Martin races to title with round to spare

Double wins at Brands Hatch and Cadwell Park moved Martin into an early lead in the championship and he followed up with a another win at Pembrey, despite crashing the previous day while leading race one.

Another race win followed a did- not-finish at Snetterton and put the 43-year-old in a buoyant mood ahead of the biggest round of the year at Silverstone.

Martin’s class was mixed in with another support race for the British Moto GP, meaning 54 bikes were competing for 44 starting slots and a chance to ride in front of 80,000 spectators on the Sunday.

Friday’s free practice was in the wet and saw him lap fifth quickest of 250 of Europe’s top riders.

“I would rate it as one of the best experiences of the season,” said Martin. “I knew I was riding well and to see my name on a 30ft- high screen at P5 at three locations around the track on the cooldown lap was a fantastic high.”

Unfortunately, his Yamaha TZ 250 developed a fault which caused it to run on one cyclinder for Saturday’s timed qualifying session, resulting in him missing out on qualification.

“My biggest low point of the season,” he said of his 47th-quickest time.

Martin’s inactivity slashed his lead to 17 points, but following a six-week break, he roared back with a convincing double at Anglesey and a dramatic come-from-behind success at Oulton Park.

It left the Team Frontrow GB rider with a 40-point lead going into the penultimate round of the championship at Thruxton earlier this month, with only 50 points up for grabs.

Despite never having ridden the track before, the championship leader gave himself the best possible chance to secure the title after qualifying on pole.

“I found Thruxton was not too technical to learn and fairly wide,” he said.

“It was reasonably forgiving of mistakes as I learnt it in the wet free practice and destroyed the tyres in qualifying as the track dried out as the session went on.

“It remained dry for the race and I knew that I only needed to finish in the top ten to clinch the championship.

“However, because I had won every race that I have finished, if it was safe to do so I would go for the win as long as I could finish.”

Martin duly completed, and won, the race, opening up a six-second lead over second-placed Peter Henry Cox by the chequered flag.

Martin’s nearest title challenger Sian Brooks trailed in fourth, leaving her a massive 52 points behind the Whitnash man going into the final round of the championship.

“Having been racing for ten years it was a fantastic experience to win a championship,” said Martin, who praised his wife Emma for her support over the season.

“Being given the opportunity to ride for one of the best 250 race teams in the country on the best motorcycle I have ever ridden was a dream come true.”

Martin is now targeting a further victory in the final round at Silverstone on Saturday as he looks to round off a memorable season in style.