EVERTS TAKES VICTORY AT SUPER SUCCESSFUL WESTON
By TMX Archives on 13th Oct 08
10 times World Champion Stefan Everts stormed to victory yesterday in the super-tough, Doodson Motorsport solo race at the 26th Weston Beach event, in front of a bumper crowd. It was one of the firm favourites, David Knight, who got the hole-shot to thethree-hour race and thundered to the first corner in front of thethousand-strong field, but was soon taken by Stefan Everts in the openingstages. The madness began almost instantly, with bikes and riders flying allover the place as competitors tackled the incredibly tough dune course for thefirst time.
Star-riders Josh Coppins, Jamie Lewis and Shaun Simpson wereall up in the mix, dodging their way around the riders and bikes strewn acrossthe super-dunes around the 3.5-mile track as they forced their way around thefirst lap.
Everts, pulled quite a lead over the Knighter into the firsthour, who upped the pace to try and catch the Belgian-ace back, despite havingto race his way around the hundreds of slower riders. Cheered on by the crowdwho were enjoying the perfect sunny weather conditions, star-racers PaulEdmondson, Marc de Reuver, Tom Church and Shaun Simpson also battled on to huntdown the leading three.
At the end of the first hour, the unavoidablefuel stop switched the order around again, and as fatigue set in, many ridersbegan to struggle in this incredibly tough endurance test of man and machine.Everts continued to dominate, while Knighter was intent on catching the sandexpert around the course that this year was designed and implemented by JustinBarclay.
In the latter stages of the race it was second-placed Knighterwho came across a mechanical problem with his machine, and much to hisdisappointment, was ruled out of the race. PAR Homes Honda pilot, Jamie Lewiswas caught and passed by the MX2 British Champion, Shaun Simpson while JoshCoppins slipped down the standings, presumably with a technical issue. Local-manTom Church managed to fight his way up the order from 11th position and crossedthe finish line in fifth place.
But it was KTM's Race director Evertsaboard that finally vectored for the first time at Weston on his third attempt,with Simpson in second and a superb ride by Jamie Lewis brought him a superbresult to round the podium out in third.