Racer Ryan falls just short of championship success

Ryan Garside came close to championship success Picture: Colin Port Images

Competing in the Blackbird Corporate Golden Era Supersport Class, the Myerscough College motorsport lecturer couldn’t quite muster the points he needed in the fourth and deciding round of the championship at the Cadwell Park circuit.

Garside won two of the four races last weekend but a faulty battery meant he failed to finish when leading in the second of them, costing him dearly in the final outcome.

Title rival Ash Thompson raced on despite breaking his shoulder in a crash in qualifying and just pipped Garside to the crown.

The weekend couldn’t have started any better for the Fylde racer, who was fastest in qualifying by almost five seconds and dominated the first race from pole position, collecting a maximum 50 points and cutting Thompson’s lead to 14.

Garside changed bike to suit the wet conditions for race two and was again in control until the battery failed, causing the engine to cut out around 30 seconds from the finish line.

He finished third in mixed conditions in race three, just about remaining on the track when his front tyre locked in braking.

Garside won the final race comfortably, completing the final lap at a safe and steady pace after building a lead of more than 11 seconds. However, it wasn’t enough to surpass Thompson.

Garside said: “I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed with a race win before.

“I’m really pleased and proud to have taken two rough scrapper bikes and, with my students, turned them into race-winning machines which broke lap records.

“But I still can’t feel anything but disappointment with not winning the championship.

“Even after that DNF (did not finish) in race two, I still closed the points gap right down but just not enough.

“I’m my own worst critic and I’m thinking of all the things I could have done differently but it could have been worse.

“It’s been a good season, albeit a short one. A longer season would have given me more time to sort things out between each round, such as a new engine after the good one blew up in the second round at Mallory Park!

“Either way, I absolutely have to say a huge thank you to everyone who helped me in any way. Sorry I couldn’t finish as champion.”

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