By When looking through the results sheets from the 69th Scarborough Gold Cup, it was easy to notice the vastly improved lap times from up coming talents around Oliver’s Mount, including Horsham’s Don Gilbert.
Recently I caught up with Don via Social media, to gain his thoughts on 2020 competition at Scarborough, including reflecting on taking a very creditable 7th within the showpiece, prestigious Steve Henshaw International Gold Cup.
First and foremost though I posed this question: How tough was it re-adapting to road race action after such a long layoff at the Barry Sheene Classic?
“It definitely took all of the Barry Sheene Classic meeting to get my head back into gear. I actually hadn’t ridden a bike in anger since the Gold Cup in 2019, so I was definitely a bit rusty.”
I then went onto ask the 13th fastest racer from the 69th Scarborough Gold Cup, does he feel he is growing in stature event on event around Scarborough.
The ever amiable Gilbert stated:
“Yes definitely, to be honest providing my bikes are going well we seem to be a consistent top 10 finisher there especially if the conditions are iffy.
In 2019 I managed to get on the podium in the final Supersport race in the wet from the back of the grid and then the recent Gold Cup final we managed a 7th.
Which me and the boys were chuffed to bits with. So I think if we spend a bit more time and money to prepare the machines better and if I get my arse out of the pub and down the gym or something, we could be in the mix for even better results in the future.”
Going onto reflect about taking seventh in last month’s record breaking Steve Henshaw International Gold Cup, ZX6R Kawasaki mounted Gilbert who also placed sixth in the final Supersport class A encounter stated:
“My favourite moment of the Gold Cup was definitely the 7th place finish in the Gold Cup. We got a bit lucky with a couple of riders ahead of us falling but we are always there or there about to pick up the pieces.”
My final question to the 20th place finisher within the 2015 Newcomers A Manx Grand Prix, focused around whether he will be back at the Mount in 2020. His answer was:
“Yes Oliver’s Mount will definitely be part of our 2021 plans. We have a new addition to the collection and will be running a GSXR 750 (Suzuki) standard to run in the classic class as well as the classic TT (fingers crossed it goes ahead).
Although at the moment we don’t seem to get much more than one lap on it before it runs on 2 cylinders!”
Words by Stevie Rial
