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ALEX GAULT - MAG SPORT RACING 2007 - Superb Scottish Championship! - July 2007
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Picture Courtesy of Ken Christie |
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We had made our way to Knockhill arriving in the early morning to a circuit blanketed in mist.
With the promise of another stunning day when the sun burned it off.
Signing-on and Scrutineering completed it was time to prepare for “free practice” all looked well until Alex returned to the pits with a problem, the Visor of his “Vemar” Crash Helmet was steaming up.
Now this is not a big problem but one we could not fix there and then as there was only 2 more minutes of the session left we returned to the paddock to remedy the problem.
A short while after it was “Timed Qualifying” again Alex looked well on the pace in-fact sitting in first place for most of the session.
He returned to the pits with a brake problem, the cause; a small bleed nipple had begun to weep in one of the front callipers, so again it was session over, Bob Grant took “Pole” with a 53.092 compared to Alex’ 53.146 again it looked like an exciting days racing was on the cards, if I could sort out the problem with his Brakes.
Fixing the Brakes did take some time and if I say we were sweating, to get him out for his first race of the day it would not be an exaggeration, new tyres arrived 15 minutes before he was due to go out.
Not a recipe for success and as Alex left for the assembly area there is nothing more we could do but hope every thing was right!
Now, round Knockhill Bob Grant is a legend, 3 times winner of the Scottish Super Sport Championship, he has a a shop on the circuit and is also the Circuit instructor, his ex Ten Kate Honda is without doubt one of the fastest bike there, as he said to me “if any one passes me going up the straight they’re cheating!” Then there’s Kenny Edwards on his Ex-TAS Suzuki to name a few.
Unfortunately David Paton was absent; as he was at Oulton Park winning the R6 Cup round.
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Polished to perfection! Or is he feeding it a biscuit ? |
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Race 1
As the lights went out Alex got a bad start sitting in 4th as they tipped in and down “Seat Curves” (pronounced and named after the Spanish car manufacturer).
Alex said afterwards
“I saw the three fighting for position, I just rode round the outside of them at “Duffis Dip” which put me in the perfect position to take the lead at “Scotsmans”
and that he did, Into the lead and stretched a gap between himself and the chasing pack.
Alex performance took the commentator by surprise; as all race long, he commentated,
“What can be wrong with Grants machine”
There was nothing wrong, the commentator only needed to look at the lap times, Grant was not going any slower, with the work YPE had done to Alex’ Bikes engine and Alex getting to grips with the bike now.
Alex had taken a whole second of his lap times, circulating in constant 52’s with a fastest lap of 52.5.
Never looking back. Alex took a sensational win by over 6 seconds form the circuit specialist Grant!
Race 2
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Brake problem Solved! If it can stop with a “Beefer” like me on it!
Didn’t do the suspension any good though! |
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Could Alex repeat his astounding feet of race 1?
The answer?
YES an astonishing YES!
This time he got the start he deserved, straight into the lead and pushed hard for the first 6 laps until he seen the gap he had over Bob Grant.
This also changed the commentary,
“Alex Gault is putting on a stunning display of riding today”
“That’s the gap between them at 6 seconds, Grant has no answer”
and as Alex closed in to start lapping back markers
“That guy must have got a fright! You just don’t overtake there”
“Very! Very! Impressive, 16 year old Alex Gault, has put on a stunning display of riding!”
Alex consistently throughout the day put in 52+ second laps, and finished the race over 10 seconds in front of Bob, this is a very good result!
For 4 years Bob has been the man who has dominated the Scottish Championship and the Knockhill circuit in the Super Sports 600 class.
We were surprised when Alex was pulled over a little while after the race for a scruitineering check, someone must have thought Alex’ bike was too quick for a 600?
Alex will be back on track next weekend to contests the Bemsse / MRO Super Sport 600 Championship
Thanks for all your support,
Alex Gault - “Senior
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