BSSO Scooter Racing: Rookie’s Report – Round 2 Mallory Park | FEATURE

Young scooter lad, engineer, mechanic and rookie scooter racer, Ben Readings has recently taken part in his second BSSO race meeting.

The lad may only be young in years but his levelheaded approach to racing shows the kind of maturity I could only dream of, as this part of his Rookie’s Report shows. There’s no way I’d be sitting a race out if the scooter was still running. Odd mechanical noises or not!

Anyway, here’s how he got on and what ‘The Boss’, Dave Bristow has to say about him…

Iggy 

Friday 14th April, the day before racing. Does it always rain at race meets? So far it seems like it. Rain all the way for the drive up and rain entering the track. But it is nice to arrive to a track that I’ve ridden before, as I had completed my ACU licence test here. It means I’ve got a lot more confidence in my knowledge of the track and its layout, and I can just concentrate on getting around it. While going through scrutineering I was recognised from my first race report and complimented on a brilliant write-up of the event, and I was wished the best of luck for this weekend. Thank you so much, Phil. It’s going to be difficult to stop this fame getting to my head. Haha…

Saturday 15th April. To try and prepare before this second race meeting I have been reading/listening to the audiobook (welcome to the 22nd century!) of Keith Code’s ‘A Twist of the Wrist’ a book that a few people had suggested I read. Although it’s clearly aimed towards motorbikes and it’s clear some bits won’t be as useful to scooter racing it was still very interesting to read. It now means I’ve got some things I’d like to go out and try while on track today.

Things including…

• Throttle control: I’ve gotta be super smooth with the throttle
• Racing line, I’ve gotta find what line works best for me and my scooter, and I’ve got to stop ‘charging’ the corners, this is where you rush into a corner and have to brake too much, therefore, making me lose too much speed for coming out of the corner.

Stock practice

Before going out, myself, Sean and Sharkey were talking about racing ‘stage fright.’ That feeling leading up to going out on track for the first time is identical to stage fright. The nerves and the excitement kinda get you worried and apprehensive. But you know the second you get on the track it’ll all disappear and be replaced by the biggest grin you could ever have. So we went out for practice, and as I’d said before, I know the track. However, when I did the ACU licence test they used a slightly different layout of the track, so I was expecting to turn left when it was in fact a straight, this is why I’m glad there are these practice/qualifying/sighting sessions before the races. I was picking up speed on each lap and beginning to try to implement some of the new theories I’d been reading, and it already felt like it was making a difference. I was slowed however as the track was still pretty damp, and a few patches made the scooter feel very skittish and twitchy. Also, a few people had slipped and come off, one happening right in front of me. I had to consciously make myself look away, but it definitely does slow you down when you see things like that.

Supers practice

The track was definitely much drier by now and that really inspires confidence. Nothing much to note on this practice really. I was just practising my smooth throttle control through the corners and it really does make a difference and makes the bike feel much more stable on the corners which gives you much more confidence to attack them faster. As always, it’s very interesting to watch those with much more experience than me and take note of how they take the corners, then attempt to get closer to how they do it on the next lap.

Saturday – first stock race

Race mode activated, this isn’t the practice anymore this is it! On the practice, the boss said “This isn’t a Sunday ride, get your head down!” so this time when I was on the straight, My. Head. Was. Down. And it definitely makes the straights feel faster. Also continuing to work on the corners, trying to find which entry to the corner results in the best exit and most speed carried out of the corner. I had John Holt battling with me and he only got past on the hairpin, but then I coul take him once back on the paddock straight. “Get your head down!” lets me get to the first corner before John.

Different lines

Lunch. While sitting eating my lunch, I noticed some oil on the rear wheel of the scooter. A quick check and the majority of the chain case studs were pretty loose, letting oil creep past onto the wheel. I’m surprised it didn’t feel slippy out. But I’m glad I saw it and sorted it. I definitely need to keep an eye on the scooter and sort any issues out quickly. The scooter is being absolutely abused so it’s no surprise issues like this are coming up. Over lunch, Justin Price explained the line he had been taking. Interestingly it differed slightly from Bristow’s and others’ chosen lines. However, Justin races a Lambretta so I’d assume he’d have a line closer to what I want.

John the Greek showing how it’s done…

First Supers race

Whilst out in this race I had what Justin had told me in mind, changing gears in slightly different places and riding a slightly different line. Going into the first corner I believe I’m now only touching the brake and not actually using it much. I think I’ve almost tricked myself into thinking I’ve used the brake when I really haven’t, so allowing me to carry more speed into and around that corner. Justin had also said that he was scraping his exhaust during that corner so that had almost become a goal of mine and no longer something I was scared to do. With all that together, everything seemed to flow a lot better. Sean was in front, to begin with, and John Holt too but once I settled into my line I got past them and kept them back. It all seemed a lot smoother and a lot faster.

Stock race 2

When starting the bike this time I noticed a change in the sound of the engine, something rattling, possibly?Maybe the chain had come slightly loose? Anyway, I went out regardless and it was all going really, really well. Me and Sean were battling it out again. I was pushing harder and harder, keeping him off my back. Going round and round trying to take each corner faster and faster… and doing it. I could still see Gary in the near distance and I was desperately trying to close that gap. That desperate word again. That is something I need to stay away from. I was flying down the fast bit at the back, ready to lean it over to the right to start going up the hill but that desperate word kicked in again. I went faster than I can and couldn’t turn tight enough and bang, off the track onto the grass, and let me tell you, that grass is slippery. God knows how I held it up, after the race Sean even came and found me and said “How the hell did you keep that up on the grass?” That’s me told, get back to relaxing.

Supers race 2 – DNS – Did Not Start

Unfortunately, I forfeited this race. As I’d said before when I went out on the previous race the scooter sounded different. I wasn’t 100% sure what it was but was fairly sure it was chain related. In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have gone out (with heavily crossed fingers) in the previous race after hearing a noise I didn’t like. I think that could be partially to blame for why I messed up that corner and ended up on the grass. A tiny thought of ‘that strange noise’ was in my head while racing. However, I now had the time after watching the final race of the day to get on with finding out what that noise was. I whipped the exhaust off, got the chain case off and it was pretty clear what the issue was. As well as the chain being very loose the whole cush drive assembly had loosened off and was beginning to wear its way through the chain case. Thank God I didn’t go out on that last race.

Luckily, I’m using the Casa cush drive assembly, so although that M8 bolt was no longer tight into the crank, the spring was still under tension and wasn’t actively pushing against the chain case. Anyway, I got it all back together, this time with plenty of thread lock and we should be good to go for tomorrow. Now on to dinner with the team and a few drinks with the other racers. Happy days.

Third Stock race

Back out and I had confidence back in the scooter. I’m so glad I got the engine open and found that there was an issue.

Before the race started there were issues with the bike, I bumped it and it started lovely, I had the annoyance of turning the choke off through the hole in the panel and I was ready to go. Then blurp, the engine dies. Tried bumping it and bumping it, and other people tried to help me bump it, but still nothing. Then I realised the fuel tap works the wrong way around! I turned the fuel on and surprise, surprise off we go. Thank you for your help Mikey. As I was waiting I saw a good friend of mine walking down the hill watching the race about to start. That audience gave me the drive to almost put on a show, I was not going to let John or Sean get past me. Saying that, John got past me once on the hairpin, but by the start/finish line, I was back in front. Bristow’s words are always in my ear, “It’s not a Sunday ride, get your head down!” Although I wanted to put a bit of a show on, I was also very aware of how I left the track on my last race. So when coming up to that specific corner I was definitely taking more care. But overall a very good race, although it definitely was that time of the weekend when my arms started to ache.

Third Supers

Things just weren’t feeling right, a sudden flurry of rain meant there was rain building up on my visor and I hate that, it makes me feel like there just won’t be any grip at all. Even though I know it needs to be really wet to not have grip. Lots of people who normally don’t get past me seemed to be getting by easily. Then suddenly a few people were finding the track was wet, a Runner comes off in front, then John-the-Greek had to visit the same patch of grass as I did yesterday. Then I saw Sean also go on the grass, I narrowly avoided visiting the grass again, but then suddenly red flags were everywhere. We were then held at the start line and seemed to be waiting for ages. I turned around and saw an ambulance leaving the track so somebody was hurt (Ryan Clipstone).

Right, I get a second attempt at this race and I am going to use it. ‘Ben, forget the rain on your visor.’ It’s only “Visor rain” as Bristow says. ‘The track will still have grip, don’t think about the rain, just go for it.’ And that is what I did. I pushed harder than I have before but I did not get into ‘desperate’ mode, I kept it smooth. I kept the throttle controls progressive and I even went faster into the first corner and therefore faster out. I got my head down as much as I possibly could, and I even felt like the hairpin was massively improving. I finished the race ahead of people who I have never finished in front of, and the icing on the cake was being lapped by Mr Graves just before the finish as I got to see his celebration to himself as he finished.

Riders took part in a one-lap Stefan Manoli memorial lap on Sunday, RIP #62

Fourth Stock race

Anyway, to the race. Everything definitely seemed to be falling into place. ‘Stay far away from hectic and remain calm!’ I also tried not letting my mind wander and I was making myself think through what I was doing, and possibly more importantly why I was doing what I was doing. Another incredible battle with John Holt this time and he occasionally got past me, more often in the hairpin but then I knew that he was slightly under geared and I could get him before the finish.

Zip rider, Mark Shirley (pictured above) had been in my sights all weekend, and this race without actively pushing towards him, trying to avoid my hectic attitude I found myself passing him, and he didn’t get back past me the rest of the race. Now I’m not sure if he was having issues with his bike or if there was a reason I could get past him, but it felt good to finish in front of my goal. Also very nice to have Bristow comment on how impressed he was with my braking going into the hairpin, he also commented on the fact that he was now lapping me much, much later on in the race.

Tim Simpson leads Mark Shirley and Gary Smyth

Final supers race

Out on the track and I was really feeling it now. Mark Shirley was just in front of me so he was still my goal. I was working hard to keep John Holt off my back and he stayed behind. We then came around the hairpin to a red flag with Mark laying on the ground, rolling around, obviously in pain. We had a few reminders of how dangerous this sport is during the weekend. Anyway, we waited for the ambulance to do its job then went back to the start grid. The red light went out and I got the front wheel off the ground… relax, get the wheel back on the ground, and get going. In previous races it would take me a lap or so to find my rhythm and get to a decent lap time, but the more laps I do the quicker I can get into the swing of it. I’m certain the difference in lap times of the first and last lap of a race is much less now. The key really is to push as hard as you can but not desperately, smoothly and calmly are the way to go. I’m actually talking to myself as I ride, what I’m doing with the throttle, what I’m doing with my weight, my legs, where my head is. Trying to keep myself in check and constantly confirming if this is what I want to do or if there is a better method. In this race I kept John Holt behind, I’m not even sure he got past once this time. I also caught up with Andy Walker and had a bit of to and fro with him, finishing the race with him behind me. But the real win of this race was just how small the gap between myself and Gary Smyth was. I could have reached out and touched him in bits of it. Starting the weekend with a lap time of around 1:22 and this final race having a best lap time of 1:13. Nine whole seconds, which in normal terms doesn’t sound a lot but 9 seconds at 60 mph is 240 metres, which is considerable.

That’s all for now, next stop is BSEC endurance at Whilton Mill on Saturday May the 6th…

Ben Readings #65

The Bosses’ report – Dave Bristow #63

I got to know Ben as he works for friends of the family and he’d been told “You must meet Dave, he’s into scooters.” He came to the workshop, and then to racing aaannnd… it was something he had to do! I managed to get him a ride in endurance with Bob Monkhouses’ team last year and he enjoyed the experience. He also had a play on a Hornet Proddy Vespa in the BSEC Friday practice.

Ben decided he wanted to race a Lambretta and I offered him my BSSO Group 4 machine (without an engine). Over winter he built a Proddy engine, taking advantage of AF Rayspeed’s generous sponsorship deal for the class. ACU licence done and he was ready for Croft.

Track hero?

Now having talked to Ben and knowing a little of human nature, he was going to go out there and be the next Valentino Rossi! I mean, he drove fast on the road, and us old boys going round the track can’t be that quick right? Except, other than being recognisably Vespas or Lambrettas, the scooters are used very differently and the track is not the same as the road. At Croft, Ben found himself battling with the other newcomers towards the back. In the paddock he was cross, “Why am I not going as fast as I thought?”

In a display of maturity beyond his years (and pleasing to the boss!) he decided not to try too hard but to relax and have fun. Suddenly he was quicker, still not at the front of his group, but his pace had improved and it felt a whole lot better for him.

On the way home he was a little despondent, but 8 races were completed, an engine he built himself held together perfectly and lessons learnt lifted the mood.

Mallory

Roll on Mallory! Ben already knows the circuit (he did the ACU test there), has listened to the advice and suggestions of those “old boys” (we’re all old if you’re 25!)  and things started to come together for him. He was no longer just tagging on to the newcomers group he was mixing it up with them and some proper racing was going on. After a little word of encouragement “We’re not driving to the fu*#ing shops, get your head down on the straights” and Saturday afternoon he was going quicker.

A strange noise from the machine made him sit the last race out and find that the front sprocket had come loose. Again maturity to sacrifice one race today for the others tomorrow bodes well for the future. Finally on Sunday and I was doing my usual live feed for the BSSO Facebook page during the Supers race and I can see it coming together for him (have a look on our page, the videos are on there). He moved up about 4 places, his body language had changed and the mood back in the paddock after the race was a joy to see. The man is racing!

I’m pleased with Ben’s progress and look forward to more. There will undoubtedly be bumps in the road, he may or may not end up “mixing it with the quick lads” it doesn’t matter, he’s having fun, and as the poem puts it:

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds-and done a hundred things you have not dreamed of-wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence.”

Okay, it’s about flying but sums up what we do perfectly!