hope tony does'nt mind me sticking this on here.he wrote this sunday night after all that work at the track.legend that boy.
A fantastic turnout of 96 riders signed in for the first round of the 2009 series at Hersden. The line up was a great mix of some established stars from the regional scene, including visitors from Bexhill, Hayes and Dagenham , along with plenty of riders paying their first visit to the track.
Plenty of interest came in the 8 and 9 years group as 13 riders signed up, and only one less for the Cruiser class with the big bikes seeing a quality line up. The newly formed Hersden Rookie of the Year series for the newcomers saw over a dozen riders come along and speaking of new, a good line up in the Ladies class, as the BMX mums , stopped watching from the cold to mix it with the rest.
Here is a class by class run down of what happened
5 years and under
Reece Snelson (Hersden)
Rueben Hopkins (Teynham)
Angel Hodgson (Folkestone)
Thomas Dackombe (Beltinge)
Casey Kennelly (Hersden)
Kieron Byatt (Ashford)
Lucas Horton (Dover)
The small guys ( and one girl) with the big hearts, were all out to entertain especially Rueben Hopkins who was off the stableisers for the first time and was throwing himself all over the track and every time got up laughing!!. The final win was taken by Lucas Horton, who was fourth in the series last year, who now looks like he's going to be pretty tough to beat this year. Angel Hodgson rode really well and was one of the rookies putting up a good showing as she got second and Kieron Byatt made a welcome return to the track with third place.
6 and 7 years
Finlay Fordham (Hersden)
Luke Hopkins (Teynham)
Ben Hodgson (Folkestone)
Luc Baxter (Ashford)
Taylor Andress (Dartford)
Finlay Stockford (Dartford)
Matthew Esson (Dover)
Nicholas Oaten (Dagenham)
Oscar Wrench (Herne Bay)
Another top line up here as the honours went the way of BADBMX, as Nicholas Oaten, who loves the place made it show by winning all races in the afternoon. Ben Hodgson managed to match his sister's effort with second and Finlay Fordham was another rookie , on form with some great riding in third. Luc Baxter came home fourth.
8 and 9 years
Joe Bradley (Hersden)
Samuel Grant (Dover)
Conor Long ( Hersden)
Aiden Long (Hersden)
Daniel Gilbert (Colchester)
Matthew Pullen (Hawkinge)
Daniel Epps (Herne Bay)
Aaron Ayling (Hayes)
Joel Lockhart (Herne Bay)
Joseph Peal (Maidstone)
Bradley Torrance (Dover)
Tom Pope (Dover)
Daniel Faraone Horton (Dover)
A huge entry, the biggest for a group below sixteen years in the five series so far, and quality all the way through it as you knew it would take a good rider to come out on top, and so it proved, as Joe Bradley took the A final , after not being seen at the track in 2008, the 2007 six and seven year old series winner was back with some style.
Joseph Peal always rides well here and today was no exception as he claimed the second spot and Matthew Pullen finally leaving the younger class with a really good afternoon's work in third. Joel Lockhart, was fourth, and great to see him back from injury sustained at Gosport last month.
10 and 11 years
Keaton Snelson (Hersden)
Isaac Lennon (Herne Bay)
Matthew Newington (Deal)
Bradley Pounds (Ashford)
Dylan Brown (Dover)
Ethan Godden (Newington)
Not so many in numbers but the quality was there, as Ethan Godden opted to ride up a class and showed why he is one the best around for his age with a great display to take a maximum points haul. Matthew Newington looks like he's in for another good year as he took second and Isaac Lennon also falls in to that category with third. Dylan Brown represented Dub riders of Deal for fourth.
12 and 13 years
Michael Brooks (Hersden)
James Brooks (Hersden)
Thomas Wallace (Dover)
Adam Sequenza (Herne Bay)
Bard Kerr (Hayes)
Joe Nicholson (Dartford)
Owen Baxter (Ashford)
The twins of Hersden , Michael and James Brooks have been first and second in three different series before and now they are all out for number four in this group. Sadly the group was down to six after Bard Kerr injured himself in practice. The gate fell in the A final as Michael Brooks and Owen Baxter went into berm one together as disaster struck for James Brooks coming out of the first berm as he put on the skids and ended up facing the wrong way, This left Michael to take the win ahead of Doctor Baxter in second and Adam Sequenza in third.
14 to 16 years
Daniel Sterling (Hersden)
Tom Worton (Hersden)
Duncan Mewett (Bexhill)
Sam Pile (Dover)
Lewis Dackombe (Beltinge)
The dreaded five in a group , especially with these big lads, caused congestion problems in the first moto, which lead to a split. Happily everything went like clock work after as it was a first round win for Hersden's Mr reliable Dan Sterling. Tom Worton was second and Duncan Mewett was quickest to rise after tangling with Sam Pile to claim third.
Girls 14 Years and Under
Sophie Oliver (Bexhill)
Lorna Pile (Dover)
Molly Harding (Canterbury)
Chloe Harding (Canterbury)
Jade Stupple (Hersden)
Natalie Edwards (Hersden)
Shannon Byatt (Ashford)
Lauren Richardson (BadBmx)
Chloe Oaten (Dagenham)
Really good turnout for the girls class and it was Lauren Richardson, who hasn't been seen for a while Hersden, getting maximum points, as well as the first evr Lewis Lacey Hole Shot award . Jade Stupple is not the biggest in the group, but she certainly gave it her best shot to grab second ahead of Sophie Oliver and Lorna Pile.
LADIES
Shirine Mewett (Bexhill)
Debbie Pullen (Hawkinge)
Mel Deeks (Teynham)
Kirsty Hambrook (Folkestone)
Chelsea Ware (BADBMX)
Sue Horton (Dover)
Beverley Dackombe (Beltinge)
After staging one off races last year the Ladies finally got their own series and seven brave females took part, although it was not a happy afternoon for Melanie Deeks who appeared to injure herself after faling in the motos. Sue Horton and Kirsty Hambrook also suffered crashes but happily managed to get back racing.
Bev Dackombe went through the afternoon unscathed and took the A final win from Chelsea Ware who was riding Hersden for the first time, and Debbie Pullen retiring from finish line duties to take third.
OLD SKOOL
Kev Carlin (Sittingbourne)
Steve Gilbert (Colchester)
Billy Stupple (Bexleyheath)
Chris Peal (Maidstone)
The one disappointment of the day was only four riders managed to race in what used to be a largely subscribed Old Skool group. This wasnt to say that we didnt have action as in the first moto Billy Stupple and Kev Carlin both hit the deck, but in the A final it was Carlin who kept upright from a returning Chris Peal with Stupple third and Steve Gilbert , who was another making his track debut.
Masters
Dan Pullen (Hawkinge)
Dom Andress (Teynham)
Mark Hodgson (Folkestone)
Barry Byatt (Ashford)
Gareth Poyle (Ashford)
George Higley (Bexhill)
Josh Fitzgerald (Hersden)
Dan Pullen was favourite to land maximum points here and he did not let his backers down, as he did just that. Another one who did not let the crowd down , for other reasons, was Josh Fitzgerald, who as only Josh knows how, threw his bike around the place almost taking Sharon and Natalie on the finish line and anyone else who happened to be around.
Barry Byatt was second in the A final and George Higley was third.
CRUISERS
Mark Barden (Bexhill)
Kev Carlin (Sittingbourne)
Alan Humphrey (Bexleyheath)
James Humphrey (Bexleyhaeth)
Matt Humphrey (Bexleyheath)
Chris Kingman (Herne Bay)
Billy Stupple (Bexleyheath)
Richard Stevens (Sheppey)
Kieron Tweedy (Shepppey)
John Andress (Dartford)
Nick Stockford (Dartford)
Martin Bullock (Deal)
A big line up , and not only made up of regional regulars, some new fcea that hopefully had a good day and will return throughout the series. Just like in Old Skool it was Kev Carlin who was top man in the A final, with Matt Humphrey close behind in second and Martin Bullock third. Billy Stupple complted the A final field in third.
A stunning days racing, hugely subscribed and a big crowd to watch. If this is how the series is going to go we are in for a stormING 2009
TK
