The Pirelli UK GP45 Championship and NGRRC riders gathered at the super fast Thruxton Circuit near Andover in Hampshire for the final meeting in 2011. Track time here is an extremely limited commodity making Thruxton an ever-popular venue for BSB and club racers looking for their chance to ride it’s famously fast flowing curves.

Saturday 16th October, round 13 qualifier

Fast Bikes’ writer and experienced National Championship racer Alastair Fagan first sampled the GP45 Super Single at NG’s opening round at Brands Hatch back in March. Immediately Fagan indicated he was keen to jump on board again with a view to joining the class for 2012 and his preference was for Thruxton.

With NGRRC enjoying full-to-bursting grids throughout the classes many riders appeared to have had the same idea. With the Pirelli UK GP45 Super Single Championship sewn up Matt Andrew could relax and enjoy the racing, Thruxton was to prove to be one of Andrew’s strongest tracks. As soon as the lights went out for the qualifier Andrew pushed the Wedds & Co/Ultiscan Suzuki RMZ hard, immediately getting the better of the Motobits Aprilia Super Twin of Chris Harrison.

The pair enjoyed a wheel-to-wheel race, swapping places to the flag. Harrison emerged the victor by just 0.08 although the little single cylinder machine managed a slightly quicker lap at an impressive 1:30.93 averaging 93.43mph.

Alastair Fagan was next up on the Ashley’s of Yeovil Kawasaki GP45 Super Single machine closely followed by Gary Moran’s Machine Tool Sales Online Suzuki rounding out the top three finishers. James Stacey was back in the saddle on his Bluebell Lakes 450 Honda but was being chased down by the smooth riding Robbie Robson on the Trevor Pope Racing KTM.

Tony Bridgefoot, who has swiftly become an avid supporter of the series, later admitted that he’d had a disappointing result in light of his impressive improvement throughout the season but it was not enough to dampen his infectious enthusiasm for the Super Single class.

Saturday 16th October, round 13 final

The Pirelli UK GP45 and Performance Red mini-twins final lined up on the grid at mid-afternoon under glorious blue skies, basking in unseasonal sunshine. Chris Harrison’s Motobits Aprilia sat side-by-side with Matt Andrew’s Suzuki RMZ on row three.

Thruxton’s first corner, Allard, is wide and fast, both riders were looking to bolt once the lights went out and try to pull an advantage over the other on their way in to the hectic Campbell, Cobb and Segrave

complex.

Once again it was Super Twin pitched against Super Single in a fascinating race. Both riders crossed the line inside the top ten on-the-road. Harrison used the extra grunt of the twin effectively to take the flag marginally in

front of a determined Andrew, both riders producing sub-1:30 laps just shy of 95mph average.

Fagan was making good progress in second spot fending off a charge by #188 Gary Moran by just under a two second margin. Bluebell Lakes’ riders James Stacey and Tony Bridgefoot were separated by the YZF based GP45 Yamaha of Paul Annetts, Robbie Robson suffered an uncharacteristic DNF.

Britain’s fastest circuit proved that the GP45s can produce strong results against the 650 mini-twins even on fast sweeping tracks. Throughout the year Chris Harrison has been consistently battling for top three on-the-road finishes on his Motobits Aprilia Super Twin enjoying outright wins at both Pembrey and Cadwell.

Matt Andrew only found himself out of the top 10 on-the-road on one occasion throughout the busy season. Both machines have been fast and reliable – Harrison scoring every round bar one due to a crash at Cadwell Park. Likewise the Wedds & Co/Ultiscan Suzuki RMZ of Matt Andrew only suffered one mechanical DNF all season. In it’s inaugural year the series has showcased GP45 machines from Aprilia, Yamaha, Honda, KTM, Kawasaki and Suzuki with 18 riders on the Super Twin and Super Single scoreboard.

Pirelli UK GP45 Championship results

Super Twins: Chris Harrison 300, Martin Thrower 132, Brad Davey 85

Super Singles: Matthew Andrew 265, Robbie Robson 155, Gary Moran 134.