Jenny Tinmouth has been back on track over the last weekend, this time entered in the Thundersport Metzeler Formula 600 race, riding her sorrymate.com sponsored Honda CBR600RR at the British MotoGP event at Donington Park.
The Thundersport GB series provided entertaining support all weekend to the World’s best motorcycle racers competing in the various classes at the MotoGP. Based in unfamiliar surroundings in a temporary paddock on the outside of the circuit, the Thundersport competitors had very little track time, with only one qualifying session on the Friday evening, and their race at the end of proceedings on the Sunday.
However, in difficult, but drying conditions on Friday evening Tinmouth would take a fine pole position on her sorrymate.com sponsored Honda, her best lap time being over three quarters of a second quicker than her nearest rival, Glen Irwin, riding a Suzuki.
Having had all day Saturday and most of Sunday to watch the MotoGP stars in action, Tinmouth would line up on pole position on the same piece of tarmac that Valentino Rossi started from several hours earlier! As the race began Tinmouth got off the line well, taking third position into the first corner, Redgate, but soon afterwards moved ahead of Tom Gazzard for second place.
The two enjoyed an intense battle for much of the race, exchanging passes at various points on the circuit. Reeling off the laps, Tinmouth would manage to build a small advantage, until on the penultimate lap she closed in on some back markers, which enabled Gazzard to move ahead once again, but he was very late on the brakes into the Foggy Esses and ran onto the grass, enabling Tinmouth to emerge once more in second place.
Starting the final lap, she knew he would be close behind, so got her head down and rode a great first half a lap, until, without warning on the greasy surface, lost both the front, instantly followed by the rear exiting Coppice onto the back straight, resulting in a big high side, a matter of four corners from the chequered flag.
“Despite crashing, I really enjoyed the weekend; I was chuffed to qualify on pole, and was really enjoying the race. I got my head down on that last lap to try and keep my position and everything was going really well," said Tinmouth.
"I was conscious of keeping it smooth as the surface was very slippery, but the rear came around so quickly and unexpectedly at Coppice that there was nothing I could do, and it flicked me over the top. I was gutted, but still enjoyed the whole weekend of competing at a MotoGP round.
I’m still on a learning curve with the 600 machine, so any time I can get on track, whatever the conditions is good for me, so I always take away positives, and I’m now looking forward and getting everything prepared for the next BSB round at Brands Hatch in two weeks time, which promises to be a huge event.”