Brands Hatch 3rd & 4th September - Bemsee Rounds 17 & 18

It was once again a successful weekend of competition for local motorcycle ace Matt Bond as he took a trio of victories in the final rounds of the BEMSEE Minitwin race series at Brands Hatch over the weekend. The opening race saw Bond jump on board a different machine from that which he usually rides, when he raced the givemethekeys.com Cagiva Raptor for the first time this year.

Off the start Bond made it into the first turn in fourth, just behind Ben Le Beau, Dan Couzens and Dan Watkins. By the end of the lap Le Beau had broken away at the front from the dicing threesome behind and Bond had moved up to third after passing Watkins. With Le Beau away at the front Bond and Couzens began to gap Watkins and for the next six laps the battle for second raged. Each turn saw some shoulder to shoulder racing which thrilled the crowds and produced one of the closest races of the year thus far.

On the final lap Bond made his move and took second from Couzens on the penultimate corner to cross the line some three seconds behind Le Beau. Returning to the pits Bond's bike was diagnosed as having a rear puncture, meaning he would have to use his own bike for the rest of the weekend due to the lack of available new tyres.

For the second outing Bond lines up fourth on the grid behind Dave Lodge, Keith Clarke and Le Beau. Off the start and it was Le Beau who made the best start, with Bond close in tow. Entering Druids Bond divided to the inside and took up the front running from Le Beau and then the eighteen year old Beccles rider put his head down and began to stretch the gap to the following pack. Lap after lap Bond pulled further and further away and by the final lap a four second lead had been created. The chequered flag was waved and it was Bond who took the win from Le Beau and Lodge, whose third place gifted him the championship.

The opening race of the second day saw Bond and Le Beau line up side by side once again and as the lights went out the duo recommenced their battle from the following day with Couzens joining in the fight also. The 6-wheel leading threesome began to eek out an advantage over the rest of the field, but as he had done the previous day Bond began to make a break for it, and by the end of the 9 lap race the margin he held was some three seconds from Couzens who took second with Le Beau just behind in third.

For the final race of the weekend Bond lines up on pole with Couzens, Le Beau and Neil McCoughlin alongside. The lights went out and it was Bond who got the jump on the rest as he lead the 30 strong field around the opening turns. Behind the youngster the scrap for second position was one of the most hotly contested of all season, allowing the number 63 machine of Bond to pull away with ease. For the third time in as many races Bond was proving to be a class above the rest as he maintained his advantage at the front without trouble or mistake as he romped home to his final victory of the weekend, from Couzens and Le Beau, whose fourth podium lifted him to second overall in the final points table.

For Bond the weekend was a great success and the three wins takes the total number of victories up to 24 for the season so far, with the six remaining MRO races still to come. Bond ends the BEMSEE series fourth overall in the championship, despite missing a total of six rounds this year. Bond will be back in action in two weeks time in the upcoming round of the MRO championship, which he currently leads by 39 points. The plan is for more wins and to extended his lead, in hope of capturing his first MRO title. A big thank you goes out to all of his sponsors and supporters for their continued help.