Straight Talking

NSA Westonzoyland Sprint, 26-27 September

After the only other Westonzoyland sprint to take place this year was hit by the weather, whoever is in charge of these things finally relented and allowed the NSA's last attempt at an event at the Somerset location this year to go ahead. Dry and sunny both days, although a stiffer headwind on Saturday. There was even a new class record to celebrate.

The inevitable Covid restrictions applied, those at the track were present on a 'need-to-be-there' basis. Entry numbers were good, but

inevitably a way short of the peak capacity the venue was experiencing at the end of last year. Hopefully, (how often we use that word nowadays) next year will see everything back to where it should be.

A spread of entries over the classes meant limited competition in some categories. Almost everyone contested both days. The list of class record holders at the track makes for interesting reading as some are of extremely long standing, with many of the credited riders having been retired from the sport for some years. Whenever this is queried, there's usually a nostalgia buff who can remember the bike and often the circumstances. It is part of sprinting's appeal, that persistence and application can so often produce outstanding performances from the most unlikely of machines.

Three Juniors produced some consistent runs, but at some variance to each other, a situation that did not change on Sunday. The 250 Racing class seems to be attracting more interest now and a fine variation in machines even including a couple of Honda VT250s. Andy Ball's Windle Yamaha was on top with 12.07/106mph, with Justin Newell on 'Little David', the legendary Honda twin, running 12s, but a machine that history has shown has the potential to pulverise the absent Tony Sanchez's current 10.80 record. On Sunday, Andy was marginally slower and Justin managed just one troubled run.

The bigger Racing classes had attracted a few more players. Peter Ford continued his long domination of the 750 Racing class. On his supercharged 750 Suzuki, he had more than a second on Andrew Langdon's supercharged Honda VFR. Andrew closed the gap on Sunday, but ended up comprehensively grenading his engine. A notable fourth on Saturday was Tim Howell on his supercharged BSA A65. Triumph was so often the engine of choice from the sixties on and the Small Heath twins have never found favour in straightline sport, but Tim has flown the BSA flag for a long time. Saturday produced an impressive 11.91/117mph best, but next day he bettered this with 10.84/123mph for third place.

In the one-litre category most riders were putting down 10-second times, but when Simon Havercroft posted a 9.94/146mph on his final run that cemented his hold on the class. On Sunday he went quicker, but still very nearly lost the position when Nick Turner made a single run on his Fireblade and his 9.790 was so close to Simon's 9.753/148mph. Next five riders were all on 10-second times. Mark Taylor's venerable GSX1000 with 9.99/139mph was slower, but still quick enough to take the Unlimited class, which he also topped on Sunday but this time with 9.723/138mph. Worthy of note is Keith Pocock's 10.99/131mph Saturday effort achieved with his mighty 2300cc Triumph Rocket 3 cruiser.

The only three-wheeler was Dave Langley, on his 1300 Yamaha device that seems to reel off 13-second runs with clockwork regularity.

The Vintage classes were mainly single entries in the various categories, although John Young was contesting 500cc in both pre- and post1946 competitions with his pair of Triumph-JAPs. A half-dozen runs over the two days saw him off his record-holding pace with his earlier bike and some consistent runs with the later version. Noah Harrison is still getting to grips with his 500 BSA-JAP, but with three other potential entrants already preparing bikes it will be wonderful to eventually see a long overdue resurgence of the Vintage machines. Doug Kenyon had a tilt at the early 350s with a Velocette MAC, but his efforts were brought to an early halt with clutch problems. Jerry Deeks and his B32 BSA offered further variety on the Sunday.

The smaller Classic non-Japanese saw three riders all posting 14-second bests. Tony Lockwood has virtually owned this class for some time, riding a Greeves Oulton. A rarity, this was a road-race 350 to pair with the better-known Silverstone 250, but production was confined to just 21 examples as Greeves was facing problems and Yamaha had already shown the future. On Saturday, Glen Jefferies' Tricati had a twotenths advantage over Tony to secure the win, with 14.46. Overnight, Glen found another couple of horses in the toolbox and on Sunday put down a 14.393/93mph to take the class and claim the Greeves man's record.

The bigger capacity class saw Neil Siddle return after a long absence. Still campaigning a Bonneville, but considerably different from his classic original Meriden version. Apparently, a Harris frame and Hinckley-era forks are two more obvious differences to his 850cc twin. Results? A string of high 13, low 14-second runs.

Just one scooter entry, but a different one each day. With a best terminal speed of 84mph and times in the 16-second zone it is a reminder that things move on with Italy's iconic version of commuter transport.

The Road Legal classes also had limited entries, the main battle was the top capacity class where Steve Everett's cracking 9.732/141mph on a Kawasaki ZZR1100 gave him a second's advantage over Andy Waterson's Yamaha V-Max. On Sunday, Steve could not improve on his time, but was still comfortably in front of Nick Spence's Hayabusa. Purely academic, but fastest time of day came in Superstreet, where Ian Wicks' Hayabusa had obviously been less than cooperative until his fourth and final run posted a 9.649/146mph. On Sunday, Barry Varndell on the big yellow Kawasaki he has campaigned for many years was the sole Superstreet entry. Barry reeled off a fine string of 'nines' and his 9.22/152mph scorcher will go down as the quickest time of the weekend.

With the exception of wartime, there can surely be no stranger season of racing than the one served up by 2020? Two or three straightline events are scheduled for November, but like anything else at present, there's always a question mark. The NSA (Southern Section) has been grateful to get in the track time that has been achieved.

Special thanks to John Carter who, unlike your scribe, was actually able to get to the event and whose notes I have gratefully plundered.