By Rob Wilton
Covid has clobbered BC sports over the past 18 months or so and the Westwood Motorcycle Racing Club (WMRC) is no exception.
Race director Paul Ludwig said the club was only able to hold four races this year and Sept. 6 was the last for the season.
Westwood Racing Club was founded in 1959, but they lost their home track in 1990 due to a Coquitlam land development. After 10 years of surviving without a home track, members began racing at Mission Raceway Park in 2001 and are still there today.
Ludwig says, they are looking forward to a full calendar of racing next season.
From Open Novic and 250 Production, to 600 Supersport and Open Super Bike class, there was a race for every skill level in Sunday’s WMRC Round 4 event. Morning clouds threatened but broke, and by lunchtime spectators and racers alike were enjoying the sunshine and outdoors while maintaining a safe distance.
Formula Ultra and Open Superbike Classes are the most powerful machines on the track and some say the most exciting to watch. But while the 1000cc bikes rip past the real estate, the 250cc and 600cc bikes are very fast through the corners, so there is something for everyone.
Paul Buchmann (Coquitlam) took top honors in the 10 lap Formula Ultra class and won the Open Superbike class. Open Superbike 2nd place and fastest lap went to Spero Benias (Vancouver) who shredded the track at 1:11.735.
The third step went to Darryl Fletcher (Coquitlam). Even with nine corners and a hairpin, speeds averaged over 103km/h for the 21.2 km race.
If you think speed is only for the guys your wrong.
Summer Boyne #50 of Surrey won the Formula 1:15 Middleweight Thunder Class, averaging a hair under 100 km/h over the 10 laps (21.2 kms).
Jasmin Benias (Vancouver) ran 3rd in the Lightweight Supersport class. She also raced in the Lightweight Superbike/Formula Classic and lost a second podium position by six one hundredths of a second. Troy Burstyk (Surrey) was 1st, Shinichi Furukawa (Surrey) was second, and 3rd went to Rob Tyson (Burnaby).
If you would be interested in racing or are would like to get involved as a volunteer, contact Westwood Motorcycle Racing Club at www.wmrc.ca for details.
– You can follow Rob Wilton on Instagram @rjmedia.tech or at RJMedia.tech
Photo by Rob Wilton RJMedia.tech
