Qualifying

Summer deserted Cadwell Park moments before the session began, with temperatures plummeting and a heavy shower falling. Everyone switched to full wets and made the most of the conditions. Tim and Tristan Reeves (Carl Cox Motorsport Kawasaki) seemed unabashed and were easily the quickest from the word go.

Very shortly after, a red flag came out as superbike star Chris Walker had an “off” at Mansfield, putting himself, the Santander Salt Kawasaki, and Ashley Hawes into the tyre wall. It was a very heavy impact, seriously damaging the outfit. Both driver and passenger were assessed in the medical centre before being transferred to Hospital for further treatment.  Chris was complaining of back pain, and Ashley possible rib damage.

Late in the session, Ricky Stevens and Ryan Charlwood went second on the JG Speedfit Cool Kawasakii ahead of an astonishing performance by Alan Founds/Shellie Smithies (Brian Gray Powerbiking Yamaha). They were five-hundredths of a second faster than the Birchall Brothers in fourth.

Andy Peach and Ken Edwards kept the Lifesafety/Santander Salt Suzuki ahead of Steve Kershaw/Stuart Clarke for fifth and sixth respectively.


Race One

After a sunny but chilly morning, clouds appeared briefly, but then the sun came out, and conditions were well-nigh perfect for the opener.

There was drama from the word go, as on the warm-up lap, reigning champions Ricky Stevens and Ryan Charlwood went out with an electrical problem. That meant, with double points in the finale at Brands, the Reeves Brothers were within touching distance of the title.

They made no mistake off the line and led from start to finish. This performance was almost overshadowed by the sterling efforts made by Steve Kershaw/Stuart Clark who set a new lap record on the Express Tyres/Blinkbonny Kawasaki to finish runners-up.

Another brilliant ride came from Phil Bell, who with stand-in passenger Justin Sharp, came home a strong third.

Gary Bryan and Phil Hyde brought the Santander Salt Kawasaki home in fourth, just ahead of Ben Holland and Tom Bryant on the borrowed Hannafin Suzuki of Rupert Archer.

600cc Cup winners, stuck a bit in the pack, were the Birchall Brothers, sixth overall and establishing a new Cup record.

Result  
1/ Reeves/Reeves, 2/ Kershaw/Clark, 3/ Bell/Sharp, 4/ Bryan/Hyde, 5/Holland/Bryant, 6/ James/Tritton, 7/ Horspole/Connell, 8/ Peach/Edwards.

600 Cup  
1/ Birchall/Birchall, 2/ Founds/Smithies, 3/ Ellis/Richardson,  4/ Blackstock/Rosney, 5/ Christie/Christie, 6/ Gray/Pitt


Race Two

A huge track-side crowd saw top-class sidecar racing, and their was no doubting they enjoyed what they saw.

The reverse grid put Reeves and Kershaw alongside each other on row five, with eight crews of both 600 and 1000cc capacity ahead of them. Cadwell Park is far from easy to overtake safely, so those at the front made hay in the sun for a good few laps.

Gary Horspole and James Connell were first up the hill to Coppice, but were very quickly passed by Barry James and Jack Tritton on their very quick Kawasaki.

Pole men Todd Ellis and Chaz Richardson also had a good run, but were slowly gobbled up by the big engined bikes coming through. Tim and Tristan Reeves unusually took at least three laps to get to the front, with Kershaw having an even tougher time.

Meanwhile, Ben and Tom Birchall were flying on their 600 Yamaha, leading the Cup class and once passed by Reeves, tagged on to the back and stayed in touch.

A spin at Park Corner involving Ricky Stevens and Ryan Charlwood, Gary Horspole/James Connell, Phil Bell and Justin Sharp, took them all out of the running, so Tim Reeves became Champion with another impressive win, his sixteenth in as many races.

Steve Kershaw and Stuart Clarke registered a fastest lap and new record on lap five, only for Reeves to eclipse it one lap later.

Kershaw now has the speed to run with the multi world champion, so things are hotting up.

Well worthy of mention is the great ride by wild-card John Lowther and Tom Christie to sixth in the 1000cc class.

Result
1/ Reeves/Reeves, 2/ Kershaw/Clarke, 3/ James/Tritton, 4/ Holland/Bryant, 5/ Bryan/Hyde, 6/ Lowther/Christie, 7/ Hildige/Hildige, 8/ Parnell/Hauxwell

600 Cup  
1/ Birchall/Birchall, 2/ Ellis/Richardson, 3/ Founds/Smithies, 4/ Christie/Christie, 5/ Blackstock/Rosney, 6/Gray/Pitt.


Standings:  Reeves 400 (Champion), Stevens 213, Kershaw 204, Holland 199, Bryan 148, Walker 103, Horspole 102, Bell 93

Cup points: Ellis 99, Birchall 70, Christie 69, Founds 58, Gray 33, Holden 25