Bikers provide vroom at Combe

MOTORSPORT Castle Combe's Pro-Bike national motorcycle road racesprovided a packed 14-race programme to treat the large, enthusiasticcrowds on Saturday.

Local riders Darrell Higgins and Aaron Ridewood got things off toa flying start in the up-to-690cc Allcomers race.

Higgins got his DTR TZ250 Yamaha onto the back of Ridewood'sleading ZXR400 Kawasaki and finally slipped past with a neat moveinto the Esses.

Higgins' win took the Melksham rider past Mike Hailwood's long-standing Castle Combe victory tally, while Radstock teenagerRidewood had the satisfaction of setting the fastest lap and toppingthe F400 class.

The pair resumed battle in the 125/250GP/F400 races when Higginsagain scythed through the pack to chase down Ridewood, who had beenstretching a good lead.

The four-stroke Kawasaki could not resist the relentless speed ofthe two-stroke GP Yamaha in the masterful hands of Higgins, who madeit a trio of wins on the day.

Keynsham's Justin Garrett finished second in the SV Suzuki classto Stephen Sweetman.

Ridewood was out on the track again, this time on a Ducati 916,in the Sound of Thunder class, finishing runner-up to Lee Reveley'sDucati 1098.

Chippenham's Freddie Nickless (Triumph 675) finished a fine fifthand Luigi Moto riders Tom Luton (Ducati 748) and Radstock's RobJones (Ducati 996) were in the top 10, along with Chris Richardson(Ducati 1000).

With Reveley a non-starter in the second race, Ridewood stretchedout an unassailable lead as he set the fastest lap and won by 18seconds from Chris Norris (Ducati 1098).

The up-to-1300cc Allcomers race saw a close duel for the leadbetween circuit track-day instructor Simon Knowlson on a Yamaha 1000and Paul Shook, who took victory on his Kawasaki 1000 by less thanhalf a second. Peasedown St John's Sean Ridley won the pro-stockclass on his new Suzuki 1000.

The Pro-Bike open races presented a great spectacle of close-battling groups, all chasing the rapid of Yahama 1000 of MichaelO'Brien who won both races and the King of Combe trophy.

Doug Johnson and Paul Shook's Kawasakis, the Yamahas of ChrisPope, Nick Pusey and Simon Knowlson, plus the Suzukis of Phil Croweand Peter Wilson all raced hard for a top-10 finish, as did AlistairFagan on the JHS Triumph despite injury.

Pope set the fastest lap to just pip Pusey to second spot in racetwo.

With the classic parades providing an entertaining reminder ofpast eras, spectators enjoyed the two Landsowne