Arise, King James of The Combe…..

Local 28 year-old Wiltshire man James Cox who started his two wheeled racing exploits on Mini Moto’s over 15 years ago was crowned the new
Simply Saab King of Combe with a stunning record breaking ride on his Michelin/Highbridge Caravans backed ZX10 Kawasaki. After setting pole
some 1.2 seconds quicker than Tom Garness on his Team Retard S1000R BMW, Simon Knowlson and Scott Pitchers he lined up as red hot
favourite…..but the rest made him fight for it and the huge sun-baked Wiltshire crowd were treated to 10 laps of the type of racing that only
the “old school tracks” like the high speed Combe can……fast and furious.
Come the final and it was a blistering start for Knowlson and Roo Cotton from row 3. Knowlson on his CBR lead for the first two laps , but
Cotton squandered his good start after he had to take the slip road through the Bybrook Chicaine, which is due to still suffering wrist problems
after a Brands Hatch crash last year. Garness did not make the best of the early race and was down in 10th but revelling in the conditions and a
BMW that was obviously working well for him as he picked his way back into contention. On lap 3 Phil Bevan took up the running, with Cox
ominously still sitting….watching….and waiting. As well as Bevan, Cox, Garness, Pitchers and Knowlson there was Dale Thomas on the back of
the leading train. On lap 6 of 10 Cox hit the front and took Pitchers on the amazing Team SP 675 with him. Bevan by now was suffering after a
crash in morning warm up and had been passed by the flying Garness.
Over the last 3 laps James Cox wound up the ZX10 and took a full second per lap out of the rest to stamp his mark on the race. Garness
meanwhile was almost matching Cox’s pace but was some 5 seconds adrift and surely ruing the poor start some 10 laps earlier. Tom muscled
the big BM passed Pitchers 675 in the last few corners to grab second but by then James Cox had already taken the flag and the King of Combe
crown.
As the top brass from the Simply Saab dealership were handing out the trophies to the top 3 it was obvious that not all racers are Marc
Marquez….Dani Pedrosa or Marco Melandri sized 5 foot nothings as Cox, Garness and 19 year old hot shot Pitchers are all well and truly 6
footers.

WRITING CREDIT:

Russ Gardner – NG Road Racing Press Officer
Tel : 01242 697907 ? Mobile : 07799 047 996 ? Mail : russelljohngardner@gmail.com ? Web : www.ngroadracing.org