Exactly a week since competing on her Bartonfield Ltd Honda RS125, Sam Burman returned to Cadwell Park, this time at the Auto 66 Club’s meeting, racing the Penrith Motorcycles Yamaha TZ250.
 
It was always going to be hectic, having the opportunity to race nine times throughout the day, with potentially three races in each of the Clubman’s Super 2, Clubman’s Formula Lites, and Cadwell Masters categories respectively.
 
Burman would take fifth place in her first outing of the day in the Clubman’s Super 2 race. She would follow this up with a fourth place in the opening Formula Lites race. Her third race of the day was in the Cadwell Masters, where she took a fine 12th place, riding the smallest capacity bike in the field, competing against 600cc and 1000cc machines. In the process, over the first three races she reduced her lap times by a second during each race.
 
Next along would be her second Clubman’s Super 2 race, in which she made a good start, slotting into second place with a 600cc machine close behind. This would be the case for the duration of the race, with Burman holding on to an impressive second position, only being beaten by the 1000cc Suzuki of Richard Johnson.
 
In the second of the Formula Lites races, Burman didn’t make the best of starts on her Penrith Motorcycles Yamaha TZ250, but came impressively through the field, passing about ten riders during an eventful first lap. Showing great determination, she continued the charge through the pack to take the chequered flag in third position, with the leading trio all riding 250cc machines.
 
Unfortunately, it was then that the drama began to unfold, as she would be unable to complete the slowing down lap after the finish of the race. Upon inspection of the machine back at the awning, it was discovered to be a similar problem to that which troubled her earlier in the season. The piston had melted causing damage to the barrel in the process.
 
Disappointingly, this would mean an early finish to the meeting for Burman, although once stripped down back at the workshop, the crank cases appeared to be fine, so it is now a case of replacing the damaged components and preparing the machine for its next outing.
 
“We went to Cadwell Park hoping to get some good practice with the 250, especially with my starts which are letting me down. Unfortunately I still haven’t got the knack of starting but we are still trying to improve," said Burman.

"Due to the bad starts I had to pull through the field, and I really enjoyed fighting my way to the sharp end of each race. It was a shame we had a problem with the bike as I feel I could, and would have got quicker and quicker as the day went on.”
 
Sam Burman returns to the track this coming weekend, 14-16 August, when the NGRRC heads to Anglesey for rounds 12 & 13 where she will be riding both her Bartonfield Ltd Honda RS125 and the Penrith Motorcycles Yamaha TZ250.