Skinner steers to Silverstone glory
BritishTalent Cup win for Perth High student
Standing on top of the podium fuels Rory Skinner’s hunger for further success.
And the Perth motorsport sensation is hoping recent form out on the track is a sign of things to come for the remainder of the season.
The 16-year-old is reflecting on a special British Talent Cup triumph at the renowned Silverstone circuit.
Skinner, who has just entered his sixth year at Perth High School, started the race in pole position and held his nerve late on to surge across the finish line.
Scone’s Lewis Paterson was also competing and finished in 14th place.
The British Talent Cup is designed as the perfect steppingstone for riders from the British Isles to get onto the world stage.
Race two of the Silverstone series was called off due to poor weather conditions but that couldn’t put a dampener on Skinner’s weekend.
“It was a good weekend. I’d come off the summer break and had been training really hard,” Skinner told the Perthshire Advertiser.
“I felt confident going into the weekend and, of course, it was good to win the first race.
“Coming off the win in race one and qualifying on pole I did feel quite confident throughout the whole weekend.
“It was a bit annoying that it [race Rory Skinner (centre) proudly takes his place on the podium
two] was cancelled but you can’t really do anything about it.
“Every racer and every athlete will be the same. They want to win. That is everyone’s main ambition.
“It’s been really good this year to get back to the form that I know I have - and also being back to winning ways.
“It motivates you more and more every time you win. You go back and train a little bit more in order to get better.
“It’s maybe not the best I’ve ever felt, but it’s equal. It’s getting me back to feeling the way I used to
ride and the confidence I used to have.
“The British Talent Cup is, structurally, similar to the Red Bull Rookies. So learning how it all works has not been so bad.
“But it’s about learning the tracks again because it’s been quite a few years since I’ve raced in the UK. That is the biggest thing.”
Skinner followed his impressive Silverstone show into the weekend’s Knockhill Motor Sports Club Championship.
Racing in the Formula 600 class on board his Kirkcaldy Kawasaki ZX-6R, he stormed to five wins from five.
“Knockhill was another really good weekend,” Skinner said. “It was the last round of the Knockhill Motor Sports Club Championship.
“I had missed a round so was a little bit out of championship contention.
“But I managed to take five wins out of five and also five fastest laps. The smallest gap I won any of the races by was four seconds.
“I missed out on the championship by 10 points in the end, which is a bit unfortunate, but it is what it is.
“I owe a big thank you to Kirkcaldy Kawasaki for giving me the bike for the year. Up until then, it was only going to be the British Talent Cup for me.
“So it’s given me some quite valuable bike and track time.”
September represents a busy month for Skinner before action begins to quieten down heading into the winter months.
He makes his second appearance in the Pirelli National Superstock 600 championship at Silverstone’s short national circuit this weekend.
And the following weekend sees another National Superstock 600 outing at Cheshire’s Oulton Park.
The month is then rounded off by returning to British Talent Cup duties at TT Circuit Assen.
“There is nothing better than going across the UK and Europe racing,” Skinner concluded.