WARNING: DO NOT RACE ABROAD!
It’s addictive

It’s fair to say that after experiencing our first race meeting abroad we are smitten. The banter, camaraderie, competitiveness and friendship between the motorcycle fraternity made it a trip to remember.  

Richard Adams, Sally and Gordon Russell from the Lansdowne Classic Series colluded with Sian Brooks from GP Originals to throw the ‘wailing strokers’ in with the classic ‘diesels’ at the Algarve International Circuit in Portugal. A risky plan given the bike characteristics but you know what… if you don’t try you won’t know.

Mark Quelch from Xclusiv Events had successfully delivered the bikes and kit to the track so we prepared ourselves for the unknown. The track organiser feared the faster riders could collide with the back markers on any of the numerous blind rises and bends, so would the difference in machines and riders be too great?

All questions were answered come testing on Thursday evening. The track was real hard to learn, fast, dry and ruddy fantastic. The grip was as good as the mood, smiles all round as gearing confirmed we headed to the track-side hotel to start banter.

Qualifying

Friday dawned to the sound of burbling strokers, double bass single lung four strokes and rain! In the military we were always taught that first light is the best time to attack and so we did. The track surface gave ample traction allowing the torquey diesels to even up the peaky strokers. This gave a pretty even grid with the cream still floating to the top. Phil Atkinson, Fernando Mendes, Gary Vines the first three GP Originals with Mike Russell, Tony Perkin and Duncan Fitchett at the front of the Lansdowners. All set for both following races, GPO 350cc Champ Hudson Kennaugh sat out the session.

What did emerge was the standard of riding throughout the field which was exemplary. Top jockey Steve Pond confirmed that all riders held their lines with any approaching faster guys easily able to negotiate safe overtaking moves. It’s working! 

Karting 

You can take 40+ competitive riders away from their bikes but don't expect four wheels to diminish their competitive edge! The kart track is located in the Portimão circuit complex and is advertised as the ‘Best in Europe’, and so we teamed up in pairs to find out.

Qualifying saw the karts thrashed by all for 15 very competitive minutes shared between each driver to complete the grid. No quarter was given as everyone drove like they stole it in the main event. 15 minute stints between driver changes, for one hour. I chose George Thomas as my partner, not for his good looks but for his weight. We made good use of our front row start, as I led initially enjoying being terrorised by the South African hit squad of Phil Atkinson and Hudson Kennaugh, although former kart champ Pondy soon pushed through.

The change-overs came and went and so it continued; the whole field battling each other. Great fun, each corner hosting a nudge, a slide and a friendly tap! The last lap had ‘Billy-no-mates’ Atkinson, having driven the whole event singlehanded, in battle with Thomas ’The Tank’. Thomas slipped through two corners from home to take the win.

The crowd screamed, well George’s girlfriend Abi did, right in my lug-hole! And so we took to the top spot, Phil second and the Sian/Pondy combo 3rd. Back at the hotel bar the banter soon reverted to the up-coming two wheeled action.

Race One

A dry track with blinding sunshine saw Phil Atkinson take advantage of his pole position to lead the screaming GPO strokers whilst Mike Russell made the most of his Manx’s grunt to head the Landowners.

Neil Gregory made great use of Graham Veryard’s loaned TZ ahead of the wonderfully colourful local lad and ’80s throw-back, Fernando Mendes. George Thomas was riding the race of his stroker life keeping Pondy, Chris Rose and Roy Flower behind. The British four bangers enjoyed a great tussle, myself, Mark Parrett, Robin Stokes and John Leigh-Pemberton were keeping the rest at bay then some bugger spoilt the party for all of us… former British SuperStock 1000 Champion, Hudson Kennaugh, powered his TZ rocket from dead last to first with an incredible initial clean lap. His dash through the pack produced the fastest lap of the weekend at 2.03:241.

Hudson settled to await the expected retaliation from Atkinson which never came as he retired after four laps. It was left to the rest to give chase.

A total of five TZs seized during the race so the afternoon pits was alive with the sound of twirling spanners, shared knowledge and spares resulting in most machines being ready for the next outing.

Race two

The event is a classic car meeting and as such Saturday afternoon had oil-haemorrhaging supercars dispersing gallons of the stuff on many of the tricky corners, especially the off-camber buggers. When mixed with the early morning rain this gave interesting surface grit guaranteeing everybody's attention.

These conditions could have ruined the race but fair play to all the field, just to circulate took a large amount of talent. Gary Vines was really pushing the limits, working out the corners with traction but more importantly the corners with little, his TZ250 made to sing.

Of note, must be George Thomas who rode his socks off at the pointy end just unlucky to slide off at the third corner un-harmed.

Another in no mood for 2nd was Duncan Fitchett, pushing his Manx to the top Lansdowne runner ahead of Mike Russell with Richard Hann putting his motocross talents to good effect.