Round 3 2023 – Donington Park

Through the visor of Tony Perkins

We threw the blooming kitchen sink at this one, Donington Park,Classic Festival, end of July, with our Lansdowne family and friends. We were to experience every emotion going, the highs and lows of our beloved sport and everything in-between. Let’s begin.

Arrival had the Lansdowne Team mark our area so easy parking and set up. With everything signed, checked and stickers stuck, Saturday morning dawned dry and warm. With the new Donny asphalt beckoning it was a case of getting a feeling for the grip then open the taps to string together yer best efforts around Donny’s sinuous curves, dips and crests. You waltz a good lap around there to uncover a good time, flow from bend to bend, what a track ! I never did any dance lessons but can throw a few Dad moves which was enough for me to take pole, my first in Lansdowne. A super ride from Dan Jackson saw him snatch P2, Dans speed into the old hairpin was something to behold. A midges dick behind in P3 was Ian Bain with a dicky front tyre keeping his attention. Matt Hebb sealed P5 and first Clubman with arch rival Robin Stokes just behind in P8, equally tyre guru Jamie O’Brien ramping up his pace to take P9. Pre 55 ace Ben Kingham rumbled into P10 first time out this year ahead of Paul Stephen’s gorgeous early Manx in P20, very evenly matched and just edging out Stevan Radakovic in P21. In the Avon 350 class, the usual characters had Jimmy May and Nick Bedford to contend with taking P23 and 24, edging out Johnny Cragg in 25th, all very close.

Race 1

Perky made the most of his pole position, fuelled with 6 weetabix and 4 energy drinks, as they kicked in he lorded it up at the front for a least a lap before Gorgeous George Thomas (GT) worked out his not particularly clever plan. In fact it bared no resemblance to a clever plan and with iris’s bulging Perky knuckled down chomping GT’s exhaust fumes for a lap before the silent assassin Pete Bardell cruised through with a clean pass. Then Pete dispensed with GT and got his head down but it wasn’t enough and a concerted effort by GT, Perky and top Clubman Matt Hebb, again putting in a championship performance, a very old Glen English (birthday number ?), Mike Smith and Dan Jackson, a game of nip and tuck ensued, that front bunch only split by a couple of seconds at the flag, each holding those positions.

Stokesy again scooped P2 in the Clubman class demolishing another set of knee sliders with legs akimbo. In P3 Clubman, Jamie O gets more familiar with his Manx ride on ride, with his true speed emerging. A rusty Ben Kingham delighted everyone with his unsilenced Vinny 1000 booming to a very impressive P11 and first Pre-55 finishing right on Jamie’s tail from Second Pre-55 Stevan Radakovic in P16 overall having made up five places from his start position. Third belonged to Jimmy May on his superb long-stroke Manx.

British Championship		Clubman 500
1st – Peter Bardell		1st – Matt Hebb
2nd – George Thomas		2nd – Robin Stokes
3rd – Tony Perkins		3rd – Jamie O’Brien

Avon Clubman 350		Pre-55
1st – John Cragg		1st – Ben Kingham
2nd – Nick Bedford		2nd – Stevan Ravakovic
3rd – David Hebb		3rd – Jimmy May

Race 2

With fastest times from the previous race denoting grid positions, Bardell was the proverbial scolded cat, leading from start to finish holding a healthy gap of about half a second over Smiffy who even with the fastest lap could not reel Pete in. GT took a well earned third in a really tight group comprising of Perky, Hebb and Jacko in that order, all four sharing the same shadow. Ian Bain’s tyre woes continued in P7 just ahead of Jamie O, second of the Clubman and a nose in front of Robin Stokes, again taking good points. The Pre 55 king stayed top of the pile in p10 overall, he sure does like a throbbing v-twin between his legs does our Ben Kingham! With Stevan Radical second pushing his Goldstar amongst the Manx’s, Jimmy May again taking third.

Of note, Richard Dawson and Mike Farrall had a right ding-dong, Fazzer just pipping Digger Dawson by a hair’s breadth at the flag, a case of experience over good looks wins the day 🙂 . The 350 is actually a very competitive class, with the usual players Jack Hebb and John Wayne’s brother by another mother John Cragg always at it, I’m surprised Jacks got any ankles left? But this weekend Nick Bedford joined in the fun and once again this class rider brought his ‘A’ game taking the class win from Jack, whilst Cliff Ransley took time out from growing a beard for his Christmas job, to take the last step on the podium collecting one of Ian Bain’s handmade trophies.

British Championship		Clubman 500
1st – Peter Bardell		1st – Matt Hebb
2nd – George Thomas		2nd – Jamie O’Brien
3rd – Tony Perkins		3rd – Robin Stokes

Avon Clubman 350		Pre-55
1st – Nick Bedford		1st – Ben Kingham
2nd – David Hebb		2nd – Stevan Ravakovic
3rd – Cliff Ransley		3rd – Jimmy May

Saturday Night

Being the Charlie Williams round he kindly handed out the trophies with his usual aplomb ! The barbie (not the pregnant joke one) did a great job of turning perfectly good food into charcoal, the band played, the banter distorted the more Team Luke Bailey free beer was consumed and a good time was had by all.

Sunday

Sam Clew’s was a beacon of light, a talented rider always smiling, his loss is devastating for his family and heartbreaking for the Lansdowne. As a mark of respect we donned our leathers and rode a slow lap, the Marshalls lined the track with flags lowered, tears flowed and the memories of Sam etched into our hearts. Rest in peace dear friend.  

Race 3

Every so often when Glen English is in the mood, he is almost unbeatable. On Sam’s old bike Glenda was up for this race, he needed to win, it was the right time and right place. He catapulted from fourteenth on the grid entering the first corner front wheel skipping at the limit of adhesion making up eight places, after one lap hot on the heels of Bardell again for another lap there was nowt between them before Bardell’s rear tyre let go through Craner’s curves, such a high speed tumble but luckily he walked away. Glenda took the lead being shadowed by Smiffy for the rest of the race who just couldn’t find a way past. A very emotional and just win for Glenda. Perky had a race long battle with Gorgeous George, including one come together entering Craners at speed with Georges tyre leaving its calling card down the length of Perky’s silencer! Perky just took third at the flag from GT with Dan Jackson watching the fun and games finishing fifth.

Matt Hebb continued his total domination of the Clubman class finishing sixth overall P1 in class. Pre-55 runner Ben Kingham was flying to his class win keeping second placed Clubman Robin Stokes and Ian Bain behind through-out in a very close tussle. Paul Stephen, out on Gordon Russell’s Clubman Manx held off Pre-55 runner up Jimmy May who made up places to get on Pauls tail but ran out of laps and had to settle for P3. The 350 class once again saw Nick Bedford on the pace holding off a determined John Cragg with Cliff Ransley not far behind.

British Championship		Clubman 500
1st – Glen English		1st – Matt Hebb
2nd – Tony Perkin		2nd – Robin Stokes
3rd – George Thomas		3rd – Jamie O’Brien

Avon Clubman 350		Pre-55
1st – Nick Bedford		1st – Ben Kingham
2nd – John Cragg		2nd – Jimmy May
3rd – Cliff Ransley		3rd – Brian Riley

Race 4

Moist, damp, wet, call it what you want, it’s how it was. So how would the new surface stand up? A few murmurs of ice rink were heard but the reality was, very grippy! An awesome start for GT saw him followed by Bardell and Perky, only for a flying ex-motocrosser Smiffy to reel in Jamie O before Jamie’s clutch cable failed allowing the close pack of six through with Jamie having to retire soon after. Bardell dropped back given his previous crash and the tricky conditions, understandable, only just keeping ahead of series leader Dan Jackson. Smiffy did take the flag but as not registered the win went to Perky with GT second and Bardell third. Matt Hebb take a bow, another Clubman win and right at the pointy end once more.

A cracking ride with Robin Stokes taking second from Ian Austin, who is new to the club but must be chuffed to bits to nail a podium third place this early on, even though he had to earn it as Paul Stephen and Mike Farrall each wanted that particular piece of the pie. The Avon 350 battle was again Nick Bedford’s baby as he played down some great lap times keeping John Cragg and Jack Hebb in check.

British Championship		Clubman 500
1st – Tony Perkin		1st – Matt Hebb
2nd – George Thomas		2nd – Robin Stokes
3rd – Peter Bardell		3rd – Ian Austin

Avon Clubman 350		Pre-55
1st – Nick Bedford		No one went out
2nd – John Cragg
3rd – David Hebb