The Springspeed Nationals sponsored by Hillingdon Speed and Spares was held on the weekend of the May Day Bank Holiday At Shakespeare County Raceway. Weather slightly disrupted the three-day meeting, Saturday lost one session of qualifying and Monday’s eliminations was delayed, but ran to a completion.
Funny bike.
Festival of Power winner Dave Peters was the number one qualifier 7.423-176.00. Bigger jets have now been fitted for the nitrous system and the team were tuning the bike in over the weekend. Defending event winner Eric Richard was in number two spot 7.681-174.80. 2014 ACU Comp Bike Champion Allan Davies was still using his smaller spare motor (1425cc) was next 7.703-175.77. Phil Crossley was having a better outing at least he got down the track at this event (broke after his first burnout at the opening round of the championship) 7.865-165.49. Pete Le Gros ran 8.459 with a personal best speed of 151.11mph.
Peters beat Le Gros who slowed at ¾ track, Peters then had a bye to the final. On the other side of the elimination ladder Harold Wolfenden recorded his best et on the ex Alan Young bike 8.116 to beat Richard who had problems at mid-track. Davies knocked out Crossley and then beat Wolfenden in the semi-final. Davies won this event in Comp Bike last year and was hoping for a repeat success, but Peters turned the wick up and took the win light with low et of the event 7.324 at 171mph to take his second win of the season. Davies ran his best of the weekend 7.600-175.
Comp Bike.
Sean Mills ran his first seven-second pass on the bike 7.924-174.05 to lead the Comp Bike field. Another rider to achieve his first seven-second was Mick Winyard 7.947 with a personal best speed of 182.52. Dave Smart made his first appearance of the year and ran a personal best of 8.280-170.67 for third spot just edging Festival of Power winner Eddy Smiley 8.352-170.85.
There was heartbreak for Mills who had a bye run to the next round and only had to break the beam under power to take the win, but he had a problem on the start line. Kevin Osman ran the top speed of the meeting 187.59 to put Smiley back in the trailer.
That win gave Osman a bye to the final. Winyard beat a troubled Dave Batcheler and faced Smart in the semis, who had run another personal best 8.202-172.20 to beat former champion Phil Leamon, who was racing for the first time for two years after destroying his motor in the final event of 2013. Winyard then beat Smart to reach his first ACU final against Osman who was also in his first ACU final. It was Winyard who took the win light 7.996 to Osman 8.936. The championship is open and it could be a close championship this season with different faces on the winner’s podium.
Super Street Bike.
Chris Reed led the small field 7.922-188.83. Reed did run a faster speed 189.31mph (top speed of the meet) but with a slower time. Reigning ACU Super Street Bike Champion Steve Venables had his spare motor in the frame and ran a best of 7.978-174.90. Newcomer Alex Hope was next 8.094-171.74.
Reed had bye in the semi-finals and ran 8.855. Venables was a no show that meant Hope also had a bye run in the semi-finals and ran 7.844-180.18. In the final Reed had an issue at the 60ft mark and Hope raced to his first ACU win in Super Street Bike 7.740 to Reed’s 8.732. That win by Hope sees him lead the championship.
Report by Steven Moxley.