It’s always a great time of year.
Winter is over, racing begins.
It may rain and snow, it may drizzle and blow, it may freeze the crust off a Marshal’s socks, but who cares?
Rock on, another season’s racing!

In fact, sunshine greeted one and all, as Bemsee’s centenary year got off to an excellent start at Brands Hatch.

The honour of starting the thirty-race programme went to club stalwarts, the 250MZs, giving reigning champion Chris Rogers and 2008 runner-up Dean Stimpson a chance to renew their head-to-head rivalry.
It was great stuff, and also good to see the two of them gradually reeled in by 2008 Novice Champion, Andy Saunders, who looked a bit special in the damp conditions on Sunday afternoon, after binning it in mighty style on the dry Saturday. Matt Baldwin and Paul MacGrath joined the fun at the front, and it promises to be another vintage season for this evergreen series, that runs on a budget that wouldn’t buy the contents of a British Superbike lunchbox.

Peter Baker raced his Morello Roofing-backed Suzuki to a fantastic victory in the final Powerbike race of the weekend, in the process putting a four-and-half second gap on the R6 of Hudson ‘Hurricane’ Kennaugh.
Hudson, picked up an earlier win, and was part of a really successful shakedown for the Linxcel-Seton Tuning team, that will run the South African in the British Supersport Championship this year.
But it was Peter’s weekend. The 50-year old took a superb pole with a personal best time, finished close behind Hudson in the first race, and in very wet conditions trounced the field in the second. He then mastered the very tricky drying conditions at the end of the day for his second victory, and carries a handsome points lead into the next round.

It’s the talent-spotting time of year, of course, and there were loads of likely candidates on show, so let me mark your cards...

Eyes down, then, pencils at the ready.

I give you Ashley Midwood.
Just 17 years old, Ash impressed last season, with third place in the inaugural Thundersport 600 championship.
This weekend he entered the MRO Jordan Motorcycles Supersport 600s and the MRO Stocksport 600s.
On Saturday, he walked away from a huge off at Paddock Bend, and, three races later, disappeared up the road to a brilliant win, humbling a class field with a 48.7 lap.
On Sunday, an almost identical Paddock Bend error, whilst pushing at the front, meant two falls and a submission, and his weekend finished early.
However, once he superglues his leathers to the seat, the Ashley Rocketship will be one to watch…don’t blink!

Danny Buchan grew up fast.
Too fast to be fast enough on Superteen machinery, in fact.
But he’s certainly right at home on a 400.
He’s still just 15 years old, but he won four out of four EDIasia races at Brands, seeing off allcomers.
Apparently he’s set to campaign a 600 as well, once he’s had his sixteenth birthday next month.
Another one to watch…no blinking at the back, there!

And then there were the rookies…Graham Butler and Dale Bingle in the 400s, Mark Turner, Ross Dunning, Byron Beckett and Daniel Johnson in the Open Rookies, were amoung many newcomers to take well-deserved maiden wins.

A highly entertaining weekend, then, and a fine beginning to the Club’s 100th year of racing.
Thus, winter is officially kicked into touch, racing is under way, and I’m off to Mallory Park at the weekend,for the start of the Thundersport GB season.