This story starts where the other one left off. So the new tank arrived, courtesy of David Payne at On Small Wheels with the fast-flow fuel tap already fitted. This was then posted up to a friend and fellow racer, Michael Leicester who painted it for me and brought it to the track.

The scooter in the meantime went back to Daran Jones at Coastal Trippers Scooter Workshop for some minor upgrades, a good check over and a set-up on his Dyno. The clutch actuator was a great success reducing the pull on the lever considerably and the engine ran great all weekend so big thanks go out to Daran.

Going posh

No setting up camp on arrival this time as due to the windy conditions we opted for a garage on pit lane. Oooh, get us poshing it up! To be fair all the scooters and teams did the same as gazebos would have lasted just seconds – if we could have got them up at all.

The Welsh equivalent of Australia’s Philip Island

After unloading it was straight out on the track walk. Another good feeling seeing just how wide the track was and how much room for error there was before anything would go wrong. Good tips from the Boss (Dave Bristow) and a feel for the conditions. Unfortunately, it looked like the wind was against us down the back straight and so it was to stay like that all weekend.

Mr Steady gets an early night

Next, I prepped the scooter fitted the new tank, filled it up and gave it a check over before the scooter was scrutineered and signed off by the lovely Mr York again, just the riding gear to do in the morning.

The boss fed us all with pizza and garlic bread before we got our heads down.

Morning practice

Saturday morning came and yep it was still blowing a gale as predicted. The race programme was the same as last time, a combined practice/qualifying and two stock scooter and two super scooter races.

Practice sessions were good and I was able to keep up with the back of the pack so my confidence was growing already.

Practice times were a 1:47.48 a second down on Lee Abraham on a Production Class Lambretta. Lee being my friend and racing rival having raced in the same team in the Endurance series (DVSRC #3) and both in newcomer orange bibs.

Race 2

Our first outing in the Stock Scooters group was called very soon and it was time to make my way down to the holding area. No nerves really, more excitement and anticipation. I got away fairly well and held my own in the first three corners before hitting the headwind on the back straight and seeing the Lambrettas around me disappearing again. But I knew the Vespa would turn and accelerate quicker after the hill, into Rocket and Peel corners before we drop down the Corkscrew and back onto the start-finish straight. I was only catching up ground not getting past. All in all, a good start to the day. Yes, I was last again, but I was in the pack and I knew there was better to come.

The rest of the day’s races went much the same but obviously improving in times and starting to find places I could stick it up the inside of Lee but he always finished ahead of me across the line.

Progress:

Race 1 Stock Scooters best lap: 1:45.93 0.24 seconds behind Lee, 9th in Production Class
Race 2 Super Scooters best lap: 1:44.08 1.05 seconds behind Lee, 3rd in Grp5
Race 3 Stock Scooters best lap: 1:45.19 – six seconds behind Lee due to early tussles at the back, 9th in Production Class
Race 4 Super Scooters best lap: 1:43.96 3rd in Grp 5 and not last on track!

#74 Bob West, still attracting groupies in the paddock (and on track)

The evening was spent in the circuit restaurant with a good meal and plenty of laughs with Team Hornet and our honorary member Lee Abraham.

Sunday morning came around and again I was up and looking forward to getting at it again. Having watched Lee follow the great Bob West and improve his lap times no end in the afternoon of Saturday I’d set my target. Get on the back of Bob and don’t let go.

Bottling it

Lee was to be troubled with electrical issues most of the day but I got my target in the first race and tried my best all day to pass Bob. The best I managed was to pull level coming into Peel corner, but I knew if I wasn’t past him he was not giving up the corner so I rolled off slightly and regretted it for the rest of the day. Never again lol.

Progress

Race 1 Stock Scooters best lap: 1:42.52 – 0.3 seconds behind Bob, 8th in Production Class
Race 2 Super Scooters best lap: 140:94 – 0.15 seconds behind Bob, 3rd in Grp 5
Race 3 Stock Scooters best lap: 1:41.14 – 3 seconds behind Bob but a good race at the back swapping places a few times with Lee and the only time I managed to beat him on track this weekend. 8th in Production Class
Race 4 Super Scooters best lap: 1:40.72 – 0.6 seconds behind Bob, 2nd in Grp 5

What a weekend! 4 starts 4 finishes, overtaking, battling at the back and grinning from ear to ear.

Lastly an open apology to Team DSC for the typo in the last report, they are the kings and queens of the BBQ and paddock entertainment in the Orange and Black!

Until the next race
Andrew Sharkey
BSSO #33

Thanks to Lee Hollick for the race images (find his full racing galleries here)
Paddock shots: Andrew Sharkey
Additional images: John Locket