Formula for success at Anglesey meeting
THE Wirral 100 Motor Club makes its final visit of the year to Anglesey Circuit this weekend for the concluding rounds of the 2018 season.
The race meeting will run on the 2.1 mile International Circuit configuration with a host of Championship races, some Anglesey-based classic bikes on parade in the paddock area, and the 25th running of the Anglesey Grand, sponsored by Paul Bland Motorsport.
After qualifying practice on Saturday morning, there will be two championship races for all classes plus two open races at the end of the day.
On Sunday, most of the classes will have a further two championship races, but those on Powerbikes and Formula 600s will have one, enabling many of them to compete in the Anglesey Grand, the remainder to enter frolic/trophy races.
The club goes into the final rounds with only three of the 11 champions decided – Adrian Kershaw (100-500cc Allcomers), Paul Tye (Forgotten Era), and Tim Bradley (G/E Supersport), whilst John Shipley and Jon Saidi look unlikely to be overhauled in the Open Sidecars.
Other classes are much closer, with current leader Jason Edwards, Geoffrey Lunn and Gethin Edwards all in with a real shout in the Pre-Injection class, Mike Bampton still catchable by Tim Sayers and David Evans in the 650 Twins, with the latter pair also in close contention for the Junior Open class.
The real nail-biters will be in the Formula 600 and Powerbikes classes.
With three races to go, David Jones and Anglesey’s own Jamie Harris are tied in the 600s on 135 points. Harris trails Johnny Blackshaw by just seven points in Powerbikes, with Jones still in contention.
The Pre-Electronics championship is also close, with John Jackson just four points ahead of Neil Percival. And finally, only nine points separate Harris and Blackshaw in the Senior Open class.
The focus of Sunday afternoon will be the two 12-lap legs of the Anglesey Grand.
Entry is by invitation and this showpiece will feature not only those Powerbikes and F600 riders who have competed successfully in past W100 meetings and other events, but also those other riders impressing on Saturday.
The first three on aggregate will win some iconic glassware, there will be a special award for the best F600, and £2,000 of prize money is on offer.
If the going is dry, the 1000cc Powerbikes should have the edge, with Adam Jenkinson, providing he can get his hands on a bike, aiming for his fifth Anglesey Grand win in succession.
His main rivals are likely to be his endurance racing teammate Blackshaw and W100 stal- warts David Jones and Harris, both deserving to add the Grand to their long list of successes here.
Despite the obvious power disadvantages, the 600’s always enjoy these longer races and put on a good show.
Chris Eden and Barry Dimelow are the best of the returning 600s from last year.