A few words for the programme

Round 7 of the Derby Phoenix F250, sponsored by www.corsetangel.com, sees an excellent entry with two strokes making up over half the F400 grid. We are expecting some great racing as reigning champion and series leader Alan Armour (RGV), who has yet to be beaten in the dry, faces his stiffest challenge this year.

The RGV contingent is particularly strong, over half the grid, with several riders capable of challenging Alan for a win. Steve Pond beat Alan in last years North Gloucester race meeting here at Donington. Adam Molloy, another NG racer, made an impressive debut in the F250 series at Snetterton and will be hoping to do well again at a circuit he is familiar with. We have two RGV racers from the Aintree club, experienced campaigner Jason Heath, making his debut in the F250, and Aintree F400 champion Colin Skilicorn in the first of his two annual F250 rides. Family commitments mean Colin, who rides one of the older VJ21 RGV’s, can only fit in the Donington and Oulton rounds. His RGV may be the older model but it is one of the fastest if not the fastest production 250 in the UK.

RGV riders also head the Division II battle. Dino Brady, now has a slim 7pt lead over Matthew Graves who is a further 17pts ahead of Mark Bamford. These three will be looking to stay ahead of the other RGVs of Nigel Holmes and new to racing and the F250 series Mark Foulds; Mark is riding Chris Smiths (#86 ZXR) old RGV.

Though leading Aprilia rider Ross Searle is second in the championship he will struggle if it stays dry. Ross, a demon in the wet, has a virtual standard machine and will struggle against the power of the more highly developed RGV and KR-1S machines. Our Scottish rider Iain McDonald on another standard machine will also be hoping for rain to level the playing field. Though David Reynolds is only at his 3rd race meeting he has given us a glimpse of his ability and the power of his machine at Mallory - he may surprise a few and emerge as the top Aprilia runner.

The old Kawasaki KR-1 soldiers on and we have a handful of these venerable machines on the grid. The youngest of the KR riders, Scott Mills, will be hoping that the gremlins that plagued him at Snetterton have been banished. We will also have to see if his crash in the wet at Snetterton has affected this promising youngster. Hopefully Mark Jordan will have repaired his machine, which Scott was riding when he crashed at Snetterton. If the machine is fixed Mark will be looking to repeat his performance of last year when he took a win and a second place in the F400 and F250 classes. Alan Grindey will resume his battle with John Stacey, the sole Honda entry on his delectable MC28.