Back on Sunday, June 21st, the Devon Classic Scramble Club held its second scramble event of 2026 at Smeatharpe on the Blackdown Hills on a day that could only be described as a scorcher, as it was stifling hot. The club had gone all out for this event with a brand-new layout which was very fast-flowing and was to produce some good racing in all classes. Water had been put down during the day, but with the very hot conditions it was very hard to try and keep the dust at bay; nevertheless, there was some good racing to be seen.
Report and Images by Dave Rich
The Pre 60, Pre 65 under and over 350cc plus the Pre 68 classics were to be in a combined class where in the Pre 60 class there was a win in the opening race for Trevor Townsend on his 500 Triumph Tiger but he had no answer in the other two races which were won by Jeremy Lile on the 650 Trisba which gave him the overall from Townsend with Sean Hawker on his 600 BSA taking third overall.
In the Pre 65 over 350cc class it was to go down to the last race to decide who was going to take the overall as Roger Sims on his 500 Jawa BSA took the opening race and the 500 Triumph Metisse of Thorne Pett took the second race so they were tied on points going into the last race, but unfortunately Sims was a nonstarter in the last race so the door was wide open for Pett, but he was up against it early doors from the 500 Jawa of Nick Thorne who pushed him, but Pett held strong and took the chequered flag to give him the overall with Thorne taking second which was to give him second overall and third overall was to go to the 500 Norton Metisse of Dan Field, where as in the Pre 65 under 350cc class there was a hattrick of wins for the 350 BSA of Mike Popperwell who took the overall but it was a battle royal behind him between two more 350 BSA’s of Neil Hammersley and Kevin Wilmer with Hammersley just taking second overall by two points from Wilmer who was third overall.
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The Pre 68 class saw Nathan Jones take the overall on his 441 BSA after winning all three races, but he was up against it, especially in the opening race, as Luke Hickie on the Hickie Racing 500 BSA battled with Jones all through the race and at the line was a close second. Hickie again took second behind Jones in the second race but was a nonstarter in the last encounter. Steven Thorne on his 441 BSA Metisse eventually took second overall, with the 500 BSA of John Edwards taking third overall.
In the Pre 74 over 250cc class there was no stopping the 250 Can Am of Philip Peaster who showed his class and dominated all three races to give him the overall with Mike Popperwell on a 380 CZ taking second overall and by virtue of the better result in the last race after tying on points Martin Farwell on his 380 CZ took third overall from the 500 BSA of Andrew Maddox where as in the under 250 class we saw the CR 250 Honda of Kevin Spencer who was just back from injury win the opening race, but the other two races went to Oliver Thorne on his 250 DT2 Yamaha which was to give him the overall from Richard Hall on the 250 CZ Single Port with third overall going to Steven Thorne on the 250 Yamaha MX.
The Pre 78 class saw a fine display of riding from Thomas Layton on his 450 XL Honda who had made the trip down from Hereford to compete and compete was exactly what he did to great effect taking the overall with three convincing wis, second overall was to go to the 250 KX Kawasaki of Simon Chamberlain with a hattrick of second place finishes and third overall was to go to the 400 YZ Yamaha of Steve Owen.
In the Twinshock A class it was the 600 BSA of Tim Dallaway who was to lead from the off followed by the 500 CR Honda on the opening lap, but as they came back in to view Dallaway had pulled away abit at the front and it was Ryan Hooper on his 490 Maico who was there in second just ahead of the 490 YZ Yamaha of George Bowerman with Hill now back in fourth after going off the track, but he was soon pushing hard. Hooper and Bowerman were having a good battle for second and third, which were soon to be joined by Hill, who was to pass both by the end of the third lap and was now up into second chasing down Dallaway at the front, but Dallaway used all his experience and went on to take the win. Hill didn’t make any mistakes in the other two races and took the chequered flag on both occasions to give him the overall from Dallaway, with Hooper, with three consistent rides, taking third overall.
The Twinshock B class saw Neil Jones on his CR 250 Honda take the overall with two wins and a second, with second overall going to the 490 Mega 2 Maico of Charley Pavitt and third overall went to Ben Dyer having his first ride back for some time on his 570 TC Husqvarna.
In the Twinshock C class, there were two wins for Jack Courtney on the 490 Yamaha, only to be denied a clean sweep of wins in the last race where he was beaten by Mik Hill on his 500 RM Suzuki who was to finish second to Courtney in the first two races to give him second overall, with Jack Pellow on the 465 YZ Yamaha taking third overall.
The Twinshock D class was to provide three different winners in the shape of Jake Bristow, Kevin Spiller and Jack Wyatt, but at the end of the day consistency was the name of the game with the overall going to Gary Wilson with Adrian Toy and Mark Knowles tied on points at the end of the last race, but with Toy beating Knowles in the last race Toy took second overall with Knowles third overall.
In the Twinshock E class probably the opening race was the best race of the day as Julierme Bruniera on his 185 XL Honda led the race from the off and had to hold off Sean Cook on the 250 KX Kawasaki with Cook all over him, but as they came around the last corner which was a canvered lefthander Cook got it all wrong and lost traction which was to let Bruniera get away but Cook dug deep on the last lap and closed right up again and with less than half a lap remaining Cook took over the lead powering up one of the hills and from there went on to take the win and he was to continue winning as he made it a hattrick of wins to take the overall with Bruniera second overall and third overall went to Tony Cole with three consistant rides.
The Novice class, as with other meetings, was well supported again, and it was Charles Toulson who took the overall with two wins and a second, with second overall going to Jason Back with a 2,1,3, scorecard, and third overall went to Richard Clarke on the big 500 CCM.
In the Ladies class, there was no stopping Mia Milsom, who was victorious in all three races to take the overall ahead of Joanne Ball, with Katie Maddox and Jess Sully tied on points for Third overall, which was to go to Katie as she had the better result in the last race.
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