Wild & Woolly 26/12/11
Northampton Motorcyclists Club's 86th Annual
Wild & Woolly Scramble
Report: Fraser Law
Photos:
The 86th running of the world's oldest off-road motorcycle
race saw a few changes for this year, with both a new venue and a new start
time. Airfield Farm, Market Harborough proved a perfect alternative venue for
the traditional Boxing Day mudfest. Whilst the track didn't have as much
standing water as the traditional Blisworth venue, it proved extremely
challenging. There were lots of new sections added to the circuit making it as
spectacular as ever. The traditional dead-engine start was delayed by one hour
to allow spectators time to arrive at the new venue, and arrive they did in
their thousands. By the time the flag dropped the crowds were bigger than ever,
estimated to be between three and four thousand.
2010's winner Jack Lee hit the front almost immediately,
and his extreme enduro skills shone through as he made the going look easy.
Following him on lap one was Michael McClurg, followed by nine time race winner
Ryan Griffiths, Neil Prince, current South Midland Centre Expert Champion Dale
Raynor, and track owner Steve Harrison. Positions at the front remained
unchanged on lap two, but the first of the big muddy ditches got deeper and
harder for most of the rest of the field. Despite the efforts of the usual crowd
of marshalls with ropes, it became impassable to all but the best. On lap three
the course was diverted around the muddy crevass and the race really got into
full swing. Jack continued to lead by example with a flawless performance. Next
around Ryan Griffiths edged past close rival Michael McClurg though the pair
were inseperable for most of the race. Neil Prince and Steve Harrison rounded
out the top five after a painful fall cost Dale Raynor a lap.
On lap five disaster struck the early leader Jack Lee. A
collision with an erratic lapped rider cost him a dislocated finger and painful
ribs, putting him out of the rest of the race. Michael McClurg inherited the
lead after re-passing Ryan Griffiths, with Neil Prince and Steve Harrison still
behind them. James Barnwell was moving steadily up the leader board, now into
fifth position as was Mark McCann now into sixth. By lap seven Michael McClurg's
grip on the race began to slip, a number of incidents dropped him back to fifth
as Ryan Griffiths took the lead for the first time. James Barnwell moved up to
second with Steve Harrison in a brilliant third at this stage. Moving up to
fourth place now was 2007 winner Richard Main. After a problematic first lap
Richard slowly reeled in the the riders in front of him, his progress largely
unnoticed by the crowds. In a stealthy yet determined performance he adjusted
well to the sticky conditions and was able to keep pace with the leaders from
futher back in the field.
By the halfway point most of the top ten riders had
suffered some kind of delay or fall. Richard Main progressed through to second
after Michael McClurg, Steve Harrison, James Barnwell and Mark McCann all missed
laps. Ryan Griiffiths lead commandingly from the front, however Michael McClurg
refused to give up. Eventually he caught and passed the leader to unlap himself
a couple of laps from the finish. This brave moved secured him third spot and
put him back on the same lap as the leader.
After a difficult hour and seventeen gruelling laps, Ryan
took the checkered flag and his historic tenth Wild & Woolly victory. Though
thrilled at the win, he insisted it will be his last ever attempt and is looking
forward to spectating next year. Mind you, he's said that quite a few times
before.. Richard Main took second and whilst pleased with the result, would
dearly have liked to challenge for the lead had he not had such a difficult
start. Arguably the fastest man on the track while he was going, Michael Mclurg
was the third and final rider to complete the full seventeen laps for a well
deserved third place.
Steve Harrison took a brilliant fourth on his home track,
just one lap behind the leading trio. An equally impressive Mark McCann slipped
to fifth after a problem two laps from the end. He was closely followed by Dale
Raynor who came back through the field to sixth, James Barnwell, Adam
Castledine, 1990 winner Mark Elliott and Marc Bates.
That concluded the 86th Woolly and answered a number of
questions that the change of venue had asked. Market Harborough had proved to be
an excellent alternative venue, and the people of Leicestershire supported the
event magnificently by turning out in such great numbers. Ryan took an amazing
tenth win after twenty years of trying, a feat that would seem impossible to
beat.
Results-
1. Ryan Griffiths- 17 laps
2. Richard Main- 17 laps
3. Michael McClurg- 17 laps
4. Steve Harrison- 16 laps
5. Mark McCann- 15 laps
6. Dale Raynor- 15 laps
7. James Barnwell- 15 laps
8. Adam Castledine- 15 laps
9. Mark Elliott- 15 laps
10. Marc Bates- 14 laps
11. Rob Saunders- 14 laps
12. Jamie Scott- 14 laps
13. Matt Willis- 14 laps
14. Martin Streeton- 14 laps
15. John Gill- 13 laps
16. Neil Prince- 12 laps
17. Ross Gray- 11 laps
18. Darren Faulkner- 11 laps
19. Ross Harrison- 10 laps
20. John Abbott 10 laps
21. Jim Appleby- 10 laps
22. Daniel Loveday -10 laps
23. Brad Willis - 9 laps
24. James Higgins- 9 laps
25. Christian Livesey- 8 laps
26. Jamie Nelson- 8 laps
27. Ryan Blackwell- 8 laps
28. Ashley Rilings- 7 laps
29. Hayley Rilings- 7 laps
30. Steve Potter- 6 laps
31. Mark Page- 6 laps
32. Nathan Wheeler- 5 laps