For this final round of the 2011 NG Road racing Championship series we head to Hampshire and Thruxton, to the fastest UK mainland circuit. If you want glory in one of the superbike races you must lap in excess of 105mph or there is no point in being on the grid. Thruxton is fast …. with a capital F.

Alex Lowes holds the NG Road Racing lap record around here with and average speed of over 107mph to get around the 2.35 mile ex-airfield venue. For speeds like that we will look toward the Phoenix Motorcycles (Trowbridge) backed Open. That is where the big Superbikes as ridden by Phil Bevan, Michael Blank, Roo Cotton and Paul Shook take on the fully tricked up 600’s of Jason Oakes, Sam Middlemas and Jody Lees, and the Grand prix spec 250’s of Ant Hodson and Andrew Sawford. Now you would think that a 250cc bike is no match for a 1000cc superbike, but that is the unique nature of Thruxton.

A well set up 250, in the hands of a good rider is equal to a full on R1 or ZX10 as the smaller bike can use it’s handling and top speed, as well as it’s lake braking ability at the all important final Club Chicane. That is where races in the premier class are won and lost.

The 250ccGP ACU National series is for the third year running all set for a final round showdown with the top three riders Andrew Sawford, Daniel Jackson and Ant Hodson separated by just one single solitary point after 11 rounds of racing…. it literally is winner takes all at this final meeting for the National title. The NG Cup is also still up for grabs with Paul McCullagh in charge but Gary Vines still in with a shout.

Teenager James Nagy is aiming to end the year on a high in the F125 class on his Aprilia. Another teenage star in the making Jamie Ashby who has the 125cc GP class won would love to end the year on a high and add to his two previous wins with another set of 25 points here. Sticking with the two stroke classes Dan Jackson has dominated the 450cc open on his TZ250 so far but another win to add to his nine so far would not go amiss. Sain Brookes, Mark Linton and Chris Harrison will be going all out to stop Daniel from making it ten big wins in 2011 though.

Shannon Hale was the NG Road Racing Clubs first female solo class champion last year when she won the 400 Streetstock, and she is now all set to be crowned 2011 F400 champ. She will face some tough competitors this weekend though as last the outgoing champ Leon Jeacock, Simon Gates, Steve Palmer, Alan Percival, Max Alexandre, and Alistair Rowland Rouse are all on the highly competitive grid.

Chris Harrison and Matthew Andrew will as they have been all year, the pick of the field in the GP45 class. Ben Marsden and Matt Page will continue their season long head to head fight in the Mini Twins class but they may find that Sebastian Kelly has his eye on taking the win this weekend on his SV650. Wayne Axon too is on a high after his podium finish in the Manx Grand Prix so could be worth watching. The same goes for Ali Black.

The Sound of Thunder class will be a real nailbiter for defending champion Paul Willis on his KTM, he has been chasing down Sam Middlemas on his 675 Triumph since early season. Paul is now right back in contention, but Thruxton is one of Sam’s favourite tracks so expect some fireworks. Darren Rumley, Duncan Gibson and Greg Gibson are all well capable race winners too.... this will be one to savour. Middlemas also uses his Triumph Daytona in the 600cc open class too and will be looking for a win there too. The 600 class though is probably the hardest to predict with so many riders being proven race winners and all eagre to end the season on top of the podium. Jason Oakes is this year’s championship winner, but his list of rivals includes BSB rider Jody Lees, Leon Jeacock, Sam Coventry, Chris Beverley, and Irish road racer Davy Morgan. There are also a number of riders testing the water in this highly competitive class for a full assault in 2012, so keep and eye out for Benedict Ireland, Max Symonds, Mike Shuker and Matthew Andrew they are all young and out to impress.

There are also three road based streetstock classes with Benedict Ireland and Mike Smith heading up the 400cc class, whilst Dean Richards, Adan Grosch and Danny Frankham on his new Honda heading up the 700cc division. Tom Louth on his R1 and Phil Evans with a CBR Fireblade along with Dan Millard on a ZX10 will be the pacesetters in the 1300cc class with Louth and Evans fighting it out for the year long Streetstock title. Early season leader Evans has struggled over the last few rounds, so the formbook would have to say Louth for the win (......sorry Phil).

As was the situation this time last year Adam Jeffery on his 2000 spec R1 and Phil Hacker on his 1984 FJ1100 are still fighting it out for supremecy in the pre injection class.

The sidecars always give us great entertainment at Thruxton with local man, and former Euro Sidecar champ Roger Lovelock with Rick Lawrence in the chair heading up a very full and strong gid of three-wheelers on their LCR 1000cc Suzuki. Manxman Dave Molyneux and former world champ Patrick Farrance should be up there too dispite only having a 600cc DMR. Moly can more than make up for his lack of engine size with experience, racecraft and very high corner speed.

Rupert Archer and Jason Grimes head up the season long championship contenders and must get the better of the hard charging Paul Corfield/Ritchie Bleakley and the former series runners-up Phil Larder/Ken Edwards to secure the 2011 Open title. Miles Bennett and Julie Hanks-Elliot too are up for a fight to retain the F2 class crown, but they must get the better of Ralph Remnant and Ashley Moore to achive their goal.

Very aptly we also have the Historic Sidecars at this historic racing venue where outfits from the 60’s and 70’s wil take to the grid. There will be Hilman Imp powered outfits as well as the Nortons and BMW’s as well as the 1200cc Komnik of Chris Nickels and Debbie Salter. Chris and the Komnik won the 1971 NG Road Racing Sidecar title...... 40 plus years after that championship winn we will see it here at Thruxton.

So make sure you get to Thruxton early.....to take in the atmosphere....and walk around the paddock, before taking your place on the huge spectator banks to watch the 2011 season finale....... See you there then !.