The last-minute venue change for the second round of the GBXC Championship series proved to be a very good move. Baden Hall, near Stafford hosted possibly the best GBXC round to date.

The lakeside paddock with full amenities and easy access from the M6 motorway, plus a central location was always going to make this venue popular with riders from across the country and it succeeded in its task.

The start area was really tight but did its job in stringing out the field of riders but the pits and most of the course had plenty of spectators throughout the day. Spectators were really spoiled for choice as to where to watch, there were so many different types of terrain and special sections, but the whole course was easily walked with no huge hills to climb.

Although the venue had been used previously for a couple of WOR events, the course was expanded significantly, giving a 9km lap, with new sections and a totally different layout gave every single rider a new challenge.

Upon first glance the course looked like it favoured big bikes and MX style riders with plenty of places for fifth gear flat out racing but it proved not to be the case as KTM mounted Daryl Bolter really upset the form-book by taking the overall win and the Pro Lite first place.

After four and a half hours of riding over two races the track had a few significant holes and bumps and it was Bolter’s realisation that smoothness was the key, which gave him victory. Greg Evans had chased down Matt Ridgway and Mark Roberts near the start of the Pro race and held a good lead for quite a while but Bolters persistence gradually reeled in Special Greg, who won the Pro class, putting just over 30 seconds between the two at the finish.

KTM’s Evans took a well-deserved victory in the Pro class, bouncing back from his first round disappointment, but it was MPS’s Husqvarna mounted Aston Bird who raised a few eyebrows with a fine ride to second spot in the Pro ranks, just ahead of early leader Matt Ridgway who pushed his Suzuki hard to third. Euan McConnell powered his Aprilia to a solid fourth place as Kawasaki mounted Mark Roberts, another early leader, took fifth. Ollie Moyce spent some time near the front of the pack but a big crash on one of the fast sections saw him DNF with a badly bruised shoulder. First round winner Tom Sagar has a disappointing day and finished in sixth place.

Bolter’s victory in the Pro Lites, plus the overall win, gave KTM a solid 1-2 in the Pro ranks while Darren Carter hammered home a second place in the Lites just ahead of PAR’s Lee Edmondson. KB Racing’s Linc Brewster continued his good run and took fourth in class ahead of Jon Hinam in fifth.

Lewis Belfield gave the KB Racing team something to shout about with his decisive win in the Expert class, a lap up on nearest rival Rob Reese in second spot. Ben Wootton overcame a few mechanical difficulties to take a well-deserved third  just six-seconds ahead of Charlie Evans, who, in turn, beat Andrew Hackett in fifth by some 30 seconds.

Shaun Kersey led home the Clubman 4T contenders as Mark Cheetham did his best to close the gap to under a minute whilst trying to fend off third placed Sean O’Neil, just three seconds behind him. David Wardell was comfortable in fourth place with a couple of minutes to spare over Paul Morgan in fifth.

The top three Clubman 2T riders were shoulder to shoulder for much of the race early on, but Kalum Hicks put in a last lap spurt to pull some 50 seconds clear of Tom Hirons to take the win. Hirons’ second place was a minute ahead of Shaun Buchan in third, all three completing 13 laps. Olli Hart plugged away to take fourth place, two minutes clear of Dennis Harrison in fifth.

The morning race had been no less exciting, and looking at lap times, some of the Over 40’s riders would have done well in the Pro class. The top twenty Over 40 riders all clocked up 10 laps apiece in the two hour race but Keith Jenkins made the victory his own with a well deserved win as Ade Bradley took second place, a couple of minutes behind the leader. Bradley took to the line sporting a new oversize fuel tank on his Suzuki and he put it down to the extra weight of fuel, which lost him the win, nothing to do with age and fitness. Gareth Lloyd was doing well until he had a massive off, a tank-slapper threw him into a tree and he retired from the race, very unusual for Gareth. The tree is ok.

Ian Barnett and Chris Roberts went at it hammer and tongs but it was Barnett who took third spot just three seconds ahead of Roberts. Both riders had a minute advantage over fifth placed Ian Shannon.

Just over two minutes separated the top three Sportsman riders. Nate Holtby took the win from Luke Smith and Chris Pryce in third. Aaron Tilley, although a lap down on the leaders, took fourth, just ahead of Trevor Dodgson in fifth.

Gethin Humphries really deserved his win in the Youth class. He had fierce competition from Joe Wootton at the start of the race but pulled two minutes clear by the finish with Wootton still on his tail in second. Aaron Edwards had a comfortable gap in third spot, a minute up on Josh Snowden in fourth and Rob Johnson in fifth.

Jane Daniels once again topped the Ladies class by a clear lap over second placed Sophie Thomas and Kate Lloyd in third. Rhian George took fourth with Donna Gray fifth. The competition is this particular class is growing with every event.