So Teams Armys quest to win a championship was cut short with the demise of Hottrax Motorsport. However No Limits, the only other company offering endurance racing in the Uk, have opened up a mini series within their current events called HT1 (1000cc) and HT6 (really I have to explain?). So any HT orphans that join No limits would still have a chance to compete in a mini series (4 races) against each other. Unfortunately with our fragmented teams its unlikely any of us can, so we are going to just enter as many, with as many Teams as possible.
Iconic venue
This is the first. The iconic Silverstone where a week earlier the F1 show was in town and we were in the same pits as the likes of Ferrari and Mclaren! We rucked up Friday to be held as refugees, until gone 7pm, in a car park just outside the main entrance. Then the gates opened and 200+ vans, motor-homes and trailers headed for the pits it was carnage! Our first taste of racing again. Team 1 consisted of Loz and Pep and Team 3, Lee and Darryl. It was also a first for most of us, except Darryl, we had not ridden here before and there was no test day so qualifying was learn the track! Even Darryl was at a huge disadvantage as he was on a borrowed bike which didn’t fit his spreading and ageing frame.
Once we were in Garage 26. Which was huge!!! we had a mad rush of things to do and briefings to attend and and places to be. It was a flurry and suddenly it was midnight and time for Zeberdee!
Some of the crew relaxing on the mezzanine floor.
Qualifying was at a leisurely 10.30 so we had time to finish off final bike prep and organise pit crews etc…We actually had more crew than riders.
Leon crewing allegedly
Andy crewing (clowning?) allegedly
The gang that usually service 4 teams was present. Aaron, Steve, Kerry, Paul another Steve, Cath and Dawn from the Wags plus Andy and Leon from team 4. Who insisted they were going to act as pit crew.
Pep went first and got some good times learning the track. The plan was to spend a whole 20 mins each getting as much track time as pos. Then he came in early and had a huge rant! He wanted pit board info and we were so busy admiring our splendid surroundings and the July summer and quaffing a late brunch. So as mad as a hatter he goes out for his final few laps and goes 2 seconds quicker and qualifies us in 16th on a 1.14. Loz took it easy and learned some of the best run off places on the track, he found 4 in total. Team 3 were just past the half way Mark qualifying 29th out of 54 teams but promised to improve and they kept it!
Kerry in a place she normally only dreams of.
Then there was the usual gap as we were up last at 3 till 6. It gave us time to admire the place, the facilities are 5 star, it means no excuses for not taking a shower!. We watched a few of the sprint races from on top of the wing where only dignitaries and royalty usually get to tread.
Darryl not too comfortable on his borrowed steed and Loz is certain those skid marks are hamiltons!
Loz even scraped up some rubber from our pit apron claiming it was off Hamiltons mercedes. He was later seen blow torching it onto his front tyre!
THE RACE
Picture courtsesy of Alex James Photography
54 teams doing a Le mans start is a spectacle to behold. We have never been involved in such a big grid since starting racing. And Pep was the star of it just watch his start, 16th to 5th off the wall.
With such a good start it was all about maintaining it. We did mange to do so but at a huge cost! We decided to do as long sessions as possible, pit entry and exit are half the circuit! This would keep changeovers to a minimum, so meant 45 minute sessions if the bikes tanks would hold enough fuel. However we did not expect to have to do 45 mins and were gambling on a few Safety Cars, possibly a shortened race as it may go past 6 pm etc…… No Safety cars, very few incidents, no shortened race! Which is all an indictment to the quality of riders, the design and safety of the track and the general feel good of the whole event.
One of the very few on track pics we found Loz out of Vale
AAAGHHH! 45 mins hustling a 200kg 1000ccc bike round Silverstone is the hardest racing we (especially Loz and Darryl both Octogenarians) have ever done. Burning legs, arms, neck muscles. I (Loz) even got cramps and pains where I didn’t know muscles existed! My ear lobes hurt! But we managed it, both Teams put in sterling efforts. Pep from Team 1 was on a mission. We think he was still fuming from the lack of pit board info and adapted it by taping it up in Dayglo orange. But whatever it was it worked for him and he was by far our fastest rider getting regular 1.13s and occasionally dipping into 1.12s .
These are fast, fast lap timings and it showed in the results as Team 1 finished 6th overall in the race and 3rd in HT1 behind two top National level teams from the Hottrax series and 3 leading teams of the current No limits championship. All Loz had to do was stay on and endure! Endurance? Now I know why?
Pep going out to smash it!
Team 3 also excelled and climbed 8 places during the race as they got faster and faster from 29th to a respectable and comfortable top half finish of 21st. Lee has improved dramatically and had a personal best of 1.14. Darryl did a Loz and endured. He was on a bike he did not know, did not fit and he was held together with some wierd blue tape stuff.
Team 3 had to change numbers Darryl on borrowed machinery
Most importantly our pit crews performance. Pep has analysed the race results and our changeovers were the quickest of any teams. Slick, well drilled and absorbing the aura of Ferrari from the weekend before there were awesomeness.
So a huge well done to everyone. We came we saw and we almost conquered and at least Team 1 got a trophy count of 2. We had a top ten and top half finish from both teams which far exceeded any aims we had. It was a great venue, great atmosphere. We hooked up with lots of old familiars, Poo meister were even there! Great first event from No Limits. So next time we build our own pits and facilities at Cadwell! NnnnGGhhh. And we are definitely not doing 45 min sessions.
Army Endurance Motorcycle Race Team 