Santa Pod Super Sunday
On Sunday, October 24 the latest crop of scooter sprinters descended on Santa Pod raceway to battle it out for supremacy.
There's no doubt that scooter racing can be an expensive pastime but the latest Straightliners sprint day proves that there's still an interest in scooter sprinting. This form of competition dates back to the 1960s and is still the most accessible form of scooter competition, being easily accessible to anyone who wishes to ‘have a go'.
With a mixed forecast for the weekend one or two arrived on the Saturday, taking advantage of a ‘run what you brung' (RWYB) day. With sunny conditions on their side, it was the ideal chance to get the set-up fine-tuned ready for the Sunday's racing.
Two of those that did were Aide Horrocks who, on his smallframe Vespa, managed a run of 13.39@96mph and Russ Shea who, on the last run of the day, managed to crack his selfimposed target of the ton with a terminal speed of 101.6mph. A great achievement on what can be a difficult track.
On Sunday the usual British weather played its part with rain preventing any racing until 1.30 in the afternoon. Adding to the frustration of those entering, a strong headwind made conditions even more difficult. In total eight different riders on a mix of scooters took to the track, some in competition while others entered the RWYB category to get a taste of what sprinting has to offer. With friends turning up to watch and support there was a good turnout from the scootering fraternity.
With the huge development in tuning performance kits for both the Vespa and Lambretta, there has never been a better time to produce a powerful engine. Building a truly competitive sprint machine is within the reach of anyone wishing to enter the sport.
There are various ways to get involved with RWYB events at Santa Pod or alternatively, you can enter one of the many Straightliner events that are held across the country.
Simply visit www.straightliners.events for more details.
Many thanks to Jamie Lawn and Mike Pacey.
Building a truly competitive sprint machine is within the reach of anyone wishing to enter the sport.