By Roddy Brooks
February 14 2005

Czech rider Petr Vorlicek was the star of the second Maxxis Motard Masters Winter Supermoto series event, at the Three Sisters circuit. Vorlicek won both the SM2 and SM3 classes, and only gave second best to local ace Matt Winstanley in the Super Final.

Bracken KTM’s Winstanley had an off day as he failed to dominate either the SM1 or SM2 classes, but made up for it with a fine win in the Super Final. But it was Vorlicek, riding the Steve Clitheroe-tuned Hondas, who coped best with the changing conditions.

The riders had to battle against snow, driving rain and a quickly drying track in the afternoon sunshine, as the elements took their toll at the Three Sisters circuit near Wigan. The storms had been so bad on the Friday that all of the awnings were blown away from the vans, but things had improved a little by Sunday. Vorlicek made light of the conditions and, after winning both SM3 races, had to go out in the Super Final on his 250cc Honda - because the rules state a rider must ride the machine he had his best results on during the day in the Super Final.

Vorlicek admitted, “I had very fast bikes and I was able to ride quickly despite the conditions. When it was dry or wet I found it quite easy to go quickly.” Vorlicek was happy to be able to push Winstanley all the way in the Super Final. “It was nice to come second, but I didn't think too much about winning the race. It was a good result for me.”

Vorlicek started the Super Final from pole position, and continued to show his good form of the day as he took a fine runner’s-up spot behind Winstanley. David McKee took the holeshot on his Husqvarna, but Winstanley was quickly into second after getting by team-mate Ady Smith, and Christian Iddon’s Husaberg. Iddon and Winstanley both held the lead before Vorlicek joined Winstanley at the front of the race, where successive fastest laps took them clear of the field. Smith claimed third at he flag, as DCR Husaberg’s Frederic Fiorentino, Iddon and Dani Müller, on the WIRE Yamaha, completed the top six.

In SM1 David McKee won an exciting race one as Winstanley fell off on the approach to the second corner of the opening lap, after colliding with Iddon. McKee and Iddon battled for the lead before Fiorentino joined in. The Belgian then slid off to leave McKee in charge. Race two saw Smith take the holeshot from McKee and Winstanley. Smith held off Winstanley to take the chequered flag, and McKee was ahead of Iddon, Andy Mitchell and Fiorentino as they crossed the line. Third spot was enough to give McKee the class overall, ahead of Smith and Winstanley.

In SM2 race one, Winstanley held off Vorlicek to take the win, but the controversy unfolded behind them as Fiorentino and Leighton Haigh were both late to the parc fermé, and were given time penalties. As Winstanley gradually put time between himself and Vorlicek, Aurelien Rolland (Yamaha) was busy holding off the advances off Müller on the two-wheel-drive Yamaha. Müller took third after Rolland slid off, but Fiorentino failed to finish the race after crashing, and Haigh was demoted from tenth to 27th because of his time penalty.

In race two Vorlicek grabbed the holeshot from Müller and Rolland. Rolland’s last-gasp bid to claim the lead saw him fall in the turn as he left the off-road section, securing the race win for Vorlicek and handing second spot to Müller. Rolland remounted to take third, ahead of Winstanley; and Jonno White just held off Danny Tollett on the line to take fifth. Ricky Higgs took seventh ahead of Haigh, and Fiorentino came in 12th.

Vorlicek dominated SM3 as he left the remainder of the field to scrap over the lower positions. David Hartley rode to a comfortable second to leave Grant Faulkner and Richard Blakeman to battle it out for third. Blakeman dealt with the challenge of Faulkner before claiming third as the heavy snow of earlier was replaced by bright sunshine. Vorlicek took another win in race two, as Blakeman saw his chances hit as he slid off while in second. He was able to hang on to third, where he finished behind Vorlicek and Hartley.

WIRE Yamaha’s Lewis Toombs took the SM4 honours ahead of the KTM of Oliver Pope, and Toombs’ team-mate Scott Elderfield in third. Elderfield won race one from Toombs and Pope, but a fall second time out saw Elderfield back in fourth behind Toombs, Pope and George Baldwin. Series promoters BROXX are busy preparing for the final round which is at Lydd, Kent, on 5 and 6 March.

For more information on the series contact info 'at' broxx.co.uk. Check out the series website at goldspeed.org.