Motorcycling: Melton rider Hart roars back at Donington

The Donington round of the championship has grown into one of the biggest classic bike festivals in Europe over the last four years, and following a handling issues and a broken chain, the Hart team managed to turn things around and finish on a high.

Race one of the club championship saw all the regular front runners out, but fourth place was the best Hart could muster with handling problems. The second race brought a better result with a second place finish.

However, misfortune returned for the ACU Championship race and while lying in a very good second place, the chain broke and destroyed the clutch mechanism to end the Melton rider’s race.

The damage also prevented him starting race three of the club championship, but Arnold Fletcher dashed back to Melton to pick up spares and a long night of repairs got the bike working again for Sunday.

Hart continued to experience handling problems in the weekend’s final club championship race, but a fifth place finish seemed a very good result after all of the work.

With one last chance to sort the handling problem, the rear wheel from the Len Manchester Yamaha was fitted as Hart started in fifth for the main feature, the Wheatcroft Trophy race which was open to all capacities.

With the handling problem finally gone, Hart secured third place and a podium finish after a race-long battle, a top ride against powerful opposition.

The Len Manchester Yamaha 500 was also given an outing, twice recovering from back-of-the-grid starting slots to finish third.

Hart was also offered a bonus ride on a well prepared 125, and from the back of a very full grid he finished fourth.

Starting race two in fourth, Hart capped a terrific 125 race with a thrilling win, coming out of the final corner in first place to finish the weekend on a real high.