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Greg Radley aboard his 250cc Greeves Challenger during a previous classic scramble Photo by Michael Eustace
Radley goes for gold at mud swept Greeves race
Words by Michael Eustace
12 July 2008
ON SUNDAY over 150 classic scrambles riders took part in the Pre-65 Motocross Club’s classic motorcycle scramble at Marks Tey in Essex.
In all, 135 solo competitors and 17 sidecar outfits took to the course, many of whom were riding their machines for the first time this season after the winter break.
The weather started off bright but took a turn for the worse shortly before the interval, with the track turning into a perpetual mud-bath to provide plenty of entertainment for the spectators and riders alike.
Greeves Challenger-mounted Greg Radley from Steeple was the overall victor in the Pre-65 lightweight class whilst Brantham-based Roger French cleaned up in the three Pre-65 over 250cc races aboard his quick 500 Cheney BSA.
John Lippy Bateup completed a double-win aboard his 500 Triumph in the Pre-60 Percy Tawn Memorial Championship races, albeit with stiff opposition from TriBSA-mounted Les Robinson, whilst Chris Collins won the first of the three Pre-74 races with young Warren Bennett scoping the remaining two.
The meeting played host to round one of the Brockwell Plant National Greeves Championship and, such is its popularity, 12 newcomers lined up on the start-line.
The 2007 Champion, Ian Webster, got the holeshot in the first race but was passed shortly after by Greg Radley, who managed to obtain a comfortable lead. A three-way battle then ensued for second position between Ian Stonebridge, Danny Albins and Webster. By the end of the final lap it was Webster who took second place behind Radley, with Albins in third and Stonebridge in fourth.
The second Greeves Championship race saw Webster and Albins collide during turn one, sending them both wide and allowing Radley through into first position. Radley then built up a huge lead, but fell in the tricky conditions round a right-hander. This handed Webster the lead until he also fell from his machine, allowing Albins to race away to the victory. Dave Godley, who had been ready to pickup any pieces sped through to take second place whilst Radley, who had rejoined the race in tenth position, fought his way through the pack to just pip Stonebridge on the final corner for third place.
The allcomers grand final saw Warren Bennett take a dominant win with the only real threat coming from Chris Collins. Ricky Cole took his sidecar outfit to a convincing win in the first TDS Pre-85 Sidecar Championship race with Phil Morris taking the second win.
Next meeting Pre-65 Motocross Club classic scramble will take place on Bank Holiday Monday 5 May at Maylandsea, near Maldon in Essex. The next round of the National Greeves Championship takes place on Sunday 20 April at Haresfield in Gloucestershire.
RESULTS
Pre-60 Percy Tawn Memorial Championship
Race 1: 1 J Bateup (500 Triumph), 2 L Robinson (500 TriBSA), 3 S Appleton (250 BSA)
Race 2: Bateup, Robinson, J Aim (500 TriBSA)
Pre-65 upto 250cc
Race 1: 1 G Davey (250 CZ), 2 R French (250 Cheney BSA), 3 G Radley (250 Greeves)
Race 2: 1 Radley, 2 S Appleton (250 BSA), 3 Davey
Race 3: 1 Radley, 2 Davey, 3 Appleton
Pre-65 over 250
Race 1: 1 R French (500 Cheney), 2 N Archer (441 BSA), 3 J Bateup (650 Triumph)
Race 2: 1 French, 2 C Collins (441 BSA), 3 D Howe (441 BSA)
Race 3: 1 French, 2 D Albins (500 Jawa Metisse), 3 Howe
Pre-74
Race 1: 1 C Collins (250 CZ), 2 N Capstick (380 CZ), 3 T Thompson (400 Husqvarna)
Race 2: 1 W Bennett (380 CZ), 2 R Humm (250 Bultaco), 3 L Peters (250 CZ)
Race 3: 1 Bennett, 2 Collins, 3 Humm
National Greeves Championship
Race 1: G Radley (250 Challenger), 2 I Webster (360 Challenger), 3 D Albins (380 Griffon), 4 I Stonebridge (380 Griffon), 5 D Godley (360 Challenger), 6 P Wright (380 Griffon)
Race 2: 1 Albins, 2 Godley, 3 Radley, 4 Stonebridge, 5 Wright, 6 M Cooper (380 Griffon)
Grand Final Allcomers
1 W Bennett (380 CZ), 2 C Collins (250 CZ), 3 R French (500 Cheney BSA), 4 R Humm (250 Bultaco), 5 G Radley (250 Greeves Challenger), 6 J Aim (650 TriBSA)
TDS Pre-85 Sidecar Championship
Race 1: 1 R Cole, 2 M Mead/S Mead, 3 K Pattison/J Pattison
Race 2: 1 P Morris/M Snell, 2 D Wood/N White, 3 Cole