Spectacular racing is guaranteed as NG have a day out at The Park
It is hard to believe that we are already at the final round of the year, after the difficult start to the season with snow forcing the cancellation of the regular pre-season test at Pembrey and more importantly the first round at Brands Hatch due to the "Beast from the East".
Following rounds at Anglesey, Cadwell, Pembrey, Snetterton, Donington and Combe have brought us to this point. After these two points scoring rounds the destination of all the class championships will be known.
Oulton Park is a circuit that needs learning to get a fast lap time. With its rises and falls, dips and leaps, blind crests and challenging chicanes. It is a circuit that divides opinion with riders, but NG's current top rider Josh Day loves it. That is not good news for the opposition in the open and powerbike because he is again the man to beat in 2018. He will face a strong line up here though as Chris Pope, Allister Haynes, James Kiff, Mark Compton, Gary Stevens and Nick Williamson are all looking to end the year on a race winning note.
Several championship have already been decided, but with 50 valuable points up for grabs this meeting there is still a chance for fortunes to change in the series that are still to be sorted.
The 500 Open will see Nick Brown and Dave Hampton chasing the end of year silverware. The 600 Open can still go one of three ways with former champ Sean Montgomery hot favourite with Kayla Barrington and Alex Baker still in with a slim shout.
The Super Twins sees William Holland and Paul Wardell going head to head. David Irons and Alex Jones have been nip and tuck in the 700 Streetstocks all year.....today will see one of them come out on top.
The Suzuki Bandit Challenge has defending champion James McHardy in a strong position after his full house of wins at Combe last time out, but anything can happen (.....ask Matthew Baker) so there is still work to be done.
As ever at the last meeting of the year everyone wants to win as it is the result that you remember over the winter. To go home from this one feeling on a high gives you momentum and hope for 2019, when the slates are wiped clean and the new season gets underway.
The full list of NG race classes range from the teenagers on the F125's though, 600's, Powerbikes, Supermono's, Super and Mini Twins, Sound of Thunder, Streetstocks, Pre Injections and Sidecars..... something for all tastes.
What better place to end the 2018 season than here in Cheshire at the demanding Oulton Park circuit.
Oulton Park Circuit
Oulton Park is one of the most testing…and some say most challenging tracks in the UK. It is not a track that is easily learned and here there really is no substitute for experience. The long 2.7mile circuit repays precise riding and a well-set up bike over the lap with its undulations, complex turns and cambers in the corners. There is plenty of overtaking opportunities, so good wheel to wheel racing is always on the cards.
Oulton Park Facts
Set in the former grounds of Oulton Hall the circuit was first set out in 1953, and was extended into roughly what we see today in 1955. However as with most tracks there have been the addition of the chicanes at Brittens and Knickerbrook (named Hislops) in the name of safety. When you stand trackside and see how narrow the track is, just think how tight it must have been when non championship F1 car races ran here !!!
NG's Fastest Rider at Oulton Park
Josh Day, set the fastest NG Road Racing lap here at Oulton back in July 2017 on his ZX10R Kawasaki. He lapped in 1min 39.66 seconds....that’s an average speed of just over 97.2mph.
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 sports governing body in the UK). We also have the Ducati Desmo Due Series and the same goes for the ever-growing band of Formula Prostock runners.
Plus adding more spice to this meeting we host the final round of the ACU FSRA British Formula 2 Sidecar Championships.
Words: Russ Gardner | NG Road Racing Media Officer
Images: EDP Photo News |
www.edpphoto.co.uk
Web:
www.ngroadracing.org