Race review - CRMC round 7 - Croft

 

Green leads Woodward and Longland in the PC250 - JPM Photography

We are not quite sure how, but every year, the end of the season just seems to sneak up on us. So here we are heading north (well for the most part) on a very soggy A1 to Croft circuit for the final round of the CRMC. Due to a convoluted trip up Symon Woodward and son Joe, had arrived at Croft on the Thursday night and spent Friday morning peering out of their caravan window (we joke, Joe was not awake) rapidly deciding that the Friday trackday was not going to be something they would be entertaining. Due to his engine failure at Snetterton the Championship was over but Symon was hopeful to finish on a high in the PC250 class by winning the Race of the Year on his RD250. Although his mind was more on the progress of son Joe on his fleet of machines. Supporting them was Paul Kirkby who was making a very welcome return, this time on the tools for Joe.

They were soon joined by Gavin Heggs debuting his Honda VFR400 NC30 into the SuperStock 400 class where he would be competing against both of the Team’s “attachees” Joe and Ziv, and Andy Green, who had a rebuilt Aermacchi 350 as well as his trusty RD250 to get in the mix in the PC250 class.  Andy was accompanied by Roy Dale and also joining the team were Jon Walton with Ziv.

With heavy rain during the night, any hope of a dry track in the morning was soon gone. The track owners did a great job of sweeping puddles away from the lower areas of the track but overall the track was damp with undulations and a bit too much enthusiasm leading to a sudden surprise loss of grip for more than one rider during the weekend. For the Team, practice went uneventfully, no less so for Heggs who’s VFR400 had decided to save fuel by randomly dropping to 2 cylinders whenever it felt like it. A few hours of regretting not just bringing the VFR750 and throwing WD40 into various plugs seemed to remedy the issue and put him back in the game for the first race. On a drying circuit Heggs put in a few laps getting used to the machine and vaguely remembering the circuit for some slow, if uneventful laps. Hoping for a decent leap in pace in his next race, he was a bit disappointed to only take off 3 seconds from his previous best lap. 5 seconds of that lap time was gained by trying to stay with Joe Wodward when Heggs was inevitably lapped, proving that it can be done with a little encouragement.

Heggs VFR400 NC30 - JPM Photography

Green  - JPM Photography

Having his own dramas, Green was out on the Aermacchi which had stopped running in the holding area. Jerry Lodge came to the rescue with a roller starter which enabled Green to start from the pit lane. His problems weren’t over however; as 2 laps in, the bike developed a bad vibration which shook the bike to the point of being unrideable. Back in the pits the bike had lost nuts and bolts all over, worst of all the engine had shook itself loose! To cap it all he had also gained a puncture. Having a new tube fitted took so long the bike did not make it out in time for the second race.

In old school race review fashion we leave the PC250 to last, With Heggs and Mick Rudd not riding their 250s this meeting, Woodward was joined by Green on their RD250’s. Having had a good practice, they both started from the front row of the grid. All the fond memories of close racing must have gone to their heads as they both popped wheelies off the line but by the first corner Woodward led Green with Jerry in pursuit. Green managed to cling onto Woodward who was circulating 1 ½ seconds under the lap record, but loss of grip by his 3 year old tyre caused him to drop back without being able to put in much of a challenge, although he managed to stay ahead of the Suzuki X7s of Longland and Acott.

Woodward lead Green - JPM Photography

The second race saw Jerry find some pep off the line as he dived into the first corner ahead of the two RAFMSA riders. Green found a gap and Woodward followed past as the RAF led the race again. Coming out of the hairpin onto the start/finish straight, Green missed a gear and almost had Woodward join him on his bike. After narrowly missing Green, Woodward continued his momentum to nip in front. For Andy another slide from that worn back tyre allowed Jerry back through. Green struggled to find the speed to stay with Jerry (a little foreshadowing maybe?) as he streaked away chasing down Woodweard who was on a mission up front.

Woodward tucked in - JPM Photography

Sunday came with a 12:00 start due to noise restrictions of the circuit and the team did what they did best. Heggs wondered up a hill in the Dales, Woodward slept off Saturday nights hobnobbing whilst Green and Dale glared at misbehaving motorcycles over a morning brew.

With everything tightened on the Aermacchi it was back out for the final race of the year. 

Getting to start from the grid was an upgrade from Saturday. However after the first lap the engine wouldn’t pull 5th or 6th gear above 6k. This eventually got worse until Green was forced to retire.

Heggs hit the track, chipping a further 6 seconds off his lap time and making up a couple of places but was still pretty unsatisfied with his performance. With the bike not holding a gear down the straights he watched everyone stream off away from him for another lonely tore round the track till a fairly big crash on the first corner red flagged the race a couple of laps short of the finish.

Heggs looking for a burger van - JPM Photography

With the almost new tyre swapped from the rear of the Aermachhi, Green was hopeful for a good final race on his RD250. This wasn’t to be as it turned out the crank seal had gone leaving Green struggling from the off. Meanwhile Woodward was having no such issues as he quickly took the lead. Conversely; Green was around 9th or 10th into the first corner. He did manage to claw his way back to 3rd but was black flagged on the 4th lap for excessive smoke, so had to retire to the paddock. That was a very disappointing weekend to finish the year off for Green.

The Woodward’s had a good last day of the season, with Symon comfortably winning the 250 Race of the Year and Joe the SS750. Joe also took a comfortable and controlled 4th to secure himself as the ACU PC750 Champion and was running 2nd in the ACU Classic 500 when he retired on the last lap with gearbox issues. 

Woodward and Longland - JPM Photography

It was a mixed bag weekend for the team but then when has a last meeting of the year ever gone well? On the plus side it didn’t snow and everyone got back in one piece, even if the same can’t be said for all of the bikes.

For now, the team is off to their respective sheds for the winter where we all look forward to 2023 and seeing you there.

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All serving RAF team members race under the banner of the Royal Air Force Motorsports Association (RAFMSA) alongside our veteran former members and associate members. If you are serving and wish to get involved with motorsports you can find all the contact details you will need on the RAFMSA website or get in contact directly with us.

 

 

Finally special thanks go to the companies who continue to support us:

Classic Racing Green, EBC brakes UK, Forcefield body armour, HPE, Hel performance brakes, J&S Accessories, NGK spark plugs UK,  PJMphotography, Royal Air Force Motorsports Association, Royal Air Force Central Fund, R-Tech Welding, Ragged edge racing, Stahlwille UK, Talon Engineering, Witham group and individual sponsors:

Symon Woodward: Mick Abbey tuning.

Andy Green: New Era Restorations

This blog post was written by the Royal Air Force Classic Racing Team members whose names are featured above then compiled and edited by Gavin Heggs.