September 19th, 2017.
Rounds 7 & 8, Hanbury, Nr Redditch, September 16th & 17th 2017.
Dragon Quad Racing headed to Hanbury just on the west side of Redditch last weekend for the final two rounds of the MCF-sanctioned ATV’s Only British Quad XC Championship. There was a great turnout of riders all raring to go and win those vital championship-clinching points, across the majority of classes. Some of the classes went right down to the wire with the Clubman literally decided in sight of the finish line on Sunday.The weekend started with soggy ground and paddock access a challenge, but the weather held off for the weekend resulting in some great battles throughout the two days of racing.
Callum Brooks and Will Dunlop set off at quite a pace at the front of the Youth Quads on Saturday morning and maintained their leading positions throughout the one-and-a-half-hour session. With each lap taking just over 10 minutes, Brooks built up a one-minute cushion by the end. Shelley Smart on a Youth Hybrid quad was running in fifth at the start but soon progressed to third and was the only other rider on the lead lap at the end. James Maybury headed up the 125cc class running in a credible 10th place overall, with Harry Exley getting the better of Caelan Davis for the second spot. Brooks and Dunlop were running at the front again on Sunday ahead of Dylan McKenna in the Hybrid class and Smart. Things took a twist towards the end of the session when Brooks pitted, allowing Dunlop to take up the running. They say timing is everything and Dunlop crossed the line with just over a minute to run in the session, but a crash on that last lap put him out and he collected a DNF. Having crossed the line in what looked like a sure second, McKenna was credited the victory ahead of Brooks with Smart in third. Exley and Davis got away ahead of Maybury in the 125cc class. The lead changed hands a couple of times but it was Exley that crossed the line just one second ahead of Davis.
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The Miniquad 50 and 90cc riders competed over a shortened version of the track for 30-minutes each day. Freddie Robinson took an early lead, competing in the 50cc class. Louie Holt took over the lead on lap two on his 90cc class machine and Robinson held on to second for half the event until losing out to Harry Davenport and finally finishing in sixth after suffering from machine issues. Owen Stephens went on to win the 50cc class ahead Morgan Humphreys. Holt, Davenport and Robinson got away at the front on Sunday and Holt shot off to take a convincing win in the 90cc class, whilst Robinson got the best out of the 50cc finishing on the same lap as Davenport, with Stephens in second.
The Adult events comprised six different classes giving a wide variety of both ability and machinery, making for interesting racing throughout the field. The Expert-plus class left the line first on Saturday and predictably it was Paul Winrow, Rhydian Owen and Alex Bethell out front. Owen developed machine trouble after two laps and was soon sidelined. Bethell kept Winrow in sight and moved in front on three occasions until Winrow pulled a gap with two laps to go, winning by 12 seconds. Matty Morris had a consistent race crossing the line in third place. Iestyn Rowlands was the first rider round in the Expert class, ahead of Jamie Bone and Matt Jones, with the 4x4 of Steve Atkins getting in the mix. Rowlands initially lost some places but came strong to take the class win from Bone and Martin Evison. Atkins came out on top of the 4x4 class just one lap behind the leaders with the Clubman win going to Jacob Woodward. The 4x4 Light was won by Katie Hodgson, with Axel Bone taking the Sportsman class.
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Sunday saw a few extra riders turn up and take to the start line and Bethell led the field for lap one from Winrow and Owen, with Jamie Morgan and Jordan Hickman in close formation. Rowlands was the first Expert through ahead of Jamie Bone on a machine loaned for the day by brother Axel – essential with important championship points up for grabs. Simon David was the first of the big 4x4 class through in 14th. Owen again only lasted three laps before falling foul of gremlins once again. Hickman moved up into third, with Morgan also out of the running. Bethell had his own problems after taking the lead on lap six, dropping him back two laps on the field. Hickman temporarily took over at the front when Winrow pitted on lap nine, but he came back to take the win by a full lap from Hickman with Expert David Richards in third and Evison fourth. Laura Linton and Hodgson took the 4x4 and lights win with Luke Richards heading the Clubman class and Gemma Pryce taking the win in the Sportsman.
With the season now completed the organisers at DQR are taking a well-earned rest whilst working out the championship points which will be posted online shortly.
The next get together for the DQR riders will be the sold-out presentation evening on 11th November.
| Saturday - Round 7 | | | | Sunday - Round 8 | | | |
| Expert Plus | | | | | | | |
| Pos | No | Name | Laps | Pos | No | Name | Laps |
| 1 | 13 | Paul Winrow | 17 | 1 | 13 | Paul Winrow | 18 |
| 2 | 97 | Alex Bethell | 17 | 2 | 4 | Jordan Hickman | 17 |
| 3 | 8 | Matty Morris | 17 | 3 | 97 | Alex Bethell | 15 |
| Expert | | | | | | | |
| Pos | No | Name | Laps | Pos | No | Name | Laps |
| 1 | 13 | Iestyn Rolands | 16 | 1 | 396 | David Richards | 16 |
| 2 | 11 | Jamie Bond | 16 | 2 | 73 | Martin Evison | 16 |
| 3 | 73 | Martin Evison | 15 | 3 | 48 | Jim Evans | 15 |
| 4x4 | | | | | | | |
| Pos | No | Name | Laps | Pos | No | Name | Laps |
| 1 | 111 | Stephen Atkins | 16 | 1 | 424 | Laura Linton | 15 |
| 2 | 47 | Simon David | 16 | 1 | 47 | Simon David | 14 |
| 3 | 46 | Sam Clowes | 16 | 1 | 181 | Graham Guy | 14 |
| 4x4 Lights | | | | | | | |
| Pos | No | Name | Laps | Pos | No | Name | Laps |
| 1 | 141 | Katie Hodgson | 15 | 1 | 141 | Katie Hodgson | 15 |
| 2 | 611 | Derek Burns | 14 | 2 | 68 | Lawrence Dascombe | 15 |
| 3 | 68 | Lawrence Dascombe | 14 | 3 | 611 | Derek Burns | 15 |
| Clubman | | | | | | | |
| Pos | No | Name | Laps | Pos | No | Name | Laps |
| 1 | 59 | Jacob Woodward | 14 | 1 | 124 | Luke Richards | 15 |
| 2 | 39 | Moose Pittaway | 13 | 2 | 416 | Andrew Pickles | 15 |
| 3 | 173 | Dale Roberts | 13 | 3 | 94 | Jarrod Moore | 15 |
| Sportsman | | | | | | | |
| Pos | No | Name | Laps | Pos | No | Name | Laps |
| 1 | 56 | Axel Bone | 15 | 1 | 303 | Gemma Pryce | 15 |
| 2 | 83 | Harry Brennan | 15 | 2 | 93 | Will Dunlop | 14 |
| 3 | 303 | Gemma Pryce | 15 | 3 | 9 | Vassna Willcock | 13 |
| Youth Hybrid | | | | | | | |
| Pos | No | Name | Laps | Pos | No | Name | Laps |
| 1 | 666 | Shelley Smart | 9 | 1 | 5 | Dylan McKenna | 9 |
| 2 | 125 | Josh Talent | 8 | 2 | 666 | Shelley Smart | 9 |
| 3 | 5 | Dylan McKenna | 8 | 3 | 125 | Josh Talent | 7 |
| Youth Quad | | | | | | | |
| Pos | No | Name | Laps | Pos | No | Name | Laps |
| 1 | 33 | Callum Brooks | 9 | 1 | 33 | Callum Brooks | 9 |
| 2 | 93 | Will Dunlop | 9 | 2 | 44 | William Morgan | 9 |
| 3 | 610 | Brandon Saunders | 8 | 3 | 31 | Joey Hawkins | 9 |
| Youth 125cc | | | | | | | |
| Pos | No | Name | Laps | Pos | No | Name | Laps |
| 1 | 16 | James Maybury | 7 | 1 | 9 | Harry Exley | 8 |
| 2 | 9 | Harry Exley | 7 | 2 | 8 | Caelan Davis | 8 |
| 3 | 8 | Caelan Davis | 7 | 3 | 16 | James Maybury | 8 |
| Miniquad 90cc | | | | | | | |
| Pos | No | Name | Laps | Pos | No | Name | Laps |
| 1 | 30 | Louie Holt | 13 | 1 | 30 | Louie Holt | 12 |
| 2 | 24 | Harry Davenport | 13 | 1 | 24 | Harry Davenport | 11 |
| 3 | 125 | Amelia Talent | 2 | | | | |
| Miniquad 50cc | | | | | | | |
| Pos | No | Name | Laps | Pos | No | Name | Laps |
| 1 | 1 | Owen Stephens | 9 | 1 | 58 | Freddie Robinson | 11 |
| 2 | 46 | Morgan Humphreys | 8 | 2 | 1 | Owen Stephens | 9 |
| 3 | 58 | Freddie Robinson | 8 | 3 | 46 | Morgan Humphreys | 8 |