1st Rnd Eastern Centre Championship – Tunstall Forest

A cold misty and grey day in Tunstall Forest near Woodbridge did not dampen the enthusiasm. Over 160 riders entered this popular season opener in East Anglia with a strong national field doing battle with the local boys. A slight drizzle had decided to accompany the Midwest riders (Ollie, Jamie and Aaron) but this fizzled away after an hour or so.

The schedule saw us doing 6 laps of a 12 mile loop with each lap getting tighter on time. We had to ride a test on each of the first 2 laps and then another at the end of the day!

Special test action kicked off at the end of the first and second lap with a sting in the tail for the championship class with a final test after the 6 punishing laps. Local Woodbridge rider, Aston Bird out on a new 450 Kawasaki put the mark down for the Eastern Centre finishing the first test a second and a half ahead of HuskySport Husqvarna rider Si Wakely with Midwest Husaberg rider Ollie Moyce tucked in third place 0.4 seconds behind Wakely. After the second test things were even closer with Bird still in front but Moyce had the fastest second test a second up on Wakely with Bird a few hundredths behind. As the event moved on to the tighter laps Bird had a slender lead 0.9 seconds ahead of Moyce with Wakely a further 0.7 seconds adrift.

However disaster struck for Bird at the end of lap 6 – after the tight final lap required to be ridden in 28 minutes he clocked in a minute early – dropping him from the final special test shoot out. Moyce made no mistakes and again topping the test times, just over a second ahead of Wakely with Bird a despondent third on the test but dropping to eighth overall. This left local championship riders Chris Hockey Julian Harvey and Jamie Roper to slot into third fourth and fifth places.

New Midwest Husaberg UK team rider, Jamie Paget still adjusting to the big four stroke after riding a two stroke last year, started the day steadily and as the day progressed grow more and more confident which saw his test times improve to finish 7th overall with no penalty points incurred. Third Midwest Husaberg UK team rider Tyson Maytom-Jones was still away on a skiing holiday so his place was taken by Aaron Poolman riding in his first year of enduros after a motocross career who again managed the conditions very well and admitted there was still a lot to learn before he returns in 3 weeks time for a round of the British Enduro Championship.

Thoroughly enjoyable day and great practice for the Muntjac! Thanks to all sponsors and helpers

Results

• 1st - Ollie Moyce(2) - Midwest Husaberg 390
• 2nd - Simon Wakely (3) HuskySport Husquarna 250
• 3rd - Chris Hockey (1) Yamaha 250
• 4th - Julian Harvey (9) Aim KTM 250
• 5th - Jamie Roper (15) Yamaha 250
• 6th - Bradley King (11) Gas Gas UK 300
• 7th - Jamie Paget (10) Midwest Husaberg 570
• 8th - Aston Bird (20) Kawasaki 450
• 9th - Jason Morland (12) Jim Aim Racing 250
• 10th - Steve Mason (22) Yamaha 250
• 11th - Richard Roper (16) Kawasaki 250
• 12th - Aaron Poolman (25) Midwest Husaberg 450

Travelled to Midwest on Saturday to check bike over and then on to Bagshot for the first round of the REME winter series. Conditions were cold and wet but I was keen to try the 570 in my first event since the Six Days, Portugal, in October.

I had a good start and entered the woods in 3rd position. It took me a good hour to adjust to the four stroke before i started to pull back time on James Jackman and Julian Harvey. The track deteriorated considerably and became a deep rut for most of it.

I caught Julian up on the last hour but there wasn't enough time to catch James.

I finished second and was pleased with the result. Bike was awesome! Still learning but cant wait to get out on it again.

We now have a Facebook fan page.

For 2010 Midwest Husaberg has 2 new riders. The team consits of Ollie Moyce (22), Jamie Paget (20) and Tyson Maytom-Jones (23)

All riders will be competing in the BEC, BESC, UEM, selected WEC plus any other national events as well as club events such as Hewitt XC.

Midwest Racing would like to congratulate Tyson Maytom-Jones for Winning the 2009 SCEC Expert Class

 

Expert Class final Standings

• 1st - Tyson Maytom - Jones
• 2nd - Jerry Box
• 3rd - Steve Harding
• 4th - Karl Langford
• 5th - Toni Burrows