After the huge entry of round 2, Peterborough, there was a reduced entry of 12 bikes for round 3 at Redcar Speedway. The track is the closest thing to a Lodi-style bowl that the DTRA visit, with wide and well banked turns. With glorious sunshine and an evening program we were in for a good time.
Last year's champ, Gary Birtwistle #11 was back out on his Cheney BSA with a rebuilt motor, and for the first time this year Ross Jackson #130 joined in on his DT 400 Yamaha.
With both Ross' Yam & Mike Fisher's Bultaco finally reliable(?) they had some fine, well matched dices in a couple of heat races.
Jon Dyer #101 was back on his Survivor built, rigid, sidevalved Triumph as he was suffering problems with the his new fangled, ohv B44 BSA, while speedy David Webb #140 spent the whole evening working feverishly on his BSA twin to no avail, only to find too late that he'd been sold some duff fuel on his way to the track. It cost him all his races and undoubtedly, lots of championship points.
Predictably, current and former Vintage Champions, Birtwistle and Sutherland were the class of the field finishing the final in first and seconnd respectively with Mike Fisher bringing his two smoker home to a well earned third place.
There were separate two- and four-stroke podiums which meant that Jamie Elliot #153 took the third step on the four-stroke podium (5th overall)- a fine achievement for only his second race meeting. It must be the effect of going on last year's Sideburn Himalayan trip!
The two stroke podium was headed by Mike Fisher after another race long battle with Ross Jackson, with Darren Legg #124 (Ossa) jumping onto the third step to popular
acclaim.
Next up the TT on the fabulously enhanced Greenfield track now featuring two right turns.
