Hill Topper! South West Twinshock & Evo Championships Round 1 – Race Report & Results

Back on Sunday 3rd April, the opening rounds of the South West Twinshock & Evo Championships took place at Kilmington, near Axminster in Devon which was hosted by the Somerset Scramble Club. The track which was grass, to begin with proved to be slippery for practice and did catch a few riders out, but as the day progressed it was to produce some good racing and with a bumper crowd in attendance, there was a good atmosphere.

Report and Images by Dave Rich

In the Under 40’s Evo class there was a good tussle in the first two races between the YZ 250 Yamaha of James Kensington and Lee Skinner on his 250 CR Honda with both taking a win each, so it was all down to the last race to decide who was going to take the overall, but the race didn’t start well for Skinner as he was late to the line and was right at the back of the field. Kensington didn’t take long to hit the front and with a clear track, he was to go on untroubled to take the win to give him the overall with Matt Holcombe finishing second which with three consistent rides was to give him third overall just behind Skinner who managed to claw his way up through the field and finish in 6th in the last race to give him second overall on the day.

James Kensington giving his all in the Evo Under 40’s Evo Championship

The Over 40’s Evo class saw Ben Braddick on his CR 250 Honda head the proceeding for a couple of laps in the opening race, but right in his wheel marks was another CR 250 with Wayne Butt on board who got the better of Braddick mid-race and was to go on to take race one with Braddick holding off Steve Locke in the closing stages and took 2nd by literally a second. In the second moto, it was a better start for Butt in this one and he was soon into his rhythm and was to take a comfortable win from Locke who took second ahead of Braddick who again had a good ride. The last race saw Butt out on a CR 125 for this one and showed the 250’s how to go as he went on to take the Chequered flag for a hattrick of wins with Locke 2nd and Braddick taking 3rd which was how the overall was at the end of the day.

No 26 Ben Braddick holding off No 32 Wayne Butt in the Over 40’s Evo Championship

In the Twinshock A class, there was some good racing and some pretty quick riders. The opening race saw Wayne Butt on his 490 Maico head the pack followed by the CR 500 of Luke Hill with the RM 500 Suzuki of Kevin Reed tucked in 3rd. Butt and Hill eased away with Hill sticking within striking distance to Butt ready to pounce on any mistakes that Butt was to make, but the experience of Butt was to tell and he took the win with Hill just 2 seconds behind taking 2nd with Scott Faulkner just holding off Lee Skinner to take 3rd.

Daniel Hartley being pursued by Lee Skinner in the Evo Under 40’s Championship

Race 2 and this time it was Hill with the early lead who was soon powering away at the front, but not the best of starts for race one winner Butt as he went down and was way down the field as was the Fasthouse/Butler Racing 490 Maico of Terry House who had a bad opening race only managing a 5th place finish so he was looking to do better in this one and he was really on a mission and was towards the end of the race lapping nigh on 2 seconds quicker than Hill who he was to catch on the last lap and gave his all into the last corner, but Hill kept his cool and took the win by just .306 of a second with skinner taking a distant 3rd. The last moto was to belong to Hill who was to hold off a mid-race challenge from House to take the win with Butt eventually coming home to take 3rd which was enough to pip House for second overall by one point.

The Twinshock B class saw Ade Dark on his 560 KTM win the opening two races, but he had to settle for third in the last moto as Nick Dyer on his RM 400 Suzuki was to win the last race by some four seconds from Kevin Allen on his 560 KTM but it was Dark who took the overall from Dyer with Matthew Gurke on the 490 Suzuki after three consistent rides taking third overall.

In the Twinshock C class there was a win apiece for Sean Walker, Steve Diment, and Jonathan Pickett, but at the end of the day, Walker on his CR 450 Honda took the overall with John Weeks second and Daniel Morley taking third overall.

The Twinshock D class there was no stopping Gary Wright on his YZ 250 Yamaha who notched up a hattrick of wins with second overall going to Andrew Woodridge who took it by one point from Jeremy Lile who ended the day third overall.

In the Classics, there was a fine display of riding from Mitch York on his 380 CZ who was to dominate all three races with Andrew Maddox finishing second to York in the opening two races, but a DNF in the last race saw him drop out of the top three overall and it was the 520 CCM of Ian Grout who took second overall ahead of Jamie Evans. Also mixed in with the Classics was a novice class for beginners and it produced three different winners in the shape of Matthew Jones, Wayne Stratford and James Allard, but the consistency was to give you the overall which was won by Kevin Pearse, Paul Ebsary took second with Darren Sharp third overall.

Twinshock C start

Results