Round 4 of the British Supermoto championship, delivered another day of horsepower, grit and close racing. The rolling circus descended on the fantastic Crail Raceway in Anstruther, Scotland. The local club opened their gates, offering a first-class experience with their immaculate facilities and a track that has a great mix of dirt and tarmac sections.
Mother Nature had a card to play in an altogether un-Scottish way: the dirt sections were parched and dusty, a ruthless adversary that saw many a rider hitting the deck. A special mention has to go out to Paul Groom for ending up in a nearby field! Yet, amidst the whirling dust and sea air, local hero, Jamie Duncan, took a calculated gamble. He deployed his joker, staking his fortunes on his home turf.
Race 1 saw a triumphant return for Jay Smith, topping the podium flanked by Richard Sharp and Richard Hodgson. Duncan, despite his bold gamble, found himself just off the podium in fourth.
Undeterred, Duncan rallied in Race 2. He dominated the competition, leaving Smith, Chris Hodgson and a frustrated Sharp in his wake.
The tide shifted yet again in Race 3. Hodgson, hungry for victory, seized the top step, with Duncan and Sharp hot on his heels. Smith, after his early success, was dealt a bitter pill with a fourth-place finish.
The tension was palpable as the final results were tallied. The final scores literally couldn't have been closer with the top three riders locked in a nail-biting tie on 142 points. The round's final positions determined by the results of the last race dealing out some mixed emotions!
There was heartbreak for Smith, his early momentum evaporating into the Scottish sea air. But it was all cheers for the reigning champion and Duncan reaped the rewards of his well-played joker.
Exiting Round 4, the championship tides have turned. Duncan now leads the charge with 224 points. Hodgson trails on 190, with Sharp on 178 and Richard Blakeman on 174. As we look forward to the battle at Three Sisters, one can't help but anticipate how the jokers yet to be played might alter the landscape.
Duncan's lead might look secure now, but in the world of Supermoto, nothing's certain. As the dust settles on Crail, we're left waiting, the drama unfolds in the coming rounds.