Keelby racer comes through Brands Hatch ‘survival of fittest’

Keelby motorcycle racer Mikey Large-Taylor is willing to be patient as he continued to learn his craft at a wet Brands Hatch.
Mikey Large-Taylor makes the most of a rare window of dry weather at a difficult Brands Hatch meeting EMN-190619-164513002Mikey Large-Taylor makes the most of a rare window of dry weather at a difficult Brands Hatch meeting EMN-190619-164513002
Mikey Large-Taylor makes the most of a rare window of dry weather at a difficult Brands Hatch meeting EMN-190619-164513002

Following a disastrous last outing on the bike at Oulton Park, Large-Taylor was having his second run out in anger on the team’s R6 Yamaha, competing as a wildcard entry in the Dickies Superstock 600 Championship.

Aiming for invaluable track time in the highly-competitive class, he survived numerous scares throughout Sunday’s wet race to finish 19th place, just outside of the points.

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“Nineteenth doesn’t sound great compared to where I usually expect to finish, but these were some of the worst conditions I have ever raced in, so I was really happy to bring the bike home in one piece.

"We are getting there. I just have to be patient and learn to walk before I can run." EMN-190619-164524002"We are getting there. I just have to be patient and learn to walk before I can run." EMN-190619-164524002
"We are getting there. I just have to be patient and learn to walk before I can run." EMN-190619-164524002

“The 600 is such a different bike to ride compared to the 400 I usually ride in Junior Supersport, and boy are these guys quick!

“But we are getting there. I just have to be patient and learn to walk before I can run.”

Large-Taylor went into the weekend looking to gain valuable experience on the bike in preparation for a full entry into the championship next season, and without the pressures of competing at the front of the Junior Supersport class.

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Free practice and qualifying were held in surprisingly dry conditions, and the Keelby racer continually improved his lap times around the demanding full grand prix circuit.

“Unlike at Oulton Park, where the bike felt unrideable at times, I seemed to get a good set-up which allowed me to get a good number of laps under my belt,” he added.

“You have to ride it completely different to the Kawasaki I normally ride in the smaller class, and I feel as though we are getting there, learning so much from racing with some really quick riders.”

On Sunday morning, the rain arrived shortly before morning warm-up, and Large-Taylor opted not to venture out on a wet track which had started to dry, the rider’s most dreaded conditions.

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Instead he preferred to prepare for the race, scheduled to start at lunchtime, when the forecast rain returned, making wet tyres the only option.

As the rain grew heavier, the race became a survival of the fittest in atrocious conditions, and the Lincolnshire racer was pleased to get the bike back in one piece.

Mikey’s next outing will be back on the 400 at Knockhill, in Scotland, where he has four races scheduled over a busy weekend.

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