Rouse Consolidates Championship Lead at Cadwell with JDF-Racing.

North East rider Chris Rouse consolidated his championship lead in the Aprilia Superteen Challenge Series over the weekend at Cadwell Park.

After a five week summer break in the Thundersport GB series, the championship returned to race action for round six with back to back meetings at Cadwell Park.

Run in fine conditions it was inevitable the lap records would be challenged particularly in the Superteen series. After a fine performance from young Scot Callum Bey securing his first pole of the season with a time of 1:45.058, alongside him was JDF-Racing’s Championship leader, Chrissy Rouse, and rounding out the front row Jake Dixon.

Race one was won by on-form Jake Dixon from Chrissy Rouse. Rouse was unlucky not to get the win due to the race being red flagged whilst Rouse was just 100 metres from the finish line! The race was wound back a lap which saw Dixon cross the line in the lead. Rouse said “I could not believe it, a 100 or so metres to go and the red flag went up on the start line, a second later and I would have got the win, that’s racing however, the safety of riders is the most important consideration”.

The second race of the day ran the full eight laps. The spectators were treated to a master class of racing by the youngsters, with Rouse, Bey and Dixon swapping the lead time and again. Jake Dixon son of Darren Dixon got to the top step again by just 0.38 of a second from Rouse.

In trying to secure his eleventh win of the series Rouse took the lap record at 1:44.828 broken first in race one by Callum Bey at 1:44.898. The previous record was set by Adam Shelton in 2008. The Challenge 2010 riders had taken 1.5 seconds off the time set by Shelton.

On the Sunday races we were treated to another fantastic display of hard riding by these talented youngsters. This time Norfolk rider Jack Keen joined in the action at the front end of the field. Keen had initially broken the lap record the previous day in race one but managed to hold on to it for just three laps! Jack had a good start but fell exiting the old hairpin on lap one leaving another three way dogfight.

By lap 4 of the eight lapper Rouse, Dixon and Bey had pulled a five second advantage over the rest of the field, who were also turning in very impressive lap times on the pace of the lap record held by Adam Shelton from 2008. Drama unfolded again for Rouse as on lap five of the race he was given a ten second penalty for a yellow flag infringement. Such was the pace of the front runners that Rouse lost just one position, he was more than ten seconds ahead of back on form Luke Helm from Preston. Rouse further improved the lap record at 1:44.490.

The final race of the day was going to be another battle for supremacy of the Cadwell Park circuit. Having taken the previous three wins, Dixon was clearly throwing a marker down to try and make four out of four wins. The race turned out to be what many regard as the finest display of on-the-limit riding that has been seen in the series. The lead was again swapping at every corner, but by the final lap Rouse managed to get his nose in front of Dixon. Dixon was not for giving up. With half a lap to go, Dixon got in behind Rouse in the run for the line and took the win by just 0.020 of a second from Championship leader Rouse. Rouse broke his own lap record from the previous day on lap five but Dixon pushed the time down further to 1:43.914, an amazing time which had shaved off almost 2.5 seconds from the lap record at the start of the weekend’s racing.

JDF Rider Rouse makes Major Points Haul at Cadwell Park.

JDF rider Chris Rouse secured further points at Cadwell Park in the Thundersport Superteen Challenge over the bank holiday week end.

The JDF rider went into the Cadwell round in first place in the main Superteen Championship.

Coming off the back of the previous round at Snetterton Rouse laid the gauntlet down for the chasing pack. The series again reverted to the two stage qualifying sessions over Saturday and Sunday.

A solid performance by ever improving Harry Hartley took provisional pole at a very creditable 1:54.871 pole in tricky damp conditions, putting Chris Rouse in second spot 0.440 behind at 1:55.311.

The conditions for the second qualifying session on the Sunday morning were much improved Rouse putting in the fastest lap at 1:49.360 to claim his third pole position in a row, York rider Jamie Thackeray in second place shunting Harry Hartley back to 4th place.

Race one was shaping up to be a battle between the JDF team rider Chris Rouse and Callum Bey, they did not disappoint. Chris and Callum swapping the lead several times in a lap they eased away from the chasing pack by over a second a lap. In the tricky conditions a number of riders slipped off allowing the pair to make off. Chris won the race by 1.199 seconds.

The conditions at the Lincolnshire track were very changeable throughout the day with typical spring weather of bright sunshine followed a few minutes later by rain showers.

The Superteen grid were unlucky again for their final race on Sunday, as the track was still damp from the previous shower. Declared as a wet race, most of the riders elected for the full wet tyre. Bey had a good start with JDF-Racing's Rouse just behind. Rouse however moved into first place on lap one and maintained the spot for the race. Jamie Thackeray was also on a charge, passing Bey who had developed a gear change problem, and getting up behind Rouse he made a move on him at barn corner. He moved off the very narrow dry line and paid the penalty falling dramatically but suffering from no more that a few bruises. Jake Dixon claimed second spot with local rider Tommy Mountain in the final podium position in third.

The conditions for the Bank Holiday Monday races were almost ideal. Race one was by far the best race of the Superteen Championship so far. Bey made a good start, with Chris Rouse just behind. Similar to other races with the pair, the lead was changing every corner, no quarter asked for and none given. The pace of the duo quickly saw them take off away from the chasing pack led by Mountain, Dixon, Keen and Jamie Thackeray.

As the JDF rider and Bey battled for the top spot the lap times were tumbling. By the last lap there was nothing between the pair. Exiting of Barn corner for the last time Chris Rouse was in the lead, on the sprint to the line, Bey pulled out of the slipstream to win by just 0.0006 of a second from Chris Rouse.

The final race of the day was again no let up between Rouse and Bey, Darren Dixon also joined the party at the front and we saw a fascinating three way battle. Rouse however made good use of the scrap between Bey and Jake Dixon to take his eighth win of the sixteen races so far to extend his lead.

The next round at Oulton Park on the 26 June will be the half way point for the ten round Championship.

JDF Team Rider Rouse Consolidates Position at Snetterton.

JDF Racing’s Chris Rouse consolidated his position in the Aprilia Superteen Championship at Snetterton this weekend, repeating the qualifying position from Pembrey with Rouse taking pole.

In ideal weather conditions Rouse set a blistering pace in part one of qualifying on Saturday afternoon setting a time of 1:24.597 and Tom Oliver 1:25.753.  Qualifying two on the Sunday was run in somewhat different conditions on a damp track with overcast sky.

Running wet tyres for the first time in the Aprilia Challenge, Rouse completed one lap and elected to sit the remainder of the session out knowing provisional pole from the previous day was safe.

Race conditions for race one on the Sunday were dramatically different than qualifying, overcast and damp, tyre choice for the first time in the series became a consideration. On a drying track most riders went to the start on wet tyres.

By half distance in the ten lap race it was clear that riders on the full wets were struggling on the almost dry track. Rouse and Jack Keen had formed a small gap of around two seconds from third place man Tommy Mountain, riding well after sitting out the Pembrey round due to a broken wrist sustained during a practice session.

By lap ten Rouse and Keen had a gap of five seconds over Mountain. The result went to Keen from Rouse by just 0.118 of a second. Rouse said “Jack was riding well, I knew the only chance to get by was on the run up to the flag. I had my timing worked out when I was going to nip out of his slip stream, just did it a bit too late!”

The second event was eventful for a number of riders. In the cooler conditions riders were falling two a lap at the last corner including JDF riders Rouse.

The Sunday races were similar with gusting winds and showers. Tyre choice was again a critical factor for the young riders.

The final race of the day was the best of the weekend due to tyre choice. As a result of a number of incidents the races were reduced to 8 laps.

Rouse elected to go to the start line on wets. The tactical choices made for an interesting race. Over the first few laps the riders on the wets had the advantage. By the last two laps, riders on the dry tyres had clearly made the right choice. Rouse slipped back from third to to finish in fifth place.

The Snetterton round saw each race taken by a different winner making the total of riders winning races over the first three rounds to seven. Rouse increased his lead over young Callum Bey however Daley, Keen, Mountain and fast learning Jake Dixon scored useful points.

JDF Team Rider Rouse dominates at Pembrey.

Chris Rouse dominated the Aprilia Superteen Challenge races over the weekend at round two of the series at the Pembrey track in South Wales.

In perfect weather conditions the JDF star took pole on the 40 strong Superteen grid. Pole sitter Rouse backed up his performances from round one at Mallory Park with two convincing wins. This was in the opening races on the Saturday and the first race on the Sunday. He marred his almost clean sweep of wins, which also included four fastest laps and the lap record, with a fall in the fast right hander before the old hairpin.

As a result of being pushed hard, Rouse smashed the 2009 Superteen lap record by almost half a second, taking the honour from former JDF rider Danny Murphy. The time was the first sub one minute five second lap of the circuit by a Superteen rider. Rouse said “It was a bit hectic and I was not particularly interested in getting the lap record, however it shows this season in Superteens is as competitive as ever”.

Team manager John Davies “We could not have asked for anymore. The effort that the team put in over the week end was superb; the wins were good for our championship hopes, however there are a lot of good riders in the series, as I have said a number of times, and you never get a slow year in Superteens”.

JDF rider Rouse left the fast South Wales circuit on the top step of the Aprilia Superteen Challenge.

JDF take top spot in Superteen Challenge.

JDF rider Chrissy Rouse left the season opener at Mallory Park leading the Challenge and Nitro Newcomers.

The final race of the day was again another hard fought battle won by Rouse.

14 year old County Durham rider Chrissy Rouse maintained his impressive form from the 2009 series with four very impressive podium results with a two wins, a second and third spot to lead the Aprilia Challenge by nine points.

Rouse was one of the young riders working his way towards the front of the field in 2009. With solid performances at the last round of the 2009 series at Rockingham he was going to be a front runner in the 2010 competition. Dad Martin Rouse was pleased with the result. "I am happy for Chrissy and the overall result for the team, there is a long way to go but we have made the start we wanted." said Martin.

Team manager of JDF said "A dream start! Leading the overall series. That said, there are a lot of good young riders from last year going well, along with some of the new riders this year makes it a bit of a unknown quantity. I think by round three the pattern will emerge of the who the top six will be. This is my sixth season in this arena, and I have never seen a poor year thus far. I do not think 2010 will be any different."