THIRTEEN-year-old Elliot Pinson, travelled to Brands Hatch to compete in round seven of the Team Green Junior Cup (TGJC) run by the British Motorcycle Racing Club (BMCRC) last weekend.
To the Royal Wootton Bassett Academy pupil’s surprise, he was awarded a special title, the Sir Ben Ball Trophy, which goes to the rider who is judged by the board to represent the best of the young talent riding with the club this year, presented in memory of Gordon Cobbold, a past president of the British Motorcycle Racing Club who had a keen eye for outstanding young riders, and is only awarded once a year.
BMCRC is the only club that hold motorcycle races on the 2.433-mile GP circuit at Brands Hatch and Pinson was hoping to build on his success of three wins out of three during round six three weeks ago at Cadwell park.
However, the teenager knew it was going to be a challenge, being in his rookie season and having not ridden the GP circuit before - his first experience of the track coming during qualifying in heavy rain.
Having had his fastest lap disallowed due to an unavoidable yellow flag infringement, Pinson started fifth on the grid.
The four races were all thrilling with Elliot taking two wins and missing out on a third win by just 0.034s, and a third place.
The competition was fierce and in race three, both Pinson and his rival Luke Hopkins broke the lap record during their battle, with the Bassett pupil just being pipped to setting the new lap record by 0.079s.
Pinson will go into the final round of the TGJC, to be held on October 8-9 at the Brands Hatch Indy circuit, with a 48 point lead in the championship.
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