BSSO Scooter Racing – Rookies’ report: Round 7 | CADWELL PARK

Cadwell Park is a favourite track for many racers, it’s technical, fast, and great for riders and spectators alike.

The BSSO season finale was held at the Lincolnshire circuit recently and marked the end of the first full season for our 2023 SLUK Rookie, Ben Readings. It was also the last BSSO meeting for regular riders, John Woods #52 and #19 Mark Shirley. Both riders have put in plenty of years service and will be missed on track, although I doubt it’ll be the last time we see them around the paddock, or donning leather on the odd occasion.

Anyway, here’s how Ben got on…

Iggy

Inside the Hornet’s nest…

I had really been looking forward to this one. With the longest gap between meetings and this being the first time returning to a track, I’d been very excited to get back to Cadwell. The scooter was running so well at Anglesey that I needn’t do a lot with it, just a quick look over the engine and some new front hub bearings and it was ready to be thrown in the van.

Practice 1

Oh my god, it is good to be back at this track. Knowing the layout is half the battle and I’ve already come to terms with this place. Back out, and straight back into it. Trying my best to get a good qualifying time and not be right at the back for every race this weekend.

Practice 2

Cadwell is a brilliant track, although the section under the trees was a bit slimy which made me lose my nerve around that bit, and lost me a bit of time. Hopefully, it dries out a bit before an actual race. Other than that, I was just getting back into the swing of things.

#65 Ben hunts down teammate, Harry Smith…

First Stock race

If the rest of the races this weekend go like this one did I’ll be very happy. A good grid position puts me in front of the usual competition. Phil Hallam had a better start than me so he was the target. I was following and staying very close to him – just holding off, waiting for an opening for me to use. As usual, a fast left-hander was my opportunity to get past him, but after that corner, there’s a long uphill straight where Phil could use his extra power to get past. I tucked down as much as I could and Phil didn’t manage to get by. I didn’t see him again that race but I’d assume he was right on my tail. The next target was Damo, on his scoop-cooled Lambretta he had a few more horses than me, and that showed. I would close him down through the corners but then he’d get away on the straights. The rest of the race was like that, with Damo finishing in front of me.

On his way to the 2023 Championship win, Wilkinson Racing’s Justin Price

First Supers race

Not as good a grid position on this race but it just gives me more people to help pull me along. The first half of the race I was chasing Harry Smith. Pushing and pushing. He seemed to be having issues on some of the corners and losing speed. I finally managed to get past him and then it felt like it was just me out there so I wasn’t going as fast but I was trying to perfect the line that I wanted to take. Not beating the previous race’s best time but hopefully finding the lines that will improve it.

On it like Bonnet, good to see Mikey making an appearance

Second Stock race

Those on the faster bikes keep on getting the edge over me at the start and giving me plenty of work to do to get back in front of them. This time, I was part of a big group for most of the race, and most of that time I was right at the back. Phil Hallam, John Balcomb, and John Woods were a few of them. I was being worked very hard to keep on their tail. Sometimes so close on their tails that I had to use my brakes sooner than I wanted or I’d have gone into the back of them. It’s a good thing Mr Balcomb didn’t know I almost took him out. Just holding out until I found my moment, and then it showed itself… my favourite corner, the very first left (Coppice) coming off the start/finish straight. I’ve no idea how but I managed to get past all of them. Full throttle all the way around lets me keep the momentum I’ve gained on the straights, and get past even those who have more power than me. An incredibly fun race, at an incredibly fun track, with incredibly cool people.

Anthony Maxwell leads the group into the hairpin

Second Supers race

Max (Anthony Maxwell) was my target this race, he was just a few positions ahead of me on the starting grid, and with him having a very quick engine rebuild between this race and the last I thought I was in with a good chance of getting past him. That was my intention and I was working hard to make it happen. I could tell that Max was not pushing the Zip as hard as he could and that eventually gave me a chance to get past him. Awesome, I’m past Max, I’ve got to keep up the pace but now I don’t have to push as hard as I was. The last lap flag is shown, and I’m still ahead, suddenly Harry ‘The Bastard’ Smith, comes past me. Shit, I didn’t even know he was close to me. With only a few corners left before the finish, I had to get on it. I was not letting the gap between us grow, we both came down the blind and very steep hill into the Gooseneck and I tried to take him on the outside. Unfortunately, he used the whole track so there was no room for me to get past. We both then tried to out-brake each other and ended up almost smashing into each other, coming almost to a complete stop. We quickly got ourselves back together but I couldn’t find an opening to get past him. After the race, Harry explained that the low sun had cast a shadow of me and made him think I was on the inside of him and that’s why he came out and cut me up, “Rubbin’ is racing” as they say but that was fucking close. Cheers, Harry.

Mad Dog Mackenzie knows how to please a crowd on his Vespa PX

Sunday – Stock race three

Being woken up by heavy rain on the roof of the car I was sleeping in is not what I want on a race day. However, before the race, the rain had stopped and the sun had started to break through the clouds.

Mostly because I couldn’t be arsed to put the wet tyre on the front of the Lammy, I left it on the dries. Once in the holding bay, it became clear that there were mixed opinions on what tyres to be on. Down onto the starting grid and it was still difficult to tell what tyres might be best. The race started and it very quickly became clear that there was not the grip that there was yesterday. Gary Smyth managed to get ahead of me while I was coming to terms with the grip levels. After a few corners I managed to get past, I kept the heat up but was making an effort to just not slip off. The rest of the race I was pretty much on my own, the gap between myself and Gary grew, but the gap ahead, between myself and Phil was also growing. I didn’t try and catch up and risk losing the position I had, I simply finished the race. Not as exciting as yesterday. Hopefully, the track will be dryer for the rest of today’s races.

#36 Nikita McNally leads Steve Wright from the hairpin

Third Supers race

The track was almost completely dry now. I spent the majority of this race on John Balcomb’s tail, just waiting for him to get tired and make a mistake. These old boys can’t keep the pace up like they used to, haha! But unfortunately for me, he never gave me an opportunity that I could take. We both passed a few people while battling, and there were a few semi-opportunities but with the still slightly wet track I didn’t feel I could take them safely. Still, a fun race and another finish.

#37 James McNally and John the Greek continued their on track battles

Last Stock race this year

While in the holding pen, we were all told we’d only be doing four laps. I quite like it when the races are shortened, because it makes me feel like I can push a lot harder because I don’t have to push for as long. The usual start had me behind everyone I wanted to finish in front of, but I managed to get back in front of Gary on the first corner. Then a group of us collected together, headed by John Balcomb, myself, Phil Hallam and Tim Simpson all trying to get past John. Lap after lap and our group was getting tighter and tighter. I’m sure the last lap flag triggers something in my brain because I always feel an extra surge of energy after seeing it. This time I came across the line while getting in front of Phil and Tim. Now just to take Balcomb, he’d got the better of me on our last race, but not this time. I pushed harder than I ever had before, and outbraked him coming down the towards Mansfield and managed to get through the Bus Stop before him. I then relaxed a tiny bit and just made sure to not do anything stupid, as there are not many places for him to get past. I tried to get on the power for the finish straight as soon as possible as John has more power than me, tucked down as much as possible, and crossed the line just before him.

Ben has learnt quickly and worked hard to get a well-deserved third in Production Class

Last race of the year

After the last Stock race, it had become clear that I had likely done enough to have come 3rd in Production Class this season. Which is incredible. So this very last race of the year was purely for fun, I went out and just enjoyed the last time I’d be racing in 2023, and my God what a track to do that on. I was now really comfortable out there and it was a joy to let one corner flow into the next. For most of the race I had created a gap in front and behind of me and thought I didn’t really have anyone to battle, that was until Jon Holt came roaring past me on the back straight. His group 6 bike has some serious power behind it. Okay, now this last race has just got interesting. Straight out of ‘relaxing mode’ and into, ‘this bastard is not going to finish before me’, mode. A few corners passed and I was struggling to find an opening, then around the Gooseneck and down the blind hill I just managed to outbrake him and get the jump on him going into the Bus Stop. I held the lead and finished in front.