Former 125cc roadracing World Champion Nico Terol (NicoGas Honda) scored his second consecutive victory in the Spanish RMFE Flat Track Championship fighting off a strong challenge from 17-year-old British hotshoe, Oliver Brindley (Noyes Camp Kawasaki) in the Saturday night short track main at San Martín de la Vega (Madrid).
Terol, who entered the season opener in Valencia three weeks earlier on a one-off basis, now finds himself leading the points table by six points over American Brad Baker (who made a quick visit to Spain between the Lima and Charlotte AMA Pro Flat Track half miles). More significantly, Terol´s win now gives the World Supersport rider a ten-point lead over Ferran Cardus (Grau Suzuki) with an additional ten-point advantage over Franc Serra (Alonso Honda).
Terol got the holeshot in the 16-lap main and battled over the opening laps with Brindley. The young Brit fought past the Spaniard, riding the ragged edge of the slick new track, built only a week before the event, but once in front, he was unable to pull any advantage over Terol who was running the tight, lower line and looking up the inside corner after corner.
At half distance and with nothing decided, Brindley crossed up over a bump and ran wide out of Turn 3, nearly high-sided and hit his left ankle hard against the swingarm. He doubled over the tank in pain and immediately retired. X-rays taken at the local hospital indicated an ankle fracture. As of this writing, he and his father were flying back to the UK for further x-rays and treatment.
Terol took a long look back and saw he was well clear of Cardús and Serra, and was able to notch the win and move into the championship lead with three of seven races now in the books. Vicent Navarro (Suzuki) and Adrián Garín (Honda) completed the top five.
“I was happier about my fifth place in the short track at Valencia than for my win in the TT because for me the real challenge is the oval. Watching Baker in Valencia and battling with Brindley, Cardus, Serra, Bailo and the rest of the flat track specialists has been a real lesson in learning rear-wheel steering and throttle control…and I have finally stopped grabbing at the front brake lever that isn´t there,” said the Valencian rider who won the 2011 125cc World Championship ahead of current GP stars Johan Zarco and Maverick Viñales. “I´m out to win this now. There are no conflicts with World Supersport and I am enjoying this challenge and really having fun!”
The Master/Rookie Main (a combination of the “veteran” and “beginner” riders) was won by 17-year-old Catalan Rookie Ferran Sastre on the Noyes Camp Kawasaki, his third victory in three starts. He extends his points lead to 26 points over Jaume Gaya Junior.
Top Master class rider was Vincent Navarro (Grau Suzuki) over Guillermo Cano who extended his points lead in the veteran´s division to 13 points over Lluis Massana.
A scheduling change will, provisionally, see the next round of the series held at the Rancho-Canudas quarter mile, northeast of Barcelona. It will be a September 10-11 double-header with short track on Saturday night and the TT race at midday on Sunday.