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NEMCRC (North East Motorcycle Racing Club) action for 2022 opened in style over the past the weekend at Croft with storming displays from competitors including Classic TT winner Dominic Herbertson.
Putting aside the affects of injuries sustained from a recent incident whilst on work duties, the fans favourite powered to a hat-trick of Super Twin victories, claimed successive Supersport successes and scooped overall Laird of Croft honours.
This achievement was particularly poignant for Herbertson given that his late, great friend James Cowton, who’s Cowton Racing team he now competes for, had previously won this coveted accolade.
In addition to 1000cc TT seed Herbertson, Saturday, Sunday’s competition also proved prodigious for fellow TT 2022 bound racer Richard Charlton, winner of all four Open Unlimited races.
Hefyn Owen set to join the TT Races for the first time this year, like Charlton banked four race victories, going unbeaten in his specialised yesteryear classics category.
Same notion applied to Pre-Injection class pace setter, Olivers Mount Scarborough maestro Dave Bell whilst added roads scene regulars showing accomplished, solid form included:
CB 500 race winner times three David McConnachy, Open Unlimited rostrum finisher Matt Stevenson, Toby Shann, Aran Sadler, Tom Robinson, Kevin Barsby, Stephen ‘Degsy’ Degnan, Mark Herbertson and Keith Pringle.
Sidecars wise, prospective TT newcomer Lee Crawford, passenger Scott Hardie took starring roles.
Crawford/Hardie alongside securing overall Sidecars race three, four successes, during the second three wheeling race stint, set a new unofficial F2 class lap record of 1 minute 26.612 seconds.
If all the aforementioned wasn’t enough in terms of prodigious landmarks, the Team A.R.C crew also pipped Conrad Harrison/Andy Winkle by one point to seal overall Mac Hobson Trophy success.
Lewis Blackstock/Patrick Rosney set the pace in the opening Sidecar encounters whilst added famous three wheeling squads competing included Greg Lambert/Ben McBride, Wayne Lockey/Matty Rostron and TT legend Dave Molyneux/Gary Gibson, who’s TT 2022 preparations continue in earnest.
Photo’s by Gary Howlett
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
