Week 6 of the Brooks Cycles Track League at the Lyme Valley Stadium in Newcastle, Staffordshire saw the biggest attendance for over 10 years with 72 riders competing across the main league and freewheelers events. A pleasing feature was the fact that riders are now travelling some distance to compete at this popular league.
The warm conditions saw some fast racing throughout the night with the highlight being the Brooks Cycles handicap league event when league leader Joffie Houlton of Newcastle RC 2001 won in fine style from his long mark. Clearly on this form his handicap will be reduced further over the coming weeks.
The A class events saw a good spread of points winners with comeback rider James Notley top scoring with 6 events. He won a tactical devil race before attacking in the final 10 mile scratch event with 8 laps to go to hold on to a narrow one bike length victory from a fast chasing small group of riders with Steve Clayton taking second place from Declan Byrne. The B class races saw 11 riders score points with the top points scorer and new overall leader being Phil Braybrooke from SportCity Velo. Phil won the opening scratch race along with another victory in the B class 10 mile scratch to show he is a serious contender for the 2009 title. Special mention goes to 16 year old Lisa Daly who rode superbly in the Devil event to take a much deserved victory.
The Youth events saw some close finishes with league leader Sam Birchall extending his overall lead scoring 8 points on the night. These came from winning the scratch and devil events along with a fine second place in the opening 200m time trial. One of the most exciting events in the series was the 3 ½ lap block handicap where long marker Thomas Rotherham held on to win from fellow long markers Luke Mansfield and Sam Green.
The Freewheelers events were again well supported with 11 races contested with the top points scorers in each event as follows:
Group 1 George Edwards 9 points
Group 2 Josh Davis 8 points
Group 3 Megan Williams and Will Hamer on 7 points
FREEWHEELERS LEAGUE
Group 1
Race 1
1st Joel Partington Eastlands Velo
2nd George Edwards Lyme RC/ Swinnerton Cycles
3rd Charlotte Houlton Newcastle RC 2001/Poly Print/Modern Glass
Race 2
1st George Edwards
2nd Charlotte Houlton
3rd Joel Partington
Race 3
1st Charlotte Houlton
2nd Joel Partington
3rd George Edwards
Race 4
1st George Edwards
2nd Joel Partington
3rd Charlotte Houlton
Group 2
Race 1
1st Luke Mansfield Newcastle RC 2001/Poly Print/Modern Glass
2nd Sallie Birchall Lyme RC/Swinnerton Cycles
3rd Elizabeth Deakin Lyme RC/Swinnerton Cycles
Race 2
1st Megan Wynn Lyme RC/ Swinnerton Cycles
2nd Louise Paterson Lyme RC/Swinnerton Cycles
3rd Ashley Williams Lyme RC/Swinnerton Cycles
Race 3
1st Megan Wynn
2nd Josh Davis NewcastleRC2001/Poly Print/Modern Glass
3rd Luke Mansfield
Race 4
1st Louise Patterson
2nd Josh Davis
3rd Elizabeth Deakin
Race 5
1st Josh Davis
2nd Luke Mansfield
3rd Elizabeth Deakin
Group 3
Race 1
1st Alishia Mellor
2nd Oscar Crooks Lyme RC/Swinnerton Cycles
3rd Bradley Hill Lyme RC/Swinnerton Cycles
Race 2
1st Megan Williams Lyme RC/Swinnerton Cycles
2nd Brandon McMillan Lyme RC/Swinnerton Cycles
3rd Sophie Purton Lyme RC/Swinnerton Cycles
Race 3
1st Megan Williams
2nd Ben Jervis
3rd Brandon McMillan
Race 4
1st Will Hamer Lyme RC/Swinnerton Cycles
2nd Oscar Crooks
3rd Georgina Clewlow Lyme RC/Swinnerton Cycles
Race 5
1st Will Hamer
2nd Liam Zwetschnikow Lyme RC/Swinnerton Cycles
3rd Sophie Purton
Main League
Youth 200m Time Trial
1st Ryan Whatmough Shepherd Cycles
2nd Sam Birchall Lyme RC/Swinnerton Cycles
3rd Alex Taylor Eastlands Velo
A Class Scratch
1st Steve Clayton Lichfield CCC
2nd Steve Cronshaw Brereton Wheelers
3rd Alex Simmons Lyme RC/Swinnerton Cycles
B Class Scratch
1st Phil Braybrooke Sportcity Velo
2nd Ryan Whatmough
3rd Neil Clarke PM
Youth Block H?Cap
1st Thomas Rotherham Eastlands Velo
2nd Luke Mansfield Newcastle RC 2001/Poly Print/Modern Glass
3rd Sam Green Lyme RC/Swinnerton Cycles
Brooks Cycles H?Cap
1st Joffie Houlton Newcastle RC 2001/Poly Print/Modern Glass
2nd Matt Webb Lyme RC/Swinnerton Cycles
3rd Paul Whatmough Shepherd Cycles
4th Chris Blount Derby Mercury
5th Ed Coppinger Lichfield CCC
B Class Course de Primes
1st Sarah Byrne Private Member
2nd Martyn Shaw Lyme RC/Swinnerton Cycles
3rd Jacob James Newcastle RC 2001/Poly Print/Modern Glass
A Class Course de Primes
1st Declan Byrne Brooks Cycles
2nd Alan Peet VC St Raphael
3rd Dave Smith Brereton Wheelers
Youth Devil
1st Sam Birchall
2nd Joel Partington Eastlands Velo
3rd Alex Taylor
B Class Devil
1st Lisa Daly Sport City Velo
2nd Phil Braybrooke
3rd Ryan Whatmough
A Class Devil
1st James Notley PM
2nd Dan Whelan Warrington RC
3rd Matthew Rotherham Sport City Velo
C Class Scratch
1st Ian Taylor PM
2nd Chris Blount Derby Mercury
3rd Mick Stubbs Newcastle RC 2001/Poly Print/Modern Glass
Ladies Scratch
1st Megan Boyd Sport City Velo
2nd Sarah Byrne
3rd Ann Robinson Brereton Wheelers
Youth Scratch
1st Sam Birchall
2nd Joel Partington
3rd Alex Taylor
B Class 10 Mile Scratch
1st Phil Braybrooke
2nd Neil Clarke
3rd Ian Moore Deeside Olympic
A Class 10 Mile
1st James Notley
2nd Steve Clayton
3rd Declan Byrne