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After what seems like a long hard winter, the UK’s top endurance teams gathered in the Kent sunshine on Easter Monday, for a six-hour thrash around the Brands Hatch 1.226 mile Indy circuit.
Over twenty teams and fifty riders came to the line for a noon start and with last month’s Superstocks lapping below fifty seconds, given decent weather conditions, we could easily see 300+ laps being completed by the 6pm drop of the flag. Conditions proved to be almost ideal and by six in the evening the twenty four race teams had completed 7429 laps or 9108 miles with the top crew maintaining an average race speed of 78.70 mph, the winning team covering an impressive 386 laps.
Among the previous pilots who returned to battle for honours in 2006, were Team 120+ Racing, included in their rider line up was 2005 Brands Hatch winner – Ian Caley, albeit on the longer Grand Prix circuit. MC Technics included one of the second place line up from last year; suspension wizard Darren Wnukoski, Class D winners from last May – Uprite Racing returned to try and uphold honour. For 2006 KRC have four classes to stimulate the racers, new for this season is Class E for Superproduction machines: 601 – 1000cc four cylinder four strokes. The introduction of this class will tempt riders and teams to enter the world of endurance racing without a wallet-busting budget.
Also taking to the grid were experienced riders such as Roger Bennett who can claim an extensive CV that includes road racing, international endurance racing and the Macau Grand Prix. Moores Racing includes Jim Agombar who nailed an eighth place at the 2005 Oschersleben 24 Hours out of twenty-nine finishers. Former 125cc national pilot Damien Cahill, shared a Honda 600 with KRC Class B overall champion Doug Cannon and they were looking for overall and class success on the day.
It was obvious that the majority of teams had invested in new bikes during the closed season or did some considerable upgrading of last season’s mounts. For 2006 Moores Moto are entering a very trick Yamaha R6 and R1 in class B and C respectively. C + K Racing came to the line with a rather special Yamaha R1 which was recognised by KRC in awarding them the Best Prepared Bike commendation.
Early morning practice allowed GB Moto rider and circuit specialist, Richard Norris to put down a marker setting a time of 50.25s on his R1, this was over a quarter of a second faster than David Wood on Team Serendipity’s 1000 Suzuki. The Portsmouth Yamaha R6 was a creditable third fastest in the capable hands of Fast Bikes journo – Jamie Wilkins. This team were to retire after only 81 laps, setting a fastest lap in their class of 50.65s - they clearly have potential and are committed to the full series.
Unfortunately Monster Moto (Gary Wolfe/Guy Bolam/Paul Noble) only managed a brief practice session before their Honda twin went sick. Back in the pits they managed to liberate a racing Yamaha R1 from the back of the lorry, which refused to run well so it was an early bath for these three. The sound of the Honda twin was a regrettable absentee from the day’s proceedings, KRC’s Class D allows for 601 - 1000cc twins & triples and it would be glorious to add Ducati, Aprilia or even a Hinckley Triumph triple into the mix before too long!
120 + Racing could have been renamed Team Red Face - as their rider left the garage at the start of practice he promptly threw it down the pit lane, this didn’t stop them being 15th in practice despite only taking part in one session. At the end of the days racing the team were awarded the ‘Best Pit Crew’ award by KRC for their efforts.
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Team Serendipity - David Wood |
At the Le Mans start it was Team Serendipity (David Wood/David Higgins), GB Moto (Mark ‘Macca’ Smith-Halvorsen/Roger Bennett/Richard Norris) and Harvey Mushman Racing (Mick Godfrey/Brian Wood/Richie Wright) who made it look like a sprint race and were still on the same lap an hour later.
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Harvey Mushman Racing
16th place |
Early in the second hour the pace car was deployed due to a faller at Paddock, after the car pulled in Chris Frost dropped the Alf’s Motorcycles Kawasaki, caught out by cold tyres and pitted for a safety check before continuing. Just before the 2pm mark Wood crashed the Harvey Mushman R1 heavily at Clark Curve and sustained a long period in the pits. Leading crew GB Moto called in for a new rear tyre and a change of rider to racing journeyman Roger Bennett, rejoining the race just behind the Serendipity bike which dived into the pits for 2m 05s to take on rider, rubber + fuel handing a 50s lead to Bennett. Very soon the pace car came out again and the Bushman Yam rejoined the race in 17th place.
By the three hour mark GB Moto enjoyed a three lap cushion over the MC Technics 750 Suzuki of Andy Marcroft/Darren Wnukoski/Mark Turner, and the immaculately turned out C + K Racing R1 (Kev + Chris Jones/Ian Wooltorton) 8 laps adrift in third. We were missing Team Serendipity who were ‘making adjustments’ in the garage to the Suzuki before again returning to the fray in 21st spot.
During the fourth hour of the race the Mushman bike was back into the top ten and at the sharp end Norris pitted whilst holding a 6 lap lead over the C + K R1, enduring a pit stop that seemed to last for ages whilst the crew attended to the front + rear wheel changing tyres, pads, rider and adding fuel.
By the time Macca returned to the track they had lost their 6 lap lead and were behind on the road to the MC Technics 750, yet to take their next pit stop. After the stop a very cool Bennett commented “the stop was only six minutes and allowed new front pads to be fitted – better to be safe than sorry” – once again proving that endurance racing is all about strategy and the long game as well as being fast!
Macca was careful to work the tyres up to temperature before getting back up to race speed circulating in the 50s bracket. Another rider on a charge was seasoned international endurance campaigner Russ Baker on the two rider line up for Alf’s Motorcycles Kawasaki who was also turning in sub 51s laps working the bike up the order after an earlier spill; they were now lying in sixth place. The 600 Honda of Team M2, whose line up included Doug Cannon/Dave Shelvey/Damien Cahill had been grafting hard to work up to a commendable fourth spot after four hours and last years winning team Uprite Racing were just ahead by two laps.
At around the five hour mark another incident out on the track involving the Mushman R1 caused second spot Marcroft to drop the 750 Suzuki, having to nurse the machine back into the pits - the bike was made safe + Turner returned to the track to play ‘catch up’ for the rest of the duration.
For the final run Macca rode the GB Moto R1 steadily towards the chequered flag, enjoying a 7 lap lead over the hastily repaired MC Technics 750 Suzuki with the C + K R1 and Alf’s Motorcycles Kawasaki finishing third + fourth on the same lap, ahead of last years winner Uprite Racing (Jason Gunning/Alan Stevens/George McCombie) and the 600 Honda of Team M2 completing the top six.
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Kawasaki Newcastle - Malcolm Charlton - 17th place |
The winning team set the fastest lap of the race at 49.38s on lap 15 and on the previous lap MC Technics put in a 50.50s lap in their class. Viking Racing (750 Suzuki) were fastest in Class E with a 51.87s push on lap 22, eventually rounding up the top ten.
GB Moto have opened their account in the best possible way – pocketing 25 points, not forgetting that the team were overall and class champions in 2004 but only scored in one round last year it’s all to play for!
Other notables were Class E winners, Hebo UK Racing (Tim Jones/Simon Price/Justin Parr) finishing 9th on their naked Suzuki SV 650, Team Serendipity finished in 16th place despite many dramas along the way and the Kawasaki Newcastle team were seventeenth – this team took the award for highest combined rider age, no comment! Third in Class E was Shelley Pike on the Phoenix Endurance 600 Yamaha shared with Pete Gibson and Shaun Finch, following a steady ride avoiding any unwanted dramas.
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Phoenix Endurance - 13th place |
The opening round of the 2006 KRC Endurance Championship was a fantastic and thrilling race for the riders and crowd alike - we now move onto Snetterton on the 20th of May for Round Two where we will see a larger field taking to the long straights and rapid curves of the former WWII Airforce base in deepest Norfolk – on KRC’s last visit to Snetterton the teams were lapping at around the 70s mark for the sub two mile circuit, see you next month.
Alfonso LygoP
PPhotography copyright © Alfonso Lygo, all rights reserved.
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