Hottrax Motorsport Racing Club Motorcycle Endurance Championship
words and photos by Alfonso Lygo

Basil Bannayi leads Lee Rawlings (Junior TAG)	Craig Beggs on his way to a win (MotoGrande)

MotoGrande 3 X 15 laps

Packed grids were the order of the day for the three MotoGrande races held over the weekend, qualifying was dominated by James Powell who peddled his Triumph triple around almost two seconds quicker than anyone else in changeable weather conditions. On Saturday Craig Beggs monstered the opposition on his Triumph 675 beating James Powell’s similar mount on both occasions with Robert Simcock (Suzuki 750) netting a trio of well earned third places along the way. Good rides were also delivered by Richie Cunningham (Yamaha R1), Andy Petts (Suzuki 1000), Sean Moss (Honda 600), Stephen Axton, Ashley Rothwell, Andy Rouse and the Dilks Bros - Marc and Peter. Sunday saw paddock newcomer Angelo De Rosa, gaining track time for the following day’s raceday, hounded Beggs into submission to stop the rider of the smaller machine from making it a trio of wins over two days.

Supermono

Hottrax Motorsport were delighted to host two national Supermono races, both held in bright and dry conditions. Reigning European champion Mark Lawes grabbed pole by half a second on his Pami BMW from Aussie Michael Payne with Perry Goldstein and Aaron Easter in their wake. From the start Lawes made Race 1 his own leading early on from the front with Dijon Compton and Payne scrapping closely throughout the 13 laps with the pursuing pack in close company. In race two Lawes had to work harder for his win as Compton pushed him until his engine seemed to loose power and he dropped back. Taking up the challenge Payne and Goldstein remained hot on the trail but unable to have a pop at Lawes for the lead, Compton managed a point scoring fourth ahead of Aaron Easter. Magnificent riders and machines, weighing little more than a moped with power aplenty.

3 hr Junior TAG Endurance

Graphic UK Racing (Basil Bannayi/Jonty Dixon) established a robust pole position by over a second from Tango & Crash (John Blundell/Ryan Myler) with the two Kawasakis of GT Racing (Keith Tribe/Brad Patras) rounding off the top three in qualifying in the morning. On Saturday afternoon it was indeed Graphic who made P1 on the road ahead of GT and ‘new to series’ Sherwood Suzuki (Carl Dodwell/Peter Symes). Moments into the race Patras parted company with the green machine at the Corkscrew running to the paddock with the transponder for partner Keith Tribe to start his race earlier than planned. He then returned to the scene of his spill to successfully recover the bike and return to the pits.

After 30 minutes early leaders Graphic lead from Sherwood S, Tango and NR Racing (Nathan Horsfield/Ryan Peters). At the one hour mark the Sherwood duo had a one second lead over NR with Tango and TM72 Juniors (Claire Bowyer/Joan McIntosh) only feet apart. After a good start and an early spill GT were back in the pitlane for a 30 second penalty and along with other random pit stops they dropped to an unpopular 18th place.

Middle distance and Sherwood had a lap over NR with Tango and TM72J both only a lap away. NR then had a small crash out on the circuit and after pitting for safety checks, returned to the fray loosing some valuable time.

With two out of the three hours spoken for the Sherwood Suzukis led by a lap from NR with Tango, TM72J, Graphics, Project 39 (Andy Rouse/Colin Norris) and the Rawlings brothers (Lee and Matt) trailing in their wake.

After an already action packed race, the final hour saw Claire Bowyer toss the 600 into the grass at Church - with rider & machine in the centre of the circuit the transponder was lobbed to the pit crew on the other side of the track and fitted to Joan's machine for the final stint of the three hour encounter, dropping the pairing down from third (and healthily closing down on runner up spot) to a distant seventh on the same lap as three other teams.

With only 15 minutes to go newcomers Sherwood Suzuki were in the frame for a debut win until Pete Symes lost it on the short straight after the banking and was unable to return his 750 or the all important transponder back to the other bike before the end of the three hours. The top men from the West Midlands, with a combined age of 90, were most philosophical about it, Pete saying he was using this race as a shake down ready for the Manx Grand Prix, later on this summer, where he finished second in the 250 Classic in 2008.

When it really matted most J600 team NR Racing won, despite a crash, with a lap in hand over class rivals Tango & Crash, the brothers Rawlings came in third spot; 9 seconds ahead of Graphics UK Racing. TMR (Ian Holloway/Steven Baggott) were a creditable fifth and a big hand to the TM72 Juniors for a creditable sixth place and a fastest 600 lap on the way. Project 39 were next, ahead of a trio of Junior 1000 machines all on the same lap - Team TAR (Gary Bransgrove/Steve Callahan), AV-IT Racing (Andy Carpenter/Marcus Langford) and Ricochet Racing (Mark Stanbury/Richard Lander Stow).

Two sides of the same coin - a disappointing day for could be winners Sherwood Suzuki but a magnificent time for NR Racing who have netted 3 wins from 3 starts and lead the championship with maximum points going into the second half of the season.

Masters 3 hours race and National/Senior 6 hours race

Sweatshop Racing (Hugh Brasher/Mick Godfrey/Rod Lynn/R1) converted a comfortable pole into leading on the road after securing pole position over Masters outfit Track craft (Mark Linscott/Mike Dickenson) by just under half a second. This was after Trackcraft’s Dickenson almost wrote his R1 off on the Friday track day - true to form the camaraderie in the Hottrax Endurance paddock enabled the bruised machine to be rebuilt using rival team’s parts, tools, support and encouragement. Much of the Saturday morning’s practice and qualifying time had been lost after a Junior 1000 machine laid a line of oil around the 1.55 mile circuit.

At the start of the big race the crocodile of bikes maintained it‘s qualifying order with Sweatshop at the front, in their wake we saw Trackcraft, Freaks of Nature Too(Mark Whiston/Dave Stewardson), TM72 Racing (Andy McKnight/Eric Chitty) and the smaller machine of ETA Racing (Ian Courts/Darren Brearley). After 30 minutes Trackcraft came out on top until the safety car made its first appearance after Glen Levy crashed the Apex Racing (Glen/Nick Matthews/Lee Morris) R6 coinciding with the first round of pitstops which saw Sweatshop build a lap lead over the trailing Ducks Cross (Mike Eglington/Grant Wagstaff/Martin Landmann/R6), Trackcraft, Freaks and Extreme Bykesportz (Dave Wardle/Ian Walker).

Being in separate classes Trackcraft resisted the strong temptation to step up to the plate & chase the leading Sweatshop effort, being content with a lap advantage over their nearest rivals - Freaks of Nature.

The status quo very much remained in place at the 90 minute mark and at the two hour mark the timing sheets confirmed Sweatshop a lap ahead of Trackcraft, Freaks, TM72, and on the same lap with Ducks X, Pitstop (Peter and Marc Dilks), Extreme and ETA. Moments later Dave Whiston lost his Freaks R1 on the run up to Rocket as well as loosing his transponder in the long grass - despite intensive searching the errant device remained unfound and a frustrated Freaks lost second place for the day and team mate Bones stayed in the pitlane with machine, no transponder and nowhere to go!

With the first chequered flag thrown after three hours to signify the conclusion of the Masters TAG race - Trackcraft confirmed their third win of the season so far in the Masters 1000 class, TM72 were classified in second place ahead of Extreme and First Form Endurance (Paul Robey/Tim Westley), Freaks were unclassified despite their strong showing. Pit Stop Racing took the M600 class ahead of joint table leaders Profibre (Richard Dubber and Gothard) and ETA in bronze position.

For those only half way through the six hour show - Sweatshop held a two lap lead over TM72 who had opted to continue in the Senior 1000 class, aided by Claire Bowyer. Ducks X were next up ahead of welcome newcomers Beef Hooked Racing (Jason Lighwood/Bruce Hamer/Andy Newcombe), 120+ (Richie Cunningham/Mike Bradley), Costello Redmond Racing (Jon Leach/Pete Douglas/Derek Redmond) and Well Oiled Racing (Helen Drury/Michael Naylor/Steve Griffiths).

More drama 30 minutes later when GASI Racing’s (Helen & Grant Gaskins/Sam Godfrey) Helen ditched the immaculate 600 at Church and bought the pace car out for the second time in the race. The team soon re grouped and were back in the thick of it, without Helen who was nursing an elbow injury and the 600 which remained parked against the Armco. Simon Taylor followed suit he lost contact with the tarmac on his very well prepared Auto Moto Racing  KTM RC8 at the same place necessitating the transponder to return to base for the rest of AMR Endurance (Simon/Bob Robson/Al Waring) to continue.

Two thirds distance and Sweatshop luxuriated in a 5 lap lead over TM72, Ducks X, Beef Hooked, 120+ and Costello on the same lap. Rod Lynn was rested by Sweatshop after an old shoulder injury flared up, with an eye on his TT debut this was a sensible call by team chief Hugh Brasher. Finding themselves on the same lap towards the end of the race was the beautiful sounding air-cooled Kapital Moto Ducati (Phill Clarke/Jason Boswell/Luke Palmer) and the 2008 ex Phase One R1 of East Coast Racing (Phillip Read/Paul Hobson/Simon Rooms), the Yamaha chasing down and passing the Italian twin before crashing out at Church to signify ‘game over‘ for the historic R1, joining the R1 and the GASI 600 in the bike park.

As the race, held in absolutely stunning conditions, entered its final phase Well Oiled Kitty were on the same lap as Redmond Racing and 120 + so there was still points, positions and points to play for. It was indeed Sweatshop who scored their triple class and overall win of the series, comfortably ahead of TM72 (so that’s two runner up spots of the afternoon), the R6 of Ducks X was the final podium placed team with Mike Eglington subbing for Jon Railton who was on national racing duty at BSB. Hottrax Motorsport newcomers earned a commendable fourth place ahead of Well Oiled Racing, 120+ and Costello/Redmond Racing, all within a lap or so! The Kapital Moto Ducati was ahead on the road of Project Nine Three (Andy Buik/Carl Myers/Paul Noble/GSXR), GASI, AMR and Apex Racing. Lovely weather, entertaining racing and some close finishes - 12 seconds between 5th and 6th, 23 seconds between 8th and 9th and 40 seconds between the final two classified finishers.