BSSO Rookie’s Report: George Fielder #229 – Lydden Hill | SPORT

14-year-old BSSO rookie, George Fielder had his first race meeting last weekend at Lydden Hill.

The Team George Vespa rider is the youngest geared scooter rider in BSSO history and will be sharing the highs and lows of his season with SLUK readers. The high for this meeting was finishing a race rather than ending it in the kitty litter.

Here’s how he got on…

Adoring fans hound new boy, George in the paddock – well, young sister Amelia does anyway…

Friday:

School finished at 2:40 pm and we were on our way to Lydden by three. It took about four hours to get to the track in Kent with the Friday traffic. Upon arrival I was welcomed by everybody, all helping me out and giving advice. As my dad wasn’t going out at this meeting he decided to prep and take my scooter down to scrutineering for me so there was as little stress as possible.

After unloading the car and getting sorted out me and my dad went around the track sorting and talking about potential racing lines. This gives me a rough idea of speed and now it was down to me. After speaking to more people I settled down early for sleep.

Saturday:

With the alarm clock buzzing I woke up after a wonderful sleep in the van and started getting ready and prepped. As I’m not a morning eater I decided to go and get all my clothing scrutineered, coming back with all passes.

Next was the rider’s briefing, this is where the nerves got to me. Talking to Andrew Sharkey, he reassured me I listened to the briefing and took in as much as possible, the race track daunting me in the distance. After the main riders’ briefing, the BSSO had their own, key points being to leave novices with space and how to pass them safely, which also reassured me I was in a good place and everyone was there to help me.

Practice and qualifying:

Arriving in the holding area I got as close to the back as possible to try and see what people do and what lines I can take without worrying about others. The first two laps were a gentle warm-up of the tyres, and then I came around to the start line and gave it my all. Two laps go by and I feel I’m going at a fast pace, then coming down Hairy Hill I ended up in the gravel. Once the session was finished I pushed my bike back to the paddock, still with the biggest grin on my face I think I’ve ever had. Getting back I swept the stones off and checked my times. I qualified with a 1:20 which wasn’t last as Nikita’s carb fell off at the top of the hill.

Race one

Arriving in the holding area with nerves I’ve never felt before, with that one corner running through my head over and over again. I lined up 17th on the grid for the sighting lap, practised a start and warmed up the tyres.

I had a decent start and tried to work my way up the grid, after a minute I had lost the pack but still managed to follow them in the distance, lap after lap I felt better and better each time no matter what happened. Even after getting lapped, I felt amazing out there. Coming down to ‘that’ corner on the seventh lap I found myself in the gravel again, which was a downer. I got back up and ran the scooter back to the pits and found out the previous lap I had put in a 1:15, which was five seconds quicker. This got me going and ready for race two.

Race two

In the holding area, sat next to last year’s rookie reporter Ben Readings (we’ll be hearing from Ben again soon) with a goal of finishing. This time for the sighting lap Dave Bristow took a slower start to allow me to follow his lines, whilst warming up the tyres ready for the race.

I came down the hill, and got to the grid. A few seconds had passed and I was off. The best start I’d had, pulling over to the left of the track and passing a good four scooters I was buzzing. I slowly lost them, as usual, but this didn’t stop me from pushing to get back up to them. In the distance, I could see Danny Loder but just couldn’t catch up, I tried pushing and then it happened again – I was in the gravel. At this point, my hopes were down but I pushed the bike out and took it back to the pits, this corner wasn’t going to ruin my weekend.

I watched the Supers race, then did another track walk once the day was over and went to sleep early.

Sunday

I woke up feeling better and waited for the racing to start at 10:30 then hopped on the scooter and just went, no doubt about it I was not going to let that corner beat me!

Race three

For the sighting lap, I warmed the tyres and got to the grid, the flag was waved and I was off. A few laps went by and I was full throttle down the back straight hearing a noise that didn’t sound good and like it was sort of dying on me. I pulled in and we looked for a possible detonation but the spark plug was fine, although it didn’t seem to idle so we just used it for the next race as it was.

Race 4

Prior to this race, I got the famous words “Rag it till you kill it” from the team boss (dad) so that’s what I did. Sighting lap over, pulling up to the start I was at one with the scooter. The Union Jack was waved and I was off. Full throttle from the back and leaning as much as possible through the left-hander, screaming the scooter up the hill and then back down the hill and aceing the corner. On the last lap, I was on it, feeling better than ever. Coming round the left-hander I felt myself pulling wider than usual, then I saw Nikita Donoghue on my left it seems I had pulled out whilst she was overtaking me and she was full throttle – on the grass before getting back on track. Going round the top hairpin and down the hill full chat, which ended up being that slight bit too fast but I wasn’t letting that gravel take me out this time, I went into it and the grass full throttle and then got back on track to cross the finish line for the first time.

Coming around the final lap down and down the pit road I heard cheers, with racers and my dad waiting for me which was worth the whole weekend to me.

Words: George Fielder #229

Action photos: Paul Naylor

Paddock shots: George, Chantelle Evans