Baker out to extend lead in South West Centre trial series

UNLESS there is a late entry from Billy Green, current South West Centre trial champion Joe Baker looks all set to take the lead in the new series in the Taunton Club’s fourth round in Binegar Quarry, on the Mendips, tomorrow.

By late on Wednesday, the entry stood at 80, but there were only four experts – Baker, Ben Lovelace, Tyler Rendall and Connor Atkinson – and the organisers are hoping that there were more in the offing over the past couple of days.

The entry list included nine clubman experts, including Barry Male, Tom Church, Simon James, Mick Thompson, Tony Hewitt and Ty Hendra.

The event will be decided over three laps of a dozen sections in the quarry itself and in surrounding woodland.

There is Wessex Centre timed and observation trial action a few miles away at Rookham, near Wells.

The main prize is the John Strait Trophy and those riders in contention for the coveted silverware include Andy Frost, Jason Hamblin, Paul Manning, Finlay and Steve Davey, Martin Lawford, Andy Scrivens, Nathan and Gary Newman, Peter and Zac King and Harvey and Matt Dark.

Another event that never fails to attract a big entry is the Stroud Valley club’s Minchinhampton Cup Novice Trial and with 80 entries to hand by midweek, and by Thursday there were just 20 more spaces to be filled.

Motocross fans are awaiting the British Motocross Grand Prix and the second round of the World Championship next weekend, near Alton in Hampshire, this weekend they have to be satisfied with the Chard Club’s South West Off-Road Championship meeting at the Crediton Raceway, which is situated on the A377 Crediton to Barnstaple road.

Wayne Shimmel and Joshua Taylor, who dominated the experts event in last Sunday’s Teignbridge meeting, near Totnes, have not filed an entry this time, but those who have include Rob Cross, Ben Gibbons, Jack Stevens, Leigh Williams, Mark Cornish, Connor Hill, Josh Francis, Josef Scibilia and Paul Ford. Racing commences at 10.30am and there are between 18 and 21 events.