Brands Hatch early season is never an easy prospect. I am sure most of us can recall the catalogue of incidents a few years back put down to a very cold track…..Incidentally at the same meeting Shannon Hale lapped quicker on her F400 Kawasaki with treaded road tyres than all the 600 open machines on trick race rubber !!!!.
Brands is also a very busy circuit for a rider so we will see who has kept up the winter fitness regime and who maybe let things slip.
One thing is for sure, there are eight race meeting at eight different circuit in 2016, with fourteen championship rounds for each of the classes. So bear in mind that wise old adage….. “…..championships are never won at round one, but most certainly can be lost !!”
The Circuit
The Brands Hatch Indy circuit is just 1.198 miles long but packs in 6 big corners. On a bike the machine is never actually upright as the “so-called” straight sections, like the Cooper straight are so short, and are linked by some big corners. Just take a look at the circuit map, and you will see what I mean.
The Fastest
Peter Baker is the NG Road Racing lap record holder at 47.38 sec, that's an average of 91.78mph, set back in March 2014 on his BSB spec ZX10 Kawasaki. However such is the nature of this circuit that Kyle Ryde got his RS GP Honda round in just 50.16 sec in 2011…that’s 86mph…..less than 3 seconds slower !
The 250 GP ACU National Series
NG Road Racing has again been awarded the task of running and promoting the British National series for 250 GP machinery. This is the only place in the UK that you will see these ex GP machines racing for a full British Championship title backed by the ACU (The sports governing body in the UK).
What have NG got in store for you in 2016 ?
As I have already said we have a stunning line up of circuits with eight on the calendar from March through to October, with the full list of NG championship classes at each one of them.
Donington Park makes a welcome return in early May, and Thruxton reverts back to its season finale status in October.
As well as the comprehensive list of club classes headed up as ever by the Open, backed once more by the benevolent Kevin Spiech from Phoenix Motorcycles in Trowbridge we have new additions and guest classes aplenty in 2016.
NG once more has been handed the task of running the 250 GP ACU National series that carries the full weight of a National championship and British title. There has been a lot of talk of some former champions returning to the series for 2016 that Phil Atkinson has already made plain that he intends to defend.
The Ducati Sporting Club’s popular Desmo Due series that migrated to NG late in 2015 after the demise of Hottrax are back….bigger and stronger than ever with approaching 30 riders signed up for the year already. Series Co-ordinator Kevin Ellis has also made a few tweaks to the rules, so that will surely make the racing even closer.
For lovers of the sights and sounds of days gone by we will plays hosts to two rounds of the Lansdowne Classic series…..you can probably smell the Castrol R already….. They will be at Cadwell and Castle Combe.
Joining us this year there will be another class that has become increasingly popular with many whom hark back to the 1980’s when there was a hugely diverse range of machine being raced. The Formula Pro stock series has classes for pre 1987 machines, whether they are twin shock, mono-shock or air-cooled plus the fun to race and fun to watch Suzuki Bandit Challenge.
Not to be left out the National sidecars make an appearance at Donington Park as they race for the ACU/FSRA British F2 Championship. This meeting has the added spice of being the last outing for many before the Isle of Man TT……. So in conclusion you would be daft to be racing anywhere else other than with NG Road Racing ……..
The bid for 2016 championship glory starts here.
As ever with the start of a new season the slate is wiped clean, and points for those hard earned championships need winning all over again.
Multiple NG champ Phil Bevan, who for the 7
th time in a row took the NG premier Open class has hinted that he will only be dipping in and out of the series this year. So a new name could adorn the silverware.
NG have once more been given the honour of running the UK’s only National championship for 250 GP machines which has historically given us great racing. This round will see all of the NG championship classes on the grid over the two days.
As ever it is an appropriate time for me to trot out the old adage that… “A championship is never won at the first round… but it certainly can be lost !!”. Wise words indeed, especially apt for an early season meeting at Brands Hatch
Admission Prices. Ticket Type Sat Sun
Adults
£13 £13 (Online ticket savings - Two-day weekend ticket just
£18)
Children (U15)
Free Free (Only if accompanied by an adult)
Paddock Access
Free Free
For full conditions of admission and to take advantage of online bookings -
www.motorsportvision.co.uk Directions to the Circuit
Brands Hatch is situated in Kent, approximately 3 miles from J3 of the M25 and just off the A20. Approximately 8 miles from Sevenoaks. Brands Hatch Circuit signs are evident from all directions -
Sat Nav: DA3 8NG Race Day Timetable Timetable Sat Sun
Technical Inspection 7:00am 8:00am See the bikes being checked by the Scrutineers, and wander round the pits
Free Practice 9:00am 9:00am Watch the riders get familiar with the circuit in free practice
Qualifying Races 10:30am 10:00am The competitors race for grid positions for the finals
Championship Races 14:00pm 13:30pm Now it gets serious…..Championship points, trophies and glory at stake
NOTE : All timings are subject to change by the promoting organisation or the circuit management.
What’s on track
20 NG Road Racing championship races split into qualifiers and finals for each of the classes. That means some 8 hours of on track action each day. The finals will be scheduled to start at approximately 2pm, but I suggest you get in nice and early, soak up the atmosphere as the riders go through technical inspection and free practice before taking to the track in anger. They will then line up on the grid for the qualifiers in seeded championship order, and racing for their vital grid position for the main finals
Feature races: 250GP ACU National Championship - The Ducati Sporting Club Desmo Due Series - The Phoenix Open
NG Support classes: F125
ç 125GP
ç Moto 3
ç F400
ç GP45
ç 500cc
ç 600cc
ç Powerbike
çSound of Thunder Super Twin
ç Mini Twin
ç Streetstock
ç Pre Injection
çSidecars
ç Newcomers
Next Meeting
Don't worry if you cannot make it to Brands on the 19th and 20th March, NGRR will be next on track at
Cadwell Park - 16th and 17th April Words : Russ Gardner - NG Road Racing Media Officer
Images :
EDP Photo News - www.edpphotonews.co.uk