Leon Morris and Marty Nutt win motorcycle races at Cadwell Park

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Published: 27 August 2014

A packed Bank Holiday crowd were treated to two thrilling races over the weekend with Leon Morris and Marty Nutt taking a win each.

Leon Morris, Carl Cox Motorsport/ P&H Motorcycles increased his lead in the Ducati TriOptions Cup title fight with a win and a third place at Cadwell Park. Marty Nutt the Ducati Coventry rider took the win in Race Two while Dennis Hobbs had to settle for two second places over the weekend.

Leon Morris, Dennis Hobbs and Marty Nutt at Cadwell Park.

In race one Morris lined up on the front row behind team mate Dennis Hobbs on pole with 2013 Champion Marty Nutt third on the grid.  It was however Morris that led Hobbs and Nutt into the first corner and would hold this lead for the majority of the race, with Hobbs close behind and Nutt watching the battle unfold in third. Despite all three riders maintaining the same positions this was not a procession as Morris and Hobbs swapped places over the closing third of the race. Unfortunately Hobbs was unable to make any overtakes stick and he had to settle for second place behind Morris with Nutt coming home in a close third.

Morris went into race two with a 26 point lead and with only two more rounds was keen to consolidate his championship lead. Having set the fastest lap in race 1, Morris started from pole with the race being designated a wet race as the forecast rain made conditions and visibility tricky for the Ducati TriOptions riders.

Marty Nutt beats Dennis Hobbs to the line at Cadwell Park.

It was Morris who again led into the first corner followed by championship rivals Hobbs and Nutt. Immediately the front three pulled out a four second lead over fourth placed Guiver with Nutt putting a fastest lap on lap three. Hobbs was hounding Morris but Morris in turn responded with a fastest lap, the three were showing an impressive pace considering the wet track and had soon increased the gap between third and fourth by over seven seconds.

“Overall a good weekend with a win yesterday and a third today in really tricky conditions”, Morris said. “The key for me is having dry conditions which are much more predictable whereas today was not. Today I felt really strong and felt like I could go with them and win the race.  I have increased my lead by a couple more points over the weekend and won the event overall so it’s been a blinding weekend.”

68-year-old Dek Crutchlow father of Cal Crutchlow guest rides in Ducati TriOptions Cup.

Dennis Hobbs’ persistence paid off on lap six passing Morris through Coppice and immediately pulling away. Now Morris had Nutt to contend with as the Irishman put in yet another fastest lap and soon Nutt was to move into second place and close in on the P&H Motorcycles 899 Panigale of Dennis Hobbs. Meanwhile Morris was falling back on the leading two and could only watch as Nutt took Hobbs at Hall Bends on lap 8. Hobbs did his best to take the lead back but with backmarkers coming into play had to settle for his second 2nd place of the weekend.

Sean Neary had a disappointing race one after crashing out on the first lap at Mansfield but recovered in race two with an 8th position. Rob Guiver (Hyside Motorcycles) put behind him a DNF at Oulton with a fourth and a seventh place, while the rider of the weekend was Fast Bikes journalist Al Fagan who continued his good form with two sixth places.

Not all the attention was on the championship leaders as one of the stories of the weekend was the return to racing at the age of 68 of Dek Crutchlow, father of Ducati MotoGP rider Cal Crutchlow. Dek rode the Ducati UK 899 Panigale guest bike to a 20th place in race one and 21st in race two.

Leon Morris and Marty Nutt win motorcycle races at Cadwell Park