with victory in the Premier MX2 class, writes Malcolm Beattie…
Under a bright blue sky, the Retink Irish Motocross Championship burst into life on Saturday, March 24th at Downpatrick Motocross Park. The Killinchy Club ran a very slick programme on the hard packed, slippery circuit. With a packed day of racing the event ran to schedule – even with a delay to tend to an injured rider.
Winner of the overall Premier MX1 Class was Gordon Crockard on the Norman Watt Kawasaki. Securing two wins and a second place result, the former Grand Prix motocross rider was in top form. Although suffering from the effects of flu, G&G Ross Suzuki’s Robert Hamilton finished second on the day. Suitor Brothers/Watt KTM team leader Richard Bird from Lisburn was third on the day. Making a much welcomed return to competitive action following his 2011 season ending injury, JAR Honda’s Wayne Garrett finished a solid fourth. Setting the fastest lap time in qualification, AJ Plumbing’s Davy Gorman (KTM) rounded out the top five. Also making a strong return to Irish championship after an injury riddled 12 months was Gary Gibson. The Tyco by TAS Suzuki rider finished sixth.
Crockard won the first and third races at a canter, but the middle race was one of the best seen in Ireland for years with Hamilton holding off the experienced Crockard for the past two laps in a thrilling encounter that had the large crowd running from fence to fence to watch the racing.
Running concurrently the MX2 class was no less exciting with very close racing through the field. Claiming three-second place results Ed Allingham (EHA KTM) was the overall winner. A win in the final MX2 race helped John Meara (TMC Hona) finish one-point behind in second. Third overall in the 2011 MX2 Irish Championship, Tyco by TAS Suzuki’s Jim O’Neill ensures a solid start to his year by finishing third in Downpatrick. Comfortably topping the first two races of the day, Stuart Edmonds (Tyco by TAS Suzuki) looked all but assured of completing the hattrick of wins until a mechanical problem dropped him out of contention. Making his Premier MX1 debut, Watt/No Fear/Agnew Recovery Kawasaki’s GlennMcCormick impressed with fifth just one point ahead Ryan Adair on his Adair Electrics Suzuki in sixth.
Semi Expert MX1 was a relatively tame affair; Donal Teague (Kawasaki) was declared the winner following a tiebreak decision. Suitor Bros KTM rider Mark Patterson was second with veterans Darren Bradford and Joel Brown filling the next two spots. Chris Lynd and Gareth Whyte rounded out the top six.
The Semi Expert MX2 Class was a different story with teenagers dominating the day, and indeed the races. With two wins and a third 15 year old Stuart Fee (KTM) won the overall. Making a bad start in race two Fee recovered strongly to finish in third.
Second and third went to two Monster Energy Cosworth Yamaha’s ridden by Connor Campbell and Jordan Martin. After a second race tussle with Connor, Martin won race two. Fourth went to Stephen Kelly and fifth to Ben Mottram on the Agnew Recovery Yamaha. Mark Dougherty from Banbridge rounded out the top six.
JAR Honda's Kristofer Rea delivered a strong ride with fourth in Clubman MX2 ©R. Denney
Clubman MX1 was dominated by Laurelvale man Gareth Mulligan, debuting in the class after a few years in MX2. Mulligan won the first two races, but fuel injection problems on the big Honda ruined a clean sweep in the third.
Mulligan now holds a one-point lead over Paul Atkinson, with Jordan Blakely third. Although tieing with Blakely on points Scott Leaney was fourth. Alan Saunders and Richard Hamilton rounded out the top six.
Clubman MX2 was a clean sweep for Anthony Lyle, after three race long battles with Andrew Blakely. Local man Steven Gill had three solid thirds on the day to finish third. JAR Honda’s Kristofer Rea was home fourth while Don Murray and Chris Simms rounded out the top six.
Next round is on the 15th April at Doon near Athlone in County Westmeath, and if it’s half as good as this one, it will be worth the trip to the picturesque parkland circuit.
Images: ©Ryan Denney / RDMX Photography