The Honda CBR125R Challenge got off to a shaky beginning, with a
lack of early entries leading Honda Canada to eventually drop all entry
requirements from what was originally supposed to be a kid’s road
racing entry class.
However, the rider’s school held at
Shannonville had half-a-dozen attendees, all youngsters as originally
hoped, and the first two events (at RACE regionals prior to the
National series kick-off at Calabogie) were moderately encouraging.
Four
kids, Parts Canada series staff member Keith Croucher, and journalist
Marc Cantin all entered, with the kids and Croucher staying together
and all swarming Cantin to lap him just before the flag, with all five
racers coming over the line in a mob, Aubrey Bailey of Parry Sound,
Ontario, coming out on top.
The second round had only three entries, and due to foul weather and
associated delays, ended up being scrapped with the promise of a
make-up round later in the season.
At Calabogie there were eight entries, although two of them were hardly kids … Bill Syfan of Texas is working with PMP series owner Colin Fraser to run the AMA and Moto ST series in the States, while photographer Don Empey was out having fun.
Raphael Archambault, who was my pick as the fastest of the kids at the school, is an aggressive youngster with lots of motocross and flat track experience; he’s got to develop some racecraft (in the first race, Archambault was the fastest but got out-smarted on track) but is still a good bet to be at the front all season.
I heard that they raised the age limit but I didn’t know the lowered it (the caption below the picture says 13).
I ran in this event and I gotta say I’ve never had as much giggling fun on a motorcycle race track ever. I had a blast out there on the CBR125R. Thanks to Honda Canada, PMP and especially Scott McKay!
it’s probably a good thing I didn’t learn about the removal of the entry restrictions in this class with enough time to enter or I would have been sorely tempted to abuse my body and my bank account (again) in the name of fun and silliness.