Drama and excitement have become synonymous with the annual Honda / The Construction Team Central Coast Cup motorcycle meeting and the 2018 staging lived up to that reputation last weekend at the Allen Park track at Somersby.
Both the senior and junior Central Coast Cup deciders were red-flagged after crashes and then the re-run of the senior race took a dramatic turn close to its end.
The first half of the scheduled 8-lap senior decider saw inaugural winner from 2005 Luke Gough holding off defending champion Queenslander Jarred Brook when Brook hit the back of Gough’s bike and crashed heavily.
Brook was taken to hospital, but the drama was not over as Kurri rider Mackenzie Childs looked to have victory in the re-run within his grasp when he fell just before seeing the “Last Lap’ sign.
That gifted victory for a record-equaling third time to David Smith as Gough completed the quinella for the host club with Queensland teenager Caleb Browne a creditable third.
There was drama before the final of the Junior Cup got underway with the withdrawal of one of the favourites, Victorian Max Berry when his bike failed at the starting line.
Early in the race Harrison Ryan led but then hit the fallen bike of another competitor and he too fell causing a stoppage.
In the re-run another Kurri club rider Ryan Smith, who had been chasing Ryan when he crashed, scored an all-the-way win in advance of clubmate Jayden Rodgers and Queenslander Callan Davies.
Senior racing prior to the Cup finale produce high quality action with Jarred Brook dominating the rounds of the Pro 250 class and then winning the final of the Pro 450 class, while Luke Gough took out the thrilling Pro Open final.
Jake Farnsworth (Under 19s) and Trevor Marsh (Over 35s) were the other senior winners.
Max Berry, Harrison Ryan and Rory Hutchinson from Kurri all scored class wins in the 13 to Under 16s, while in the younger age brackets several dominant performers emerged.
Most dominant performer of the meeting was Albury-Wodonga rider Archie McDonald who came out on top in three classes as he was unbeaten in 16 races over the two days.
Kurri rider Cameron Dunker went close to matching that with two clean-sweeps and a third in another class.
Other junior class winners were Cowra duo Noah Grabham and Beau Bailey, host club rider Tristian Ayres and Queenslander Viv Muddle.
All the junior action added to the excitement and showed that the future of the sport looks to be in good hands.
Local MP Mr. David Harris opened the meeting on Saturday morning and took in some of the action and he left impressed with what he witnessed.
Mr. Harris said he looked forward to the next major meeting at the venue, the New South Wales Junior Dirt Track Championships on September 15 and 16.
by Peter Baker
Photo by David Lamont
