This weekend sees the BSSO heading to Lydden Hill in Kent for what is expected to be a great weekend of scooter racing.
With a full Stock grid (for the first time in years) and plenty of testosterone, there should be lots of action. You can see the full entry list on the BSSO Facebook page.
George Fielder will be bringing us his Rookie’s Report after the first meeting on board his new SRP RaceTech Lambretta.
Before all that, though, here’s Ben Reading’s thoughts on the first BSSO round at Croft, where he almost let those gremlins of the mind get the better of him.
Iggy
This dismal early morning paddock sets the mood for Ben’s first race day of 2025…
Waking up to the sound of rain on the roof of the van, the 2025 season seems to be starting just how the 2024 season finished – very wet! A recent road accident due to bad road conditions had been playing on my mind for a few weeks, and I was really hoping for a dry race meet to get my head back in the game.
Stock qualifying
The rain had mostly stopped, and there were a few dry lines to choose from, wahoo! However, immediately forgetting I’ve got new brakes and new tyres, I scared myself a little as I headed into a corner a bit quicker than I could stop. Just trying to find the groove of it after the accident and not racing over the winter, but I can’t imagine I got the best qualifying in that session.
Supers qualifying
I still feel very out of practice, but I’m getting back into the swing of things. Definitely much quicker now that the brakes and tyres seem to have bedded in. Still much, much better around rights than lefts, with that bloody exhaust clearance playing on my mind, although I’m certain I’m miles away from grounding it out. Although, I did take four seconds off the last session’s best lap, so we are definitely going in the right direction. Progress is progress.
#3 Jim McNally goes around the outside of Drew Duncan
Stock race 1
A lousy qualification put me towards the back of the starting grid, but a good race start kicked my brain into race mode, and I was on it more than I have been. Still a bit cautious around the rights, lost me a few places. It is gooood to be back, though. The race, however, was cut short. On his very first race since a 2-year hiatus due to injury, our very own Andrew Sharkey came off. Destined to spend his race meet at Darlington Hospital, to say I am gutted for Sharkey would not even begin to cut it. Big love to our big fish. I’m certain he’ll be back as soon as he can, if not a bit sooner.
Jim MacNally and Scott took first and second positions in that Production race, Jim McNally fighting off the 4e racers on a Proddy machine, proving that when one door closes, another opens, in this case, one McNally (Nikita) retiring from Production to only be replaced with another McNally there taking first place. Hopefully, with better qualifying and grid positions, I can get up there and actually have a battle with him.
Supers race 1 – it’s all in the mind
Still not feeling 100% myself out on track, from over-cooking corners and scaring myself, to not having the confidence to pull the scooter around the rights like I am on the lefts. I never realised how much the state of my mind affects things until I started racing. However, the engine I refreshed over the winter and the new brake components all feel great, maybe I should just retire and spanner for someone…Unlikely.
On it like Bonett…
Stock race 2
As we all wait in the holding bay, ready to go out and have a lovely dry race, with our brilliant DRY tyres on, the heavens absolutely open. Monsoon levels of water fall on us. I can’t do this. My throat dries up, my heart starts beating out of my chest, and my hands are tingling. That’ll be a panic attack then. I race back to the team tent. Dave Bristow follows me, also unhappy with the weather conditions and the lack of time to change to the correct tyres. We both sit, and I try to relax while we hear the very wet racing happening out on track. Absolute kudos to those who still went out and still had fun in the appalling conditions.
John-the-Greek is always entertaining to watch
Supers race 2
I’d had a pretty rubbish day, so regardless of the slightly better weather conditions, I had decided I’d had enough for the day and joined the spectators. Despite the wet conditions, everyone out on track really put on a show. John-the-Greek battling out front with Mr Bonett, racing like it was a lovely sunny dry day. My god, I wish I had that confidence and skill. But my real winner of that race was our very own Adie Horrocks, pushing the mental little group 5 smallframe round and seeming quite unfazed by the wet conditions, taking a 4th place finish on his very first day at this track.
John Woods riding James Campen’s iconic #53 scooter (RIP James)
Sunday – Stock race 3
After a fairly terrible day yesterday, I’ve got a few racing lines I want to try after watching some of John’s, very good, YouTube videos (@chitoglou). But mostly, I really wanted to go out and enjoy it. The weather is far drier than yesterday, and the tyres and brakes are definitely bedded in now, so c’mon, Ben, give it some. I allowed myself to trust the tyres, I just assumed I’ve got grip and just didn’t think about the exhaust grinding on the right.
A fun battle with Mr Balcomb, him just creeping away in the straights but I managed to sneak past on the fast left. Then, Gary Smyth was in my sights and not too far away. I pushed myself but stayed calm; the new lines I was using were helping a lot, allowing me to get around the corners without having to lean so much and letting me get my confidence back. I caught up to Gary, but he wasn’t going to let me pass easily. A lap or so right on his tail, trying to find the right time to make my move. I managed to get a better line through the chicane and hold more speed, allowing me to pass Gary on the straight just after. I managed to hold him off and took the finish.
How many scooters can you see? Look very closely, there are actually five scooters in this shot…
Super race 3
That last race really improved my mood, and I could feel the confidence coming back. The sun was shining, but it was bloody cold. A Supers race, so just a few Production machines to be battling at the back. I got a good start, which put me in front of most of the Production machines, just Gary to get past. A few laps of keeping on him trying to find the opening. Then I found it. I’m feeling good, pushing quite hard, when suddenly Jon Holt screams past me through the not-quite-straight at the back of the track. (I should really learn the names of corners). Just as I was thinking that maybe some taller gearing would help on this track, Shane also screamed past me. I kept with them for the rest of the race, just trying to find an opening to claw a result back, but no. Never mind, not the best result, but definitely one of the most exciting and, more importantly, enjoyable races of this weekend.
The Flying Carrot – Brooke Northey
Stock race 4
As with previous years’ racing, I want to concentrate on the Stock races. I’m wearing the number 4 this year because although I came 2nd in Production, I came 4th overall in Stock. I want to do better this year, as I’m sure you’d expect. But that is a very tall order; the competition will be tough, with my old adversaries such as Shane, Gary and Jon but also with riders who have been impressing in other classes, such as James McNally and The Flying Carrot, Mr Brook Northey.
This race was, for me, purely between myself and Brookie. Brookie is a more experienced rider, racing in a few series before joining the BSSO, but on his new Polini-powered Production-spec Vespa PX, I had the advantage on the straights, which Croft has plenty of. Lots of very tight racing and some very close calls for us both. In one corner, I thought Brookie was about to slide off his seat, his legs flailing around wildly. After the race, he assured me that it was definitely a well-thought-out tactic. I managed to just creep past on the start/finish straight of the last lap, taking the lead into the first corner, and not allowing him to get past me. Constantly expecting him to push his way through, but I held him off until the chequered flag and took the win of our battle. I am very, very excited to get some more battles between us as the season progresses.
Adie Horrocks is learning fast…
Supers race 4
I’m really starting to feel the racing mojo return. I’m trusting my tyres, I’m trusting my brakes, the engine feels good, and I am much happier out on track. Let’s make this last race count. Another Supers race, so really, for me, just the other Proddy machines to consider.
Adie takes the win after an epic race
A decent start pushes me towards the front of the pack, a good first corner keeps me there, around the sweeping left a few stronger machines power past, through the chicane and the rest of the stronger machines fly past, just the Proddy race I was expecting. Jon Holt has been on fire this weekend, and this race is no different. He’s a little ahead of me, but he is my target. I push as hard as I can with my now-returned confidence. Harder into corners and harder out, flat out through the straights and very slowly catching Jon. Jon makes a mistake, and I’m up and on his tail. Right, relax, stay on him and find an opening. A few times I try to pass, but he’s right on the line I want to be on.
VIDEO: Listen to that clutch slipping
The last lap flag is shown, and we both scream past Adie, who is having issues with a massively slipping clutch. Jon keeps in front, but I now know his lines, and I know what to do. The very last corner, the left hairpin, Jon always goes wide, so I’m gonna cut him off and go for the inside line. YESSS!, I power out of the final corner before Jon, and tuck down, throttle wide open, and I’m keeping the lead. Before I know it, a bright green blur with a horrendous slipping clutch absolutely screams past us both to steal the win from us both. Mr Adie Horrocks on his little smallframe showing us scaffold riders how it’s done. What a bloody brilliant race!
Mind over matter
If ever there was a weekend to show me just how much “Mind over matter” affects racing, it was this one, from feeling like I’m literally crawling around the track, and honestly ready to just pack it all in, to that absolute stonker of a final race.
Look into the eyes of Mikey Bonett, pure race focus… Ben is struggling to harness the power of his own mind
The mind of a racer can be a delicate thing, and just a small unexpected road accident really took the wind out of my sails. However, this weekend, the newfound trust in my tyres and most importantly the support of everyone at the track, I think I’ve just about found my racing mojo once again. I’m now very excited to get to Lydden for the next round of the BSSO. I hope to get in a better qualifying and get a better grid position to start fighting up the pointy end again. I hope to see you all there.
Ben Readings #4
Thanks
Words and paddock shots: Ben Readings, race pix Paul Naylor. Also thanks to John Chitoglou for the video. finally, get well soon Shakey.
You can find out all the BSSO race dates for 2025 here.
Stefan Manoli – two-year anniversary
Today marks the second anniversary of Stefan Manoli’s death. The rookie rider was competing in his first BSSO season with Hornet Racing when he was involved in a nasty racing incident at Mallory Park. Stefan sadly died at the scene.
Gone but never forgotten, the Vespa fanatic from Manchester left wife Shelley and daughter Natasha behind. Our thoughts are with them and the BSSO competitors who were there on the day.
