Having clinched the 2006 Silkolene Short Track UK title, at what was the Bolton based team's first attempt, the factory CCM squad will once again be looking for top honours with their three rider attack, spearheaded by reigning champion Lee Complin. With the ex speedway star having grabbed the crown during his initial campaign, the Lancashire based youngster will arrive at the opening round at King's Lynn this coming Saturday as the favourite to make it two in a row, after having made such an impact on the relatively new sport last year.
Complin took the 2006 title on a CCM FT35R, which was the first of three new retro production models for the British manufacturer, however Lee will defend his crown on an SR40 based machine, derived from the recently launched CCM street scrambler. Complin's shortened and lowered SR will feature a 500cc engine prepared by CCM founder Alan Clews, and from initial tests looks to be right on the pace.
Back up for Complin will be in the form of another ex speedway rider, Andrew Moore, who made an equally stunning debut to short track racing in 2006, by finishing third overall in the series despite missing the opening two rounds due to other commitments. Moore may prove a real threat to Complin, with Andrew's chosen machinery being the race proven and championship winning FT35R, which has been refined over the winter and also comes complete with a special Clews motor.
The third member of the CCM team will once again be Richard May, who campaigned the main class last year, but has switched to the bigger capacity Thunderbike category in 2007, to give the Bolton based squad a real chance of success in both classes. May will use a prototype FT35 hybrid featuring a 710cc engine and twin shock rear suspension, which just might prove the testing bed for a new production model that may be released later in the year.
All seven rounds will feature the newly introduced CCM Junior Short Track championship, aimed at 12 to 16 year olds, please visit www.ccm-motorcycles.net for full details.
2007 Championship dates and venues;
- Round 1 - Sat, April 14th; King's Lynn
- Roumd 2 - Sat, May 19th; BMF Peterborough
- Round 3 - Sat, June 16th; Amman Valley ½ mile
- Round 4 - Sat, July 14th; King's Lynn
- Round 5 - Sat, August 11th; Eastbourne
- Round 6 - Sat, Sept 15th; BMF Peterborough
- Round 7 - Sat, Sept 22nd; Mildenhall
