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

The Hottrax Endurance 2010 season made a fantastic start with changeable weather and plump grids for Junior and National 3 hour endurance races as well as triple races on the programme for MotoGrande sprint events.

National Endurance

The National race got underway in bright sunshine and pole was set in cool morning conditions by 2009 Champions Sweatshop Racing (Hugh Brasher/Mick Godfrey) on their much trusted R1, Mick using this race as excellent preparation for his Le Mans appearance on the Alf's Motorcycles Kawasaki in a couple of weeks time. Showing silver were Graphic UK (Dean Skipper/Basil Bannayi) who appear in 2010 on a brace of Fireblades almost a second adrift. TM72 (Andy McKnight/Jonty Dixon) were third fastest ahead of newcomers TS Racing (Richard Payne/James McBride)  who were top 600s a smidge in front of fellow newbies 1491 Endurance (Andy Pulling/Ian Cooper) and the brothers Dilks (Pit Stop Racing) - Peter and Marc.

At the start Sweatshop made no mistake about it and started work on building up a cushion over P2. Left on the grid were the Slingshot Honda and the Louth Bikes R6 (Perry Cooper/Ralph Naden) however the big Honda was soon scything its way through the pack to regain ground. At the initial rash of pit stops and rider changes Sweatshop luxuriated in a two lap advantage over Graphic UK, TM72, top 600 effort - TS Racing, despite James McBride grass tracking around Russells. In close company were Ducks Cross Racing (Martin Landmann/Grant Wagstaff), 1491 and the Pit Stop Bros - no less than eleven players on the same lap. Dramas for A & G Racing (Mark Affleck/Gary Jones) when Mark's Honda conked out, struggled to get back into pit lane before the Welshman, Jones, could rejoin the fray.

For much of the first hour the race ran like clockwork with little drama on the track or pit lane. This enabled Sweatshop to continue to pile on the coals and retain a lead of one lap; we did see a change on the rest of the podium positions with TM72 now second following a dramatic fall down the order for Graphic. Nottingham's Pit Stop were now leading the 600s and third on the road in front of the rapid TS pairing. Tango & Crash (John ‘Bongo’ Blundell/Ryan Myler) who were holding fifth with Profibre (Richards Durber
+ Gothard) topping out the top six and looking good for the 600s over their big brothers. More dramas for A & G as Jones' Kawasaki broke a throttle cable costing valuable time before getting out amongst it again. In the same era James McBride's hard working R6 cried enough by throwing a crank resulting in the team ending their campaign in garage number 7, the Yamaha making it’s next appearance at the NW200 next month. Profibre's Richard Durber was also having a mare but was soon rejoining the race with purpose. Next bike reported down was 1419’s Andy Pulling who was off at the Esses.

Two thirds distance it was now TM72 who led from early favorites Sweatshop only seconds apart and closing with T & C and 1491 battling for third spot less than a minute apart. 10 minutes later the race lost the hard pushing 1491 rider at the Esses and the safety car was deployed to allow the marshals at Russells move Marc Dilks’ Honda which was returned to the paddock for a spell of DIY. With 50 minutes to go it was brother Peter who made a Horlicks of Riches and ran safely back to the paddock with the all important transponder but their battle to finish was to be an uphill one! It was the combination of a safety car appearance and Sweatshop calling in for fresh rubber that enabled TM72 to join the flying R1 at the front in the closing stages and with 30 minutes to run the defending champs were only 9 seconds ahead with Tango + Crash and Ducks X dicing for third spot on a brace of 600s. Twelve minutes left and Sweatshop and Ducks X have a last minute splash and dash pit stop , Sweatshop hanging on to a slender 16 second over TM72 which saw Jonty Dixon, replacing original team rider Eric Chitty who suffered a testing accident recently at Cadwell Park, and an overjoyed Andy McKnight delighted to be that close to the front. Another massive grin was that of Tango and Crash who finished a lap ahead of Graphic UK who at one time were down in 10th after showing 2nd earlier on. Fatblokeracewear.com (Colin Norris/Andy Rouse) were other smilers with a well earned 5th with Colin running a standard Triumph engine after loosing his race version in testing and young Andy who is also contesting the Michelin Power Cup. Ducks X were sixth but there is more to come from the yellow and blue outfit and the Slingshot Fireblades were 7th. In a rewarding eighth were journey men Sean Moss and Chris Carter (Epona Racing), a racing duo who always enjoy themselves.

Junior Race

Following morning qualifying it was Banzai Racing (Rupert Thompson/Ben Jenkins) who were a shade faster than Throttlemonkeys TM17 (Gary Buck/Ash Rothwell) who in turn were quicker than TANC Racing (Chris Mason/Ash Joice) and AV-IT Racing (Andy Carpenter/Marcus Langford). Following light rainfall over the lunch break it was dry as the grid formed with 35 bikes. With a couple of riders starting from the pit lane there were two fallers at Russells on the opening lap necessitating the first appearance of the pace car for almost 15 minutes as machines and owners were recovered costing MaD Racing (Richard Dilks/Sam Hooson) a lap in the process. Also missing on that lap went TANC and Go Dive (Paul Hardy/James Parsons). At the 30 minute mark Banzai lead by a couple of seconds from AV-IT and Terry Thomas Racing (Marc Broi/James Shervell), 9 teams were all on the same lap with a further 19 another lap down. After the usual round of pit stops with nearly an hour gone our leaders, Banzai, were reported to be loosing fluids only seconds before coming to grief at Russells, the transponder was refitted to the other machine costing valuable minutes in lost time and dumping them to 32nd place at the sixty minute mark.

This promoted AV-IT into P1 a tenth of a second over TM17 with Terry Thomas and No Limits Racing (Arron Bird/Ray Janes) in close pursuit. The highest placed 600 was that of DNA (Dan Jennings/Adam Parsons) a lap ahead of the new race pairing of BLDS Couriers (Bill Lilly/George Harvey). At half way point a spill at The Esses bought the Pace Car out again after one rider hit a pigeon and others lost the plot! In an adjacent excursion Derek Redmond almost totalled the ZX10 and at the same location Gary Buck was over and out causing a patch up in the garage before its reappearance. The only remaining TANC rider - Michelin Man Chris Mason - stepped off at Russells and it was 'game over' for them. The two teams at the front were within touching distance before the pace car flag appeared which shuffled some of the top ten line up from AV-IT, TM17, Terry Thomas. Insignia (Rob Loveday/Einar Torlen), Worx Suzuki (Gary Bartlett/Dean Teversham). No Limits, Derek Redmond 400 (Wayne Crossman/Neil Garnham) and DNA - now read; AV-IT, Worx, Insignia, TM17, No Limits, FS Racing (Paul Ford/Kris Sanders), Terry Thomas & Ridgeback (Mark Clark/David Stolliday).

With two thirds time served it was still AV-IT a lap ahead of Insignia, Worx, Ridgeback, Terry Thomas, DR 400, Sherwood Suzuki and top 600 outfit, DNA. The pace car popped out again as we had two fallers at (yes, you've guessed it) Russells including young newcomer George Harvey on the BLDS GSX. The final half hour was awe inspiring stuff as Insignia stalked AV-IT and the gap closed from 12s to 4s in 20 minutes. It was an identical story for 3rd/4th and 5th/6th - a missed gear or forced detour around a back marker could have meant gaining or loosing a place, such close racing is amazing after almost three hours on the road.

So, for the opening round of the Hottrax Motorsport Endurance Championship, it was max points for AV-IT Racing (Marcus Langford taking his first ever win on two wheels) over sliver wear earning newcomers Insignia, third were Terry Thomas Racing (Ding-Dong) from the Worx Suzukis separated by 5s with Sherwood Suzuki in fifth and rounding off the top half dozen Ridgeback Racing. Derek Redmond 400 took a well earned seventh with No Limits on the same lap, ahead of FS Racing. The top four teams all finished on the same lap and were covered by less than 70 seconds…

DNA took the 600 win, finishing a magnificent tenth on the road, ahead of class rivals MC Racing (Brooking/McKinnon) by a whole two laps with Ducatiists L A Stone Racing (Hathaway/Howard) and sorrymate.com (Fergus Delgarno/Ryan Peters) who could have nailed bronze had it not been for a punishing stop/go episode. Rounding off the top six were keen as mustard absolute beginners J R Racing (Mark Roxbrough/Chris Jennings) carrying constabulary livery and the 'Bikesafe' message and MaD Racing.

MotoGrande

Saturday's action kicked off with the first 15lap MotoGrande clash where morning practice had seen the litre machines of Raymond Stagg, Gerrard Fallon & Andy Parker dominate. When push came to shove in a dry race after damp qualifying it was Pete Wilson who stole the holeshot on the premier circuit and never looked back to steal a winning margin of 26s over Pete Whiteside on his Slingshot Firelade a second ahead of Fallon on another 1000 Suzuki. The quickest 600s were 50 seconds down with Michael Wallis fourth on the road 4s ahead of Adam Parsons and 11s in front of Mark Evans. In the wake of this pack were another four big machines in the chase.

Race Two was also held in chilly conditions and Gerrard Fallon made a demon start from the flag having to yield to yesterday's winner Pete Wilson who steadily built up a safety margin over pole man Andy Parker, Michael Wallace and Fallon. At the start of L6 Mark Ball ditched his Suzuki at Russells spilling fuel which bought out the red flags. rider OK and track made safe we had a restart for 8 laps. Fallon was missing from part two and it was Wilson who stole the holeshot for only to laps when a faller at the Esses caused a reappearance of the red cloth. The third start of Race 2 saw Wilson underline his dominance keeping the following posse at bay to win from Parker, a slow starting Raymond Stagg, Cliff Tabiner and top 600 rider Adam Parsons not far behind, just a quarter of a second ahead of the R6 of Michael Wallis.

Race Three concluded the Easter weekend festival of speed and Pete Wilson was smart off his second row position to get in front of Andy parker on the first lap before Sam Ludgate pitched off at the Esses. By third distance Wilson had consolidated his position over Parker, top 600 mount Michael Wallis, Fallon, Stagg and Mark Evans on the second smaller machine. Not a lot changed and by the end of the fifteen laps Peter Wilson had opened his 2010 MotoGrande account with maximum points in what seemed an easy and convincing fashion - the opposition have around five weeks to raise their game at the second round.

The clear message is that UK endurance racing and the MotoGrande sprint races are fast, furious and close and this is only the opening round of the season - watch out for further fireworks at Cadwell Park on the 8th and 9th of May.