Practice got underway promptly at 9.00am in near perfect conditions at Oliver’s Mount for the Ian Watson Spring Cup National Road Races, the 180th road race at the North Yorkshire venue since the first race in 1946.

With practice and qualifying over the first of fifteen races, the Ultra-Lightweight – first leg got underway with Chris Palmer in pole position on his 125cc Mannin Honda who got the hole-shot from ‘old rival’ Ian Lougher.

Palmer was still heading the pack at the end of the first of the six laps, followed by Lougher, and Alistair Haworth.

The gap was 1.9 seconds at the end of the second circuit as positions remained static.
Half distance lap and the gap was reduced to 1.6 seconds.

Lap four, and the gap had increased to 2.5 seconds as Palmer put in an under 2 minute lap.

The penultimate lap saw the Manxman once again increase his lead to over three seconds and at the flag Chris Palmer took the victory by 4.197 seconds from Alistair Haworth and Ian Lougher in third.

Race 2 – the First leg for the F2 Sidecars over six laps.

Ian and Carl Bell led at the end of the opening lap of six from Conrad Harrison and Lee Patterson with Dave Molyneux and Patrick Farrance third.

The lead was 2.3 seconds.

At half distance Moly had moved into second, as the Bell’s increased their lead to 4.5 seconds.

The lead had been cut by one second to 3.5 seconds at the end of the fourth lap.

Lap five and a further two seconds had been reeled in by Moly who was now just 1.5 seconds adrift of the leading pair.

At the chequered flag it was Ian and Carl Bell by 0.922 of a second from Dave Molyneux and Patrick Farrance with Conrad Harrison and Lee Patterson third.

Race 3 the first heat for the Ian Watson Spring Cup was won by Jamie Hamilton from Ian Lougher and Davy Morgan.

Race 4 the second heat of the Ian Watson Spring Cup was won by Guy Martin with Michael Pearson second and Kiaran Hankin third.

Race 5 the opening leg of the 250cc Lightweight class was red flagged due to fluid on the course on the fifth lap, with the results being declared at the end of the fourth lap. Davy Morgan took the victory followed by Derek Clark and Bob Farrington.

Race 6 the first leg of the Junior 600.
Dan Frear took the hole shot from Guy Martin, but at the end of the first of the eight laps it was Martin leading by half a second from Michael Pearson and Dan Frear.

Lap 2 and the lead had advanced to 2.4 seconds with positions remaining the same.

Lap 3 and Martins lead was up to 4 seconds, but from Harrison as Pearson dropped to third.

Half distance and the lead was 4.7 seconds with Harrison still second and Pearson third.

Lap five and the distance between first and second was now 6 seconds
At three-quarter race, a further second had been added to the leader’s advantage.

Lap seven Ivan Lintin moved into third, as the lead was upped to 8 seconds.

At the chequered flag Guy Martin took the win by 8.173 seconds from Dean Harrison and Ivan Lintin.

Race 7 the second leg of the F2 Sidecars.
The father and son crew Ian and Carl Bell took the hole shot and led at the end of the first lap from Conrad Harrison/Lee Patterson and Dave Molyneux/Patrick Farrance.

Lap 2 and the lead was 1.4 seconds and a lap later 3/10ths of a second had been added to the advantage.

Lap 5 and the lead was up to 3.8 seconds, with no change to the positions.

Ian and Carl Bell took their second victory of the day at the end of the sixth lap by 8.692 seconds.

Race 8, the first leg of the Lee Vernon Supertwin race.
Jamie Hamilton took the hole shot but it was Dean Harrison who led at the end of the opening lap of eight. Hamilton was second and Daniel Frear third.

Lap 2 and Jamie Hamilton was back in front by 0.754 of a second from Harrison and Frear.

Lap 3 and the lead had extended to one second as positions remained the same.

At half distance another half second had been added to Hamilton’s lead.
Laps five and six saw the lead being maintained by Hamilton on the KMR Kawasaki as positions remained unchanged.

At the flag at the end of lap eight Jamie Hamilton took win by 2.2 seconds from Dean Harrison who was 7/10th of a second ahead of Daniel Frear.

Race 9 Leg One of the Ian Watson Spring Cup saw pole sitter Guy Martin take the hole shot and led at the end of the opening lap from Michael Pearson and Ian Lougher the advantage three-quarters of a second.

Lap 2 and the lead was up to one second, a lap later the advantage had doubled to 2.0 seconds, a lead that was maintained a lap later.
At half distance the gap was up to 2.9 seconds as Jamie Hamilton moved into third place.

Lap 5 and Guy had put 5 seconds between himself and Michael, with Jamie a further 6 seconds down.

Three-quarters race length saw the gap up to 6.4 seconds.

Lap 7 and positions were static with the lead now 9.262 seconds.

Guy Martin took the race win with a 11.362 seconds with Michael Pearson second and Jamie Hamilton third.

Race 10 – Ultra Lightweight 2nd Leg
Chris Palmer once again got the hole-shot from pole position and led at the end of the lap by 1.666 seconds from Ian Lougher and Seamus Elliott.
The lead was the same at the end of the second lap.

At half race distance the lead was 2 seconds with positions remaining the same.

The lead was up to 2.7 seconds at the end of the fourth lap and a further second was added by the end of the penultimate lap.

Chris Palmer took the win by 4.472 seconds from Ian Lougher and Seamus Elliott.

Race 11 Junior 600 second leg.
Daniel Frear took the hole-shot into Mere Hairpin in this six-lap race, but it was Michael Pearson who led the pack at the end of the opening lap.

Ivan Lintin was second and Daniel Frear third. Guy Martin back in fifth.
Lap 2 and Ivan Lintin was in front by 0.345 of a second from Guy Martin with Pearson third.

Half distance saw Guy Martin in front followed three-quarters of a second behind by Ivan Lintin with Dean Harrison still third.

Martin enjoyed a two seconds advantage at the end of the fourth lap.
Lap five, and the gap was down to 1.194 seconds.

At the flag it was Guy Martin 1.505 seconds ahead of Dean Harrison and Ivan Lintin.

Race 12 Lee Vernon SuperTwins Leg 2
Jamie Hamilton took the hole-shot led and the end of the opening lap from Dean Harrison and Dan Frear.

At half distance positions remained unchanged wit the lead extended to 3.372 seconds.

At the chequered flag winner Jamie Hamilton had a lead of 4.793 seconds over Dean Harrison and Dan Fear.

Race 14 – Ian Watson Leg 2 - Not Run





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