SIMPSON OUT FOR DEBUT WIN AT WESTON
Shaun Simpson heads for this year's Weston Beach Race determined to conquer the infamous dunes course and improve upon his second position last year. Should he succeed then the KTM rider's name will go into the record books alongside that of his father, who won the first ever Weston Beach Race five years before Simpson junior was even born.
"I'm really keen to win this," declared Simpson. "My dad won the first ever Weston Beach Race in 1983, so for sentimental reasons I'd like to pin a plaque on the trophy with my name on it as well."
Unfortunately, as we inform the 21-year-old KTM rider, there is no annual trophy for the beach race.
“There isn’t? Och, come on guys! This is history," is Simpson's understandable response.
After finishing second to Stefan Everts at last year's Weston Beach Race aboard his KTM 250SX-F, Simpson will line up on this year's grid aboard the quarter-litre machine once again.
“I used the 250 at the Weston – and the Motocross des Nations – last year and didn’t feel like I was at any disadvantage because of it," said Simpson. "I felt at home on it, I was used to it, I knew how it reacted and everything. Sometimes if you ride a 450 at a one-off race you’ll tire yourself out more – especially at the Weston with it being three hours."
"Last year everyone said I’d be at a disadvantage along the straight but Tom Church came up behind me thinking he’d pass me on the straight but he never did, the way we had it set-up with the gearing it was just as fast (as a 450). It has six gears anyway, so we just put on a smaller rear sprocket and go from there."
"And again, despite being on ‘only’ a 250, I made a good start last year, although perhaps I should have opted to follow Stefan rather than passing him on the first lap and then crashing! But again because I was on my 250 I was making up good time in the motocross part of the track.”
“The race itself was mega, I loved every minute of it, and I am so glad that I finally have the chance to be riding this great race. If I was to change anything with my race strategy from last year it’ll be not to forget my drinks pack in the second hour – you sure do bomb when you run out of spit," concluded last year's runner up.
Posted: 1 Oct 2009
