BSSO Scooter racing: Rookies Report – Round 1 Croft | FEATURE

The 2023 BSSO scooter racing season kicked off recently at a very wet Croft. A bit of rain didn’t dampen the spirits of 24-year-old rookie racer, Ben Readings though. 

Ben is riding for Hornet Racing this year and will be bringing us his ‘Rookie’s Report’ as the season progresses. He’s not just jumping on a pre-prepared scooter though. Ben is hands on and has built the engine himself at his home scooter workshop. Here’s what he has to say for himself…

Rookie’s Report

My name is Ben Readings. I’m 24 years old and this season will be my first ever ‘proper’ go at racing. Although, I did one endurance event, at Teesside in 2022 on Bob Monkhouse’s pink Lambretta.

I got into racing by meeting Dave Bristow. My 9 to 5 boss is good friends with Dave and for about a year he’d tell me he’s got a mate who’s into scooters, and I’d kinda shrug it off as everyone has ‘a mate who’s into scooters’. I didn’t know anything about racing, or the names involved so when I met the chairman of the BSSO, Dave Bristow I didn’t have a clue who he was, so we just had a chat about scooters. I told him about my electric Lammy (Ben built a geared electric Lambretta for a uni design project) and he was impressed.

When I found out about his connection to racing I said, “Ahh, I’ve always wanted to have a go “He simply said, “Come on then”. So he let me have a go on John-the-Greek’s production scooter during the practice of the 2022 Whilton Mill Endurance. I wasn’t slow and I didn’t fall off, which I think impressed Dave. Obviously, I then joined Bob Monkhouse after Dave recommended me to him, and it was brilliant fun. The loose plan for joining the Hornet boys on a PK was out the window though, because I wanted to race a Lambretta.

Modretta

A few weeks after Teesside I was at Dave’s Hornet Scooters workshop and he offered me his old race bike. Now a big part of racing to me is to build the engine. Alongside my three days a week ‘proper’ job as a design engineer, I also run a very small scooter repair shop from my back garden. It’s in a shed that my dad has built into a scooter workshop, called Modretta.

We had Dave’s race engine out, and over the winter I slowly built a Production Class spec RB20. We put my engine into Dave’s bike and had it on the dyno at Jahspeed and it all seemed good. Giving me confidence that the engine I had built would likely survive the first outing at Croft.

Here’s how it went…

Round one – Croft

Arrived just before 4 pm Friday. Very wet, very raining

Practice was good. Getting to know the track. Dry tyres are surprisingly grippy in the wet, but avoid puddles.

Saturday

First practice. Stock Scooters qualifying. Much drier track than yesterday. I can feel I’m starting to pick up the pace and find what line I want to use. I’m starting to move about on the scooter a little bit more. Harry came off because I turned and he didn’t expect it, making him hit the rumble strips and slip off. I need to be smoother in what I’m doing so I don’t confuse other people. Sorry, Harry.

Second practice. Super Scooters. Starting to feel really good. The flat spot isn’t so much of a problem if you just nail it. Leaning forward a bit more to get weight on the front, but I did have a bit of a speed wobble. Racing is scary! Red flags come up and it was Harry. I rode past him and he was laying face down on the ground. The race was then stopped and we were directed off.

Race One

First race. Stock. Pretty sure I went to the wrong place to start the race so started further back than I should have. However, it was the best I have performed so far. I just went for it – within reason. I had a few little battles, but got through. But there was Gary Smyth, on Lee Abrahams’s old proddy bike off in the near distance. So he was the target, I pushed and pushed. I held off the brakes longer and longer and finally got past him on a corner. It seems I can get around a corner a bit quicker than him. But once I was past I still had to fight. And every second that went by I was waiting to hear him come flying past. But he never did. Although Tatton, Price and Nikita, and possibly a few more did get past and lap me. I finished 14th, 8 places higher than my starting position of 22. Although a few didn’t finish the race, so more like 4 places higher than I started.

Race Two – Super Scooters

Second race, Super Scooters. Due to the break between the races, eating lunch and relaxing for a bit, I kinda lost my mojo when I first went out on the track. The warm-up lap was almost leisurely and I was way at the back. Although, being next to John Balcomb on the start grid did make me feel like I could be as fast as anyone else out there. The light went, and coz I was slightly further up the start grid, the atmosphere was far more, and I was also very aware that I needed to get going ASAP, or somone might hit me up the arse. Anyway, I got going and that lack of mojo was still there, but the further into the race I got the more the confidence grew again. I found myself in an exciting battle with Gary Smyth and this time we both wanted it. There was a few back-and-forth moments, but I kept on pushing, leaving it later and later to brake and putting more and more faith into the tyres and the bike. It definitely seems I can get round the corners a bit faster and that’s what ultimately allowed me to get past him just two corners before the chequered flag. After the race I went and found him, and that moment was incredible. Two very different people hugging it out over an intense battle on the race track, with plenty of jokes comparing our weights and ages.

Stock Scooters – Race Two

As the race started some rain fell on my visor. I think that rain made me worried the track would be slippy, and I just didn’t push as hard. Gary Smyth won our battle this time and by a considerable amount. I was starting to feel pretty tired, and then once you find yourself with no one to directly battle you definitely don’t push yourself as hard as you can. A little bit disappointed with myself on that race.

Super Scooters – Race Two

The last race of the day. I did a pretty good start, and it started to rain. But I just kept pushing, I just made myself assume the tyres would hold. Although I started this race a few positions in front of Gary Smyth he caught up with me, but as soon as he caught up with me something clicked in my head and I was not going to let him get past again. So I managed to get back in front of him, and I held him off. Until there was a red flag and the race ended.

Sunday – Stock Scooters Race 3

After lots of advice and tips from Dave and the rest of the team, I had some things to go out and try. So I was less worried about winning and more just feeling out new techniques. Dave suggested I tried to get my thigh on the air box hole on the frame. The first time I tried this it almost threw me off balance, I think a case of trying too much too soon. But by the end of the race, I was feeling much more comfortable with that concept. Dave had also said to try and lean forward and put my chin on my hand when in a corner. That wasn’t too bad, Dave seemed impressed when I came back in from the race and said that was okay to do. Apparently, that’s a thing most people are scared to do. Something about going face-first at 80-odd mph. Haha. I did have a little battle towards the end of the race, and I was winning until two corners from the end when he got past me, with a few choice words towards him in my helmet I tried to get it back on the inside of the very last corner, that wasn’t the best idea and we almost collided. Although I could’ve got in front with that dirty move, I held back and let him go as he had earnt that win more fairly than me.

Super Scooters – Race 3

Not feeling it as much, just getting really tired and sore arms from all the clutch and brake. Battles weren’t successful just getting away, I was making silly decisions and not taking the correct line and losing speed through the corners. Possibly the least fun I’ve had.

Stock Scooters – Race 4

Much better this time. I just went out with the intention of having fun, I think I’ve fallen into taking it too seriously too soon. I made a conscious effort to be more relaxed, and that worked. I also tried to use the ‘correct line’ and not the one I use when I’m desperately trying to get past someone. And it all felt a lot better, I could feel Sean on my tail the whole time, but Gary and John were off in front of me, but I wasn’t desperately trying to get past. It was more about being clean and relaxed. Possibly the most enjoyable race I’ve had this weekend.

Super Scooters – Race 4

Last race of the meeting and it didn’t disappoint. After my little lul earlier I again went out with the sole intention to have fun. I was also aware that Dave Bristow would be watching to see if I had implemented his advice. No pressure. I think it’s probably worth treating the warm-up lap like a race lap, just to practice, so I did that as much as I could with other people in the way not doing the same… The race start was pretty good, definitely starting to get the hang of them and that first corner is also getting much better. This time the battle was purely between me and John Holt. In the first few laps he was in front and I battled hard, while still trying to remain smooth and relaxed, and I managed to get in front. I continued, trying to keep the pace and holding him. I came around the very last corner just in front but somehow he just crept past me, finishing about an inch in front of me. That last race of the meeting was the absolute best, having someone at a similar pace to you to have a battle with really is the best thing. Who knew coming last would be so much fun? And the engine that I had built in my shed in the back garden had survived the abuse I’d given it over the weekend. 8 races and 2 practices without any issues at all.

Roll on this weekend for Mallory Park…

Words and photos: Ben Readings