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James Clamp 2000 Season
James races a CBR600 in the New ERA Club and Superclub Championships. James also enters the occasional EMRA race at Mallory. James is 16 (17 in Sep) and has been racing for two years, he has just left school and his waiting for his exam results. He has started a Modern Apprenticeship with Tech 2000 a company who make race shocks and modify forks run by Eamonn Cleere.
 James and his father Mark are joint members of MAG. Mark takes on the role of dad, mechanic, team manager, cook, driver, main sponsor and is in charge of admiring the ladies at meetings and freely admits to being able to talk the hind legs off a donkey.
Last season James raced an AR80 in the Junior Road race Association Championship coming second in the Japanese Machine Class. This season has been full of ups and downs literally and James' lap times are coming down as he learns/improves. His main championship is the New Era Superclub and Club Championship. He has raced in other club championships as well.
Summary of James' races for July
1st & 2nd July Snetterton-New ERA Superclub Formula 600 Class.
After taking 2 months off to complete his GCSEs James returned to racing at his home circuit with his best ever finishes. Saturday he finished 19th in race 1 and in a damp race 2 he got his first points in the championship with a 13th place. Sunday stayed dry and James finished race 1 in 18th and race 2 in 21st. Strangely though his fastest race of the weekend netted him a 21st placing, his slowest race netted a 13th.
9th July Cadwell-Louth & District MCC Formula 600 Class.
After completing an uneventful practice James lined up on row H of the grid. A near miss on the start line involving a novice rider saw James on the grass heading for the first lefthander. He managed to stay on but was at the very back of the field. Whilst chasing the pack towards Chris' Corner an ominous rattling noise from the engine heralded an early bath for this rider. No2 piston had exited via the front of the engine.
30th July Mallory-EMRA 400-600cc machines class.
With a standard road engine fitted life was always going to be difficult for James. James battled valiantly in race 1 from the back row of the grid to finishes 26th from 32 riders. The lack of power and some dreadful grid allocations meant this was going to be a hard slog. Race 2 and a back row grid position again. In order to make up for the horsepower deficit James was carrying more corner speed than he usually did and was pushing his luck on the brakes. On lap 4 his luck ran out as he out-braked himself in to the lake esses and had to bail out just before the bike hit the tyre wall. Result one bit lip, two bent forks, one trashed exhaust and the possibility of a very empty wallet for dad.
We're not due to race next until mid-September. Meantime a few practice and track days are planned to improve James' lap times and experience.
James is currently sponsored by Tech 2000 www.tech2000shocks.comfree rear shock & fork rebuild, Carrera Leathers, www.feridax.com cost price Shoei Helmet and Sidi Boots and Iceni Motorcycles, Swaffham trade price or a little less priced spares, oil etc.
Contact James & Mark at 01760 338307 for further details for sponsorship
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