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A rare picture off Alex without his crash helmet!
Here with his Uncle William.

Well it was back to Knockhill for rounds 5 and 6 of this championship and as it stands with Alex’s DNF’s in rounds 3 & 4 he now has to win every remaining race to win the championship! A tall order but we all think it is possible!

We had a fair practice on the Saturday afternoon and although Alex was putting in some respectable times, he was not happy with the way the bike was handling.

Sunday and the weather was perfect!

Out in morning warm up with a new set of tyres and in almost immediately, returned to the pits still with handling problems he did go back out to finish off scrubbing in the new tyres.

For qualifying Alex thought reducing the pressure in the rear tyre would help, and out he went, now in this championship, (I am sure the rest of the competitors won’t mind me saying) has 4 main contenders, Alex, Lewis Farrow (Last years Production Champion). Craig McClelland.(Ex Scottish Champion and BSB Supersport contender) and Brian Nelson. Lewis’s best time was 56.370 and then Craig took provisional pole with a 56.074 on the next Lap Alex put in a “clinker” 56.027 “Pole” no one could better it!

As they returned to the pits, Eddie Stone of ERS suspension turned up, immediately diagnosed the fault with the rear shock and quickly solved the problem.

Alex had done it again. Since moving to the 4 stroke racing he has took pole position at ever single race meeting we have attended!

Now he has also won every race he has finished. Would race 1 end the run????

Race 1 for Alex was scheduled to take place before the dinner break, as “Knockhill Bike fair” was running along side this meeting and the place was heaving with spectators, so down to the assembly area he went, taking his position on the grid after the sighting lap. (On a personal note, it never gets any easier for me, he’s been racing for what? 5 or 6 Years?

My heart still pounds inside my chest with anticipation when he races).

As the lights went out Lewis Farrow stormed into the lead, Alex went round the outside of Brian to take second slot but it was Craig McClelland that had fluffed the start this time and came round in sixth by this time Alex had hit the front but with a hard charging Lewis hot on his heels.

Leaving the hairpin for the last time!

Craig had a superb ride and made it up to second by the end of the race setting a new lap record in the process a 55.602 but couldn’t catch Alex who responded with a 55.792 not equalling Craig’s new lap record but more than enough to take a comfortable win!

What do those times mean?

Well………….. They say, it takes a second to say the word “Banana”. Look at the second hand of your watch, as it hits the 12, Visualise the two bikes starting a lap of Knockhill…… keep watching the time… come on…… There is 15 seconds gone……….30 seconds gone………. 40 seconds………..Now as the second hand comes round and hits the 11 on your watch face, say “BA” that was the difference between their bikes as they crossed the line. Amazing! Nothing in it!

On to Race 2 of the day and round 6 of the championship. Now Alex still maintains this unbeaten record. As they take up their places on the grid, I don’t know how Alex feels but “I” am about to have a seizure!

This time it’s a bad start from Alex and as they entered the first corner he’s back in 4th, Lewis is out in front, Brian Nelson 2nd and Craig in 3rd, second lap and they are all swapping paint they are so close. Alex gets by Craig and Brian coming out off “Duffis Dip”.

Now as this report / press release goes out to some people who have never attended a race meeting, it is difficult to relay the excitement, anxiety, nervousness, adrenalin pumping anticipation, every single person was feeling as they watched Alex fight for the lead…… Perhaps better taken up by the commentary as the 4 bikes disappeared out of view and around the back of the Knockhill circuit.

“And it’s very, very close at the front off this race, Lewis Farrow followed by young Alex Gault, Craig McClelland and Brian Nelson and as they go through Butchers and approach the Esse’s……… ALEX GAULT WAOOOOOH??????

I thought “Alex’s crashed” it seamed like ages but in reality it was instantaneous

“WAOOOOOH……He’s all over the back of him. He’s GOT IT! Alex Gault takes the lead!!

Every one looked at “ME” as “THEY” sighed in relief…………

Back into view and the four are still “at it” Craig is up to third and going round the hairpin he makes a move on Lewis, (I suppose the “Politically Correct” way to describe this move would be) forcing Lewis wide and onto the grass, for the next three laps Craig pressured Alex, always at the hairpin, coming in hot on the brakes passing Alex but running wide, Alex kept the head, held his line getting the drive out of the exit and re-passing Craig to retake the lead!!!

Now this is excellent racing……Excellent stuff the commentators & spectators loved it but it was almost more than an old Dad could take! Then as if Alex had got fed up with Craig’s attentions, put in a scorcher of a lap 55.3 a new lap record! This seamed to break McClelland’s will and he fell back, Alex took the win by almost 4 seconds.

FANTASTIC RESULT. Thanks go out to everyone who helped, all at YPE, Eddie Stone, Darren, John, everyone who came to support him and every one I have forgotten to mention as we are all knackered as I write this report (perhaps you can tell? this meeting got the better of me! God knows what I’ll be like, if it ever gets serious); your support is really appreciated!

Other news

As you know in this championship Alex runs in Team YPE, Stuart Young has done a fantastic job with Alex’s Bike and the team had an excellent result at this meeting!

Now we have been trying to get a good photo of the bikes and riders, here is the latest attempt????????? Organised chaos, hardly a promotional picture

Murray Strathdee (Kawasaki) Alex (Honda) and Torquil Paterson (Suzuki)
I know it looks like Alex and Torq’s have something shoved up their shirts, it was just the way the wind was blowing!

Murray is leading the Production 400 championship and had two very hard fought races at this meeting. In his first race got pip’t to the post by only a 10th of a second by second place man in the championship Paul Christie but turned around the result in race 2 buy the same amount of time after a race long battle.

Alex? well you know about him Pole, two wins and a new lap record!

Torquil ? Well what can I say about him? In Scotland The Sports Production class is MEGA, Torquil is leading the championship but has had very, very demanding races in, I think every one of them this season.

This meeting was to be no exception, race one was a fantastic spectacle Torquil, Keith Amor and John Macdonald having a paint swapping session throughout the 12 lap race, Torquil only missed out on the win in a last second push by Keith, and again Torquil levelled the score in the second race winning by less than a tenth of a second to maintain his place at the top of the table.

We wish “Torq’s” good luck in his wild card ride at the up and coming BSB round!

I need to say BIG UP! To Stuart Young of YPE, how often do you get tuners specialising in one make of engine?

If you are into racing? you will have heard …..Oh “such a buddy” is the man for that make and “Whit’s his face” is the boy for that make. (MAG Sport comment: Must be a Scottish saying) It says a lot for the skill of Stuart to have three different types of bikes winning races, leading championships and breaking lap records!

(That should be enough to get a quick shifter fitted to Alex’s bike for the next meeting! He! He!)

Sorry to have rambled on, Alcoholics have the Betty Ford Clinic, Druggies have drop in centers, I have these reports!

View Alex in action - Pictures by Ken Christie - KENSLENS PHOTOGRAPHY Here


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