Spa 4 hrs, 30th June

Hugh Brasher is back this weekend to join Peter Linden on the Sweatshop Phase One P&M Kawasaki at the famous Belgian venue. This year's 4 hrs event is definitely the most popular classic endurance race ever held at the circuit with over 80 teams competing for the 70 grid positions. It seems that absolutely anybody who is anybody in the classic endurance scene will be there. My guess is that Motobel or Dholda must be considered favourites, with maybe James Clark's Glam and Haquin also tipped to be up there.

The Sweatshop Phase One Team will again race the newly updated frame 17 ( the bike that was 4th at Spa with Toleman and Cowie in 1978) which won at Mettet last month, The spare bike ( frame 15) has now also been updated to accept J type crankcases, but as yet has not received a new higher spec engine similar to the race winner's.

This year the team aim to improve on its 2.52.4 sec best lap of 2011 - with the new engine, improved set up and newly lengthened Maxton shocks, this should be entirely possible.

The scandal surrounding last years event centred on the original winners, the Spanish Motobox team, being disqualified through using 'illegal' ATL/Premier type fuel fillers....although these were actually available pre-1980, rumbles on. The latest twist being the accusation that the team were using 2006 parts...... would that be the 4 valve heads then?? Its rather nice viewing this lot from the sidelines, but it does actually remind me of the politics of the era......

Will it rain? of course it will.!!

See you there,  RB