Beaton Wins Gold Helmet
(Posted 28/10/07)

The last action of 2007 at Ashfield saw Gary Beaton deservedly crowned the winner of the Heathersfield Gold Helmet and Scottish Junior Champion after an excellent final race run in pretty poor weather conditions.

Gary had made his intentions clear right from the start with a comfortable win from the gate in a three rider opening heat – Mark White failing to make it to tapes with bike problems. Johnny Grey claimed second with Wayne Dunworth falling and remounting on what was to prove a tricky third bend of the opening lap.

The initial running of heat 2 was halted when Kieron Morris came to grief on the third bend, spinning and sliding off whilst just ahead of James McBain. McBain got is bike down as quickly as possible though was unable to avoid a collision, James McPhail meantime executing a good laydown behind the stricken pair to avoid them. Morris was excluded from the re-run which Adam Mckinna won from the gate. McBain was never far behind him without actually being able to mount a serious challenge.

A generous all four back decision was given by referee Jim McGregor in heat 3 after all four riders tangled on the opening bends, Cal Mcdade perhaps being a little lucky with the decision. Beecroft required medical attention and was down for a while but was able to take his place in the re-run. Unfortunately Martin Emerson was unable to repair the damage done to his bike in the allocated time and was excluded and replaced by reserve Glyn Picken. Beecroft spectacularly flipped off the start in the re run but cleared the track. John Morrison won from the gate with Cal McDade falling victim to the third bend on the opening lap whilst lying in second place but re-mounting to secure third spot behind Glyn Picken.

Picken was out again in heat 4 in place of Beecroft. Although Morrison gated, Gary Beaton passed inside him at the start of the second lap an went on to record his second win of the afternoon.

A very tight opening bend in heat 5 between McBain, McDade and Morris saw Mcbain come out just in front of the other two who were side by side down the back straight. Unfortunately though Cal once again came to grief on the tricky third bend, sliding off with Kieron Morris doing well to keep going although James McBain was able to take full advantage to pull clear and record a comfortable win.

Martin Emerson’s unlucky afternoon continued in heat 6 when he suffered an engine failure whilst comfortably in second place on lap 2, McKinna winning the heat comfortably before being literally brought back down to earth with a bump when he failed to control his celebrations at winning the heat and ended up in the fence on the first bend after his lap of honour!

Beaton made it 3 wins out of 3 winning a spread heat 7 from the gate.

John McPhail made an excellent start in heat 8 and quickly opened up a comfortable lead. Unfortunately the third bend caught Cal McDade out again on the second lap, he slid off with Kieron Morris unable to avoid him although again Wayne Dunworth managed to lay the bike down. McPhail made the re-run his however after a determined opening bend and won by a comfortable margin.

The first running of heat 9 saw Mark White excluded after coming off on the opening lap. McKinna won the rerun from the gate and with the rain starting to fall Gary Beaton came out and won heat 10 in similar fashion.

The rain was now pretty heavy. James McBain adapted well to the conditions to easily win heat 11 although the winning time had increased by almost six seconds on the previous slowest. It did not stop Adam McKinna and John Morrison having a good battle in heat 12, the two riding side by side for the opening lap before McKinna started to pull clear and went on to win the race.

With conditions now pretty poor, the organisers made the only sensible decision and cancelled the last of the 250cc races and the semi finals and moved straight to the final with the top four riders.

The phrase 'save the best till last' was certainly never more appropriate than in this meeting with a final race that would have graced any occasion. Beaton gated slightly ahead of McKinna and McBain but McKinna got the drive on the outside of the second bend to take the lead. The two were wheel to wheel with Beaton coming very close to passing on a couple of occasions on the outside line. However he then switched to the inside line at the end of the second lap to come through into the lead. McKinna did not give up but Gary showed he has matured by holding off all his challenges including a rather naughty one at the end of the third lap which in previous years may have put Gary off his stride. However he held on to come home a worthy winner of the Gold Helmet and claim the Scottish Junior Champion crown at the same time. James McBain was unlucky to suffer an engine failure whilst in third place during the race.

Beaton and McKinna both deserve credit for producing such a fine final race in deteriorating conditions, and credit should also go to all the riders who took part and the organisers.

As well as the two main awards, the Unluckiest Rider of the Night award went to Cal McDade, although Martin Emerson must surely have been in with a shout for that after his afternoon ended with no equipment after he was innocently caught up in first bend bunching. James McBain meantime won the 'Mr Entertainer' award.

Congratulations to Gary Beaton, worthy winner of the Heathersfield Gold Helmet and Scottish Junior Champion 2007.