RatMally Ambassador; Nick Round
Just one week after a massive highside at Knockhill, common sense suggests resting and recuperating. Instead, RatMally Ambassador Nick Round decided the best course of action was to line up for a gruelling 24-hour endurance marathon aboard a Suzuki GSXR 125.
To complicate things further, the Randy Racing squad found themselves a rider down before the flags even dropped, following a crash for the youngest member of the squad during Friday's practice. While every other team on the grid utilised larger rotations, the crew had to face the entire 24-hour clock with just four riders.
Despite the physical toll, the race went incredibly well. By 2:00 am on Sunday morning, the team had fought their way into the outright lead of their class. Navigating the dark stints on less than an hour of sleep, Nick was in severe physical discomfort by the morning as his previous injuries took their toll.
The team's charge for the top step of the podium was ultimately halted at 9:00 am on Sunday when the bike suffered a small track mishap, quickly followed by water getting into the spark plug caps. The mechanical delay cost them the lead, but the squad dug deep to bring the Suzuki home for a phenomenal 3rd-place podium finish.
All things considered, securing a national 24-hour podium under those conditions is an incredible achievement. The team will return next year to finish the job.
Nick's Gear;