Back on track with our race riders
The racing season is under way again and the riders we support are back on track aboard their Kawasakis.
Nick and Haydon Smith had a fantastic season last year on their ZXR400s. Dad Nick was British Motorcycle Racing Club’s Formula 400 series champion with his son runner-up. Nick also won Bemsee’s lower-power sub 64 class.
A new partnership this season has seen the father-and-son team become Hi-Precision Racing with Shelf and Rail Co and gain a couple of ZXR750s.
The first round at Brands Hatch, in Kent, on 16 and 17 March was a mixed weekend for the team.
In Formula 400, Nick, number 15, had a second, two thirds and did not finish race four.
An airbag mishap in the first race, from clipping a lapped rider, hindered Nick for the last three laps of the race, dropping from leading to finishing third just behind Haydon.
Nick showed great pace all weekend but a maybe slightly ambitious move in the last race sent him for a little roll about in the gravel at Druids Hairpin.
Haydon, number 25, achieved a second, two fourths and a third place in F400.
Prioritising the 750 BMCRC Thunderbike Ultra class race, and a few set-up issues, left Haydon a little off the pace but still in good spirits.
Unfortunately, Haydon, number 125, had 4 DNFs on the 750 due to mechanical issues. But he showed good pace and enjoyed racing it for the first time.
A faulty fuel connection was to blame after going over the bike thoroughly back in the workshop.
On to Oulton Park, in Cheshire, the following Saturday for a one-day meeting with NG Road Racing Club.
Nick chose to help Haydon, on his first visit to the technical Cheshire track, rather than race.
The first race grid positions were decided by race experience so, as Haydon had not ridden at the club before, he was somewhat disadvantaged!
Race one saw him have a great ride to second overall and second 400 from 28th on the grid.
In the second 400 race, he had a huge crash from second going on to the start finish straight, ending up in the pit lane entrance.
In his first 750 Formula Prostocks Racing FP3 class race he finished 15th overall, and fifth in class, from 36th on grid.
Race two saw him finish 11th overall, and fifth in class, after starting 15th.
Apart from the crash, Haydon had a promising day of racing, getting through it on the beautiful Shelf and Rail Co ZXR750R without any dramas which gives him confidence in the bigger machine going forward.
Nick has not got out on his 750 yet as it’s not ready.
Fred Mcmullan is riding a 2020 Kawasaki ZX-6R in Bemsee’s Dart MRO 600 class.
At Brands Hatch, he had a good Friday practice but qualifying was not quite as good as he had hoped. Front-end chatter caused him to have less confidence in the front end and he qualified 19th overall and 14th in class.
In race one on Saturday, Fred finished 18th overall and 13th in class.
The second race saw him 17th overall and 13th in class.
Sunday’s first race was wet and he felt really good and confident in the bike.
He finished the first race 13th overall and ninth in class.
The second race was dry but, while his performance improved, the track was cold and he finished 16th overall and 11th in class to round off a decent weekend and start of the season.
[Photo credit: Gavin Elliott]