Frittenden’s 2014 Summer Spectacular took place this weekend at their usual venue of Sandhurst Farm in front of a decent crowd.

Making another appearance at Frittenden were the Motocross boys. Regular visitor Tim Greig went through the card to take the win, Paul More took four second places to finish runner-up and local rider Graham Ing took third ahead of Nick Shaw on count back.

The 350cc Solos were very light in number but very spectacular in racing as Georgie Wood and Matt Etherington went head to head over four legs. Last weekend’s British Masters Challenge podium finisher Wood took all four ahead of the current British Champion Etherington who took second, as he did twelve months ago. Mark Giles took third as he also did last year.

In the Uprights four legs were run and Chris Mackett won all four to take the win, bettering his runner-up spot last year. Rob Pilcher took second in all heats to finish runner-up and Max Pankhurst came third on three occasions to finish on the podium ahead of Tom Meakins.

The Left-hand Sidecars were next to the line and Eirwyn & Alex Balman came from behind to take the win in the first leg, but they free-wheeled over the line as the machine looked to be having difficulties. Paul Marley & Richard Webb took second. Charlie Ridley & Harry McQuirke took the next leg ahead of the battling Martin Cuff & Colin Clark.  Ridley & McQuirke took another win in race fifteen, beating Andy Pack & Michael Chittenden, and in race sixteen Cuff & Clark got their first win of the afternoon beating Dave Bryer & Kyle Fish. The Balman’s were non-starters. The third leg again saw wins for Ridley & McQuirke and Cuff & Clark. In the Final the same two pairs thrashed it out for four laps and the win ultimately went to Cuff & Clark with Ridley & McQuirke taking second, the same result as in 2013. Third went to Marley & Webb.

The 250cc Solos ran a round-robin over four legs and a final. Going into the final Connor Locke, Jed Collins, Jamie Pantry and Trevor Clarricoats all took one win each over four close and superb races. In the Final Clarricoats got the win ahead of Ashley Hill, third went to Collins and Brad Tokley.

In the big Solos James Shanes was again the one to beat, and ultimately no one could. The brilliant youngster won heat one ahead of another speedway boy Lee Smart. He beat Mark Baseby into second in leg two and in leg three beat Adam Filmer. Other wins went to Baseby ahead of Filmer in leg one, Filmer ahead of Lee Bartlett in leg two and Baseby took another in leg three ahead of Gareth Hickmott. In the Final were Shanes, Baseby, Filmer, Charlie Powell, Hickmott, Martyn Sturgeon, Warren Atkinson and Mark Warren. On the second bend of the final Powell went into the ropes at speed, but thankfully he walked away. In the re-run Shanes had a ‘moment’ but got away to beat Baseby. Filmer took third, his third podium finish of the season.

Amongst all the big names in the Right-hand Sidecars was Rod Winterburn, making his second appearance of the season at the venue where he suffered life threatening injuries in 2013. In the first leg defending champions and Masters Champions Mark Cossar & Carl Blyth beat close friends Matt Fumarola & Dan Crawford. Winterburn & Liam Brown beat Rob Wilson & Terry Saunters and in race eleven Colin Blackbourn & Martyn Smith beat Paul Whitelam & Kieron Ivy into second. In leg two wins went to Cossar & Blyth, Robbie Wilson & Bradley Steer and Winterburn & Brown ahead of a fast improving Gary Shearer & Sam Bond. In the third leg wins went to Wilson & Steer, John Hiscock & Carl Bell, and Cossar & Blyth to go unbeaten through the heats. The Final was a brilliant race with Wilson & Steer getting a flyer and leading from the tapes. Cossar & Blyth chased hard for four laps, inside and out, but just couldn’t get past the SandAce champions. Winterburn & Brown took third, also chasing hard ahead of Wilson & Saunters.