2013 Hottrax Motorsport Season Review - Alan Lygo So, what happened last season before we rush off into 2014? Endurance Overall Team Traction Control (Ben Reeves/Steve Mercer/) executed a near perfect campaign, despite a blip at the opening round, finishing well out of the top six; the rest of the season the team fluctuated between the top two steps signing off with a win at the re arranged Mallory race at Pembrey. IBL (Hudson Kennaugh/Mark Clark/Jesse Trayler/Gary Johnson) were never off the podium but missed the final race of the season enabling Go Racing Developments (Andy Carpenter/Greg Allsop/James Edwards) to spring into the runner up spot in the National 1000 division Down in the 600 Nationals it was great to see Team Sorrymate (Colin Norris/Warren Verwey) showing that ‘experience’ is no barrier to success. It could have all been different at the final showdown which saw fellow stalwarts Pit Stop Racing (Mark + Peter Dilks) hang onto second spot ahead of Power Projects Racing (Richie Cunningham/Little/Dan Heyler/Phil Seton). Ironically, Macca and Edge Racing (Mark Smith Halvorsen/Nick Edgeley/Gary Johnson) spread themselves over two classes during the season; based on bike size but could have nabbed third spot in either of the classes contested Massive grids in the 1000 Clubman’s saw the experienced TANC 2 (Chris Mason/Grant Berry) land a deserved title with a round to go from Fire IT Racing (Andy Goddard/Griffiths/Louis Turner-Laurent). Consistent performances from Anglia Interiors/Insignia Signs (Aaron Bird/Rob/James Loveday) who kicked off their season with a win at Oulton in what became the opening round after Snetterton switched to powerboat racing The Merrit brothers, Terry and Michael + Lee Piercy (TDM Racing) recorded five wins and a second place to nick the Clubman’s 600 silverware from Thunder Chickens (Martin Gibson/Ellis Hadley/Tarran) with intermittent performers P & M Racing (Paul Harrison/Mike Rigbye) both having a single win along the way. It was a great reward for TDM who were building on the 2012 season and now return to the blue riband class, National 1000s. Best of the Rookies were T Watson Bikes (Rick Dickinson/Tom Stephens) who posted a brace of wins, four seconds and a third in the races completed. The newcomer’s class was fast and close MotoGrande Power Tour Benjamin Fortt arrived from Thailand, collected his SBK City BMW and dominated the MG1000 scene, despite missing the first round and only visiting the top step of the podium one a single occasion. Whilst Ben was beaten by riders who dipped in and out of the championship his nearest rival was Andrew Haines who was in turn, never really troubled by Graham Hornby. Rookie Mick Alderton had a very satisfying campaign to secure the title in fine style posting no less than 16 wins compared to three from Andrew Gooding who was never going to be troubled by Christian Holt in the background who came good in the final round at Pembrey posting a pair of wins Young charger James Edwards was a man on a mission in the MG600s starting his charge just before mid-point of the season and stealing the accolade from the ever consistent Stephen Bridle who scored in all 26 races and collecting a win at Anglesey on the way. Third spot to the massively improving nipper, Jack Bleakley who only missed out on points in three races; a great reward for a rider with a good future ahead. Newbie, Paul Slade pieced together 10 wins on the trot which must be a bit of a club record to win the Rookie title comfortably ahead of Tony Walsh with Liam Moore a bit further down the road Michelin Power Cup Tony Kielty has been knocking on the door of a MPC championship before but 2013 was his year as he rushed home, in the litre division, ahead of quality act Greg Allsop who was also mounting an endurance campaign. Not needing to go down to South Wales in October Tony was only one off the podium nailing 8 wins to Greg’s ‘unlucky’ 13. Just before leaving the UK for warmer climes, Dom (Nick) De Leon didn’t get into gear until Donington in June but had his best season ever to finish a worthy third in a competitive field. In the orange jacket department Andrew Roberts totally dominated the first half of the season and his nearest challenger was Paul Wood who was 180 points adrift with Lee Clarke away in third spot Three riders who had a decent previous season all excelled in 2013 but only one could win the title; Wayne Humble was only once off the podium after finishing all the races, with a disappointing fourth. Nil Points from a mid-season Pembrey race probably cost Richard Charlton a tilt at the cup despite ending the season with a win. William White rounded off the top 3, having won the first nine races in an amazing way. For the new kids on the block; Richard Telford finished all the races and was never outside the top three – doing more than enough to eclipse a great effort from Jordan Greenshields who was going great until the closing races of the season but keeping well in front of four time winner Mark Walmsley Desmo Ducatis Dave Woods Junior was a total star on his 620 Class A Ducati winning all but three of the race series with not one DNF. Three other twin riders scrapped away for the place behind Dave; Mark Roxborough, a Ducati racer for just over a season was tops taking runner up spot from Phil Wilcock by a mere 12 points who had Nottingham’s Andy Pike in his exhaust fumes a further 14 points adrift despite finishing his season after Cadwell. Tom Halifax followed up so much promise in 2012 with a championship win in Class B, over 100 points on top of And Claridge who completed his term with a handful of wins and seconds. Third place in this league was a real tussle between Scott Wilson and Andy Blomfield – with each man taking a win at Pembrey it was Wilson who out pointed his rival at the end of the year Classics Stu Bayliss hammered home an emphatic win in the Modern Classic Superbikes, his season punctuated with top six finishes along the way to put the title well out of reach of nearest and dearest Owen Richardson with James Parrish following in the shadows and wining at Brands. Seasoned combatant Robert Eagling was well placed to take the Megabikes with no less than a dozen top three places earned on the way to be unassailable to Matt Lobb with a few races in hand; Matt keeping Steve Roberts at bay for the second half of the season. Robert Barton structured his season to make the Supersport title his own and was only troubled in the second half of the season when John Bolsover joined in the fun and started challenging for podium places; just enough to finish a sliver of 10 points in front of Wayne Morris when it mattered most. Joe Connelly totally ran away with the MaxiTwins points and was never troubled to finish almost 400 points ahead of Robert Tomlinson and Desmo Due migrant and multi race winner: Andy Challis. Formula 400 was burgeoning by October; Laurie Sands made a meal of it and began to dominate mid-season with a run of five wins to start pulling away from the more than competent Martin Parkhouse who ended up only 35 points adrift after eight rounds of torrid action. Andrew Carden made bronze his own and when he did race he either won or came second on the day In a couple of weeks time the die-hards will be in Kent for the opening round of 2014 Hottrax Motorsport and all the above really wont matter.....its what happens out there on track that really matters....
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 21:35:03 +0000
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