Sorrymate.com-Hottrax Motorsport 2011 Round One at Brands Hatch, Kent on 12th and 13th March 2011 – National and Junior Endurance, MICHELIN Power Cup, MotoGrande and Ducati Desmo Due

National and Junior Endurance

After what has seemed like ages on non activity the Sorrymate.com/Hottrax Motorsport endurance racing season got off to a cracking start at The Brands Hatch Indy circuit. Following much testing both home and abroad, the bikes took to the track on Saturday to chase pole position for the 3 hour race on Sunday. Fastest qualifying time for Saturday afternoon’s Superpole was taken by Splitlath (Kennaugh/Tinmouth) posting the only sub 50s lap in front off Sweatshop (Mick Godfrey/Hugh Brasher), BLDS Couriers (Jonty Dixon/Bill Lilly) and Visorvision Team Traction Control (Paul Berryman/Keith Flint). Forty minutes later and it was Splitlath who earned pole position for the big race ahead of a polished performance by M&M (Lewis Mason/ Robbie Moore), Insignia (Rob Loveday/Einar Torlen), the second 600 pairing of Pit Stop Racing (Marc & Peter Dilks). Fifth spot belonged to Visorvision ahead of Blujets Racing (Carl Hodgkins/Ash Rothwell). Endurance specialists Sweatshop earned 9th after the experienced Godfrey pitched off at Druids, thankfully without damage to the brand new Kawasaki ZX10.

Raceday had turned damp and it was all about tyre choice with all the
grid starting on full wets, apart from those wily Ducks X (Martin
Landmann/Mike Eglington) + Roundall Racing (Simon Allen/Sean Moss) people starting on inters. After a stonking start by Hudson Kennaugh which saw him chased by those mercurial M&M on their 600 with Dales (Richard Steadman/Richie Cunningham) on a 600 posting fastest lap early doors, major dramas for reigning National 600 champs Pit Stop which a saw the bike unable to start necessitating brother (Peter) to start from the pitlane losing two laps – a dud battery was identified as the problem.

Lap 10 showed Splitlath from M&M, Derek Redmond 4 (Neil Garnham/Tony Rogers) Sweatshop, GT Racing (Brad Patras/Keith Tribe) and the Blujets making up the top six. Singer/Dancer/Superhero Keith Flint had started well and was in 15th and getting quicker as the safety car emerged after a faller at Clark Curve bunching the riders up before pulling in two laps later.

By lap 20 some of the teams realised they needed to change rubber so we saw Kennaugh pitting and dropping outside the top twenty. At the same time the race was being led by two 600s with Flint now up to
13th and on a charge. After 30 minutes it was all change as pit stops for most were the order of the day leaving National class bikes Sweatshop and DucksX to stay out and rise to first and second on the road. When Sweatshop did pit they dropped down to a hefty 20th place with DucksX away in 15th – Splitlath were on a charge.

At third distance M&M held a lap over 600cc newcomers, the Brand Brothers (Martin and Peter), who started the race in 20th! Third place occupied by Sherwood Motorcycles (Carl Dodwell/Mark Hornett) ahead of Insignia, Banzai (Kane Dalton/Rupert Thompson), Visorvision, DucksX, Rawlings (Lee and Mat), In the Dog House (Aaron Bird/Garry Janes) and Blujets. Other notables were; fastest on track Splitlath 11th, Pit Stop 12th and Sweatshop 17th.

Rain threatened the middle section of the race but this didn't materialise until we entered the final sixty minutes of the race. The need for the 'lack of adhesion flags' being shown for a while coincided with M&M still in the lead ahead of Brand, Banzai, Splitlath, Insignia, Sherwood, Blujets, Visorvision - the late starting Pit Stop were the fourth 600 on the road in tenth just in front of DucksX. Precipitation became much heavier ensuring a busy pit lane as rubber was played with; Sweatshop had gone missing for a while after a bit of off roading by Hugh Brasher dropping the team down to 25th and in the final hour Visorvision's Paul Berryman was off managing to return to the pits before sending out Keith Flint to keep them in the top ten.

Next big drama was when Mark Clark low sided his Aprilia at Graham Hill Bend bringing out the pace car as well as the extinguishers as the bike sparked up, it took a while to tidy bike and rider before the race was allowed to continue. As the remaining moments evaporated Splitlath were catching M&M, albeit in different classes, for the lead of the race - Jenny Tinmouth slipped through but five minutes later was another victim of Graham Hill spilling fluids and bringing out the safety car which carried on until the end of the three hours giving outright and class victory to M&M with the Brand brothers in a fantastic second place over another 600, Duck X ahead of Splitlath, Sherwood, Banzai and seventh place Pit Stop imagining the difference a new battery would have made. Dales (Richie Cunningham/Will Sawyer), Visorvision and Blujets rounded out the top ten. The race was close and exciting and when did we last see three 600s taking all podium steps in a race overall? Expect to see more of a push at Mallory in April from Pit Stop, BLDS Couriers and Sweatshop but don’t be surprised if the 600s of M&M, Ducks Cross and Brands are in with a shout.

1 M & M Racing * 167 laps
2 Brand Brothers Racing * 166
3 Ducks Cross Racing 165
4 Splitlath Racing * 165
5 Sherwood Motorcycles * 164
6 Banzai Racing 164
7 Pit Stop Racing 164
8 Dales Racing 163
9 Visorvision Team Traction Control 163
10 Bluejets Racing 163
11 Initiatec JR Racing 161
12 TDM Racing 160
13 Rawlings Racing 160
14 BLDS Couriers 159
15 Derek Redmond 4 158
16 We Know No Limits 157
17 1491 Endurance 155
18 Sweatshop Racing 153
19 J & B Racing 152
20 Derek Redmond 200 145
21 Roundall Racing 145
22 Spark Endurance 142
23 Insignia 130
24 Old and Bold Racing 129

* Denotes class winners

Fastest Lap Splitlath 51.067s


Michelin Power Cup 1000 Superpole

2011 will all be about building on the really successful inaugural year for the Michelin Power Cup which is already such a high profile series in Europe. Last year's top three in the 600 and 1000 class have only just returned from Spanish testing with no less a tutor than Fast Freddie Spencer. 2010 1000cc champ, Jon Otter, was back for more and joining him were a number of hot shoes in the form of BMW mounted Daz Bellworthy, South African multi champ Mike Dickinson, Firebalde mounted Jamie Cox and the returning Brazilian Rhalf Lo Turco.

Dickinson took pole for the opening race on his www.getfaster.co.uk
BMW only hindered briefly by Jamie Cox and Darren Bellworthy with 2010 champ Jonny Otter tucked away in fifth in front of Rhalf
Light rain might have affected the start of the opening 1000 Michelin
Power Cup race which saw Mike Dickinson stretch a lead over Jamie Cox and Daz Bellworthy. Cox shadowed Dickinson trying to pass and
eventually made it stick at Druids with Daz coming through shortly
afterwards as the leading trio navigated the back markers. This was the status quo until the end of the race with Otter in a solid fourth in
front of 2010 chasers Lo Turco and Greg Allsop. Gaz Evans finished
outside the top six in front of Andy Rouse who has moved from MPC 600 into the big bike class for this year. Ace track instructor Dave ‘Bones’ Stewardson and Steve Sarson rounded off the top ten.

1 Daz Bellworthy
2 Jamie Cox
3 Mike Dickinson
4 Jonathon Otter
5 Rhalf Lo Turco
6 Greg Allsop
7 Gaz Evans
8 Andy Rouse
9 Dave Stewardson
10 Steve Sarson
11 Stephen Harrison
12 Kevin Allen
13 Paul O'Connor
14 James Osbourn
15 Martin Townsend
16 Darren Blackwell
17 John Boakye
18 Sam Read
19 Mark Footitt

Fastest Lap Jamie Cox 49.124s


Race Two

From the change in lights it was Dickinson who got the best start
being hounded by Greg Allsop, Bellworthy, Cox and Jonny 5, on lap 3
Otter retired the #1 machine leaving the top three in close company
now joined by Gaz Evans on another BMW. The race had split into two
groups of four all hammer and tongues separated by Allsop until the
back markers came into play settling the race in favour of Cox only
four seconds ahead of Evans, Stephen Harrison with a fantastic drive
through the pack to set fastest lap of the race in his first ever race
ahead of Allsop, Dickinson had to be satisfied with fifth as he
struggled dialling in the new bike with new tyres and suspension
settings and in sixth was Dave Stewardson after a year away from the
action on his R1.

1 Jamie Cox
2 Gaz Evans
3 Stephen Harrison
4 Greg Allsop
5 Mike Dickinson
6 Dave Stewardson
7 Andy Rouse
8 Daz Bellworthy
9 Kevin Allen
10 Steve Sarson
11 Paul O'Connor
12 Rhalf Lo Turco
13 James Osbourn
14 Sam Read
15 John Boakye
16 Claudinei Barbosa

Fastest Lap Stephen Harrison 54.798s


Race Three

Bellworthy was on pole as the light was failing and the track getting
slower, we lost our pole man as well as Jamie Cox on the opening lap
bringing out the red flags and a restart over 10 laps distance. More
drama as Rhalf Lo Turco fell on the sighting lap and no surprise it
was Mike Dickinson who shot off from the lights, he was actively
pursued by Allsop, Otter and Evans. After a couple more laps Evans was closing the gap on Dicko with Paul O’Connor replacing Allsop as the next quickest before disappearing on lap 7 a lap after Stephenson
Harrison fell off. In the closing stages Evans shot past Dickinson
with Allsop 15 seconds adrift in third ahead of Andy Rouse in a handy
fourth with Kevin Allen and Steve Sarson claiming the top six places.

1 Gaz Evans
2 Mike Dickinson
3 Greg Allsop
4 Andy Rouse
5 Kevin Allen
6 Steve Sarson
7 Matt Bishop
8 James Osbourn
9 Dave Stewardson
10 Sam Read
11 Claudinei Barbosa
12 John Boakye
13 Darren Blackwell
14 Mark Footitt

Fastest Lap Gaz Evans 55.268s



Michelin Power Cup 600 Superpole

Former top endurance man Grant Wagstaff took a well deserved pole from Hottrax newbie Danny Imberg. When it mattered most on Saturday afternoon the race lasted barely more than a single lap before Ady Allsopp and Richard Charlton went down at Druids causing a delay. With a restarted 13 lapper in their sights Danny Imberg made the best start in front of an on the charge Wagstaff who took the lead on lap 2, Sean Moore and Nick Green and Imberg settled for the remaining top six positions after the improving Jamal Mahmood added to Druid's tally. Imberg put pressure on Wag in the closing stages but the experienced endurance and roads master used his nowse to carve his way through the back markers to earn the win.

1 Grant Wagstaff
2 Danny Imberg
3 Sean Moore
4 Nick Green
5 Peter Dilks
6 Marc Dilks
7 Anthony Park
8 Mark Affleck
9 Simon Baseley
10 George Harvey
11 Dominic De Leon
12 Emmett Burke
13 William White
14 Paul Barker
15 Jamal Mahmood

Fastest Lap Wagstaff 50.591s


Race Two

Imberg was not going to hang about in race two and despite Wag leading for the first three laps we had a new leader by Lap 4, Sean Moore in his usual third spot as we lost Marc Dilks – rider and bike OK as they were out in the 3 hour endurance later on. The leading trio had a gap over the next three of Ady Allsopp, Park and George Harvey. After Damian Tierney fell at Druids the track was drying a little but not
enough for Wag to make any impression on a fleeing Imberg, as back
markers began to play a role Sean Moore settled for third in front of
Peter Dilks, Allsopp, Barker and Nick Green.

1 Danny Imberg
2 Grant Wagstaff
3 Sean Moore
4 Peter Dilks
5 Adrian Allsopp
6 Paul Barker
7 Nick Green
8 Anthony Park
9 Mark Affleck
10 George Harvey
11 William White
12 Dominic De Leon
13 Simon Baseley


Fastest Lap Wagstaff 55.918s


Race 3

After loosing George Harvey, Peter Dilks and Damian Tierney on the
opening lap this race was held in very wet conditions on a slippy
track. A holeshot by Imberg saw him closely followed by Wag, Marc
Dilks, Sean Moore, Allsop and Barker. Aside from a little closing up
towards the end if the race positions remained unchanged as the
leaders picked their way carefully though the back markers, avoid the
slippiest of sections of tarmac.

1 Danny Imberg
2 Grant Wagstaff
3 Mark Dilks
4 Sean Moore
5 Adrian Allsopp
6 Paul Barker
7 William White
8 Dominic De Leon
9 Simon Baseley
10 Jamal Mahmood
11 Anthony Park
12 Emmett Burke

Fastest Lap Marc Dilks 56.654s




MotoGrande 1000 Race One

Poleman Gary Beardsley was in a safe second place before leader Phil Brooks was black flagged after the R1 engine cried enough. This allowed Gary to control the race from the front, leaving Paul Green and Peter Woodall to squabble over the runner up spot with Julian Hughes joining the fray demoting Woodall down to fourth. Adam Sheriff was 20 seconds down on this bunch ahead of Ash Daughtrey and top rookie Adam Reeve.

1 Gary Beardsley
2 Paul Green
3 Julian Hughes
4 Peter Woodall
5 Adam Sheriff
6 Ash Daughtrey
7 Adam Reeve R
8 Raymond Stagg
9 Gerrard Fallon
10 Matthew Trot
11 Stephen Bridle
12 Andy Carpenter
13 Kris Sanders
14 Chris Mason
15 Gary Bransgrove
16 Graham Bennett
17 Steve Bentley
18 Andrew Fenton-Copeland
19 David Williams
20 Dave Diboll
21 Ian Charles
22 Steve Callahan
23 Paul Raitt
24 Jamie Loveday
25 Nick Masterson
26 Gary Richards
27 Mark Floyd MT

R = Rookie, MT = Maxi Twin
Fastest Lap Peter Woodall 50.056s


Race Two

With a dampish track Gary Beardsley was once again the leading
MotoGrande 1000 rider after fifteen laps, however this time with the
closest winning gap of the weekend, a mere quarter of a second over
Fireblade man Woodall, Green had to be content with third spot after a runners up position in the opening race. Daughtrey was fourth another quarter of a second in front of Adam Reeve with 2010 Junior endurance champ Andy Carpenter happy with a sixth position as he focuses on sprint racing.

1 Gary Beardsley
2 Peter Woodall
3 Paul Green
4 Ash Daughtrey
5 Adam Reeve R
6 Andy Carpenter
7 Adam Sheriff
8 Gary Bransgrove
9 Gerrard Fallon
10 Kris Sanders
11 Matthew Trot
12 Andrew Fenton-Copeland
13 Raymond Stagg
14 Tom Palmer
15 Nathan Starnes
16 Adrian Beevor
17 Chris Mason
18 David Williams
19 Darren Walker
20 Jamie Loveday
21 Paul Raitt
22 Nick Masterson
23 Gary Richards
24 Mark Floyd MT

R = Rookie, MT = Maxi Twin
Fastest Lap Peter Woodall 53.154s


Race Three

With Gary Beardsley off the menu for the final race it was time for others to star, with a grid of over 20, nothing was a certainty. It was down to Peter Woodall, who had already scored a fourth and a second to go one better and seal a win from similarly mounted Paul Price who posted his only finish of the weekend with a runner up spot only 0.6 seconds down on the leader. Julian Hughes claimed his second third spot to earn some all important championship points. The other half of the top six finishers were; Ash Daughtrey, Tom Farmer and Gerrard Fallon who had a decent 2010 MotoGrande campaign.

1 Peter Woodall
2 Paul Price
3 Julian Hughes
4 Ash Daughtrey
5 Tom Palmer
6 Gerrard Fallon
7 Kris Sanders R
8 Paul Green
9 Adrian Beevor
10 Andy Carpenter
11 Adam Reeve
12 Nathan Starnes
13 Jamie Loveday
14 Gary Bransgrove
15 Dave Diboll
16 Paul Raitt
17 Nick Masterson

R = Rookie, MT = Maxi Twin
Fastest Lap Peter Woodall 55.215s



MotoGrande 600 Race One

This series has matured well since it's inception four years ago, acting as a feeder series for the Michelin Power Cup it has done just that. Last season's 600 champ, ex trials rider Sam Ludgate showed his metal in the final round of 2010 by stepping up to the Power Cup and blitzing the Cadwell Races in fine style. A new crop of new kids on the block joined some usual suspects to spice up the action over the weekend at Brands.

Jake Kay retired on the grid as Ross Ashman and Jonathan Lodge vied for P1 over the 15 laps with Lodge taking the lead in the late stages, brother James grabbing a handy third with Rookie Shaun Lodge filling in fourth spot over Craig Neve and Simon Keen with Nino Cataldo, Wayne Crossman, Roger Slater and the evergreen Richie Cunningham filling up the top ten places.

1 Jonathon Lodge
2 Ross Ashman
3 James Lodge
4 Shaun Champion R
5 Craig Neve
6 Simon Keen
7 Nino Catalado
8 Wayne Crossman
9 Roger Skater
10 Richie Cunningham
11 John Lawrence
12 Andrew Lund
13 Andrew Nicholson
14 Vincent Brett
15 Warren Verwey
16 Colin Norris
17 Nick Barnes
18 Richard White
19 William Bateman
20 Paul Martin
21 Richard England
22 Nick Matthews

Fastest Lap Jonathan Lodge 49.637s




Race Two

Jonathan made another text book start from pole never to be headed for the 15 lap race, Ross Ashman was on a charge to catch the leader before Dropping back and disappearing from the leader board. Jamie Lodge took second but was unable to close a gap which was 7 seconds at the end, despite the leader being given a penalty for passing under a yellow, this was the same difference separating third spot Craig Neve. Simon Keen was half a minute adrift of the top three along with Wayne Crossman, John Lawrence, Andrew Nicholson and Richie Cunningham on his trick Triumph.

1 Jonathon Lodge
2 James Lodge
3 Craig Neve
4 Simon Keen
5 Wayne Crossman
6 John Lawrence
7 Andrew Nicholson
8 Richie Cunningham
9 Roger Slater
10 Vincent Brett
11 Warren Verwey R
12 Paul Martin
13 Nick Barnes
14 Richard White
15 Nick Matthews
16 William Bateman
17 Richard England
18 Andrew Lund
19 Jake Kay

Fastest Lap Jonathan Lodge 53.795s


Race Three

Almost the end of the race programme and Shaun Champion must have had the widest grim at Brands as the Rookie posted his first win in the championship in the opening round. At the end of the 15 tours Shaun crossed the line only five seconds I'm front of the quick Ross Ashman, Nicholson was third ahead of Keen, Lawrence and Lund. Champion also posted a faster lap than runner up Ashman.

1 Shaun Champion R
2 Ross Ashman
3 Andrew Nicholson
4 Simon Keen
5 John Lawrence
6 Andrew Lund
7 Roger Skater
8 Warren Verwey
9 Vincent Brett
10 Paul Martin
11 Richard White
12 William Bateman
13 Richard England
14 Nick Matthews

Fastest Lap Shaun Champion 57,373s1 Jonathon Lodge



Ducati Desmo Due

Neil Appleby could not have asked for more from his Italsport Ducati
620 with pole and a brace of wins in a healthy grid in the opening
round foe 2011. On both occasions the rider from Accrington came home in front of Matthew Lawson, Andy Challis and Paul Payne. Top Class B riders Hugh Simpson and Ronald Jolley won their class respectively, Appleby posting the fastest lap of the day with a none too shabby 55.821s.

Results Race One

1 Neil Appleby *
2 Matthew Lawson
3 Andy Challis
4 Paul Payne
5 Hugh Simpson *
6 Ronald Jolley
7 Kevin Palmer
8 Alan Parkes
9 Neal Catling
10 Steve Hands

* denotes class winner
Fastest Lap Appleby 55.874s

Race Two

1 Neil Appleby *
2 Matthew Lawson
3 Andy Challis
4 Paul Payne
5 Ronald Jolley *
6 Kevin Palmer
7 James Stevenson
8 Hugh Simpson
9 Alan Parkes
10 Neal Catling

* denoted class winner
Fastest Lap Appleby 55.821s





Sorrymate.com-Hottrax Motorsport 2011 Round One at Brands Hatch, Kent on 12th and 13th March 2011 – National and Junior Endurance, MICHELIN Power Cup, MotoGrande, Twins and Streetbikes

After what has seemed like a long hard winter; organisers, teams and riders have been working hard in readiness for a cracking 2011 season which opens up at Brands on the Indy circuit on the middle weekend of March, on one of the few UK tracks not to suffer from ‘chicane blight’ in recent years.

Rewind only a matter of fifteen weeks and Hottrax Motorsport rocked up to Cadwell with all but one of the championships up for grabs and this year it looks just as open with some more classes added. Following a successful format change towards the end of last season we now see the National and Junior Endurance teams battling on the same piece of tarmac at the same time for a solid three hours on the Sunday of race weekend. Whilst 2010 Champions TM72 may have melted away from the action expect to see some new teams joining the fray as well as some of the experienced protagonists back in it for another term. This includes multi champions Sweatshop Racing who endured a troubled year in 2010 to finish in third place in the tables, a bit behind the well ridden Honda Fireblades of Graphic UK – expect to see Sweatshop replacing their pedigree Yamaha R1 for an all singing and dancing BMW. After ‘having a hoot’ on his Aprilia RSV4 at Cadwell last year South African BSB Superstock runner up Hudson Kennaugh will be entering Brands as a shake down for the season.

Junior teams will make up the lion’s share of the field, missing from this year’s action will be best of 2010 - AV-IT Racing who will leave the tussling to Ridgeback and Insignia who will be back for another stab at the title as well as another raft of new teams joining the circus. There will be 600 classes in the National and Junior divisions and silverware winning brothers Marc and Peter Dilks return under the Pit Stop Racing banner with their Hondas up against the multi team entrant Louth Bikes from Lincolnshire. Over in the Junior 600 camp DNA Racing made a last minute rush for honours to steal the cup from the experienced and professional crew of BLDS Couriers with MC Racing in a worthy third ahead of the Ducati focussed L A Stone Racing duo.


As very worthy support acts to the Sorrymate Endurance races we have a very welcome return of the Michelin Power Cup which saw the top three riders from the 1000 and 600 classes go off to Spain to be ‘shown the way round’ by non other that 250/500 World Champ Freddie Spencer. Main 2010 litre man Jonny 5 Otter will be returning and will have to be quicker than ever to fend off the attentions of multi South African rider Mike Dickinson who runs under the www.getfaster.co.uk banner on his newly acquired Robin Hooker fettled BMW. Joining them near the sharp end will be Andy Rouse who moves up from his third spot in 600s last year with a very quick Fireblade, he will also e going head to head with SBKCity lead rider Brazilian Rhalf Lo Torco who is also sporting a Beemer. They will be joined by another very rapid rider - instructor; Dave Stewardson who after a year off will be back in earnest on his trusty www.teambones.co.uk R1. Rhalf’s erstwhile SBKCity team-mate, Dominic de Leon comes back for more 600 action on his ex Padgetts machine thriving to improve on his finishing position from last year and he will be joined by Nottingham’s Ady Allsopp on his rapid R6 as well as a host of other exponents aiming to garb the wins, points and prizes. Many of the Michelin runners have taken full advantage of a Boot Camp back in the harsh weather in January as well as testing either in Spain or on UK tracks in readiness for a ‘tougher than last year’ Michelin Power Cup season.

In 2010 it was Sam Ludgate who graduated from trails champion to MotoGrande 600 champion, for the final round of the season he moved over to the Michelin PC and took three back to back wins, not detracting from eventual champion William Monies efforts who went on to wrap up the title in Lincolnshire. Colin Norris will be back for more MG600 wanting to improve on his runner up spot in the championship as he eases off the endurance racing. Expect to see the return of the well turned out Apex Racing effort who will combine endurance with sprint racing throughout the year and they will be joined by a number of other keen competitors getting as much track time as they can....More bangs for your Bucks.

In the big capacity MotoGrande race expect to see Pete Wilson defending his title against old rivals, Brummie Gary Bransgrove and Gerrard Fallon who all scored points consistently in last season’s series. Joining the MG cast this year will be Andy Carpenter who with Marcus Langford won the Junior endurance championship last year. Throughout the season they will be joined by quality riders who may not be doing the whole championship but can still rob valuable points from the regulars – expect to see fireworks.

New for 2011 are five ‘new to Hottrax Motorsport’ classes – MiniTwins and MaxiTwins for people who are passionate for the distinctive sound of two cylinders working in harmony and Streetbikes 1, 2 and 3 for enthusiasts who appreciate something naked in their lives.

So, with racing over Saturday and Sunday 12rd and 13th of March as well as a test day on the Friday it will be an open book as to who comes out on top in what will be a challenging and entertaining time at Brands Hatch, Round Two is in mid April at the ever demanding Mallory Park.