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BlackJack!

The quarter mile sprinters returned to Devon’s Dakota Raceway on Saturday for round two of the National Sprint Association Championship, writes NSA commentator Jerry Cookson.

Although the predicted warmer weather scheduled for the day didn’t really materialise its self until later in the afternoon no less than 6 riders braved the somewhat drafty conditions to bombard the timing sheets with several high to mid nines as the day wound down.

Quickest, as well as being the fastest over the Smeatharpe Airfield strip, was Simon Havercroft’s ‘Blackjack’ Suzuki GSXR1000. Converted from an ordinary road bike several seasons ago ‘Crofty’ has been developing this now fully prepped race bike to compete in the 1000cc class and with assistance from the guys at JHS Racing, from the 6 programmed rides every run completed was in the high nines until the bike finally dealt out its first 9.576s later in the day. A former drag racer in the NDRA days at Long Marston Crofty also ran mph figures of 148.92 mph adding extra kudos to the machines personal best performance. Pete Ford’s ‘Blackdragon Motorcycles’ 750cc Suzuki Bandit certainly carried on from where it left off in March when he turned a 9.752s into a 9.677s to win the 750cc Racing class. The NSA’s quickest OAP certainly has no fear of the Smeatharpe surface as the blown Bandit flew down the quarter to a terminal speed of 140.97 mph.

Also in repeat performance were the Hayabusa’s of Ian Wicks and Steve Everett. Competing in the Unlimited category ‘Wicksy’ not only threw out a couple of 140 plus mph tickets but also won the class with an ET of 9.786s to stay ahead of Mark Taylor’s bigger capacity Suzuki (1428cc) which netted a 9.903/135.15 mph. Also Hayabusa motivated, but running in the Over 1000cc Road Legal class was former class champion and Airbus Engineer Steve Everett who registered a couple of high nines with the best being a 9.851/137.19 mph.

Commiserations in this report are extended to 2021 250cc Champion Stuart Buchanan who, after vaulting one of the finish line marker boards on his lower than low Honda 250 drag bike, came to a safe stop. Although Stuart was up and about the bike faired frontal damage resulting in a busted front wheel. Former SCR Triples Challenge racer Kerry Phillips now knows what it’s like to freefall backwards at speed when his H1 500 Kawasaki reared up on the launch, not once but twice, tipping him off just past the 60ft timing cells. Thankfully Kerry got up unaided minus a few broken plastic body parts that Gorilla Glue can fix! Thankfully both riders were passed fit but probably sore in parts the next day!

Having picked up a silver award at the previous weekends Land’s End Trials after being bounced about in a 600cc Yamaha sidecar John Young opted for his two traditional TriJap sprinters for the day’s adrenalin rush resulting in two class wins in the Pre and Post 1946 Vintage classes. Quickest classic went to Southern Champ Jasper Joy whose 973cc T160 Triumph Trident went 12.746/102.10 mph while over in the Scooter class Adie Horrocks had a much better day in the development of his 149 Vespa sprinter. After much tweaking and revving, Adie finished up with a 14.169s.

With just a week’s grace in between rounds, the NSA moves over the county line into Somerset to the club’s oldest sprint strip at Westonzoyland airfield located just south of Bridgwater for the first two days (Sat/Sun) of racing against the clock at this coming weekend’s May Bank Holiday. So be sure to lookout for a report and photos in seven days’ time!