Sunday 6th May. On our way to Snetterton early on Sunday morning Joe and I were trying too predict what could, and would unfold that weekend. Now that our win at Brands was in the past all we could think about was the two European races that followed at Snetterton, and with over a 3 hour journey talking non stop and thinking of every possibility we could never have imagined the final result.

Just short of 2 miles and with long straights and sweeping flat out bends Snetterton is more suited to the more powerful bikes and with our Tigcraft 426cc and 450cc machines to play with we knew that our backs were against the wall. Glen had been at the circuit since Saturday, with the 426cc not starting and the 450cc forks with a leaking seal he and Uncle Jimmy had a long night of swapping parts to make one good racing bike.

Mike “Spike” Edwards joined us again in our garage but unfortunately had a spill on the Saturday practice session and as we arrived Mike was setting about stripping Gordon down in preparation for many man hours of repair, Glen finished the practice session and was happy with the bike.

All the hours of our speculation in the car were put so very well by Glen just seconds before the Sunday timed practice when he said “in terms of the championship the only rider we have to beat this weekend is Aaron Easter” and with that goal at the top of our minds we set to work. Glen qualified in 6th position on the grid with a 1.16.80 alongside Jeff Claridge, Stefan Meiners and Aaron Easter. Mark Lawes taking pole with a 1.14.56

With the first race being red flagged well into the 18 lap race and the second attempt also being stopped only a lap in, it was a frantic hour or so in the pit lane. The first time Alex Hutchinson suffered a nasty crash that took him and his bike out of the rest of the weekend and the second time the race was stopped on the first lap after another serious crash.

The news came that the race restart would be shortened to a 6 lap race using the original qualifying grid positions. As the lights faded and the main pack leaped of the line the race was back on, coming into the Senna Straight finishing lap 1 the positions were Mark Lawes in the lead being chased by Glen English, Jeff Claridge, Aaron Easter and Stefan Meiners.

No change on the second lap but Mark Lawes now had a 10 bike lead; the rest of the chasing pack weren’t far behind. The race was over in less than 8 minutes and the final result was 1st Mark Lawes (726cc) 2nd Glen English (450cc) and 3rd Jeff Claridge (450cc).

Glen was ecstatic with the result and the performance of the bike commenting “These Tigcraft Minimono’s are a dream to ride”.

Monday 7th May. The team woke around 5am to the sound of rain, it had been raining now since the early hours and checking forecasts and looking into the grey sky it started to look like it was set in for the day and we new that would set the cat amongst the pigeons. Our biggest threat in the rain was Alex Hutchinson (#77) but due to his fall the day before we knew he was not going to be racing.

The tyres were swapped for our Dunlop wets and Glen being relaxed about the bikes reliability chose not to take part in the mornings practice session at 9am. There would be no timed practice Monday as the positions would be kept from Sunday.

As the race was not scheduled to start until after lunch we had plenty of time to check and prep the bike 100%, we knew that if we could get a good start and keep up with the pack on this 12 lap race we were in with a shout of a podium finish, and having the data from Sundays race we believed that we could. The rain had turned to drizzle and most of the water that was laying on the track had gone as we started our race. First the sighting out lap, then the warm up lap all before the riders could let rip and go.

The flag was waved and they were off creating a sea of spray and roaring Supermono noise like no other, making there way on lap one into the Russell Bend the positions were, in the lead Alex Van Dijk (#81), Stefan Meiners,(#21), Aaron Easter (#62) and our team rider Glen English (#25). After only 2 laps Glen moved up into 3rd place looking very smooth and composed and in pursuit of the bigger more powerful European bikes.

The race was starting to hot up and with 8 laps to go it was still Alex Van Dijk leading Stefan Meiners and Glen English, the front pack increasing their lead to an eight bike lengths on the chasing group.

All was about to change because with 6 laps to go Glen took Stefan and was now in 2nd, the very next lap at Russell he dived down the inside of Alex and unbelievably came out in front taking the lead and more importantly keeping it down the Senna Straight. Glen English on a 450cc Tigcraft Minimono in first place in the wet at a European meeting! Wow what a buzz, would this be the very first time that a Minimono had won a European round at Snetterton?

My heart was in my mouth and for the next 4 laps I couldn’t take my eyes off the top end of Corum to see who would come out first, only three time needed and three times it was, Glen kept his first place and not only that, he started to pull away from second place Stefan Meiners.

The chequered flag was out and with a 4 second lead Glen had won the race; the whole team could not believe what we had done! 2nd on Sunday a win on Monday and all against some real quality riders and bikes.

We achieved much more than the team had set out to with this being our toughest challenge of the season, Three rounds in and we are leading the championship by 19 points. In 6 weeks on 16th/17th June its rounds 4 and 5 at Pembrey so it’s back to base for re builds and preparations.

Lee Andrews Scorpion-DART Racing