Teenage flyer Longmore keen to go one better

Burntwood’s Lloyd Shelley will not return and fight for the Formula 600 class title, while Stone’s Andrew Lowe, who won the Pre Injection championship at the final round in 2018, has decided to take a year off from racing.

Anthony Eades and Wolverhampton passenger Keith Box took the Open Sidecar Championship last year.

And although Eades will be back competing with a new passenger, Box has retired due to an injury, according to Darley chiefs.

However, there will still be plenty of Black Country and Staffordshire racers flying the flag for the region at the Derbyshire race track throughout the spring, summer and into autumn.

Willenhall’s Mcauley Longmore will be hoping to go one better in the Lightweight class after narrowly missing out on the title last year.

The campaign ended in heartbreak for 15-year-old, from Coppice Farm, in 2018 when mechanical problems scuppered his title hopes.

But the teenage star will be back at Darley in the Lightweight and Allcomers 2 classes.

And it is set to be a very busy 2019 for Longmore, who has also entered Thundersport GB and NG Road Racing series, and may even try dipping his toes in the British Superbike championship as a wildcard, if time and money allows.

Stuart Hall, from Rugeley, will be competing in the Formula 600 class, on a Yamaha 600, while fellow Rugeley racer Mike Gittings will be riding a Suzuki SV650 in Mini Sound of Thunder.

Dudley’s Mark Cockerton failed to finish the third lap of the final in 2018 and ended the season second in the championship for Forgotten Era and Classic 250 machines, but he will be hoping to go one better when he returns to action on his Yamaha 250 this weekend.

Gittings will also be riding a Suzuki GSXR 1100 in Classic and Forgotten Era 501cc to 1300cc class and, finally, Stafford’s James Barnett has entered a Yamaha TZ 347 in the Classic and Forgotten Era 251cc to 500cc series.

Darley spokesman Brian George said: “The club has been busy during the closed season making improvements to the Darley Moor Motor Sports Centre and the list of championship classes that will benefit both competitors and spectators for the forthcoming season.

“Just some of the improvements for spectators include the complete re-wire of the circuit’s PA system.

“So, instead of choosing between a favourite viewing spot and ease of listening to the race commentary, visitors will now be able to head straight to your favoured vantage point.

“However, A great deal of work has been undertaken on the spectator side of Park Corner, with improvements to the viewing banks, a new parking area exclusively for holders of disabled badges and their families, and the motorcycle-only parking area has been re-established, along with a second area located near the camping area, which also benefits from improved entrances.”

The championship will be launched with test day tomorrow followed by a full day of races on Sunday, which includes round one of the Curtis Milner Trophy, which held in memory of a racer who lost his life at the track.

Round two, including the second Curtis Milner Trophy race, and Thunderfest 2019, takes place on May 6.

Round three is on June 16, round four on July 13, round five on August 4 and round six on September 15, which includes the Graham Bywater Trophy.

The final round, which includes the Stars at Darley and Jake Hingley Trophy, is on October 12.