It’s been a difficult couple of months for our sponsored racers who’ve been out of action, missing race meetings due to mechanical mishaps, but now they are back on track.
Fred Mcmullan missed two rounds of British Motorcycle Racing Club's Dart MRO 600 class with his Kawasaki ZX-6R’s gearbox problem.
He was racing again at Bemsee’s round five at Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire, early last month.
Fred said it was great to be back on the bike after missing two rounds.
Friday’s practice went well in dry weather, and the bike’s set-up felt good, so Fred could learn the track again after a three-year absence.
Saturday’s racing and qualifying were delayed by the weather. Qualifying went well but after two laps the heavens opened and, with nothing to gain time-wise, he came in. He qualified 13th overall, seventh in class.
On top of the weather, a major oil spill put paid to racing so Sunday was a busy day.
Fred had three races, starting with a 12-lap in the morning, and it rained on and off all day.
He got a good start in race one, maintaining his position, but lost time at the end of the back straight on the first lap with him one of three riders looking for the same piece of tarmac! He finished 10th overall, and seventh in class.
Race two started as a wet race but, due to a fuel spill from a fallen bike, was red-flagged. When it restarted the track had started to dry. A good race saw him finish 11th and seventh in class.
The weather was bad for the third race so Fred’s team opted not to take part.
His solid weekend of racing ended on a high with Fred chuffed to win a spot prize from Dart Motorsport, the MRO 600 series sponsor.
Nick and Haydon Smith have been busy building, repairing and maintaining motorbikes.
The Bemsee meet at Donington Park, in Leicestershire, at the beginning of June, was a weekend to forget.
The father and son, who ride for Hi-Precision Racing with Shelf & Rail Co, arrived on Friday with four Kawasaki ZXR400s and left on Sunday with only one working.
Haydon finished race one third but the second race put an end to his weekend after another mechanical issue. They thought they had resolved it but when Haydon went out on Sunday morning, the bike was overheating and he retired on the first lap.
Nick did not race at all on the Saturday but the following day, after starting at the back of the grid, he made his way through the pack to take third in class and claim the Sub-64 class lap record.
NG Road Racing's June championship meeting at Brands Hatch, Kent, was a better weekend for Haydon and Nick.
Haydon came away with two second places in the Formula 400 class.
Unfortunately a small mechanical issue meant he did not finish race one on the Kawasaki 750, in the 750 Formula Prostocks Racing FP3 classic superbike class.
They found the problem and Haydon took second in class in race two.
Nick decided to take out his Kawasaki KR-1S for this weekend as his favourite ZXR400 was still out of action. He managed two sixth places despite the handling still being a little off.