Back on the Bank Holiday Sunday, 24th May, the North Devon Atlantic Classic Motorcycle Club hosted its first scramble of 2026, which was the Roar on the Moor event, which incorporated the Andy Sollars Memorial race at Yarde Gate, Nr North Molton.
Words and Images by Dave Rich
This event was round two of the South West Classic Championship and, as with the opening round, had attracted a huge entry, with nigh on all classes full. It was a blistering hot day as it was leading up to the event, and water had to be put down, and it was to great effect, as the dust was kept at bay for most of the day, and the track was to produce some excellent racing for the many spectators who were in attendance.
In the combined unlimited classic class, there was some close racing with riders banging bars on many occasions. The Pre 68 class saw a fine display of riding from the 500 Hickie Racing BSA of Luke Hickie, who was to take a clean sweep of wins and has yet to be beaten in his class after two rounds. Second overall on the day went to 650 Triumph Metisse of Steve Iles Jnr who took a hattrick of second place finishes with the 500 BSA of Thorne Pettt taking a well-deserved third overall, whereas in the Pre 74 class the day belonged to the 380 Cz of Marcus Denham who took a hattrick of wins with Steve Dagger taking second overall, but the star of this class had to be Andrew Maddox on his 500 BSA who was consistant in all three races and took third overall from current Championship leader Martin Stephens on his 360 Yamaha Mx who didn’t have the best of days, but he still remains Championship leader after the opening two rounds.
The Twinshock A class was fast and exhilarating as it was a battle royal in the opening two races between the fast-gating Marcus Clare on his 500 Curtis Honda and local kingpin Luke Hill on his Cr 500 Honda. Clare was trying his all to shake off Hill in both races, but in the end Hill was just too strong and forced his way to the front on both occasions to take the chequered flag and in the last race Hill had a better start in this one and was to soon ease away at the front, but there was a good battle between Clare and Marcus Feltham on his 490 Maico going on behind him with Feltham eventually getting pass Clare and was soon closing in on Hill at the front but the chequered flag came to Hills rescue and he made it a clean sweep of wins with Feltham just two seconds adrift. Hill took the overall and keeps his hundred per cent record in the standings; Clare took second overall by two points from Feltham, who ended the day third overall.
In the Twinshock B class this was also good viewing as it was a name from the past in the South West in the shape of Ian Meredith on his 510 Husqvarna who took the chequered flag in the opening race, but he had to settle for second in the other two races behind Steve Folland on the 490 Maico, but it was Meredith who took the overall by one point from Folland with third overall going to the 250 Red Rocket of Steve Matthews.
The Twinshock C class was to provide some close racing with Adrian Dark on his 490 Yz Yamaha eventually taking the overall by one point with a hattrick of second place finishes being pipped in all three races by literally a second. Jack Courtney, also on a 490 YZ Yamaha, was to win the opening race, with the other two race wins going to the 250 Red Rocket Honda of Malcolm Sansom, who took second overall, with William Lester on the big 600 Cr Husqvarna taking third overall.
In the Twinshock D class it was Alex Holloway on his Cr 250 Honda who won the opening race just holding off the 465 Yz Yamaha of Adrian Toy in the closing stages, but there was only one winner in the other two races and that was Philip Whetren on his 400 Rm Suzuki who was to take the overall from Holloway with Jack Pellow taking third overall on his 465 Yz Yamaha.
The Twinshock E class saw a dominating performance from Sean Cook on his 490 Maico, who took a clean sweep of wins, with the 400 YZ Yamaha of Steve Owen taking second overall, and third overall went to one of many female riders in the shape of Mia Milsom on her RS 175 Suzuki.
In the Evo A class, it was the big 500 Kx Kawasaki of Leighton Holmes who was on top form and took a hattrick of wins and the overall, but there was a good tussle for second overall between the Cr 125 Honda of Matt Holcombe and the Cr 250 Honda of Jamie Buckingham with them both tied on points at the end of the day, but with the better result in the last race it was Holcombe who took second overall, but the star of the show finishing a very commendable fourth overall on her Cr 250 Honda was Tanisha Thomas who now leads the Championship after two rounds.
The Evo B class saw one of the best battles of the day in the first race between the Cr 250 Honda of Greg Pascoe, who had the holeshot and Alan Thomas on his KX 125 Kawasaki, who was to pressure Pascoe all the race, but Pascoe kept him at bay and, with it, took the chequered flag by less than a second. Pascoe had to work hard again in the second moto, this time to try and hold off the Cr 125 Honda of Jason Jenner on the last lap, who was literally three hundredths of a second adrift of Pascoe at the line. The last race saw Tom Sharpe on his Cr 250 Honda bounce back from a DNF in race two to take the win, with Martin Stokes, fellow Cr 250 Honda rider, taking second, just holding off Pascoe. Pascoe took the overall to increase his Championship lead to 21 Points, with Stokes and Jenner tied on points after the third race, but by virtue of the better result in the last race Stokes took second overall.
Also, at this event there was a special memorial race in memory of Andy Sollars, who sadly passed away back in 2022, and was one of the main instigators behind Roar on the Moor. Riders were invited to compete in this race by virtue of their fastest lap time in their allocated classes; this would then determine their start positions, as it was a staggered start with the 40th quickest going off first and the rider with the quickest time starting last. The Trophy had previously been won by the likes of Luke Hill back in 2023, Dan Mundell in 2024 and Ryan Allen last year, so who was going to win this one?
Leighton Holmes had notched up the quickest lap time, and he would start last with it all to do, which was exactly what he did, powering his way through the field on what was a twelve-minute race, picking them off one by one. Luke Hill had started third from last but a problem on the first lap left him with a lot to do, and by the halfway mark it was Ryan Hooper who was setting the pace at the front, but all the time all eyes were on Holmes who was lapping nearly two seconds quicker than Hooper and was soon up into second and also closing in on the leaders was Hill who was to catch and pass Hooper and was now in second with less than three laps remaining. Hill did close on Holmes on the last lap, but Holmes held strong and took the win from Hill, with Matt Holcombe taking third with a strong end to the race.
SEE THE FULL RESULTS >>HERE<<
