Dawson does the double on return to racing
Louis Dawson announced his return to the club racing scene in stunning fashion by claiming two titles at the EMRA championships.
The Chelmarsh-based star, who took a self-imposed hiatus in 2018, has been in stunning form all year and secured the Buildbase Mallory Trophy and the Tamworth Yamaha Allcomers championship during a busy final weekend of racing at Mallory Park.
Sunny weather greeted the riders on the Saturday, which seemed to inspire 23-year-old Dawson and Lee Wilson to put on a brilliant display of racing over the whole 10-lap Buildbase race.
The pair caught a group of lapped riders on the final circulation, with Dawson was just inches ahead of Wilson at the finish line.
A further seven seconds back was Mike Leeson, ahead of Zac Corderoy and A
A further seven seconds back was Mike Leeson, ahead of Zac Corderoy and Ashley King.
The Allcomers race was a fierce battle with Corderoy, who was also making a comeback after a couple of years away from racing, finishing ahead of Dawson and Leeson in third place.
Second, however, was enough to put Dawson into the championship lead and another second place behind Corderoy on Sunday ensured he won the title.
The damp track for Sunday’s first Buildbase race meant staying on the bike was of paramount importance and after leading early on the 1000cc Aprilia, Dawson gradually dropped back to a safe fourth place to ensure he secured title number two.
Two Shropshire riders have battled all season over the second and third places in the Powerslide Motorcycles/Properly Protected Rookies championship – behind an invincible Luke Burnett.
Shane Payne was second in the championship, 12 points ahead of Aiden Wells, both from Telford, with Cory Wilson fourth heading into the final weekend.
Saturday’s race saw Burnett take the lead as usual, while Wilson held on to second despite the constant pressure from Payne, who finished a quarter of a second behind with Wells just half a second down in fourth.
Sunday’s first race was run in the rain and Wells took fifth ahead of Payne, leaving the championship exactly as it had been before the weekend, with 12 points separating the pair.
The final race of the weekend saw the usual victory for Burnett in the Craig Rudge Trophy race but as the race progressed Wells was able to force his way past Andrew Lloyd to take third place, with Payne in fifth.
Wells' result was not quite enough to dislodge Payne from the runner-up spot in the final table but he was still pleased to take third during his debut championship campaign.
"It's something I've always wanted to do and my first season has been great," said Wells.
"I didn't think I'd make the top three in my first year but I'll be back for more next year."
Alveley's teenage star Harris Beech was also out in N G Road Racing action, at Caldwell Park, getting more miles in on the bike ahead of the final two British Superbike rounds.
But despite coming away with a third and a new lap record in the Superteens class, bike problems once again scuppered his chances of leaving with more silverware.
Harris' father, Richard, said: "He managed to get a third in race three and broke the lap record but he was also plagued with more bad luck.
"That was after he lost a sprocket during practice and I've got no idea how that happened because it's not exactly a small piece of kit.
"Fortunately, we managed to get in touch with a Yamaha factory in Lincoln, which got a part delivered to us at the race track. If it wasn't for them that would've been our race weekend over."
After qualifying second on the grid for the first race, 15-year-old Harris broke the lap record but then had problems with his clutch and had to pull in.
He went out for the second race but was still having issues and the bike spat him off, causing an injury.
After a rebuild overnight of the bike, he went out on the Sunday in pole position and managed to claim third.
"I could tell he was not happy about something and in the end he said his calf was hurting him too much after the crash the previous day so we sat out the last race," said Richard.
"Went to A&E and he has ripped his calf muscle but after resting up for a few days he feels better and he'll be back ready for Donington."
Harris will be back in action with the Bathams Racing Team, in the British Junior Supersport series, at Donington Park, October 4-6.
