ACU British Quad Cross Country Championship - Round 4, Organised by QEUK (Quad Events UK), 26 June 2011

The hottest day and probably the roughest track of the year proved tough going at the fourth round of the grueling ACU British Quad Cross Country championship at Wolverly near Kidderminster on Sunday – but Carl Bunce and Jamie Morgan showed why they are heading their respective adult and youth championships by leading their races from start to finish.

Although it was the shortest circuit of the year at just four miles, the deeply rutted sandy course set mostly in woodland and laid out by the organising Quad Events UK, proved a stern test for man and machine.

However, in the three-hour adult race, Suzuki mounted Bunce, a plasterer from Reading never looked like being caught as he notched up his third win in four races, and extended his series lead to 20 points with just two round left to run.

His nearest rival Chris Cooper notched up his third straight podium finish in second, but trialed Bunce by over 1m 49s at the flag.

Cooper’s only real threat in the 66 strong-field came from reigning champion Paul Winrow, again mounted on a Can-Am, but his challenge ended when he collided with a tree stump and had to pit for repairs. He eventually battled back to sixth.

That left third overall to Paul Hannam, who consolidated his third spot in the championship.

Those top three overall finishers were also the top three in the Championship class, but fourth overall went to the winner of the Expert class Chris Keitch, who lapped everyone in his category. His fourth represents the highest overall finish by an Expert rider in the series so far this year.

Keitch ran at the front for most of the race, aided by the early demise of Expert championship leader Ant Barrett – who had been unbeaten all year – who suffered mechanical problems on the fourth of the 18 laps and had to be towed back to the pits. It was Keitch’s first podium of the year.

Scott Linley and Darran Bridge spent much of the race battling and eventually finished in that order in the remaining podium places in the Expert class.

However, both were beaten in the overall rankings by one of the rides of the day from 16-year-old Jack Price-Draper who took fifth overall and first place by almost five and half minutes in the highly competitive Clubman class. It was the highest overall finish by a Clubman rider all season.

Suzuki mounted Price-Draper – who is sponsored by Chris Keitch – is now right back in the Clubman championship hunt after the previously unbeaten Danny Lloyd could only manage third, behind Billy Langford, after he crashed early on.

Another man to lose his previously unbeaten record was Stuart Jones in the Utility 4x4 class, who broke down after 11 laps, though he still leads the championship.

Jones’ closest rival Jon Morgan missed the chance to capitalise on his misfortune. He led in the early stages but he crashed, dropping him to fourth at the end, which promoted Simon Lane to first, his first podium of the year.

With the rough track ensuring that skill was as important as speed, the leading youth riders in the 36-strong, two-hour 250cc youth race (who were giving away 200cc to the adults) put in some impressive displays. The Overall and Modified class winner Morgan, and runner up Sam Bailey, both turned in a lap of 10m 36s, less than minute slower than fastest adult, Carl Bunce.

However, while Morgan controlled from the front to win by 47 seconds, Bailey had to work hard to over come Elliot Downes who held second for much of race.

Downes has now moved up to second in the championship ahead of early season leader and round one winner Jack Godfrey, who slipped further down the order after losing a wheel.

Despite his runner up spot and victory in round two Bailey’s title hopes in the six round series are slim after he missed the opening race and scored just eight points in a troubled third round.

The winner of the 250 Standard class was Luke Davies who returned to winning ways after an uncharacteristic second at the last round. He won by 54s but he had to come from dead last after a spin in the first corner.

The title race remains wide open though after his closest rival and previous round winner Jordan Hickman secured his third runner up spot of the year.

In the 250 Stock class Connor McKenna secured his first win of the year, ahead of championship leader Marloe Magee and championship debutant Bradley Wildman.

For the first time a 100cc Geared class was also run, with races also scheduled for the remaining two rounds of the championship. It carries an official ACU championship, and the early leader is Bailey Edwards who won on Sunday.

RESULTS:

Adult overall: 1 Carl Bunce (Suzuki), 2 Chris Cooper (Suzuki) 3 Paul Hannam (Suzuki), 4 Chris Keitch (Suzuki), 5 Jack Price-Draper (Suzuki), 6 Scott Linley (Suzuki).

Championship: 1 Carl Bunce (Suzuki), 2 Chris Cooper (Suzuki), 3 Paul Hannam (Suzuki), 4 Paul Harkness (Honda), 5 John Wilding (Can-Am), 6 Paul Winrow (Can-Am). Points: Bunce 97, Cooper 79, Hannam 74.

Expert: 1 Chris Keitch (Suzuki), 2 Scott Linley (Suzuki), 3 Darran Bridge (Yamaha), 4 Peter Gallagher ((Honda), 5 Aaron Pole (Honda), 5 Chris Murphy (Yamaha). Points: Barrett 86, Keitch 83, Linley 63

Clubman: 1 Jack Price-Draper (Suzuki), 2 Billy Langford (Yamaha), 3 Danny Lloyd (Yamaha), 4 Ricky Roberts (Yamaha), 5 Morgan Handford (Yamaha), 6 Luke Forrester (Honda). Points: Lloyd 95, Price-Draper 87, Langford 74

Utility: 1 Simon Long (Can-Am), 2 Andrew Shepherd (Can-Am), 3 Graham Widdicombe (Can-Am), 4 John Morgan (Can-Am), 5 Clyde Thompson (Can-Am), 6 Adam Wykes (Can-Am). Points: Jones 85, Morgn 75, Thompson 71

Youth Overall: 1 Jamie Morgan (Yamaha), 2 Sam Bailey (Honda), 3 Elliot Downes (Yamaha), 4 Harry Miller (Yamaha), 5 Jack Pierce (Yamaha), 6 Kyle Hawkes (Yamaha).

Y3 (250 Modified): 1 Jamie Morgan (Yamaha), 2 Sam Bailey (Honda), 3 Elliot Downes (Yamaha), 4 Harry Miller (Yamaha), 5 Jack Pierce (Yamaha), 6 Kyle Hawkes (Yamaha). Points: Morgan 86, Downes 71, Jack Godfrey (Yamaha) 63

Y2 (250 Standard): 1 Luke Davies (Yamaha), 2 Jordan Hickman (Yamaha), 3 Jack Naylor (Yamaha), 4 Connor Taylor (Yamaha), 5 Olivia Malpas (Yamaha), 6 Guy Keenan (Yamaha). Points: Davies 97, Hickman 91, Keenan 62

Y1 (250 Stock): 1 Connor McKenna (Yamaha), 2 Marloe Magee (Yamaha), 3 Bradley Wildman (Yamaha). No other finishers. Points: Magee 92, McKenna 67, Shannon McKenna (Yamaha) 47

Y1+ (100 Geared): 1 Bailey Edwards (KTM). No other finishers. Points: Edwards 25.