The 2019 NG Road Racing season sees eight rounds staged between March and September at all the UK's premier circuits with Brands Hatch, Snetterton, Donington, Cadwell, Pembrey, Anglesey, Castle Combe and Oulton on the list. This great spread of venues means that the very best riders end up as class champions.
At each meeting the season long championship runners are joined by wild-cards that dip into the series for one off outings to spice things up nicely.
This meeting sees Brands Hatch host the traditional NG season opener. Brands can be a daunting prospect if the temperatures are low. This will set the scene for the year, but as any rider will tell you the championship cannot be won at the first meeting for the year.... but it certainly can be lost !!!.... points are at a premium to kick off 2019.
The long winter months working away in the garages all over the country by the UK's hard-core club and national level riders is now done, the wait is over, it's time to get back out on track.
The lucky ones will have been down to Spain to test, the not so lucky ones will have been to Mallory Park or Pembrey for a finger freezing test session. Whatever your pre-season prep.... today you find out if all the work has paid dividends.
Last season’s form book is ripped up and everyone has the chance to make a name for themselves.
Last season’s top man was Josh Day on his ZX10 Kawasaki, but a host of new challengers on new machinery are out to topple last year’s Open and Powerbike double champ.
Social media has been awash with riders announcing new plans for 2019 so it will be great to see who can turn talk into wins and points. Many of last year’s champions are back to defend, but some have taken on the challenge of new bikes.
2019 will see Philip Atkinson going for his fourth 250cc National Championship in five years, and he stays with the Declan’s Team for another year. He will have a few new names to take on this year as the likes of young Joey Thompson who has stated he is out to contest as many rounds as possible....and will be on the grid to win!!
Rather than me make predictions (.... big cop out !!!) let’s see how things pan out in 2019. One thing we can be sure of its full grids, great racing, great paddock atmosphere a little bit of drama and a few spills and thrills.
As many of you will remember last year’s Brands meeting was called off due to the arrival of the Beast-from-the-East, so it's a big fingers crossed that we get a positive weather forecast for this season’s opener.
Let’s get the season underway but remember as any seasoned racer knows...."you cannot win that championship at round one, but you sure can lose it!".... very wise words.... now, let’s get racing.
Brands Hatch Circuit
The Brands Hatch Indy circuit is just 1.198 miles long but packs in 6 big corners. On a bike the machine is never actually upright as the “so-called” straight sections, like the Cooper straight are so short, and are linked by some big corners. Just take a look at the circuit map, and you will see what I mean. Brands Hatch has a great place in UK racing with a track that dates back to 1926, although a switch of direction in 1964 to the more recognisable layout proved a hit. It is one on the only venues in the world to hold WSB, F1, GT Car, WTCC, IndyCar and Nascar. It was rammed back in the late 1990's when Carl Fogarty was at his peak in World Supers pulling in over 80,000 punters for race day.
NG's Fastest Rider at Brands Hatch
Josh Day is the NG Road Racing lap record holder here putting in a lap at 91.94mph that's a time of just 47.29sec, set back in March 2017 on his ZX10R Kawasaki when he was battling all weekend with Chrissie Rouse. However, such is the nature of this circuit that Kyle Ryde got his RS GP Honda round in just 50.16 sec in 2011…that’s 86mph…. less than 3 seconds slower!
Adding extra interest to the weekend.......
NG Road Racing is again running and promoting the British National series for 125cc and 250cc GP machinery. This is the only place in the UK that you will see these ex-GP machines racing for a full British Championship title backed by the ACU (The sport’s governing body in the UK). We also have the Ducati Desmo Due Series and the Formula Prostock runners.
Where do we go from here......?
After Brands we head off for Snetterton on the 200 circuit on the 13th and 14th April where we will also welcome the ACU/FSRA F2 British Sidecar Championships to join the regular NG series.
Check out the full NG calendar:
www.ngroadracing.org