Sand success at Skegness for Thornhill, Edmondson & Rowlands! 2022 AMCA Skegness Beach Race – Race Report, Interviews and Results

The 2022 AMCA Skegness Beach Race certainly proved to be productive for the Chambers Racing Team. Topping the podium was the very talented Dan Thornhill, not only bagging a third Skegness success but also recording his maiden win aboard his new Chambers Husqvarna machine.

Race Report and Images by Mike Wood

Backing Dan up, teammate Ben Franklin took 3^rd whilst having a rare outing aboard a 450cc powered mount. Completing the main Skegness top three was none other than Evgeny Bobryshev, a former double ACU British Champion and GP rider. This was not only the Russian’s first race outing in 2022 but also, rather incredibly throughout his entire distinguished career a first-ever Beach Race outing!

Jamie Wainwright in main race action

Sponsored by Visit Lincs Coast, Sunday’s three-hour contest is the main attraction of the weekend and once again a massive crowd lined every available vantage point to watch the action unfold. The big race was expected to have been a serious head to head battle for honours between Thornhill and Todd Kellett, with both riders sitting already on a brace of Skegness victories apiece. However Kellett was a surprising late withdrawal from the event, so the spotlight was firmly on Gloucestershire-based Thornhill as he went for the treble. In the race for honours, the question on everyone’s lips now was who would provide the challenge.

A very thoughtful Evgeny Bobryshev after completing his first ever Beach race

Well, step forward Evgeny Bobryshev, and after accepting the kind offer from the AMCA and be able to enter Skegness, he intended to take his unexpected opportunity to get back to racing to the maximum! Very fast off the start, he was right on the gas, quickly hitting the front as Jamie Wainwright, Jack Beniston, Scott Aldridge, Sion Talbot, and George Simmutch gave chase.

Ben Franklin, 3rd in the main race

For defending Skegness Champion Thornhill though, the early exchanges proved rather problematic, struggling to find a rhythm and crashing on more than one occasion! Showing his class, though, Dan then put it all together, and by lap ten he had not only moved up from 7^th but also reeled in and passed leader Bobryshev.

Sand surfing in Sunday’s main race

From here though and for the next five laps the action was to be very fast and furious as Thornhill and Bobryshev passed and repassed each other for fun in an absolute classic. With pit stops now coming into play, Thornhill’s team were right on the money and very quick to get their rider back out on track. Having not competed or trained this year, Bobryshev was now naturally starting to fade in the tough, gruelling going whilst Thornhill was still right on the gas and putting the hammer down before racing onto another Skegness £1000 winners cheque. On completion, the classy Chambers Husqvarna rider had managed one full lap more than his very gallant challenger Bobryshev who was expressing a mixture of exhaustion, delight and frustration when interviewed afterwards!

Evgeny Bobryshev, 2nd in the main race

After starting strongly, Wainwright was to disappear from proceedings on lap 14 when suffering from battery issues on his KTM. With Wainwright out, Ben Franklin making his Skegness debut, rode a very well-calculated race, moving up to pass Beniston on lap 33 as Talbot, Simmutch, Brad Thornhill, Aldridge, Sam Hughes, and Alfie Calvert completed the top ten. In the incorporated classes built into the main event, Alex Buchanan was the first Clubman home, whilst Derry Milling was top Veteran rider. Both Buchanan and Milling also finished inside the overall top fifteen.

Three times Skegness winner Dan Thornhill

The weekend had started with the East Lindsey District Council, Magna Vitae, and SECWHA-supported Clubman Solo Sprint, which was of a 1.5 hour duration. Taking the win in that one was a member of a family synonymous with earning titles and racing at the very top level of Enduros, so well done Jack Edmondson. Initially though, it was defending Skegness Champion Jack Beniston who was quickest away, producing a simply electric few opening laps as Edmondson, Jack Rowland, Sean Wainwright, Jack Naylor and Scott Aldridge gave chase.

Jack Edmondson the Clubman Solo Sprint winner

For twelve frantic and very entertaining laps, Beniston was in control until Edmondson eventually charged though. As Edmondson got in the groove and thus raced onto victory, Beniston took 2^nd despite having issues with his goggles steaming up. Third place went to Travis Steels who had been right down in 21^st early on, whilst Aldridge, Brad Thornhill and Aaron Patstone were next up. Completing sixteen laps, Alex Owen was to be the top Veterans finisher with David Dunn in 2^nd and one full lap in arrears.

The Clubman top three from Sunday’s main race

Saturday’s second action was the Tysers Insurance supported Quads and Sidecars battle. With Sheldon Seal the 2021 winner of the Quads, not having entered this time around, it was Oliver Sansom who was quickest away in the battle for 2022 honours. On the gas, Sansom led Lestyn Rowlands, Jonny Kelly the 2021 runner-up, Jonathan McKnight and Kevin Meenagh.

At the front Sansom was simply flying and looking very comfortable out front, quickly reeling off the laps until disaster struck as he ground to a halt on lap 15. That meant that Rowlands was now the leader, and after overcoming an early issue with his prescription glasses steaming up he remained in control all the way to the chequered flag. On completion, Rowlands was one lap clear of Kelly as Laurence Stopps impressively moved up to slot into 3^rd ahead of Jack Holmes, Marco Zaffino and Tom Cannell. This contest also catered for riders on the bigger 4×4 Quads with Harry Stevens just defeating Graham Guy who had both completed 21 laps, results which also placed them inside the overall Quads top ten.

Quads winner Lestyn Rowlands

Talking of the number ten, that’s the win count that Skegness sidecar serial winners Alun Davies/James Ferguson were chasing this time around. The 2022 contest, though, did not go to plan for them, forced out after eight laps were completed. So step forward Daniel Lawry/Sam Wilkinson, who after finishing as runner-up in 2021 went one better this time and thus earned a well-deserved victory. Lawry expertly steered his outfit through the soft, Skegness sand to complete 19 tough laps in the two-hour time duration. That total was a couple more than this year’s silver medalists Sam Watson/Jak Watson, with third-place finishers Richard Chandler/Liz Millet a further four laps in arrears.

Sidecar winners Daniel Lawry and Sam Wilkinson

So with another great Skegness Beach bash completed,  organisers AMCA Events would like to say a massive thank-you to the local authorities, sponsors, hospitality outlets, officials, work parties, competitors and supporters who made it all possible!

Travis Steels, 3rd in the Clubman Solo Sprint

Results

Main Sunday Solo Race

Frantic Clubman solo sprint action

Quad and Sidecar Race

4 X 4 Quads

Sidecars

Jack Rowlands(8) goes around the outside in a Clubman Sprint battle

Clubman Solo Race