Hottrax Motorsport Racing Club National and Junior + Senior TAG Endurance Motorcycle Championship – Round Two at Snetterton

Hottrax Motorsport Racing Club National and Junior + Senior TAG Endurance Motorcycle Championship – Round Two at Snetterton, Norfolk on 17th + 18th May 2008 – words and images by Alfonso Lygo Preview

After a cracking start to the Hottrax Motorsport Racing Club Endurance Motorcycle Championships the 2008 action moves to Snetterton.

Back in April on the Anglesey Coastal circuit, with 20 minutes left of the 6 hour race, the top five teams were on consecutive laps and at the fall of the flag the first two teams were on the same lap.

As if that was not close enough, the top three places were from different classes in the order; Sweatshop Moores Racing (Hugh Brasher/Nick Roake/John Paul-Scott/Yamaha R1), Team Viking (Paul Clarke/Crispin d’Albertanson/Barry Salmon). and Throttle Monkey 72 Racing (Andy McKnight/Eric Chitty/Kevin Doughty). 2007 National Champions GBMoto (Mark Smith Halvorsen/Mick Godfrey/Mike Dickenson/Yamaha R1) had a couple of spills during the race and retired, as did the 2007 class winning Yamaha R6 of Moores Racing (Tony Jimenez/Mike Eglington/Jim Agombar/R6).

A change in regualations for this season is the introduction of Senior TAG teams i.e. 3 riders with 3 machines, thus enabling the teams to repair/refuel the bikes before taking to the track as opposed to having lengthy pit stops for tyre changes etc.Will this season see a Senior TAG team taking a win in the series?

Expect to see Uprite Racing return to the grid for the first time this season, winners of three races in 2007 – the professionally run team will be out for a win, not just a finish! In Anglesey and with wet conditions, there was a genuine threat of a 600 wining the race outright – the long straights of Snetterton will probably not replicate this possibility.

As well as the National and Senior TAG six hour race starting at noon on Sunday, the Junior 2 hour TAG race starts at 4pm on Saturday after morning practice and track sessions. Almost 30 teams raced at Anglesey and the result was a close finish – expect the same in Norfolk, winners of the first round Team RHR (Paul Evans/Robin Hooker) will be back to add more points to their tally as will 600 class winners; ETA Racing (Ian Courts/Darren Brearley).