Spin Racing Race Weekend
Weekend Race Report - Peter Young Memorial Road Race 144Km - Sunday March 18th
It was an early start for Paul Londors, David Palmer ,Neil Batt and myself - early rise for a 6am breakfast before we set off at 7.30 to head down to Surrey. With the MG6 GT "fully loaded " - 3 bikes , 6 sets of wheels and 3 passengers plus driver, we set off down the M1.
As I'm starting to learn quickly, one of the most comfortable ways to travel to races is indeed in the rear of the MG6, to say you are spoilt with leg room would be an understatement - even Paul , some 6 ft 3 inches found himself super comfortable as we cruised down the Surrey countryside showing 35.9 mpg on the fuel trip computer.
Our race started at 10.30m am so we arrived in plenty of time, in fact sufficient time to have a recce of the course, which was made up of 15 laps, using 2 circuits. The first distorted figure of 8 in shape and around 8 miles in length, thereafter you flipped onto a smaller circuit of around 5.5 miles of which we covered 7 laps. By some standards the circuit wasn't that imposing (no monster climbs to get up each lap) however the rollingroads and their undulations at high speed soon had the desired impact!
The field competing was very strong - in fact the race was a full entry (90 riders) with reserves also hopeful of a place should there be some non-starters. As we rolled out from the HQ of the event, there was still a chill in the air, so it was Gilets and arm warmers weather, we were soon to "warm up" that's for sure! Typically the race got off to a frantic start, with many riders seeking the opportunity to make an early escape - I too had an early "dig" albeit a hard effort, the small group I found myself in didn't amount to much as we passed through the feed zone for the first time. It took just two laps however for a decisive move to establish itself, a group of 7 riders made the split with a definate race favourite in the move. As the race progressed the main group , of which myself, Paul and Dave sat, moved along at a steady rate, with the gap and the breaks advantage slowly being eroded.
After appox 70 miles covered we left the main circuit to hit the smaller finishing loop - this is where the moves really started happening, the bunch was very active with many riders trying to bridge the gap across to the leading 7 riders. Paul tried first to gain a small advantage, not too soon after I had a big effort to get across, with the group now just 15 seconds up the road I though it might be possible. However this was not to be as the main group was in hot pusuit and we were reeled back in. The race remained fast for the closing laps, with two escapees making the bridge across to the front group who's advantage continued to remain slender, however it was sufficient to see those riders contest the finish.
Myself, Paul and Dave crossed the finishing line within what was left of a demolished main field, at least 30 riders had failed to make it to the finishing line. Obviously, we were disappointed not to have representation in the break-away of the day, that said, it was only race number three of the season. I'm sure that over the next couple of weeks, we'll get the much desired result! Always good at this early point in the season to be able to get a good race distance in your legs, all good foundations for the weeks ahead.
So, we have the official launch for the Team with the MG6 team car at Perkins Rayne MG on 24th March ( CM77 6SA for you sat navs) and we are doing a gentle ride of 50kms of which all are invited to attend and ride with us. We are availble for as much "Bike talk" as you want and the Managing Director of MG Motor UK will be there to wish us luck for the future season. Our next race is the following day which is a Regional A ranked event on Sunday March 25th - Bill Jinks Memorial Road Race nr Coventry. Then we enter a very busy couple of weeks, with the first round of the UK Premier Calendar Series - Tour of the Dengie Marshes (Essex), then Easter weekend, we're all in Dunfries Scotland for the second Premier Calendar Event - Tour Doon Hame.
We'll keep you all posted. Look forward to writing the next week's race reoer (which I might do in the back of the MG6 on our way home)
Thanks- Jaime Scott - Team Spin Rotor Racing