What a weekend…..after spending 3 days setting out a test track for our demo bikes, Saturday saw the tents erected as the Dawn to Dusk carnival got started in earnest The demo bikes were never parked outside the tent for more than a few minutes as a constant stream of enthusiastic punters literally queued up to get their wheels muddy. Local extreme enduro coach Lee Walters pronounced himself both stunned and surprised at the capabilities of the PR5 as he disappeared off into the greenery for an hour bent on mayhem and destruction…”that’s all the bike you need” he breathlessly announced on his return with the sturdy PR5 unmoved by his efforts.
The preparations begin
Sunday morning saw the race effort proper get into swing, with pits erected, bikes fettled and riders fed and watered in preparation for an assault on the 6 hour race. Stephanie Rowe on the little PR3 200 (matching her slight build) in the Marathon Sportsman class, was joined by Nick Brookes on a Ltd Edition 200cc PR4 special and Alastair Seedhouse on a 250cc PR5 with a Doma Racing pipe as Team AJP in the Team competition. Just as we thought we were ready to rock…a last minute bike failure led to a visit from Max Allen of EPM (eighty percent mental !) racing, who’s Husky had let him down. A bit of quick spanner work saw our road legal PR5 stripped of its lights and baffle – thus completing its transition to race ready – oh we adjusted the chain as well….(A big thanks here to our local dealers Touratech who loaned us their PR5 demo for the rest of the day to keep the demo riding punters happy)
Holeshot!
So as the clock ticked towards 1.00pm, the AJP race team plus one formed up on the grid for the traditional Le Mans start…as the first wave of riders sprinted to their waiting machines, pretty much everyone either on the grid or among the spectating hordes gaped open mouthed as the humble AJP, (giving away some 20 BHP to the fire breathing full race enduros on the grid) promptly pulled a mega holeshot and tore off well ahead of the field. Thus proving that a “trail” bike with great traction and a talented rider is at least the equal of anything more exotic and pricey!
The race is on..
As the other classes got away, our other riders cleared the first lap mayhem safely too and headed out into some 16 miles of bike and rider torture. Alistair Seedhouse using his extensive trials experience to short-cut though a special test and pop-up over a huge log to leave the arena well up in the top 10.
With three bikes now out on circuit, the pits became a hive of activity. Bikes and riders flew in and out for re-fueling and in the teams case – rider change-overs. The attentive Pit Crew provided fettling, fuel and food in equal amounts and at equal speed to keep body and bike in racing trim. The track dried and dust clouds swirled, but there were still plenty of muddy ruts, climbs and descents out in the wild woods to keep the riders fully occupied.
As the race wore on, it became clear that Max was fighting for not only a class win – but for overall victory!!!! The boys were holding a top ten position in the team class and Stephanie was by now well up in the top twenty and leading female rider. We closed the demo rides as everyone was by now engrossed in the race and dedicated all efforts towards the pits….
They think it's all over
At 7pm the chequered flag was officially waved by race organiser Nick Plumb to signify the end of a gruelling race. Some riders had been at it for the best part of 24 hours - an astonishing feat just to finish! As the riders returned to the pits in varying states of relief, jubilation and exhaustion, the timing screens went blank and the calculations began in the timekeeping van behind closed doors…..
Result!
By 8.00 pm, the results were in anxious crowds awaiting the announcements and trophies… I think we all screamed a little bit loudly when Max claimed 3rd OVERALL in the 6 hour race on what was until that morning a demo bike, freshly returned from Trail Bike Magazine’s recent road test feature and sporting barely a few hundred miles on the clock!! Any sniggering and muted comments that may have peppered the grid at the race start were soon converted to a mixture of admiration and red faces…..Stephanie came home a very creditable 14th place and the only lady to finish in the Marathon Sportsman class (remember this was on a 200cc four stroke!) and Team AJP pushed their PR4 200’s to a top ten finish ending up 7th in class.
Exhausted, elated and very proud of riders and bikes alike, we all made our excuses and left…for a slap up feast of Pizza and kebabs!
Watch out next year as the plucky little Trial bikes return to humble the race bikes once more…..