August 2008
Hottrax @ Manx Grand Prix
As we enter the month of August the 2008 Manx Grand Prix will soon be upon us, a number of HMRC exponents will be grasping the nettle over on Mona’s Isle to attempt to master the challenging 37.73 mile road circuit.
Last year, Phoenix Endurance rider Pete Gibson entered the Newcomer’s race and had a provisional Senior race entry – after a confidence building practice week Pete felt happy with his R6 and on the Monday was able to secure a 19th place giving him a slot on the grid for Friday’s race. This race, however was postponed following uncertain weather conditions on race day and lack of experienced marshals able to make the track safe and secure on the Saturday; totally frustrating for all concerned, however safety on the Island is paramount. I think I am correct in saying that Monday’s Senior was not Pete’s first around the mountain circuit – back in the days when he had hair and wore an Army uniform he had raced around the track on a racing bike (i.e. no engine) to some effect! Pete is entered in Wednesday’s Junior race as well as Friday’s Senior for 2008.
Phoenix Endurance boss Shelley Pike will also be making her racing debut on the island in a couple of weeks on her trusty R6, as well as entering Monday’s Newcomers race (it’s a Bank Holiday so you could be there without throwing a sicky!) Shelley hopes to make an impact in the Senior race later on in the week.
Another rider connected with Phoenix Endurance is 50 year young Kent Farmer John Leigh Pemberton who rode with Shelley + Andy Jones at the first Hottrax Snetterton round back in May. No stranger to the TT circuit, John Lee will be manhandling a valuable Matchless G50 around in the Senior Classic and in total contract his Suzuki SV650 will be entered in the Ultra Lightweight on Wednesday.
Hottrax regular and very helpful person Sean Moss has Newcomer and Senior entries for his own Honda 600 – Sean has raced in National Endurance as well as Junior TAG and MotoGrande over the past couple of years and really enjoys his racing. Relative Hottrax newcomer, Rod Lynn is hopefully doing the same races on his 750 Suzuki. Rod was part of the very rapid Uprite Racing that caused a stir at Pembrey but failed to finish and has since been picked up by Moores Sweatshop Racing 2 on the championship leading R1 – clearly a young rider with a great future.
The combined efforts of Sean, Pete and Shelley have entered this years Manx under the banner of HMRC (Hottrax) Racing.
Apart from all our colleagues mentioned above, the rest of the entry includes regular road racing exponents; Ryan Farquhar, Mark Parrett, Steve Lisdell, Chris Palmer, Chris McGahan, Si Fulton, Carolynn Sells, Maria Costello and young Sam Dunlop racing his RS250 Honda.
To round off the perfect week, like me, you could take in the Manx and still be at Cadwell for the Hottrax Endurance on the Saturday – perfect. If that is not enough to convince you, there is also the Manx Grand Prix Guitar Fest……….well, maybe not then!
8hrs of Oschersleben
Alfonso’s packing his bucket ‘n spade for a long weekend in Berlin with the best two Nottingham motorcycle racers in the world – Richard Cooper and Chris Walker
This was the trip I should have taken a couple of years ago before commitments to the Vintage Sports Car Club got in the way - so for 2008 Oschersleben gets my full and undivided attention for three days.
Couldn’t be a better year, drooling over the provisional entry list we have Cooperman doing the 8 hours on a BMW Motoradd Motorsport HP2 Sport and what Richard doesn’t know about wringing performance out of a boxer twin isn’t worth knowing. Other Nottingham born torpedo, Stalker is on the Team Kawasaki France ZX10R – expect him to be quick and up at the sharp end. Also rocking up to Germany are discipline devotees Phase One Endurance with adopted Brit Damian Cudlin riding alongside the very experienced James Haydon and Frenchman Stephane Duterne. Humbersider Steve Plater will want to be quickest on the Austria Yamaha R1 which will also have ex WSB regular Steve Martin in the line up. Ex Phase One peddlers Warwick Nowland and James Pidmore will be plying their craft aboard a Slovakian entered R1. Rounding off the entry list is the Diablo 666 Bolliger Kawasaki of James Hutchins, the very rapid Uprite Racing's Alex Cudlin and ex Virgin Yamaha man Gary Mason – all very quick on their day. Missing will be HMRC participant and general top bloke Damian Rowley who’s Italian MCS Racing team were denied a place as Oschersleben; being an 8 hour bash it had also attracted local teams not previously interested in supporting the World Endurance Championship, which all seems a bit harsh!
Chuck in a couple of Dealer Team KTM RCs, and MV 1000 and a Buell and the entry looks varied and exciting. The race kicks off at 3pm on Saturday finishing just before midnight no doubt leading into a hedonistic night of activities. The race programme includes International Sidecars, KTM Super Dukes, domestic R6 Cup, 125, Supersport and Superbikes which might include a certain Michael Schumacher racing under a pseudonym securing mid field places when not falling off – should be a brilliant weekend!
April 2008
I was at Mallory Park last week for the morning practice session for cars and had to then zoom down to Silverstone to cover Formula Renault pre season testing (and lunch with the evergreen John Surtees and son Henry who is combining his AS Levels at school with making the graduation into single seaters). John has wisely pointed out to 17 year old H that not many people make a good living from a career in motorsport and he must also focus on hos academic future!
As an aside, spouses of famous parents happen a lot in autsport - as well as Henry, Josh Hill (yes, Graham's grandson) has moved into Ginetta Juniors straight from karting. The Mansell brothers, Leo and Greg ound it difficult to get to grips with F3 last year so are now in the states plying their trade........
Back to bikes - If I stayed on in the afternoon, I would have spotted our own Tony Jimenez who was there to try out his Commando powered clasic in readiness for this season, having enjoyed success in this arena during 2007!
also
An intelligent perosn who ought to know better aka Hazel Drury (General Practitioner of Rhuddlan, North Wales and brave survivor of many an off), reports;
"Team Best Choice, along with other HMRC stalwarts went testing to Anglesey on March 1st but alas the radiator decided it was going to have a hole - so Gary only managed half a session."
Hazel + Co were at the snow covered Slipperystone National Circuit at Easter where all riders got a go AND skillfully voided dropping it at Copse unlike the other 7 who did in the morning due to the ice / sleet.
"Them white lines you have to cross whilst banked are NOT nice in thawed snow" - roll on April sunshine back in North Wales.
March 2008
Embassy Racing Moto will be the official factory entrant for the 2008 Bristish Supersport Championship. They will retain endurance racer, Glen Richards, with whom they won the 07 Superstock title, Embassy are no stranger to the racing world having been a strong contender in national and international GT racing using Chevrolet Corvettes.
Glen will be joined by Paul Young - himself no slouch and with a reputation for peddling the British triples to great effect. It will be remembered that Youngy grabbed pole position at Silverstone last October in the final HMRC round - only to have his race plans upset by clutch problems.
In 2007 Richards was main thread in Russell Benney's Phase One Endurance team with sevralprestigious placings. Glen returns to the Phase One ranks again this season, alongside American Jason Pridmore. It is also worth noting that Phase One dip their toe into the Isle of Man TT water (Irish Sea?) with James McBride - an accomplished endurance runner himself!
February 2008 - Team Viking
Team Viking (#88) – Barry Salmon, Crispin d’Albertanson and Paul Clarke
Paul Clarke and Crispin d’Albertanson first entered the world of motorcycle endurance racing via the 2006 KRC championship and Barry Salmon joined them at the second Snetterton encounter, riding a 750 Suzuki, he was drafted in to calm the young pups down.
For 2007 the team invested in a new Honda 600RR which gave them reliability, despite a couple of off track excursions and engine management gremlins at Snetterton they achieved a creditable second place in the Supersport 600 class which was dominated by Moores Racing. It went down to the final round which saw Team Viking beat Ducks X into third Place in the class, with a highest overall finish of 6th at the Home of British Motorsport to accompany three eighth places and a tenth!
All three are talented riders and instructors having taught on the totally unique and demanding Nurburgring in Germany. For the three musketeers, endurance racing offers valuable track time at affordable prices in a relatively safe environment where not all the riders have to charge + scrape to a win over a 6 lap sprint.
Riders are all professional people from event management, property consultant and ICT specialist and Team Viking are very well turned out, approachable and helpful to others – sticking with HMRC and their Honda 600 - have a safe + successful 2008 and stay out of the gravel Paul!
January 2008 - GBMoto
Nothing set in stone yet, but GBMoto will be returning to defend their hard earned 2007 HMRC National title. No details are forthcoming but whilst we wait feast your eyes on;
this is how GBMoto looked like in 2003 at Oulton Park
this is how GBMoto celebrated their 2007 National title
GBMoto - back to yellow for 2008?