Here we are again: one year older and none the wiser. Let’s see what we didn’t learn from this year’s motorcycle based shenanigans.
The short version is: More rain, less riders yet somehow more falling off. Despite the odd spill we still managed some great results which will be sure to share but before we get too deep into that we will take a moment for our sponsors.
We are very proud to be sponsored by a wide variety of companies, with whom, we were already regular customers. Things move and changes as time passes, this is also true for our supporters but we will save any new announcements for the start of the new year (exciting things are coming!). For the end of this year we are looking back so here are the sponsors who supported us for 2019.
RAFMSA and RAF Sports Federation
Founded back in 1961; the Royal Air Force Motorsports Association isn’t so much a sponsor (I know great start to the sponsors section!) but the banner which we all ride under. The Sports federation is a similar deal which is why we have placed them together. Without the continued hard work by these bodies, we wouldn’t even have a foundation on which to build this team.
The RAF central fund, a rebadging of the old RAF Sports Lottery, is at the core of our team of sponsors. The fact that our employer has a fund entirely for our moral, well being and cohesion really shows their positive attitude to sports and is something we are all very thankful for.
The central fund itself is, in part, financed by the sports lottery which all serving and previously serving personnel can play. This gives you the opportunity to support great sports such as our classic motorcycle racing and have the chance to win up to £10,000 every week. If you haven't already, you can sign up on this link which replaces the old JPA way to play.
A long standing sponsor of the team: EBC® Brakes are world leaders in friction materials that make you stop and go. As we push harder it is reassuring that our EBC brakes are ready to slow things back down before things get out of hand.
NGK Spark Plugs sponsor more than half of the motogp field, numerous WSB and BSB teams so naturally we are over the moon that they chose to continue to sponsor our classic racing team. Having some of the best spark plugs on the market in your motorcycle not only gives you the confidence to push hard but makes servicing and maintaining easier too. We know NGK have our backs.
Witham group have us covered from brake fluid to gear oil. They produce world class lubricants to the very highest standards but you would be forgiven for not knowing they exist if you live outside of Lincolnshire.
We make extensive use of their products including Motuls superb Factory line 800 2T road racing oil. We would genuinely use nothing else.
Having a provider of high quality welding equipment from another superb British company on board has been really helpful. From custom builds, to emergency repairs; R-tech weldings ever ready customer service is only a phone call away.
As many of us are aircraft technicians; we are already very familiar with these world class tools. This year has seen a range of new and exciting tools enter our pair of roller cabinets from screwdrivers to an unbelievably fancy digital torque wrench. All of it is top notch, making maintenance track side a damn sight easier, just ask Mick.
Tony Salt may have sold TST but he is still the UK's only supplier of Heidenau motorcycle road racing tyres. His continued support for the team has been a big part of our success this season.
Spike continues to supply us with well made fibreglass bodywork. But that’s not all! He even goes to the trouble to colour the fibreglass to the exact shade of blue that is the base for our colour schemes. We are happy to see his VFR750 RC24 fairing is back as more orders go in for our growing PC superstock 750 fleet (ooo was that a sneaky peak at what’s coming next year?).
Talon engineering manufacture parts and import many others. Chains, sprockets and even wheel rims have been supplied to better our chances at victory. If you can’t find it, Talon may well be your answer.
Forcefiled body armour continue to offer their support to the team. From simple back protectors to full body armour suits, the team has made use of it all and are proud to wear these quality, British made products.
We have also been really lucky to be supported by two photographers PJMphotography and Speedsnap. They have both supplied us with superb photographs which really make our race reviews and other publications that bit more special. Thank you both for your support this season, rain or shine. We may well even chuck a few bonus images in at the end showcasing some favourite team shots.
So there we have it. It would not be possible to do what we do without the support of our sponsors. We should also extend special thanks to CRMC for providing and organising the club in which we race, team support from Roy Dale, Craig, Hornsby & John Walton and of course all of our friends, partners and relatives who have individually supported us.
On with the show.
You have most likely already read our monthly race reviews so we will keep this short.
With various members of the team retiring, deployed or otherwise broken, the team still managed to field:
Andrew Green - Yamaha RD250.
Post Classic 250 Air Cooled.
Gavin Heggs - Yamaha RD250, Honda VFR750 RC24.
Post Classic 250 Air Cooled, Post Classic superstock 750.
Paul Kirkby - Yamaha TZ350
Post Classic 350 GP
Mick Rudd - Suzuki X7, Yamaha R250, Yamaha FZ600.
Post Classic 250 Air Cooled, Junior production.
David Williams - Yamaha FZ600, Honda VFR750 RC24.
Junior production, Post Classic superstock 750.
Symon Woodward - Yamaha RD250, Yamaha RD400.
Post Classic 250 Air Cooled, Post Classic 500 aircooled.
We also introduced Johnathan Brown to the CRMC on his Yamaha XJ600 kindly supplied by Spen Spencer. Previously a classic trials rider and with experience on various machines, he quickly took to the Junior production and Post Classic Superbike classes he races in. But more on that later.
Our depleted gang attended every meeting of the CRMC’s season starting with Castle Combe to Snetteron in various numbers.
Woodward had some truly nostalgic races on his RD400 in the PC500 class with some finishing so far ahead of his own class that he found himself chasing down the race leaders of the faster GP350 class for something to do! Unfortunately other races didn’t go his way for one reason or another putting out of the top of his class.
On the same grid but on his TZ350, Kirkby really found his stride with top three places becoming the norm when the bike behaved. This could have all come to an end at Donington when he took a face first trip into Redgates gravel but a team effort got him back on track to see more racing that weekend and at a very soggy Cadwell that Kirky sadistically enjoyed.
One area of growth has been the Junior production class where Rudd, Williams and Brown all tackled for track space in an already busy class.
Results were varied in this highly competitive class (check the CRMC’s new results page) with Williams leading the team as he found more and more performance from his aircooled 600. Things were looking good for him till an unfortunate spill at Anglesey, followed by an even more unfortunate running over ended his season. 
Rudd had ridden his XJ600 before but this year was the first where he really started to enjoy the experience. Affectionately known as the HMS Rudd (affection is a bit of a strong word), compared to his light and nimble X7, it was heavy, gutless and pondering. After a fair bit of fettling the bike lost its battleship grey paint in favour of RAF blue and got various tweaks to its engine and suspension. Soon Rudd was coming back consistently with a smile on his face, something that rarely happened on his X7.
Meanwhile Brown was building his confident on another fleet XJ600 (I am sure Johnathan has a name for her but I can’t remember it and the only ones I can think of are far too rude) going from nail biting battles not to be last, to getting tangled up with Rudd. Things were really going well till Novice+confidence+rain=broken collar bone struck again ending his season but thankfully at said seasons end.
Staying with the “diesels” we also had the Superstock 750 class for which Williams was new to this season. He started strong at CastleCombe where he rode the wings off of his little altered Honda VFR750 much to Heggs’ dismay. Both riders made improvements throughout the year with some exciting close racing had in another fast growing class. 
Both riders endlessly prattling along about the curious entertainment of racing the “underdog” VFR against the slowly diversifying field of FZ750’s has clearly been catching as the number of VFR’s has slowly been growing throughout the year and with more to come!
If you want to experience the V4 roar, well you will have to make your on sounds as this video is silent, but here is Michael Judkins racing with our own Gavin Heggs at Mallory park.
Before we get to the team favourite, the PC250 class, we should share some special congratulations to Symon Woodward’s son; Joe Woodward. Some may say he has been brought up with racing in his blood, he certainly isn’t new to the paddock, but he has most definitely taken to road racing like a duck to water. Bursting onto the scene with immediate top results he has made a name for himself already whilst still competing hard in British Mini Bikes. Whilst not a team member as such he is certainly worthy of note and one to watch for the future.
For the PC250 crowd; Green started the season incredibly strong. In fact it really should have been his season for the championship top spot with Woodward playing catch up but surgery put Green out of the competition from Cadwell park.
Woodward could have had it in the bag from here. Running as well as ever, some fast wet riding at Cadwell showed he still had what was needed but a seized bike on the same weekend started to show a pattern of good results and problems making a return.
Woodward put in some more good results but missed meetings and DNF’s put the consistent finisher Heggs into contention for the RAF class top spot. Heggs found himself holding 3rd place in the championship, the point system ensured he didn’t hold it but that won't stop him trying again next year.
Meanwhile, Rudd had made the biggest improvement. Starting as he normally does, with a broken Suzuki, he soon saw the light and bought himself a Yamaha RD250. This bike made its debut at Snetterton which proved to be a superb machine in just two races.
In case you missed it before and fancied another video. Here is Heggs doing his best to keep up with Andy Guy’s BSA Goldstar at Donington park on his Yamaha RD250. You never know, next time someone else might bring a camera too next year!
The team attended other events too with Green entering races with GP Originals where he surprised himself with some superb results on a substantially under powered machine compared to his competetors. A number of the team took the trip up to the Bob Mac' memorial meeting which ended up being a huge success.
There was also the first meeting of the RAFMSA riders and drivers at Blyton park which was a lot of fun with machines of all types hurtling roung the track the wrong way. What a year!
In closing
Thank you all again for a fantastic 2019. As we all rest, upgrade and update over the winter we can only look forward to 2020. We will be fielding new machines, be entering more events and we might even have a new rider. Something you can all find out about later.
We hope you have all enjoyed this little review. From the whole team we wish you a happy and successful new year.
We will close out with some images shot by PJMphotography,Speedsnap as previously promised of some of our riders captured together doing what they enjoy most: Racing.
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