Round 6 - Oliver's Mount

Round 6 and British Supermoto saw it’s triumphant and long-awaited return to the UK’s only street racing circuit, the historic Oliver’s Mount in Scarborough. A formidable track with a rich racing history, Round 6 certainly didn’t disappoint. Riders and fans alike praised the circuit, the atmosphere, and the staff, making an epic weekend of racing. Everyone, it seemed, had come ready to ride. If only the weather had gotten the memo…

A challenging dirt section had been created specifically for the competition, cut into the hillside, and providing tight corners and climbs for riders to grapple with. The notoriously quick start finish straight propelled riders towards a hairpin and a truly terrifying high speed chicane section where one mistake would surely result in a very hurty situation.

Only the Academy class would see a totally dry race for the whole day. It seems Mother Nature doesn’t like Supermoto, or at least prefers it wet and wild, providing a biblical downpour at the start of Race One and rendering the newly created dirt section unrideable. Championship leader #7 Jamie Duncan led Bathmate rider Richard Sharp, Richard Blakeman and Chris Hodgson in battle at the front in truly awful conditions, holding his lead until a rain induced wobble out of the hairpin let Blakeman seize the lead. Confident and in control, a well deserving Blakeman would hold his place to the end and seal a win, with Richard Sharp taking 2nd and Duncan 3rd.

Race Two and the rain had stopped, but the track was still wet. That wasn’t going to hold a blisteringly quicky Richard Sharp back though. A commanding lead was slowly clawed back by an ever diligent and hungry Hodgson, Blakeman holding tight to his rear wheel in the chase. But disaster for Sharp in the dirt on the final lap opened the door for Blakeman to surge past and take the win, Hodgson hot on his heels with a gutted Sharp third.

And so to Race Three. Wet tyres required, forced by the quagmire of the dirt section that had left riders looking like the world’s fastest swamp monsters, mud covering their leathers and visors throughout the race. Early on it was the dirt hairpin towards the end of the lap that would provide an ever-reliable Hodgson with his opportunity, riding it perfectly to surge ahead. He established a commanding lead by lap two, extending it to 7 seconds by the final lap. The hunting pack of Blakeman, Mullany, Walker and Duncan could do little to chip away at it, dogged by battles between themselves, ever eroding burms and liberal smears of mud out of the dirt and all the way onto the start finish straight.

A defiant Hodgson zipped over the line on one wheel to celebrate, but it was Jamie Duncans last lap rampage that provided the best of the racing for the fans. His second place has ensured that the title race remains close, with Duncan sitting atop a narrow 11-point lead over Hodgson. But with the reigning champ yet to play his all-important joker (doubling his points for a win) and his home turf beckoning in Round 7, it’s still all to race for.