Last weekend was one of the toughest Gary Wilson and his Barnsley based Moto3 team have had to take in the last few years as three of his five riders crashed in the first race and two of them were taken to a hospital.
Race One
Jake Clark took a tumble on lap four coming out of Coppice. He was taken to the medical centre. Scott Ogden fell on the same lap after his fantastic start had seen him move into third place. Perhaps pushing a bit too hard he high-sided out of Mansfield but wasn’t injured. With just a couple of laps to go a rider’s chain jumped off the sprocket as he rode up The Mountain section of the track. He slowed rapidly and another rider ran into the back of him. His bike then fell on the track. Charlie Atkins was riding hard and was unable to avoid the stricken bike as he somersaulted over the handlebars and onto the asphalt. The race was red flagged.
Atkins joined his teammate in the medical centre. Jake Clark was transferred to Hull Infirmary by ambulance with bruising to his neck and Charlie Atkins was flown by air ambulance to Leeds Hospital with bruising to his hip.
Fortunately, both riders were discharged later on that evening but their bikes were both written off in the separate incidents.
The good news was that Jack Hart rode well and the Scottish youngster finished the race ninth overall collecting seven more valuable championship points. Osian Jones came across the line in 12th place for his best placing of the season whilst holding off Josh Hiatt.
Race Two
In race two, Ogden started fourth on the grid with Jack Hart tenth and Osian Jones 15th. Ogden made a good start launching himself into third place. He stayed in the leading group of five riders throughout the race. Jack Hart led a group of three riders fighting for seventh whilst Osian Jones was running in fourteenth place.
Unfortunately, the red flag came out again in race two but as two-thirds race distance had been completed the results stood from the track positions after lap 7. Ogden was placed fourth, Hart seventh and Jones was classified 14th.
Gary said, “Firstly, I am delighted that both Charlie [Atkins] and Jake [Clark] are OK. Whilst we are a professional racing team the riders and their parents are like family. Scott Ogden was running well in race two and had it not be stopped early I think he would have challenged for the podium. Jack Hart had two good races. His seventh in race two matched his best result of the season and was well deserved, especially as he had two riders putting him under pressure. Osian Jones only had one point coming into this round and now has 7 so his progress is great to see.”
