Thursday January 22, 2015 at 11:10am
Chris has always had an interest in mechanical engineering. His father served his time at Aston Martin as a mechanical fitter in the 1930’s. Chris left school at 16 to begin a mechanical apprenticeship with BP oil company in Hull. Working within the chemical segment of the company, his time was spent maintaining and repairing anything from a 60 metre distillation column to a reciprocating pump or a gas turbine. If it had nuts and bolts Chris was interested on how the parts worked.
His father liked motorbikes and had always had a bike so Chris started to take an interest and his first bike was a Yamaha RD200. During this period Chris had heard one of his work mates talking about Santa Pod and how he used to go to the Firework meeting every year in a minibus with his friends. Chris first visit to Santa Pod was at the 1977 Fireworks meeting and a passion was created, Chris liked the engineering side of how to make things go fast.
Over the years his role within the company has changed many times including a four year spell working in the engine test facility, developing the next generations of fuel and oil additive packages that we are all reaping the benefits of today. This department was eventually moved to Sunbury on Thames and although given the choice to move he elected to remain in Hull and follow a different career path working on the process side of the business.
The road bikes that Chris had were never standard, always doing some tweaks or other to the bikes. Chris started racing in 1995 in the Streetfighters Series on his Harris Magnum 2 road bike. He purchased a set of coils from Dave Beck. Beck had bought Wayne Saunders Kosman Pro Stock Suzuki and certainly knew what to do with it. Purist engineering in its ultimate form. No power adders, turbo’s or gas. Just the ultimate in refinement and push every component to the limit, then tune the hell out of it! The sound of a well built and tuned Pro Stock bike launching was just something else. Angry, yet somehow controlled to produce an engine note like nothing else.
In 1999 on the way back from Santa Pod, Dave Beck’s crew chief Ian Dales, the 1992 ACU Super Street Bike Champion explained to Chris that he didn’t have the know how to build one. Didn’t have the ability to tune one and definitely didn’t have the guts to ride one! What more encouragement could I need, said Chris. Chris then purchased Nick Peppers 1997 ACU Pro Stock Bike Championship winning Kosman chassis with a 1260cc Star motor from Dave Beck and a mass of other parts. With his experienced crew of his wife Lynn and his two sons Alex 14 years old and Mark 12 years old they entered their first ACU meeting in 1999 at Avon Park (now known as Shakespeare County Raceway) and recording times in the 7.9sec bracket. Not too bad for a bike tuned by school kids! Said Chris.
When Chris was racing his Harris Magnum 2 in the Streetfighter Series he raced against Gary Coulle. During that period they became friends and helped each other. In 2000 the start of his second year in Pro Stock Bike he ask Gary Coulle to become part of the team. Rules on engine configurations were changing every year at that time, good for racing but very bad for the bank account. Chris asked Roger Upperton in Leeds to build him a brand new 1500cc top end. What a work of art said Chris. We christened it (Rogers Baby) it gave Chris more second place trophies than he cares to count and in 2002 at the ACU National Finals at Santa Pod Chris recorded a barrage of 7.4s topped of with an ACU ET record of 7.404 at 182mph. Not too dusty for something conceived in a garage in Leeds by an extremely talented man, said Chris. In 2002 Chris dipped his toe into European FIM Championships entering the European Finals at Santa Pod and made it to the final. But alas, another bridesmaids trophy.
The following year the team decided to take on the challenge of racing in the European FIM Championship around Europe for a few years, resulting in the ownership of the number three and number two plates, but alas never the number one plate.
Team took three years out of racing and in 2008 and they decided to purchase a full Vance/Hines package and have another shot at the European FIM Championship. Unfortunately weather disrupted the running of the events.
The following year Chris faced a bigger challenge. He was diagnosed with cancer, so any racing plans were put on hold. The bike however remained on its workbench (until 2014). Well, how on earth could I sell it after all that enjoyment and a little heartache! It had given us.
Drag Racing is a very family orientated sport with children racing Junior Drag Bikes and Junior Dragsters and in 2012 the next generation of the Hope family, Alex the eldest son of Chris and Lynn decided he wanted to have a go at drag racing. So Alex bought a race ready Suzuki Hayabusa bike. So off went Chris, Alex and Mark to York Raceway in an attempt to guide Alex in the right direction and refine his technique. After only the first day, the inevitable happened, Chris youngest son Mark decided he’d like to try it too. Mark bought a Kawasaki Ninja 900 and they both went onto the track. After spending so long on the start line watching many great Pro Stock riders far more skilled than Chris ever was it became obvious the boys had learned a lot. They made a lot of passes between them at York Raceway. Chris praised the track crew for a fantastic job they did in every way and if anybody is thinking of getting into drag racing and live in the north, they really can’t afford not to go.
At the end of 2012 the boys decided to enter the 9.50 bike National Championship at Santa Pod. It soon became obvious that another Suzuki Hayabusa was required for Mark. Modifications to the new bike were done by Mark. Chris says it is much easier to tune two very similar bikes. Turret clutches and two step launch limiters were fitted allowing full throttle controlled launches.
Chris set the launch system of both bikes around the same principle as the Pro Stocker Chris raced.
Oh I’m sure by now you can see that this could only go in one direction, and it did! Said Chris.
Early last year Alex suddenly said I’d loved to have a go on the Pro Stocker, just to see if I can do it. Chris and Lynn thought, here we go again. Lynn loves the Pro Stocker.
Alex then phoned Eddie Krawiec the former NHRA Pro Stock Bike Champion at Vance/Hines and discussed and purchased two top ends. Chris then built the bottom ends from scratch and reduced the compression slightly on the training motor to help limit the onslaught of bent valves and damaged gearboxes that he thought were certain to follow. It didn’t happen. Team started off steadily allowing Alex to gain confidence riding a 10inch wide rear slick tyre and wheelie bars. Chris then gradually started changing the set up and increasing the power. I needn’t have worried said Chris. Alex is a natural and at the ACU National Finals the team decided to push it a bit further. Resulting with personal best figures of 7.271 at 184.30mph that weekend. Alex reached his first ACU Pro Stock bike final and went on to win his first ACU Pro Stock Bike event. He also won the ACU Pro Stock Bike Championship. Alex was also still racing in the 9.50 bike National Championship and made UK Drag Racing history when he became the first rider to win two National Championships of different classes in the same season. A moment that Chris will look back fondly in the years to come.
Towards the end of 2014 season Mark debuted his new turbo-charged Hayabusa in 8.50 bike. After his 4th pass he ran 8.3sec so plans over the winter have to be finalised which class Mark will run in 2015.
Chris says he is glad they have gone down different routes, the rivalry and competitiveness would have been intolerable. Although best of friends, the atmosphere does change once they are in the burnout box!
Over the years Chris and his family have met some incredible friends along the way and they will meet more in the future. One person Chris has high regards for is Steve Clark at Nimbus Motorsport who in Chris’ is words, none of this journey could have been possible without his honest and enthusiastic support.
ACU asked Chris what moments he looks back on with fond memories. Reaching the final in my first FIM event, which was at the European finals meeting at Santa Pod, and my first FIM final win against Martin Bishop. Ian Marshall stopped us while we were in the burnout box to allow the Battle of Britain fly pass go over the track. I thought of my father when he was in the RAF, said Chris.
Chris has been asked if he misses riding the Pro Stock bike? His answer is. Only every time I see and hear it leave the line!
But now it’s time for Alex and Mark to take the reins now as a new generation comes to fruition and I resort to making coffee and hopefully pass on the occasional tip or two. It is also dad’s turn to look at the data and tell the lads off. After all years they did when I was riding, said Chris.
ACU would like to thank Chris for his time and allowing them to do this article.
Report by Steven Moxley.