THE LAST HURRAH

The CRMC’S Snetterton meeting saw the final rounds of the club and ACU championships, the traditional season-ending races of the year and also celebrated the club’s 40th anniversary and first ever meeting that took place at the Norfolk circuit in 1980.

Saturday’s programme went off with few hitches but Sunday saw a combination of oil spillage followed by the arrival of exceptionally heavy rain, meaning the termination of proceedings with half a dozen races to go, unfortunately including the Hercberg/acu Post Classic/classic Race of Aces Trophy.

Despite all this the meeting produced some thrilling racing that provided a fitting climax to what has been a hugely entertaining CRMC season. Graham Lawlor and a rather soggy Pete Morris were there to see it all.

With two dominating Proddie wins, another in the air-cooled 250s and a second in the Superstocks, the irrepressible John Warwick (58) earned himself Saturday’s Rider of the Day bubbly.

Rodney and Darren Chapman managed to survive this hairy-looking moment on their Triumph 750.

Simon Morris (Ducati 350) is believed to be the only rider from the CRMC’S inaugural 1980 Snetterton meeting who is still racing with the club today.

Chris Bray (44, Honda MT125) saw off the soaking conditions to win the final round of the Post Classic 125 Piston-port championship.

125 front-runner Tom Hayward was out in the 250/350 GP class showing that he’s no slouch on a TZ350 either.

Left: In an extreme case of “I think I can still save this”, Brian Smith-shaw appears to be hanging on to his Rdyamaha 430 literally by his toenails.

Sunny Saturday Lansdowne action as Adam Wilson (108, Manx 500) leads Stuart Tonge (17, Matchless G50), Mike Farrall (25, Rudge 500), and Harry Cole (63, Manx 500).

Looking like the cat who got the cream, Dean Stimpson (New Heath G50) celebrates victory in the final round of the Minnovation/acu Classic 500 championship flanked by runner-up Lee Hodge (Minnovation G50, left) and third place finisher Mark Cronshaw (JC Racing G50).the biggest winner was Hodge’s team-mate Joe Barton, whose fifth place finish landed him the championship.

Dean Stimpson (4, New Heath Seeley G50) shocked the usual suspects in the final round of the Minnovation/acu Classic 500 championship with a superb flag to flag victory in awful slippery conditions ahead of Lee Hodge (14, Minnovation G50) and Mark Cronshaw (8, JC Racing G50). Richard Molnar’s early tumble from the Molnar Manx saw the end of his title chances, leaving Hodge’s Minnovation’s teammate Joe Barton to clinch the championship with a steady ride to fifth place.

Above: In his first full season, Rochester’s Richard Justice has made good progress in the Production class on his FZ600 Yamaha, culminating with three top eight finishes here at Snetterton.

Returning to racing this season after a long break, the impressive Mark Edge (TZ350) has captured the CRMC Over 55’s championship for P/C GP 250/350s and also won Sunday’s Race of the Year.

Will Loder (Seeley G50) keeps the throttle nailed despite the driving rain that fell during much of Sunday’s racing.