Thundersports – Round 3

Cadwell Park

Report and images by David Gowshall - DEEGEE Motorsports Photography

Last weekend saw the first of two scheduled visits this season to Cadwell Park for the Thundersports GB Championship.

I always enjoy Thundersports GB meetings because they have so many competitive classes, a wide variety of bikes, but most of all, they are superbly well organised, with non-stop racing throughout both days.

The forecast for the weekend was mixed. Dry and relatively warm with sunshine on Saturday, but decidedly cooler and cloudy with showers on Sunday, as the wind direction swung round from a Northerly direction. 

I decided to concentrate my photographic efforts on what was the 3^rd Round of this highly respected 2022 championship on the twisty woodland section of the circuit.

This is centred on the Mountain, one of the most famous pieces of tarmac in British motor cycling history. My focus on track for the weekend would be the premier class within the Thundersports GB championship, the GP 1 Sportsman and Elite for big capacity Open Class bikes up to 1200cc and what is arguably the most competitive race class the Thundersport 500.

This class features numerous identical 500cc 2-cylinder 4 stroke Honda on which are mounted the Elite and Sportsman riders, many of which originate from Scunthorpe, just down the road from Cadwell, which seems to be the unofficial “capital” of the Thundersports 500 classes.

With most of Saturday morning taken up by qualifying sessions I arrived at the circuit at lunchtime and initially took a position on the back row of one of the Mountain grandstands for the only scheduled GP 1 race of the day. 

The powerful superbikes on show did not disappoint with lots of “wheelie” action to keep, what truthfully was a fairly small crowd, entertained. 

The Mountain offers many opportunities for photographers for “wheelie” shots from many different angles, even with my 150 / 600 telephoto lens, a shot from the slope opposite the start / finish straight.

Equally entertaining as the “wheelies” was the race long dice for first place between locally based Harry Truelove (#4) and Joe Sheldon-Shaw (#10)

Both have featured on the British Superbike and British Supersport scene recently, they swapped positions at the head of the field numerous times during the 12 lapper, before Truelove eventually triumphed.

Following home, although some distance behind the leading pair, was current 2022 championship leader Ryan Dixon (#7).

The first of two races held the next day before lunch was a victim of the changeable weather, with Dixon coming home in first place, 2021 champion Brendon Mallinder (#1) following him home and a highly commendable podium spot for Colin Heaver.

A brief and very localised light shower decimating the field to the point only 11 riders, half of the original starters completed the race.

The third and final GP 1 race held in bright sunshine after lunch proved to be a “walk in the Cadwell Park” for Sheldon-Shaw, with Truelove a non-starter in this race he had a lead of over twenty seconds at the chequered flag

Matty Whelan (#77) on his Suzuki was a distant second and Dixon after a mid-race excursion onto the grass which saw him fall back several places recovered well to fill the final podium position. 

The three 500 Elite races as always were highly competitive with locally based brothers Josh (#121 love the helmet)) and Will Leaning (#332), Grant Whittaker (#19) and Sam Palfreyman pushing hard throughout.

In what must be one of the cheapest mainstream racing motorsports in Europe the basically standard bikes which run on treaded tyres are relatively cheap to run with plentiful supplies of second hand spares. However, they require immense commitment from the riders who push what are effectively commuter bikes to the limit and beyond.

Three wins for Will Leaning and one for Grant Whittaker saw Leaning gain some valuable points in the championship table on Whittaker, who had built up a good lead in the standings in the first two rounds.

Identical returns for both Josh Leaning and Palfreyman (#333) over the weekend, which included a non-finish, and  2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th place finishes, saw both consolidate their positions in the standings.

Sharing the spoils in the Sportsman class were Lewis Smart (#23) and James Bailey (#16), who each won their class twice, both recording a highly creditable 5^th overall in the process.

The races contained both Elliott Humphrey (#2) and Jake Williamson (#61), who like the Leaning brothers, are based a few miles down the road from Cadwell Park, in Scunthorpe.

In the equivalent Seniors races, David McConnachy (#33) and Paul Manning (#500) shared the spoils with two wins each.

In the Freshman class for Novice riders, Kyle Jenkins (#167) showed his undoubted promise with four wins out of four races.

It was also interesting to see a number of the British Army Racing Team in their striking red livery in attendance at the event.  In recent years an Armed Forces Race has traditionally taken place at Cadwell Park at the last round of the championships which has featured on Pistonclick. 

Amongst those present were Celvin Heaver (#133), who recorded a superb 3^rd place in the second of the GP1 races, John Miller (#78) and Sam Cartwright (#62).

The event, as always, was slick, professional and a shining example of how to run a race programme (other organisers please take note).  Marshals and recovery crews were efficient and swift to respond to any incidents, and the whole day, as is always the case with Thundersports GB, ran to time.

Commentators John Ward and Keith Roisetter provided the spectators, who turned up in good numbers on Sunday, despite the decidedly “bracing” conditions, with lots of information and a hint of humour, which is always welcome.

The next round of this championship will take place on 25^th and 26^th June at Mallory Park, but I have tickets booked for the Croft round of the BTCC that weekend.

Nonetheless, I’m looking forward to the return of the Thundersports GB riders to Lincolnshire’s mini-Nurburgring in October, for what will be a thrilling final round of the season. 

You can see more of David’s work here