Suffolk Grand National scramblesFOR the past eight years the Suffolk Grand National classic scramble has proved to be one of the most popular events on the national classic scrambles race calendar, and this year's event was no exception.

FOR the past eight years the Suffolk Grand National classic scramble has proved to be one of the most popular events on the national classic scrambles race calendar, and this year's event was no exception.

A bumper entry of more than 160 riders took part in the annual event organised, once again, by the Pre-65 Motocross Club at Tye Farm, Cornard Tye, near Sudbury. A 26-race-schedule took the near 1,000 spectators back almost five-decades as competitors raced scrambles machines built between the 1950s and mid-1970s.

The main event of the day was the Jim Aim Motorcycles Suffolk Grand National, which saw Sudbury MCC chairman Dave Roper gain the holshot with Kevin Plummer, from Ixworth, snatching the lead, and the win, with a great tussle for second position taking place between John Bateup and eventual runner-up Ian Bain.

Other exciting racing came from the Norman Lewis Transport Pre-74 class which saw Nick Archer take the honours but disaster struck in Pre-65 non-championship races as one of Suffolk's top riders, Brantham-based Roger French, lost control of his machine while challenging Stephen Ross for the lead, and sustained a broken knuckle and a cracked rib, which will see him out of scrambles action for the worse part of a month.

Hastings-based Ian Webster continued his rise to the top the leader board in the ever popular National Greeves Scrambles Championship, completing a double-win ahead to triple-series-champion Ian Bain with a notable third-place coming from Needham Market-based Barry Keymer, who made his return to the sport after a 12-month break.

The new Ross Froud Spanish Challenger Trophy went to Leavenham-based Paul Owen aboard his 250cc Bultaco.

n The next Pre-65 Motocross Club scramble is at Marks Tey, just south of the A12/A120 junction, on 9 July.

For more information, visit www.pre65.com