That's How to win
By TMX Archives on 13th Apr 07
ANDOVER rider Howard Standfield clinched the overall victory at the first round of the Southern Centre MX1 Motocross Championships on Good Friday, at the spectacular Whaddon Farm circuit in Owslebury, Hampshire.
The 35-year-old former Grand Prix runner clawed his way through the choking dust to claim a narrow victory ahead of the Husaberg-mounted Fred Sparkes and the unlucky Marc Popperwell onboard a 450 Yamaha.
Standfield, riding a 450 Honda, claimed the win with two seconds and a third place finish, these three consistent rides being enough to clinch the overall.
The MX1 winner, however, had to give way to his younger rivals in the final race of the day, the HB Wakefield Trophy, where it was the local man Luke Blanchard, on a 250F KTM, who stole the honours ahead of Popperwell and Swede Max Neuguery after early leader Sparkes spun out on one of the loose turns on lap three. ''It was my own fault, I was a bit over ambitious,'' claimed the disappointed Sparkes after the race. ‘‘It's a pity though, I thought I was away with that one, but unfortunately Luke took my front wheel away as he came inside me, but it was a racing incident,'' he added.
Southern Centre MX1 Motocross Champs
Whaddon Farm, Owslebury, Hampshire,
HB Wakefield Final: 1 L Blanchard (KTM), 2 M Popperwell (Honda), 3 M Neuguery (KTM), 4 H Standfield (Honda), 5 P Prouse (Suzuki), 6 C Lillywhite (KTM).
MX1 Race 1: 1 M Popperwell (Honda), 2 H Standfield (Honda) , 3 F Sparkes (Husaberg), 4 P Watts (KTM), 5 A Reitveld, 6 R Priddle.
MX1 Race 2: 1 F Sparkes, 2 H Standfield, 3 A Reitveld, 4 G Thompson (Yamaha), 5 J Holt ( KTM), 6 S Robinson (Honda).
MX1 Race 3: 1 S Robinson, 2 M Popperwell, 3 H Standfield, 4 F Sparkes, 5 A Reitveld, 6 P Prouse (Suzuki).
MX2 Race 1: 1 M Neuguery (KTM), 2 L Foyle (Kawasaki), 3 N Watts (KTM), 4 L Blanchard ( KTM), 5 T Moore, 6 P Willis (Yamaha).
MX2 Race 2: 1 L Blanchard, 2 M Neuguery, 3 N Watts, 4 L Foyle, 5 C Southcott (KTM), 6 T Moore.
MX2 Race 3: 1 M Neuguery, 2 N Watts, 3 L Foyle, 4 M Cole (Yamaha), 5 P Willis, 6 C Southcott.
Sidecar Race 1: 1 A Breacher/ A Hillyard (KTM VMC), 2 D Millard/ J Millard (Huserberg VMC), 3 S Basillie/ J Chamberlain (KTM BSU), 4 N Gibson-Barton/ P Hutchman (Yamaha VMC), 5 S Jarvis/ G Wernham, 6 D Short/ G Kinge (Yamaha VMC).
Sidecar Race 2: 1 A Breacher/ A Hillyard, 2 A Eastman/ S Kirwin (KTM VMC), 3 D Hyde/ S Harris (Yamaha VMC), 4 S Basillie/ J Chamberlain, 5 D Short/ G Kinge, 6 S Jarvis/ G Wernham.
Sidecar Race 3: 1 A Breacher/ A Hillyard, 2 A Eastman/ S Kirwin, 3 D Millard/ J Millard, 4 S Jarvis/ G Wernham, 5 D Hyde/ S Harris, 6 N Gibson-Barton/ P Hutchman.
Non Qualifiers Race 1: 1 D Tame (Yamaha ), 2 S Reid (KTM), 3 N Emery (Yamaha), 4 J Aplin, 5 M Reeves (Honda), 6 L Buckley (Yamaha).
Non Qualifiers Race 2: 1 D Tame (Yamaha ), 2 S Reid (KTM), 3 N Emery (Yamaha), 4 M Reeves (Honda), 5 M Townsend (Kawasaki), 6 L Buckley (Yamaha).
Non Qualifiers Race 3: 1 S Reid (KTM), 2 D Tame (Yamaha ), 3 N Emery (Yamaha), 4 M Townsend (Kawasaki), 5 S Bazell (Honda), 6 T Jones (Yamaha).
For full report, results and pictures see T+MX NEWS, Friday, April 13, 2007.