Recapping the 2024 Bridgestone / Motorworks 2 Hour...

Bridgestone / Motorworks
Baskerville 2 Hour Race

With Frank Symmons

The primary Sunday of summer season introduced with it the tenth annual working of the Bridgestone Motorworks 2 Hour Endurance Race, held at Hobart’s difficult Baskerville Raceway.

Tasmania’s conventional ultimate street race race assembly of the 12 months is a good likelihood to complete the 12 months on a excessive no matter your championship standings from the season. It is usually an incredible alternative to attempt to run alongside a number of the nation’s finest A-graders who often drop in to share within the enjoyable, previous riders comparable to Mike Jones, Shawn Giles, Glen Allerton, Kyle Buckley to call a number of, teaming up with native riders on this traditional check of man and machine.

This 12 months was to be no exception with the go to of journeyman racer, South Australian David Johnson, having by no means earlier than been to Australia’s southernmost street racing circuit. Davo was joined by others from NSW, Victoria and even one entrant from NZ; to tackle a few of Tassie’s finest.

Final 12 months’s outright winner, ZX-10R mounted Oscar O’Donovan was the red-hot favorite to go back-to-back once more this 12 months after profitable final 12 months’s 2 Hour solo. Now 18, and with a robust season of outcomes to his title, he was trying match and quick and could be laborious to beat.

David Johnson was teamed with native Joshua Rees driving a 2015 ZX-10R, and wasted no time getting down to hurry with solely restricted monitor time accessible Friday.

A few darkish horses for the win within the form of 2021 winner Damian Faulds, teamed with Hamish Sellars driving a GSX-R1000, between them boasting many contested 2 Hours and figuring out what’s required of them to be the place it issues on the finish of the 120 minutes.

The YZF-R1 mounted NSW guests of Daniel Ayash and Peter Graham had been rapidly choosing up velocity, each lapping in low 55sec laps throughout Saturday’s warmth races and daring to throw their hats within the ring for outright competition, ought to a bit luck fall their means.

Superpole

Saturday’s programme was held below the cloud of a colossal east coast rain occasion. Fortuitously, it didn’t attain so far as Baskerville throughout the lively a part of the day. Hear Secure Superpole was held in close to excellent circumstances on a heat monitor with a mild breeze floating in from the north.

The highest 4 qualifiers had been prepared with their stickiest rim protectors, minimal gas hundreds,all keenly focussed on one excellent lap to safe a small benefit for Sunday’s Le Mans fashion begin.

Hamish Sellars was first out, nailing a 55.85, not too shabby for somebody having their first experience after 12 months away, quickly to bettered nonetheless by R1 mounted 2023 victor Jeremy Huddlestone (teamed this 12 months with Todd Tatnell) locking in a 55.57.

Davo Johnson was out subsequent and searching quick, the rising crowd watching on keenly to see what the Isle of Man TT racer was able to. The clock stopped at 54.8 and all these in attendance had been grateful the clouds remained closed, permitting them the reminiscence of seeing Davo on a transparent monitor, giving it his all.

Last contender was to be Oscar O’Donovan, who practically missed his alternative attributable to a sluggish pit exit. As soon as on monitor the 18year-old native made it clear he wasn’t going at hand over pole simply, traction management audibly growling with the laborious time it was being given accelerating out of Baskerville’s banked turns, however ending simply shy of Davo’s finest with a 54.97.

Bridgestone Motorworks 2 Hour

Virtually excellent climate greeted the beginning riders as they lined up reverse their bikes, prepared for the normal Le Mans dash begin.

Inexperienced flag drops and the riders hustle, David Johnson first away, with the others jostling for place to be first in pursuit. Evergreen Scott Honeychurch, driving solo on a ZX-6R, was subsequent by way of flip one and had the bit between his enamel. On the finish of the opening lap it was Johnson main, O’Donovan as much as second after a really informal begin, R1 mounted Jeremy Huddlestone on the hunt in third, quick beginning Faulds nicely positioning himself in P4, with Honeychurch main the 600’s in P5 after getting blasted down the straight by the bigger 1000 cc machines.

By the fifth lap riders had discovered their rhythms and had been settling in for the laborious slog forward. Johnson was off and trying to set up a robust early lead however younger O’Donovan was not . He had his head down with the race plan of lapping as quick as attainable, for so long as attainable, and overlook any ideas about conserving gas. Huddlestone was subsequent, head down and hanging on while coping with the fast-starting Honeychurch additionally trying to transfer up the order.

O’Donovan moved previous Johnson for the lead on lap six, and by the 10-minute mark O’Donovan had a 3.5-second hole over Johnson, who gave the impression to be settling into a superb rhythm for the lengthy haul.

On the 15-minute mark O’Donovan had steamed off to a 10-second lead. With 23-minutes accomplished Huddlestone had made his means ahead to second, trying to give his team-mate Todd Tatnell a
wholesome place to work from.

Most 1000 cc groups had been now trying towards the 40-minute mark when most would pit, altering riders, and refilling the gas tanks for each machine and rider. The 600’s had been trying extra in the direction of the one-hour mark for his or her solely refuel.

35 minutes down introduced the primary refuelling pitstop for the CBR600RR mounted Davie-Bohdal/Kelly entry. O’Donovan’s lead was now out to 16-seconds and exhibiting no indicators of letting up.

The NSW staff of Graham/Ayash arrived within the pits for his or her first cease proper on 40 minutes. The Johnson/Rees entry arrived at minute 52, Rees leaping aboard after the refuel, showing to be working a last-minute splash and sprint race plan, together with a dishing of luck.

The Faulding/Sellers entry was positioned nicely earlier than pitting on the 52-minute mark, nonetheless with loads of gas remaining. The staff hoping that the diminutive Hamish Sellers would have the ability to use his measurement benefit to glean additional gas financial system, positioning them nicely for the ultimate run to the flag, however “It will likely be shut!” was enjoying a big a part of their technique.

Scott Honeychurch was defying his age and managed to remain on monitor the longest, arriving within the pits on the 67th minute, driving amazingly nicely, main the 600 contingent and nicely within the combine for the outright podium.

On the 77-minute mark Sellers and O’Donovan exchanged similar 56.78 lap instances, the quickest riders on monitor. Sellers virtually two-laps down, however O’Donovan nonetheless with another gas cease to return, issues had been beginning to get fascinating. Honeychurch had a robust lead within the 600cc class at this juncture, first 12 months racer Tobey Shuuring driving strongly in second with the Davie-Bohdal/Kelly entry working third.

Last pit-stops had been getting underway after which we might have a clearer image of the particular working order and the way issues had been shaping up because the remaining minutes counted down. Graham/Ayash entered on the 83rd minute making their ultimate top-up, Ayash climbing aboard and trying to end their Tasmanian racing journey with a robust end.

Sellers pulled in to the pits at ¾ race distance whereas in second place, catching his staff unawares. It appeared the quick-shifter was beginning to be temperamental, Faulds rapidly completed suiting as much as end the rest nonetheless 100 metres later their race was over, Faulds machine faltered earlier than even making pit exit and that was the place it stopped.

The race to the end was on, O’Donovan practically three laps clear however with a pit cease nonetheless remaining. Honeychurch, nonetheless working common 57 second laps was trying good in second. The quickest rider on monitor on the 100-minute mark was Daniel Ayash with a 56.4 and shifting up the chief board.

Honeychurch down! The veteran of over 30 years of street racing went down on the backside of the hill, dropping focus and together with it, the entrance finish, out of second place!

Oscar O’Donovan pulled in to the pits with quarter-hour left to run. A fast splash and sprint and he was again out on monitor, nonetheless practically two full laps forward of Ayash.

Solo competitor Wade Schrader returned to the monitor after an eight-minute delay getting life again into his brakes, 10 minutes to run. O’Donovan was now circulating within the mid 58’s after an earlier finest lap of 54.4, virtually a second quicker than anybody else had managed, however no-one was catching him now.

Race full! Oscar O’Donovan wins by over 2 laps, Peter Graham/Daniel Ayash a well-earned 2nd place.

Final years winner (with Mike Jones) Jeremy Huddlestone, teamed up with Todd Tatnell this time round to deliver dwelling a robust third place end.

Pre-race contenders David Johnson and Josh Rees completed fifth after battling entrance finish chatter and a foot-peg that saved working itself unfastened.

Josh Rees – P5

“We had an enormous weekend. We received pole however had been plagued with bike troubles, the 600 developed a miss on Saturday and we needed to park it for the remainder of the weekend. So sadly didn’t get to compete in each courses. However for the massive race we had been on pole place with an incredible likelihood of profitable or being on the rostrum.

“We battled the entrance tyre all by way of the race with chatter which effected our outright velocity and confidence within the entrance. 30min in with my co rider the left foot-peg labored its means unfastened which meant he needed to pit early and repair it. Went from second again to eighth however by the tip Davo had us again into podium competition. Pit cease went easily and I went out for my stint with constant tempo I saved us within the working for a podium place.

“Sadly the foot-peg grew to become unfastened once more so I attempted my hardest to do constant lap instances however not transfer my foot round an excessive amount of to attempt to not loosen the foot peg extra, we received to the stage the place we needed to attempt to preserve gas then with eight laps to go we had been nonetheless in a podium place however the foot-peg had fully come off and I had my foot wedged onto the remaining bolt and shift lever conserving it collectively. I needed to maintain the bike in third as a result of I couldn’t transfer my foot from the bolt.

“Coming into the final remaining laps the gas mild got here on with round 4-5 laps to go I persevered with doing laps till I may really feel the bike beginning to surge attributable to lack of gas. I had a fast pit cease to place a splash of gas wherein sadly misplaced us our place on the rostrum, but when I didn’t cease we wouldn’t have completed. We ended up fourth in our class and fifth over all with 124 laps complete.”

Within the 600’s, 21-year-old YZF-R6 mounted Tobey Shuuring in simply his first-year street racing took on the two Hour problem solo and was triumphant. The importance may not be understood but for Toby however he might be one to observe into the long run. Representing Honda in second place was the staff of Nathan Tole and Dave Bartels, with Jayden Davie-Bohdal and Alec Kelly sneaking dwelling for third, lower than a second in entrance of the visiting Simon Barbacetto/James Kean ZX-6R.

Bridgestone / Motorworks – 2 Hour Race Outcomes

Characteristic races

First race after lunch break had been the sidecars, offering some very entertaining racing all through the weekend, the Renton/Brooks combo on the GSX-R600 powered outfit proving too nimble over the Rockliffe/Skewes entry. The numerous assorted outfits on show proved that typically extra horsepower isn’t the quickest means round this difficult circuit.

The second of Sunday’s characteristic races was a reverse grid F3 to be held over 10 laps. SV650 mounted Daniel Briggs made a stable begin and pushed laborious from the start, attempting to ascertain a large lead earlier than the NSF 250 mounted Aaron Wade may get totally wound up after a sluggish begin. At one stage the hole was out to 3 seconds, nonetheless, Wade was as much as the problem, grinding away to get inside hanging distance with 1 lap remaining.

The ultimate run down the principle straight could be the decider with the lighter weight GP bike capable of out brake Briggs’ SV as they each ready to enter the chute for the run over the beginning/end line. Briggs led the entire race other than the essential few hundred metres which mattered most. Kiwi Anthony Stephens introduced dwelling his Aprilia 457 in third.

Kawasaki mounted Mark Delanty was in sturdy type all weekend and as soon as once more confirmed his dominance within the Over 750’s 10 lap characteristic race. Don Fenton completed subsequent after conserving the stress on all race, main dwelling Leon Watts for third.

The temperature needle was nudging 26 levels as a robust subject gridded up for the 20 lap Lites GP/Manufacturing Lites characteristic. After a few untidy corners on the primary journey it was to be ZX-4R mounted Lachie Curtis driving like his life trusted it, main the sector.

After experiencing mechanical gremlins on his personal 300 cc racer Lachie fronted the grid driving his father’s unfamiliar 400 cc machine, and was quickly utilizing the additional grunt to good measure, repelling the pursuing NSF 250’s of Taran Ocean and earlier victor Aaron Wade.

It was a beautiful show of pushing comparatively unsophisticated suspension to it’s most, however by no means fairly overstepping the mark, to deliver dwelling the borrowed racer in first place over Taran Ocean, with a fading Aaron Wade crossing in third.

All in all, an incredible weekend of racing, climate, sportsmanship, and stamina. The Sport Riders Membership of Tasmania, together with it’s many volunteers hosted an incredible occasion, together with skilled commentary all through the weekend to maintain the paddock knowledgeable all through.

Lites GP/Lites Manufacturing – 20 Lap Characteristic Race Below 500cc Outcomes

Full class by class outcomes may be discovered at http://racing.natsoft.com.au