Ian Watson Spring Cup Road Races 18th April 2010
Bright and sunny conditions greeted competitors, officials and fans for the first ‘pure’ road race of the 2010 season got underway at 8.30am.
The first of the scheduled fourteen races, the National 600cc ‘B’ Final got underway promptly at 12.30pm over six laps of the 2.43-mile Oliver’s Mount course.
At the end of the opening lap, it was Filey’s Daryl Campling, who had the hole shot leading Doncaster’s Mark Goodings and Mike Mins from Bishop Auckland.
Stoke on Trent man Lee Vernon moved into fourth next time round, with Ulster’s Davy Morgan climbing into fifth on his newly acquired 600 on which he had experienced teething troubles during qualifying, however at half distance he was leading the race with Lee Vernon second and early leader Campling now third.
Mark Gooding took over third place on the penultimate lap, as Davy Morgan took the chequered flag 11.741 seconds ahead of Lee Vernon, with Daryl Campling reclaiming third spot at the flag.
The first leg of the F2 Sidecars were next, another six lap race, Manxman Dave Molyneux had been quickest in qualifying on his Kawasaki powered outfit with new passenger Patrick Farrance.
However it was Bradford driver Conrad Harrison who got the hole shot from 38 time race winner Ian Bell from Bedlington.
At the end of the opening lap it was Harrison, Bell and Molyneux line astern with only a tenth of a second between the leading pair.
Positions were the same on lap two with the gap now two-tenths of a second with Moly 3 seconds adrift in third.
At half distance positions were the same, with the lead now 6-tenths of a second with Molyneux now only 1.4 seconds down in third.
Lap four and Molyneux had reduced the gap to 7/10ths of a second with the leaders separated by just 2/10ths of a second.
At the end of the fifth lap Moly was now second 3/10ths of a second behind Harrison with Bell now third.
At the flag it was Harrison, Molyneux and Bell, the winning margin 0.226 of a second.
Next were two 4-lap heats for the Ian Watson Spring Cup won by Ryan Farquhar and Michael Pearson.
Race five, the opening leg of the combined 125/400 race over eight laps.
Josh Leaning got the hole shot for the 400’s, whilst Darren Gilpin got the lead 125’s.
Scunthorpe man Leaning led the race at the end of the first lap, with brothers Mark and Mick Goodings filling the remaining podium places. A lap later it was still Leaning in front from Mark Goodings, as Mick retired from the action with machine problems. Colin Martin was now third.
Lap three and positions remained the same, as Ryan Farquhar moved into sixth overall, first of the 125 class.
At half distance Farquhar was up to fourth overall, followed by Manxman Chris Palmer.
Two laps later the newcomer to the North Yorkshire venue, Josh Leaning was enjoying a 11 second lead over circuit regular Mark Goodings, with Colin Martin still third a further seven seconds down.
At the flag Leanings advantage was 14.9 seconds over Mark Goodings and Colin Martin.
Ryan Farquhar took the victory in the 125 class from Chris Palmer and Peter Wakefield.
Race six, the opening leg of the 600’s was another eight leg affair. Ryan Farquhar had the hole shot and led at the end of the opening lap of eight, with Michael Pearson close behind, followed by Mark Buckley.
By half distance ‘Flyin’ Ryan was enjoying a 1.8 second advantage with Scotsman Buckley 8.9 seconds back in third. Steve Mercer, Adrian Archibald and Stephen Oates completed the top six.
At two-thirds race distance Farquhar had pulled a further second advantage over his Ulster rival.
On the penultimate lap the red flags were displayed, bringing the race to a premature end, with the result being taken at the end of lap five.
Race seven, the second leg of the F2 Sidecars, Ian Bell with son Carl in the chair got the hole shot and led into Mere Hairpin on the first of six laps. They led at the end of the first 2.43-miles with Harrison second and Molyneux third. Molyneux was second at the end of lap two, with Harrison touring in to retire, promoting Steve Ramsden to third.
At half distance the Manxman had reduced the leader’s gap to 0,832 of a second. A lap later it was down to half a second and on the penultimate lap Molyneux had the lead by 2/10ths of a second over the Bells.
A lap later Molyneux and Farrance took the chequered flag giving Kawasaki it first ever sidecar win at Oliver’s Mount.
Race eight, the second leg of the 250’s and Mini-Twins saw Chris Palmer get the hole shot in the smaller class, with Ryan Farquhar taking the lead in the twin cylinder class.
Manxie Palmer had a 2.8 second lead at the end of the opening lap, with Farquhar enjoying a 1.7 second advantage on the four-stroke twin.
Palmer added a further half second to his lead on lap two, whilst Farquhar increased his lead to 3.5 seconds.
Chris Palmer dropped the plot on lap three, on the exit to Memorial but is OK. Lee Vernon took over the lead from Davy Morgan with a 4.3 second lead, with David Guiney now third.
Farquhar was still building on his lead over Ian Pattinson and David Bell.
Morgan had closed the gap to 2.8 seconds at the end of the fifth lap on leader Vernon, as Farquhar continued his mission.
Three-quarters distance, and the gap had extended once again to 3.3 seconds.
At the all important chequered flag, Lee Vernon took the race by 5.8 seconds from Davy Morgan with fellow Ulsterman David Guiney third.
Ryan Farquhar took the Mini Twins honours from David Bell and Ian Pattinson.
Race nine, the first leg of the Ian Watson Spring Cup had Steve Mercer in pole position, but he was a non-starter having spilled in the previous 600cc race, so it was Ryan Farquhar who held the position prior to the start and took the hole shot, but it was Michael Pearson who held the lead at the end of the first of eight laps, with Ryan Farquhar in third.
Positions remained the same on laps two and three, with Ryan moving into second on lap four and only 0.235 of a second behind leader Michael Pearson as they started their fifth lap.
At the end of the fifth lap Farquhar was half a second in front of Pearson with Hankin a further three-tenths adrift.
Three quarters distance and the gap was up to 1.8 seconds and a lap later it was up to 3.3 seconds.
At the chequered flag, Ryan Farquhar took the win by 4.3 seconds from Michael Pearson and Kiaran Hankin.
Race ten, the second leg of the combined 125’s and 400’s, which saw a repeat of the first leg, Josh Leaning leading the eight lap race from start to finish likewise, Ryan Farquhar did the same in the 125 class.
Race 11 the second leg of the National 600’s was also an eight lapper, which had Ryan Farquhar once again taking the hole shot into Mere Hairpin and still leading at the end of the first lap from Adrian Archibald and Michael Pearson, an all Ulster trio.
Pearson moved into second on lap three and started closing the gap between himself and Farquhar.
At half distance the gap was down to 0.274 of a second from 1.1 seconds.
A lap later and the difference was 0.187 of a second, with Pearson taking the lead into Mere Hairpin at the beginning of lap six, but it was short lived as Farquhar was in front at Drury’s and was still in front at the end of the three-quarter distance lap by 0.306 of a second.
End of lap seven and it was Farquhar and Pearson with a gap of 0.261 of a second with Archibald two seconds back in third having a lonely ride as fourth place man Mark Buckley was some 14 seconds sown.
At the flag it was Ryan Farquhar who took his 50th race win at Oliver’s Mount 2/10ths of a second ahead of Michael Pearson and Adrian Archibald, an Ulster 1-2-3.
Race 12, the second leg of the combined 250’s and MiniTwins with David Guiney taking an early lead on the quarter-litre class from Lee Vernon and Davy Morgan.
Lee Vernon took over the lead on the third lap, a lead that was gradually extended to 9.330 seconds over David Guiney and Davy Morgan in third.
It was business as usual in the MiniTwins with Ryan Farquhar taking the hole shot and going on to take his seventh win of the day.
The penultimate race of the day, the second leg of the Ian Watson Spring Cup, saw Ryan Farquhar take the hole-shot and lead at the end of the first lap of eight from Michael Pearson and Kiaran Hankin. Ryan had an advantage of 0.2 of a second at the end of the opening lap and extended it to 4.507 seconds at the finish. Michael Pearson finished second and Kiaran Hankin third.
The final race of the day, the National Open ‘B’ Final over 6 laps which was won by Dean Harrison, son of sidecar expert Conrad.
John Mago
Full results are in thread "Scarborough" (british road racing)