BUXTON ‘Ductair’ Bulls number one Alfie Bowtell took victory in the Derbyshire Open Championship at Hi-Edge Raceway on Sunday afternoon.

Bowtell and Jason Garrity were both unbeaten in their qualification heats as they reeled off four straight victories, with Garrity just outside his own track record in his second ride, clocking 54.85 seconds, while Jack Roberts, Alex Spooner and Luke Harris kept the top two on their toes.

With Bowtell and Garrity finishing level, it went down to a ballot for who went in which semi-final, with Manchester-based Garrity winning the ballot, meaning he was up against Harris, Spooner and Harrison Rogers. The rain had just started to heighten the drama, but Garrity made no mistake as he stormed from the start, taking victory, but Spooner and Harris battled hard for the right to take second place and a final place, and Spooner managed to hold off Harris.

In the second semi-final, Bowtell duly delivered victory with Roberts holding off teammate Jack Shimelt.

The draw for the final saw Garrity take gate one with Bowtell off gate two, and the start saw Garrity move at the start, and the referee had no alternative but to disqualify Garrity after he had received a warning for moving at the start earlier in the meeting, leaving Bowtell to just edge Roberts out on the start going into the first turn. There was no catching the Bulls’ number one, with Roberts finishing third after being challenged hard by Spooner coming out of the second turn on the final lap, with Spooner coming to grief.

Victor on the day, Alfie Bowtell said, “I’m delighted to have won the meeting and to have remained unbeaten on the day. At the first time of asking, I knew Jason (Garrity) would want to get out of the gate and beat me into the first time; he then moved, and the red lights went on immediately. Unfortunately, he had been warned for moving earlier in the meeting, which resulted in him being excluded. Jack pushed early in the rerun, but once I got in front, it was a case of head down and making no mistakes.

“I will take the victory but have to admit for the supporters had Jason not been disqualified they’d have been in for a superb race especially with Jack (Roberts) and Alex (Spooner) also riding well.”

DERBYSHIRE OPEN, at Buxton
1. Alfie Bowtell (Buxton)
2. Jack Roberts (Buxton)
3. Alex Spooner (Middlesbrough)
4. Jason Garrity (Unattached)

1 Alfie Bowtell 3, 3, 3, 3, = 12 1st
2 Jacob Fellows 0, 0, 0, 0, = 0
3 Alex Spooner 2, 2, 2, 3, = 9 3rd
4 Ryan Ashcroft 1, 1, 0, fx, = 2
5 Owen Booth 0, 0, 1, 0, = 1
6 Leylen Richardson 1, 0, 0, 1, = 2
7 Luke Harris 3, 2, 2, 2, = 9
8 Jack Roberts 2, 3, 3, 2, = 10 2nd
9 Harrison Rogers 1, 1, 1, 1, = 4
10 Bailey Fellows 0, 1, 2, 2, = 5
11 Jack Shimelt 2, 2, 1, 1, = 6
12 Jason Garrity 3, 3, 3, 3, = 12 4th

R 13 Liam Cox

PHOTO CREDIT: Ian Charles