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Endurance Legends: Snetterton report and results

Endurance racing was hugely popular in the UK in the 1970s and 1980s but in recent years it’s Europe where you’ve had to go to compete in or watch a classic motorcycle race. But that all started to change at last weekend’s Snetterton 200 meeting, organised by Endurance Legends and the Classic Racing Motorcycle Club, which featured the first ever classic 4 hour endurance race to be held in the UK.

The weekend format included classic bike track sessions, special Suzuki GSX-R750 & RG500 anniversary, custom bike show, race bike displays and parades featuring Trevor Nation who was reunited with his Norton Rotary race bike, but it was the 4hour classic endurance race that everyone had come to see!

In terms of entries it was a fairly modest start at the Norfolk circuit, with sixteen teams involved from the legendary triple World Championship winners “Phase One Endurance” to budget teams with local riders “Norfolk n’ Idea”, but that didn’t stop it being a thrill packed race which had everything from start to finish!  

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With conditions ranging from wet to greasy throughout there was an early shock when pre-race favourites Sweatshop Phase One went out after only eleven laps following a heavy crash at the Bombhole. For the next couple of hours it was the Formula 2 Ibonhart team of Gordon & Mike Russell and Chris Barfe who looked set to take the win on their GSX-R 750 until Barfe crashed at Murrays, leaving Team Manx (Andy Stewart, Steve Ault and Clive Ling – GSX-R 750) trying to hold off the fast closing Team SCERT (Steve Clark/Steve Boam – Harris XR69).  Assisted by a super slick final pit stop, the experienced SCERT boys took the overall win by sixty-one seconds after 129 laps of hard racing, with Team Manx being first F2 team home. A fluctuating Formula 3 battle eventually saw a hard-earned victory for the FZ600 of Team Broken (Gary Wheeler, Ian Courts and Grant Goodings).

Despite several crashes and mechanical issues, thirteen of the sixteen starters completed the race, with all three classes providing excitement to the end of what was voted by all present to have been an exciting and thoroughly enjoyable event.
Commenting on their win, Steve Boam from SCERT said, “We really all had a fantastic weekend and for sure we were very pleased to win the first event of its kind in GB, but more importantly the big winner was Endurance Racing. The race had lots of ups and downs for everyone but I don’t think I have ever seen so many happy people at the end of a race. This is what makes this form of racing so rewarding if you finish you are a winner!”
 
The organisers were equally pleased with the first Endurance Legends event, commenting, “new events are always hard work, but whole weekend has had a real buzz about it and the atmosphere during the race was incredible!  We’d like to thank everyone for their support in this first year and especially our sponsors; Suzuki GB, Continental, CRMC, MOTO71, the National Motorcycle Museum ands Allens Performance.  We’ve been bowled over by the comments and feedback from everyone who took part; riders, pit crew, race officials and spectators – and thank the only question now is when and where will Endurance Legends 2016 be held?!”

Results:
F1 Superbike  
1st:  Team SCERT – Suzuki XR69 (Steve Clark/Steve Boam)
2nd: Muzzi Moto  - Moto Guzzi Le Mans ‘Dr John’ (Chris Firmin/Glen English/Tony Jimenez)
3rd:  Marlin Elf Racing - Harris Kawasaki (Mark George/Steve Dobbie)
 
Formula 2
1st:  Team Manx – Suzuki GSX-R750  (Andy Stewart/Stephen Ault/Clive Ling)
2nd: Tagg Racing/21st Moto  - Yamaha FZ750  (Paul Stonebanks/Rob Francis)
3rd:  Practical Sportsbikes Magazine – Honda VFR750 (Jim Moore/Jonathan Bentman/Rob Wittey)
 
Formula 3
1st: Team Broken – Yamaha FZ600 (Gary Wheeler/Ian Courts/Grant Goodings)
2nd:  LG Racing – Ducati Pantah 500 (Ian Draper/David Weight)
3rd:  Red Mist Racing – Yamaha FZ600 (Mark Foster/Fran Fletcher/John Sutton)

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