Joey Thompson races to Bob Smith Spring Cup success at opening Oliver’s Mount meeting of 2023

Organisers opened up the race paddock for the first time this weekend to kick off the 2023 season.

Guests travelled from far and wide, providing that buzz within the town that they always do for each race meeting.

A drizzly start to the weekend saw practise looking a little damp but in true Scarborough fashion the weather kept everyone guessing and when it was time for racing, the riders and spectators alike were treated to beaming sunshine and blue skies.

This year sees the introduction of the extremely close fought CB 500 class to the racing, and with an oversubscribed grid for this class spectators were not disappointed with Grant Whitaker taking the first win in this new class.

Josh Leaning quickly got to grips with the situation after crashing out of the lead in the first race, then going on to win the remaining two CB 500 races.

Not satisfied with just those wins he also went on to take the first in two of the 600 B races across the weekend.

This weekend saw Lissy Whitmore make history at The Mount on the Baxto Racing Kawasaki 400 being the youngest female ever to race around England’s only real roads racetrack.

Last year’s classic superbike Manx GP winner Rob Hodgson claimed his first win in the new colours of SMT Racing and walking away with a respectable second place in the Bob Smith Spring Cup feature race, he remains dominant in the Twins.

Joey ‘Yorkshire’ Thompson took the coveted win in The Bob Smith feature race, and said: “It was a hard race and was by no means easy”.

The top three was rounded out by Dominic Herbertson, an amazing turnaround after sliding off his Supertwin in the race before. He earlier won in the second Supersport A race.

Tom Weeden took a third on Saturday and two wins in the Superbike class on Sunday and went home with a third in the 600 overall.

With some of the usual contenders away due to TT launch commitments the field was opened right up and opportunities were there for the taking.

Spectators were treated to battles until the dying moments of races especially the Spring Cup with a 0.4 of a second gap between first and second.

Team Arc’s Lee Crawford and Jake Lowther hit form in the sidecars across the weekend, with father and son outfit Team Ramsden Racing taking the three second places fighting off 17-time TT Winner Dave Molyneux with Dan Sayle, on their unique KTM 890 powered twin cylinder outfit, forcing them to settle with third each time.

Co-Director of Oliver’s Mount Racing, Wendy Hayes said: “We’re so pleased to be able to bring a full programme of events back for the benefit of the racers, the race fans and the town of Scarborough.

"This is a truly unique and special place and we are working as hard as we can to ensure it continues for future generations to enjoy, just as several previous generations have over the years since it began in 1946.”

Oliver’s Mount welcomed back it’s championship this year with points accumulated across each race weekend this season, with a full calendar of events planned with The Cock o’ The North July 1-2, The Barry Sheene Classic July 22-23, and Motorcycle Hillclimbs are back on August 19-20 and 28. The Mount also welcomes back a NoraSport GB Supermoto Championship round on August Bank Holiday weekend, followed by the finale, the Steve Henshaw Gold Cup on September 23-24.

Race Director Andy Hayes added: “It is always a worry when you see huge organisational change with Scarborough Borough Council merging into the much larger North Yorkshire Council, but I am really pleased to see that all of the old contacts remained to help get the site ready for the first event of the season and the transition appeared seamless from our perspective and we’ve had some really great help from The Highways, Parks, Estates and Asset Management departments as we always do.

"The amount of work it takes to get the site fit for racing in the modern day by our team of staff and volunteers, the council and other companies cannot be underestimated, but it all went ahead very smoothly, so a big thanks to all concerned.”

Head over to the website (www.oliversmount.com/tickets) to purchase tickets.