The outcome of the second round of the KRC UK Endurance Championship was all going to be about weather and tyre choice. Some teams had taken advantage of a trackday before Saturday’s six-hour race at Snetterton. #88 probably wished they had given this a miss after abusing their number one machine – good job you carry a spare lads! Winners of the first round; GB Moto had fitted a new engine between rounds. It was this engine that gave the team some concerns with a small oil leak during morning practice; managing only 7 laps that put them ninth on the grid, this tense period also included a minor off at Russells. Richard Norris was a reluctant non starter for the team, due to medical reasons and joining the team was Calvin ‘Hulk’ Hogan who, despite his youth has enjoyed success in the BMW Boxer Cup, experience with Phase One and currently peddles an R6 in the Virgin Cup at national level to great effect.

Fastest in the three practice sessions was Norwich domiciled Phil Jeans on Lodden Racing’s immaculate 1000 Honda only 6/100s from Team Serendipity pilot David Higgins.

The Start

At the noon start it was local man Guy Hubbard (Loddon Honda) who shot into the lead hotly pursued by David Wood (Team Serendipity Suzuki) leaving Mark Smith-Halvorsen (GB Moto R1) struggling to get off the line, eventually getting away in last place at the same time as the leaders were cannoning down the long straight. The downpours from the morning had disappeared and most riders had started on cut slicks, from 27th the yellow GB Moto man was 18th after two laps, 15th after 3 and 13th after the next! 

Loddon Racing & Team Serendipity

At the one hour mark the Loddon Honda was one lap ahead of Serendipity, this was reversed later when David Higgins was clearly pulling away on the big Suzuki, Moores Racing’s R1 was also a couple of laps down as was series returnee the Doc Bush R1 (Keith Bush/Simon Watson) in fourth place.

                  Doc Bush Racing

During the second hour of action the Harvey Mushman Racing (Alex Buckingham / Hugh Brasher / Richard Wright) R1 was up to second, two laps down on Serendipity and GB Moto were up in sixth place, as the track remained dry with a fresh westerly wind affecting some riders on parts of the circuit. At the two-hour point Scottish gasman Roger Bennett took over from Cal Hogan and David Wood emerged from pit lane on the leading bike, with a lap in hand and Doctor Bush took over from teammate, Simon Watson.  The heavens opened just into the third hour of racing and times dropped from the 1m 14s mark into the 1m 20’s, bikes dived into the pits to change onto full wets, disadvantaging some who did not have quick release wheels. Leading Class D was Team Uprite 750 Suzuki (Jason Gunning/Alan Stevens/George McCombie), early in the race they were as high as sixth place but became less upright just after the 4 o clock mark dropping them down the order; Class B was led by 120+ Racing 600 Honda (Rich Cunningham/Mike Bradley/Iain Caley) who were later overhauled by Team M2 and Class E SP Racing 600 R6, from Lincolnshire (Stuart + Phillip Bedford/Ady Warrant), SP lost out to Black Cat Racing at about half way point.

The track was now drying and teams contemplated pitting for a tyre change before the heavy rains returned and speeds dropped again, Newcastle Kawasaki (Jeff Gouch/Phil Knowles/Andy Jones) retired at Riches and had a long push back through the infield to the pits to retire after completing 75 laps. At half way point Serendipity held 3 laps in hand over Moores Racing R1 (James Hurrell/Jim Agombar/Keith Webster) who were ahead of the Loddon Honda (Phil Jeans/Guy Hubbard/Scott Ingram), GB Moto who were fastest on the track and revelling in the conditions, C& K Racing R1 (Chris + Kevin Jones/Ian Wooltorton) and Harvey Mushman Racing.

C & K Racing - 2nd place

The bright yellow GB Moto Yamaha moved into a potential podium position as the Loddon machine overshot the Esses before pitting and the C & K R1 was caught out at the same place, experienced pilot Russell Baker (Team Alf’s Kawasaki) was another one to experience drama at this part of the circuit. Phoenix Endurance (Shaun Finch/Peter Gibson/Shelley Pike) joined in the carnage as IT wizard Finch took a while to drag the R6 back onto the circuit – in the pits many riders reported the Bomb Hole as being like glass, whatever line you were taking!

As heavy rain continued teams were undecided which way to go for tyre choice and riders maintained a sensible and cautious pace, on an absolute charge was the JSE Suzuki 750 of Jonathan Snooks/Randy Kitzmiller/Kevin Forrest who overtook the leader on the road, albeit a number of laps behind. 

JSE Racing - Class D Winners

The Pace Car picked up the leading bike after another spill at Russells and controlled the speed for only three laps as rainfall turned parts of the track into a small river. Behind the Serendipity Suzuki we had the Loddon Honda and GB Moto five laps behind just before slightly built Calvin Hogan slipped off the yellow R1 at the entrance to the Esses and took a while to get the bike back onto it’s wheels in the mud, living up to his nick name of ‘Hulk’ At about the same time local rider Guy Hubbard spilt the second placed Honda 1000 and managed to bring it back into the pits. The team set about repairing the bike and rejoin the race under the watchful eyes of the KRC scrutineers.

After this shake up Serendipity lead from C & K R1, Moores Racing R1, GB Moto R1, Team Alf’s Kawasaki (Russell Baker/Phil White/Chris Frost), Loddon Racing (stuck in the garage fitting new bodywork, clip ons + applying colour matched duct tape). Weather conditions still fluctuated from ice rink to a state of ‘dry line emerging’, causing teams to again debate tyre choice and set up. With 90 minutes to run GB Moto were looking at a strategy of winning a lap back from the bike ahead to grab a podium position and more championship points to add to their first round haul of 25.  

GB Moto - 3rd place

As the race entered the final hour, Team Serendipity still lead with a comfortable 8 laps cushion over the C & K R1, Moores Racing were in third, the team also running an R6 for Tony Jimenez/Mike Eglington/Nick Davey which was in 14th having been as high as 9th in the early stages. GB Moto were a lap down on the third place bike but were ahead of Team Alf’s big Kawasaki and entering the top six was the Team M2 600 Honda of Doug Cannon/Matthew Checkley/Tim Jones.

Alf's Kawasaki - 6th place

The status quo was almost maintained on the run up towards the chequered flag, with 30 minutes to go, Moores R1 had pushed hard to move into second, demoting the similar C & K machine. For the past hour the rain had ceased and the wind had dried parts of the track, lap times were dropping and with many of the front-runners were still shod with full wets, which were beginning to chunk and affect handling. International endurance rider, Russell Baker, was effective at finding the damp patches still on the track to save his rear tyre from further distress. 

With less than fifteen minutes to go the leading Suzuki of Team Serendipity pitted and fitted a slick onto the rear of the bike, at the same time second place Moores Racing had two concerns; their R1 was running low on fuel – if they ‘splash ‘n dash’ they will loose second place to C & K and may risk GB Moto fighting them over third and fourth! Second drama was the break up of the rear wet tyre – final decision was to leave the rider out till the six hour mark.  During this time the leading bike went missing, having been dropped out on the circuit – this allowed James Hurrell to take the flag after 250 laps of the changeable Snetterton circuit, miraculously a mere 14 seconds in front of Kevin Jones on the C & K version, Macca (Smith Halvorsen) nursed the GB Moto into a solid third place, having pitted very close to the end to remove loose bodywork from an earlier excursion off the track – this must have been a tough call for the rider and team, but experience also told them to avoid any risk of being black flagged by the marshals.

Finishing fourth was the 1000 Team Alf Kawasaki, a couple of laps down on Team Serendipity who set the fastest lap of the race a shade under 100mph. Harley Street Orthopaedic Consultant Keith Bush and co rider, engineer Simon Watson returned to the KRC series with a solid sixth place. 

Moores Racing - Winners - Jim Agombar

Just outside the top six was Class B winning bike, Team M2 who had won this class at the recent opening round at Brands, they enjoyed a two lap advantage over 120+ Racing with a similar Honda 600. JSE Racing, who always seemed to be a group of men on a mission, grabbed Class D honours from nearest rivals - Team BTW (David Taylor/Alastair Bayley/Paul Wilson) also putting their trust in a Suzuki 750. Black Cat Racing (Sean Moss/Mark Westcott/Jim Gow) from Exeter had moved over from Class D to win Class E on their 750 Suzuki from the very handy looking Yamaha R6 on Hypa Racing Team (Grant Horton/David Summerson).

Team M2 - Class B Winners

In parc ferme it was evident most machines had suffered some form of damage or distress as a result of six hours racing each other and battling against the elements. As ever with endurance racing there was a real sense of camaraderie and sharing of success amongst the teams as the bikes cooled down and dramas discussed, even the sun came out!

Alfonso Lygo

Photography copyright © Alfonso Lygo, all rights reserved.

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