Frankly, we have never done really well at the classic Bol.! We were third a few years ago and we won the first leg last year, but that doesn’t count as we crashed out in the second. We rejoined and finished 5th,

I certainly wouldn’t say it was an unlucky place for us, but then, it is certainly not a lucky place either.! Magny Cours, the circuit where we clinched the 2000 championship – how can I speak badly of her?. Well, there is just no affection. It goes back a long way. Was Magny Cours the robber that stole the Bol from Paul Ricard, or the Bol d’Or’s saviour, providing a home when Bernie Ecclestone was the thief.?
Who can tell ?

The classic Bol d’Or will be run in two x 2 hr legs, one on the evening of Saturday 14th September and one in the afternoon of the 15th. Its a nice format that allows for some good racing followed by equally good socialising. As mentioned in previous posts, there is also a pair of post classic race legs, preceding the main events, in which we will be running Linden and Brasher on the Howard Lees Racing Honda RC30.

I think that the social side of things will definitely take a boost as Mikael Lees and his mother Hilkka, plus some other ex-Howard Lees Racing people are also due to come. The era of ‘Team Bike’, ‘Team MCN’, ‘That’s Racing’, ‘Team Townsend Thoresen’, etc (all Howard’s teams) was a long time ago, but many of us still have vivid memories of some of the team’s exploits.

Personally, I have just one, that of Kenny Irons on the Harris framed FZ750, at Le Mans in 1986, in the snow – fastest on track by far and still completely in control. That race put Kenny Irons firmly on the map for me; a truly giant killing session ! And that was on one of Howard’s bikes. So, for that reason alone it will be a pleasure to run the RC30 next weekend; a tribute to Howard’s efforts and to allow me the indulgence of enjoying the Kenny Irons memory once again.

Anyway, looking forward is much more fun. Hugh Brasher hasn’t raced a RC30 before, so he has got that joy to come. Our team will have the dubious pleasure of being absolutely flat-out, running four endurance races over one weekend. And Peter Linden, together with us, will be trying to win all four.!! Roll -on Saturday.  

RB

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The Sweatshop Phase One squad dominated in the Oschersleben 4 hrs race after taking the lead after just 30 minutes, from the Spa winning German Kaiser Kawasaki Team. the race was held on the evening of Friday 15th August as the support class to the official WEC 8 hrs race which was held on the Saturday. Linden started and settled the first few laps in a modest 4th position,having qualified in second. He spent several laps eyeing the opposition and feeling the track. Conditions were good, with only light wind and high 20 degrees C at the 17.30 race start. It was to be a warm and clear race.

By lap 10 Kaiser had carved a 10 second lead and Linden had moved to second place. Gradually Linden’s superior fitness began to show as Kaiser slowed slightly. Linden posted the teams fastest lap during the chase down, an impressive 1min 38.93secs. Then the tide really turned as a misfire set into Kaiser’s machine. The Bakker Kawasaki was really suffering by the 40 minute mark and was forced to pit for a 10/15 minute stop, before returning later to take 6th place at the flag.

Cormac Conroy took over for the first of his two stints after 44 minutes of racing and a 16 second changeover pit stop. He settled pretty much immediately into a 1min 42sec rhythm which was absolutely spot on; the balance between pace and risk being perfect for the conditions in hand and the point in the race. He was riding, in the lead like an old endurance pro. Actually nothing much seems to phase him; definitely a Mr Cool.!!

At stop 1 the team had noted a looser chain than should be expected after just 44  minutes of racing and at stop 2 some 15 seconds were invested in adjustment, despite the growing challenge from the Bolliger Kawasaki, in only its second race – they suffered early race engine failure at Spa.  The stop was slow, but it was worth it; no more chain problems and a clear reliability run, with the exception of a headlight failure in the final hour.

Linden took over for his second stint at 19.05 hrs and settled for 41’s, nothing quicker was needed – already the riders had been issued with a rev limit and he was observing it. Cormac came under some pressure from Kellenburger on the Bolliger bike, which closed to within 88 seconds an hour from the end, but it could not be classed as a real threat.

Linden took the flag at 21.30hrs  after his 3rd stint, reporting that his biggest race problem was being blinded by the low sun at just past 20.00hrs. The best races are always the boring ones.!!  

Bolliger finished second, around 2 laps adrift with the ever constant Boam/Clark Harris Suzuki in a very creditable 3rd position after a trouble free run.

Cormac and Peter both went on to win a race apiece in the German classic superbike championship  12 lappers on Sunday, bagging even more silverware

The most memorable part being Cormac seeing off some very big horsepower opposition on his Contis, being tested in damp conditions for the first time.It was a three win weekend – they don’t come round very often; a big thank you to all our team and sponsors !! 

Next ; the classic Bol d’Or on the September 15th/16th weekend where the team will field Peter Linden and Hugh Brasher on the Team Bike Honda RC30 in the post classic race as well as the trusty P&Ms in the classic..

The Team also tested one of its 1993 ZXR 750s, in preparation for future post classic racing

Peter Linden and Cormac Conroy will represent the team at this years Oschersleben 4 hrs. The race is part of German Speedweek and will take place during Friday evening. On Sunday, there are also two classic superbike races which the team will also take part in.

Hugh Brasher, who recently confirmed financial support for the 2014 season from Sweatshop, will be back on board at the classic Bol d’Or next month.

The team will test seven new items during the 4 hrs, including HID lights, batteries, rear calipers, front master cylinders, rear and swinging arm spindles, a fork brace and carburettors. The massive test programme has been stored up for this race as it does not form part of the ECS.

Plus, a new sponsorship deal with Beringer has resulted in the new rear calipers and master cylinders. The new front calipers should be available to test later this season.

At Oschersleben, the team will also test a new P&M recently purchased as a ‘spare’ bike,with a plan to give the team greater security against a significant component failure.

And, the restoration of one of the team’s 1991 ZXR Kawasaki post-classic bikes is almost finished and will get an Oschersleben run out. It is hoped to début this bike in earnest at the 2014 post-classic Bol d’Or.

If all goes to plan, Peter Linden and Hugh Brasher will compete on the Team Bike Honda RC30 in the 2nd post classic Bol d’Or, which runs alongside the classic race at Magny Cours 13th-15th September. There is a 2 hr leg on the Saturday evening and another on the Sunday afternoon.

At Spa last month, the team hatched a plan with Mikael Lees, his mother Hilkka, Mat Oxley and other representatives of the old Howard Lees Racing team, to dig out one of their Honda RC30s and get it on track again. Re-uniting Peter Linden with the team he once raced for was especially appealing to Hilkka.

Steve Chambers (That’s Racing -HLR) battles it out with Pete Linden at Paul Ricard

At the time of writing, the bike is still in Finland, but is scheduled to be shipped to the UK by Chas Mortimer and delivered to the Phase One workshops later in August. Prior to us getting hold of it, Brian Capper, who was heavily involved in the team in the 1980s, will cast his eye over it to give us the benefit of his relevant experience.

Once in the workshops, Phase One’s Layne Wilson will lead the team’s race preparation efforts.

We pack the truck for the classic Bol on the 8th September, so there will be alot of work top do in a short timescale….but its doable.!!

If we think we are pushed, then so are the race organisers. Last year there were just 6 entries for this embryonic class, which ended up being run within the classic Bol race- much to the dismay of the half dozen classic entries that got hoofed out. This year we are guaranteed  two separate races. As a result of last year, the organisers haven’t yet updated the technical regs…and being French are unlikely to do so until they finish their month long holidays in late August. So, those fundamental questions like; can we use slicks and wets, can we use 4 cylinder calipers, can we use closed fuelling systems and what colour plates do we need, will just have to wait.

Peter and Vesa (Kultalahti) meet in the pitlane at the Spa Classic

Anyway, right now the focus is on the Oschersleben 4 hrs on 16th August……..its on the Friday night, just after WEC qualifying, so fly early. More of that before we go.

RB

Summary

Peter Linden, Hugh Brasher and Cormac Conroy moved ahead of the French MotoBel team to claim equal top spot in the European Classic championship, after a fine third place finish in Saturday’s Spa Francorchamps 4 hrs race. The championship leaders, the MotoBel Guzzi team, failed to finish after expiring with engine problems on lap 10 of the 77 lap night race.

The top of the championship has now become a British duel between Sweatshop Phase One and the fast improving Alf’s motorcycles entry of Mick Godfrey and Patrick Banfield, who finished second at Spa on their P&M Kawasaki. Richard Peckett and Peter McNab must  surely be having a chuckle at this.!
So, its a second and a third place apiece, now with equal points, going into the final round at Aragon in October. What a prospect.!

At Spa, it was perfectly obvious that the standard of entry and depth of interest was increasing enormously. The 4 hrs entry list was massively over subscribed with entries being limited to 85, for the 70 places on the grid, from the 120 that applied. Back at Mettet in June there were 4 world champions in the field – there were even more this time. For the teams, the addition of a Bolliger Kawasaki, with Marcel Kellenberger and Michael Galinski, must give the ECS even more credibility. And  technically things are moving on very rapidly, maybe even too rapidly; several HID lights, 4 piston calipers and remote reservoir shock absorbers were spotted  – all of which are illegal under the regs; oh yes and some under 30 years old riders were also there – strictly against the 30 year old minimum age limit. ! Anyway, that aside, Stephane Merten’s 2012 lap record was smashed by over a second, down to 2 mins 43.56 secs, by the Arzner/Merkens Moto Martin, so things are moving forward apace.

The race.

The four hour race was held in warm and dry conditions from 20.00 hrs to midnight on Saturday 6th July.

For us, the race was split into six rotas of different lengths, the lengths being determined by the time of dusk, the 45 min maximum period between stops and the maximum single rider riding time rule (any rider could not complete more than 160 minutes of the 240 minute race) – much more complicated than the WEC, I can tell you.!

Peter did four rotas (being fastest and fastest at night) and Cormac and Hugh one each. We developed the stop windows before the race and stuck rigidly to them knowing that the strategy was optimum, even if disrupted by pace car – which it was,twice during the race.  The rider order was; PL-CC-PL-HB-PL-PL.

After a fine start, (as usual from the back with the other non-starter motor entries) Peter took the bike into the top ten by stop one, some 33 minutes into the race. He would normally have made more places , but almost 50% of the first rota was under pace car after a not serious but messy crash on lap one. Cormac built well with a trouble free second rota to claim 4 th spot by 21.10 hrs. Dusk was in and Peter then pushed hard, getting down to 2 min 48 sec laps before pitting to hand to Hugh at about 21.57 hrs, again in 4 th spot. The pace was definitely hotter than in 2012.

Hugh then delivered a fine safe darkness rota, holding off challenges to maintain 4 th position at 22.37 hrs, when he handed over to Linden for his planned double stint (to maximise the use of his night time skills).
Peter pushed as hard as he was able, following a single headlight failure soon after dusk, to close down on Taurus in third. By 23.15 he had done it , third was ours, but Alf, with Mick on board was almost 2 minutes in front in second. The chase, with only 45 mins remaining, was not likely to be successful, so no ‘push’ was given. At 23.25 hrs it became apparent that Alf’s rear lights had failed; they tried to call Mick in , but he wasn’t watching the board – after 12 laps he pitted (who knows how riders minds actually work?) and replacement lights were fitted in a speedy 25 seconds, enabling them to hold second, but with a reduced margin of 37 secs.

At Midnight, the German Kaiser/Steinmacher Nico Bakker team won the race, with Alf second, Phase One third and Taurus fourth.
A magnificent race. !
      

Other British interest;

Sam Neate/Nige Manning-Morton finished in a very creditable 9th position on their unfaired Honda, prepared by the Neates

Steve Boam and Steve Clark, who finished 10th on their Harris Suzuki after a problem with a fractured oil filler.

Phil Sharpe, with Team Bimbo was 18th.

Niz Khan was 19th on his ‘Eighty angry horses’ Kawasaki, with Gerard Jolivet

Phil Davenport and Wayne Gow were 37th on their P&M Suzuki.

Steve Dobbie/Mark George and Paul Wilby were not classified, but completed 68 laps.

Robert Chambers/Aidy Brenham and Peter Boast completed 46 laps on their Harris Magnum, but were not classified.

Team Glam, with Bob Collins and James Clark went out on lap 33 with engine failure and were not classified.

John Neate/Steven Neate expired after 11 laps and were not classified.

Bolliger Kawasaki suffered engine failure ( seizure) after 10 laps and were not classified.

Sweatshop Phase One are out next at Oschersleben between 15th-18th August, for the 4 hrs race which is being held again in conjunction with the WEC during German Speedweek. As well as the 4hrs, there are some classic sprint races in which both Peter and Cormac will be competing.

A big thank you to all team and sponsors.

See you at Oschersleben.

RB

Championship positions plus photographs to follow!