BRITISH SCOOTER
GRASS TRACK
CHAMPIONSHIP
1970-1971
After gaining skills over a few years I managed to win the overall champion title in the British Scooter Grass Track Championship, years 1970, 71 and 73. I competed on a 90ss in Class A (up to 104cc) and a Primavera 125 in Class B (104-125cc), Team Race (3 riders), Devil-Take-The-Hindmost and handicap races. I missed out on the 1972 trifecta in the last round (Manchester), more in the 1972 post.
“The dogs’ bollocks” – Norrie Kerr
Not so long ago a Federal Court Judge paid me a compliment by announcing that I was a ‘national treasure’. I thought at the time it would take something special to top that. It did not take as long as I thought. After a brilliant 90-minute UK video call conversation with old mate scooter guru Norrie Kerr recently, he mentioned that I was regarded as ‘the dogs bollocks’ when it came to grass track racing! He followed that up by telling me that if Scotland ever ruled the UK the late, great Bob Young had me at number one on his hit list.
At every event I looked forward to pitting myself against great riders. When on the start line reputation or past events meant nothing.
L-R: Alan Keane 140 - Colin Dowden 169 - 396? - Dave Wintle 394 - ? Gerry Murphy 392 - George Pearce 52 - Dave Oldland 388
Notice, extreme left, suave gentleman in white tux, and Terry Frankland extreme right looking on
LEICESTER
THE
EDGE
I realised early on that it was important to get off the start line as quick as possible and try to be ahead of the pack at the first corner. This took the pressure of and allowed me to settle into a rhythm of taking corners on the best line.
I attribute a lot of my success to another old friend of mine, Steve Hare who unselfishly devoted as much time and energy on my engine as his own. I have lost count of the thousands of hours we must have spent getting my race engine to perform to its peak output. Steve was an extremely competent pattern maker at British Aircraft Corporation, I was serving my apprenticeship as machinist 1st class at Rolls Royce aero engines which gave me access to all the machines on the shop floor. Our skills dovetailed neatly and these days I liken our relationship to Elton John and Bernie Taupin which probably makes me Elton John.
Some of our basic tuning involved:
- Skimming the base of the barrel to lower the porting.
- Slightly changing the profile of the ports and polishing them until they gleamed.
- Opening the inlet port in the crank case and filling in the crank to increase the compression in the crank case.
- Changing to a Suzuki piston to allow dykes rinds to be used.
- Skim the head to raise the compression.
- Running a 32 mm amal carburettor.
- Modified muffler by Ian and Terry Frankland who were members of Avon Valley Vespa Club before starting Taffspeed.
- Modified Flywheel.
Most of the work was conducted in Steve’s back garden shed into the late hours after work.
If you choose to play the audio (Yellow Brick Road) attached to this post it has been chosen to show my appreciation of Steve’s friendship of 53 years and enabling me to ride as fast as I could. Cheers, Mate.
THE
TROPHY
Arthur Francis Trophy
National Grass Track Champion
LAMBRETTA
The few times I had the privilege to ride a Lambretta it seemed to attract media attention, though not in the same realm as Meghan Markle or the Kardashians.
I remember teaming up with Mike Pearce of Bristol Eagles SC on his Lambretta 200 at Snetterton and on one of my turns flat out on the back straight failed to make the bend coming off the straight writing off the front end. Mike was slightly disappointed.
I believe the pic on the right was taken at Manchester on the last round of the 1972 season. The reason probably explained in the next post. What I do remember is the Vega was quite a nice ride and in innovative scooter design I put it close but second only to the 90ss.
The second ride on the Vega will be investigated in the upcoming post on National Rally’s.
Photo: Jet Set, September 1972 issue 39. 5th Round BSGTC hosted by Avon Valley Vespa Club. Full report next post.
Great photo from the Luton Evening Post - supplied by Alan Keane
Welcome to old friends, new readers and comments
