Less than four months has elapsed since the flag dropped on the 2011 Hottrax Motorsport season at the Snetterton 200 track at the end of October. The 2012 season kicks off at the Brands Hatch Indy circuit this weekend and has a definite ‘new feel’ to it, with new classes, teams and riders all chucking their lot in with the highly competitive and professional club that offers ‘real race distances’.

Some teams have been throwing their machines around the tracks in Spain, others braving the clement springtime weather in the UK, either way it’s all go when the lights change on race day.

Whoever you are; spectator, competitor, marshall, official, team member or expert there will be something in the 2012 Hottrax Motorsport programme to stimulate and you will be assured of a warm welcome as the bikes line up at Brands Hatch for the first race of the season in Kent on the 10/11th March 2012.

2011 Junior 1000 riders Neil Garnham and Tony Rogers step up to the National class under the banner of Splitlath Redmond 4 to join proven front runners; 2011 Champs Sweatshop Racing (Hugh Brasher/Mike Dickinson), TANC Racing (Michelin Test Rider Chris Mason) and 2010 Juniors returning to the fray Go Racing Developments (Andy Carpenter/James Edwards). Watch out for seasoned campaigners Insignia (Einar Torlen/Rob Loveday) and Ridgeback (Mark Clark/David Stolliday) who are gagging to prove they too can mix it at the front.

Migrating up to National 600s are Martin and Peter Brand who step up after dominating Junior 600s last season. They will be joined by Pit Stop who won the title in 2010 but lost out to M & M Racing in 2011, the perennial Ducks Cross Racing (Martin Landmann/Mike Eglington) will be back along with 1491 Endurance (Ian Cooper/Andy Pulling) and Spark (Shelley Pike/Rob Knoyle). Wild cards, always capable of winning are Triumph toting youngsters Tommy Dale and Alex Olsen under the Power2connect banner and mentor Richie Cunning who was a class winner last year.

Juniors are now called Clubman and Keith Flint is back with Ben Neeves on a brace of trick Suzuki 1000s aka Team Traction Control, fast out the box will be Anglia Interiors (Arron Bird/Jamie Loveday) with a host of newcomers plying their trade in this exciting race format. Watch out for Seven Racing (Tim Foreman/Mike Fosdyke/Mar Mellon) and the experienced sprint racing combo of Team Avus Solutions (Nick Masterson/Paul Whiteman).

Clubman 600 will include father and son crew of Brad and Jase Bradlaw (J & B Racing), Jacasey Racing (Spencer Casey/Ian Hart) and Team XG Group (Gavin Howell/Warren Verwey) – more to follow.

MotoGrande enjoyed a massive expansion programme last season and the 1000 class comes out of the stocks with a healthy field of riders all quite capable of taking podium places. Keep an eye out for Phil Brooks, Andrew Fenton-Copeland, Julian Hughes, and Rhalf Lo Turco who will be joined by BSB Superstock regular Jonathan Railton giving his new ZX10R a blast. Another dozen riders join these faces all wanting to grab a substantial points haul before we go to Round 2 at Snetterton next months.

MotoGrande 600 is just as well endowed in talent and potential; with a mix of proven point scores along with a healthy injection of newcomers. Riders likely to be towards the sharp end will include Andrew Nicholson, the three Nicks – Green, Matthews and Barnes. Wayne Crossman is not shy and will be good along with Roger Slater and Les Liney.

Michelin Power Cup will have to excel to eclipse last season’s racing with some of the proven packages from 2011 not entered yet, making way for some improvers and new faces in the form of Darren Blackwell, James Cox, star from 2011 Tony Kielty, Nick Masterson, the totally committed Andy Rouse along with Mark Hills and Nick Smith on a brace of Aprilia RSV4s.

Further down the pit lane will be a vast array of teams booked in for a season of Michelin Power Cup 600 action. The Dilks brothers will mix endurance with MPC, they will join ace man Richard Charlton, a man who really enjoys his racing Jamal Mahmood, Top Cop Mark Roxborough along with another twenty riders who all want to wrestling for the lead.

2012 boast more Ducatis than last season so that is a good thing, people who shone in 2011 are back again for another bash and will be joined by RAF former endurance racer Simon Allen. Bigger grids will mean closer racing and the sight and sound of these Italian machines is always entertaining.

Karen and Dave Mabbutt have introduced a couple of new classes for this year which should grow in numbers. Modern Classic Superbikes and Supercup had bought some golden oldies out the sheds including R6s, R1s, old skool Suzukis, Ducatis, Triumphs and Aprilia. Some of the riders are no slouches either; Phil Brooks, Wayne Crossman, Larry Halliday and Dean Skipper are known to the very rapid on contemporary machines, how will they fair on these classic?