MATT FORD continued his dominance in the 125/250 gearbox class by taking top spot in every heat and the final at yesterday’s third round of the summer series at the Track. He survived a scare when he was threatened with a two-place penalty for barging in the first heat. But he successfully argued his case with the officials and his result stood.

He is now firmly at the top of the two boards and no one looks capable of catching him.

It was a totally different story in the 100 Senior Libre as the honours in the heats were shared out between Matthew Corson, Andy Ward and Colin Laine with series leader Darren Konken missing out.

In a close final, the 48-year-old Laine took the top podium place and he had to be at his best to hold off the other three, with Corson in second place breathing down his neck the whole way. The newsagent has won the championship a total of nine times since he started in the early 1980s.

‘That was good,’ said Laine afterwards.

‘I did 19.16 on one lap and that’s close to the course record. I was struggling as my neck started to go in the final laps but I still managed to hold on.

‘The rest of them are 18, 19 years old. There’s still life in the old man yet.’

Despite finishing fourth, 17-year-old Konken remains at the top of the standings.

‘Bad day,’ said the Grammar School student.

‘It was tight because everyone is so quick. It’s so hard to overtake here.’