After a seven-and-a-half hour drive, with the stress of my old man towing a caravan through narrow cobbled diversion-caused streets, we finally made it to Anglesey Circuit.
For what feels like the first time, I actually arrived at a track with a bit of sunshine, after seeing some beautiful scenery of the north Wales coastline. All that plus enjoying a pizza and seeing the team and the rest of the racers and I’m very excited to get started and figure out this incredibly windy track tomorrow.
First qualifying
The aim for this is to just go out and see the track. No competitiveness just relax and find the track. So that’s what I did, and I found that it’s very windy out there.
Second Qualifying
Much better, the wind has eased quite a bit and the rain has stopped completely. This time I made sure I was one of the last on the track, I did this with the hope of being able to see some of the other racers’ lines. This worked a treat as it showed me how I was messing up quite a few of the corners. Especially the corkscrew, I was taking it far too tight, it works much better if I come out wide before the left. This lets me carry much more speed around the corner. Gaining confidence in the track and feeling safer with the drier conditions I definitely improved my times and I had a lot of fun doing so.
Justin Price leads Graham Tatton – is this the most picturesque circuit in the UK?
First Stock race
With a 17th starting position, I still had a fair amount of work if I wanted to get a good finishing position. With a very good start, and the first corner rapidly becoming my favourite corner, I managed to get the race started with a brilliant position. With the usual competition behind me (and not in sight the entire race), I had Simon Palmer in my sights. Just keeping it all smooth and enjoying it loads, and I managed to take Palmer on the corkscrew. Then it was John Woods in my sights and although working hard I couldn’t quite catch him.
First Supers race
I always forget my grid position, so luckily for this race I managed to get Stock and Supers with the same position and therefore the same grid position. However, as this is Supers I’m on the grid alongside some bikes with much more power than I’ve got. I’d have my work cut out for me. Because I almost lost the bike, on that last race, on that first left, it psyched me out a bit and meant that I didn’t get as good a start. However, I still seemed to keep the usual suspects behind me, and my sights were set on the pair of autos in front of me. Max and Mark can punch out of the corners much harder than me, but I seem to be getting good at the long sweeping corners so could reel them back in, just to lose them again on the straights. A few laps of this and then an opportunity arose to try and take Max, I managed to get past him on the first left corner but then he just pulled a bit harder and just got into that right-hander before me, almost a collision and me always aware of the lack of ground clearance on the rights and he was back in front. We finished with the autos in front of me, but with what I was told was a pretty sizeable gap between me and those behind me.
Phil Hallam leads a gaggle of Production Class machinery into Rocket
Second Stock race
These Stock races mean more to me than the Supers race, as I’m currently in third place for Production, so I really wanted to get that start right. The red light went out and I launched the scooter off the line, just enough for the front to feel light but not enough to actually get the wheel off the ground. And a free-for-all all through the first two corners almost resulted in me smashing into Harry. Luckily no collisions and the race was on, Harry was in front and I wanted him behind. In the whole time I’ve been racing I’ve not had a proper in-team battle. So this was brilliant. I managed to just out-accelerate him on the straights. I already knew it, but that’s the definitive proof of Lambrettas being better (cue arguments in the comments). Another race of me pushing hard reeling in Phil. On one lap, on the first left, I swung out so far I rode on the very edge of the rumble strips and only just made it off before the grass started. A little bit of pooh might have come out in that moment. Pushing and pushing (not the bowels!), and I finally squeezed past Phil and managed to hold the lead, knowing all the time he was right on my tail. Quite easy to tell really when he seemed to have developed a hole in his exhaust. PS. I also managed to get a 3rd in Production, in that race, once again because of other people’s DNF’s but I’ll take it.
Second Supers race
This time was a proper competition between Max and myself. Although he’s on a Runner and has 15 horsepower more than me, on previous races we seemed pretty similarly matched. So before this race, I said to him ‘This time, I’m getting in front, AND staying there!’ That was my goal, and I pushed as hard as I could to try and do it. I very quickly closed the gap that I had created through an awful start, and was on his tail for a long time, I found an opportunity and managed to get in front, but it was short-lived as the Runner can just punch out of corners much harder than I can. Another issue I had when trying to reel in the Runner was the far corner, it’s a strange speed which means that it’s not quite slow enough for 2nd and not fast enough for 3rd. The Runner does not have this issue, and Max doesn’t have to worry about gear changes. A few times I changed up a bit too early and the gap between us would instantly grow. I didn’t manage to finish before Max, but we both had a brilliant time trying. What’s even better, is a few people said to me on the way back to our paddock, that the battle between myself and Max was their highlight of that race. What a day it’s been, the stupid amount of miles to get to this track are slowly becoming worth it.
Team Wilkinson Peleton, Shaw #2, Wilkinson #71 and Price at the rear
Third Stock race
A very good start allowed me to get ahead of a lot of the faster racers, yes! What a start, now I’ve just got to keep steady and hold it. Then within a few corners, all the faster guys were back in front and I’d lost them all somehow. Not sure how that happened, but I am not giving up. A burst of aggression has lost me a lot of places, so it was now the task to remain calm and reel people in. A few laps of just trying to perfect corners, and then I realise, that’s Harry not too far ahead, that’s the target. Another Hornet Racing head-to-head. A few more laps and I was closing the gap, braking later and keeping on the power longer. I managed to get past Harry on the straight again. (Lambrettas are better, haha) Then not too much longer after I managed to reel Phil in and get past him. Not allowing myself to get stressed, just keeping calm and I managed to cross the line in front of Phil and Harry. Woo!
Third Supers race
Harry is back out on his fast scoot, but I’m still gonna try to get past him. A pretty rubbish start meant that I was a lot further back than I’d like with quite a lot of work ahead to catch up with Harry. But first I needed to get past Andy, on his Supers bike he wasn’t making it easy for me to get by him. My favourite corner, the first sweeping left, I managed to get past. Now Gary to get by. He seems to be going really well too. Once again managing to get by him on the back straight, just tuck down, whack open the throttle, and a little nod as I pass him. Now it’s just me and Harry. Trying to perfect each corner, braking later, and climbing off as much as I dare. The distance between us closing rapidly. But once I was on his tail I actually needed to get past, and he was not making it easy. It also didn’t help that I was worried it might seize right in front of me at any second, as he’d seized that scooter in its last race. On his tail, lap after lap, trying to take every opportunity, but him closing me off each time. Visiting the rumble strips trying to go around him, but not quite managing. I finally managed to get past him, but only because he noticed the water that had been leaking out of his water-cooling system the entire race. Another incredible race in sunny Anglesey.
Nikita McNally leads old hand, Stuart Day
Fourth Stock race
The first race without my novice bib! Although I probably could have left the bib at home for this meeting I decided to keep it on until I felt comfortable with the track. At lunchtime, I decided I was ready. Off with the bib, and boy did it seem to help. I thought Sharkey was joking when he said I’d be immediately faster when it came off, but he was right. With that said, the bib probably didn’t make much effect but it was a brilliant race. A chat with Nikita had highlighted an area I could improve. I hadn’t noticed that the first right, a corner I’ve been losing lots of speed on, in fear of bottoming out the exhaust, actually had some useful camber. Meaning that I should be able to get around it similarly to the first left, which I’m beginning to master. So on the warmup lap, I laid the scooter down on the right as much as I could and realised it could go a lot further than I’d thought. I think that’s what gave me the edge in that race. Working hard, keeping calm, and really really enjoying it. I managed to get past the usual suspects with just Phil and John Woods in front. The last lap flag was shown and it looked unlikely but I was still pushing. I took the first opportunity that opened to take Phil, I was then on the tail of John for a while, coming into the corkscrew just before the finish straight and I took a faster wide line around John Woods, tucked down as much as I could and managed to just creep ahead across the line.
Last Supers race
Right, this is the last race of what has probably been my most successful meeting, do not lose your head now. A strong take-off gave me a good start, Andy Walker shoots past me off the line but I pull him back in on the very first corner. My newfound confidence in the first right, let’s close the gap on Gary and begin to slowly reel him in. The first lap completed and we come back around to see a bit of a pile-up on that first right, looks to be a collision. I make myself look away and take the opportunity to get past Gary. The race is red-flagged and that effort went to waste. Never mind, let’s do even better now. After a small wait, we’re all back on the grid. Another sighting lap and I’m waiting on the red light. We’re told only 4 laps on this race now, let’s make them count. I launch the scooter really well and Andy doesn’t shoot past as before, I take Gary within the first few corners and then my sights are set on fellow Hornet, Harry. Working really hard and starting to reel Harry in, but his scooter isn’t leaking water and I can tell he’s got more confidence in it. He is pushing hard and I really have to work to close the gap. I’m counting down the laps knowing that I don’t have a lot of time at my disposal, all while slowly getting closer to Harry. I can close the gap in the corners but he opens it back up on the straights, using his extra horsepower to get away quicker. The last lap flag is shown and I am right on him, the gap smaller than ever. We come around the corkscrew almost on top of each other, I try to carry more speed around the last corner as I did to get past John in the previous race but Harry can punch out of the corner faster than me so I can’t quite get in front of him, finishing a matter of inches behind him. But what a brilliant race, it is absolutely incredible to see Harry back out on the track after his injuries at Croft, and it feels really good that I’m no longer getting in his way but actually battling him.
What a brilliant weekend!
Definitely my best performance to date, I really just seemed to click with this track. I really like the fast sweeping corners and Anglesey has plenty of that for me. Throwing the scooter into the corners, hanging off as much as I dare, and developing my signature left-hander overtakes. A few issues with carb rubbers again, but with some advice from DSC, that now seems to be completely sorted and allowing me to hold full throttle. Giving myself plenty of time to get used to the track and not getting annoyed, really let me begin to perfect the track. I feel really proud of myself for this season, and this weekend especially. When going back and comparing to my first few races I have progressed so much and that is very exciting. Thank you so much to everyone who came over and commented on my progress it really, really means a lot to me.
Time to put his feet up?
Bring on the last race meeting of the season at Cadwell Park over the weekend of September 23rd-24th!
(A few little repairs on the scoot first though, haha).
Words: Ben Readings
Action photography: Kevin Gunstone – view his full images here.
More BSSO info and results here.
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