By Kinross based Kelly Carruthers, had ample reason to celebrate on Sunday evening, having captured the 2023 400cc 4-Stroke Oliver’s Mount Championship.
Rewarded for sheer consistency throughout this year’s Scarborough meets, Carruthers has pocketed during 2023, ten podium finishes, three race wins.
Victorious in the opening 400cc 4-stroke encounter at the 71st Scarborough Gold Cup, he recently reflected on a tumultuous season at North Yorkshire’s ‘Mini TT’.
“I entered the Spring Cup expecting to end up in the support races. The weekend went better than expected and I had some good battles with a variety of bikes within the Lightweight race, surprisingly finishing the weekend as top 400 racer.
The Cock O’ the North meeting I managed to significantly reduce my lap times and finished the weekend second best 400cc pilot, lapping around eight seconds quicker than my first time at the Mount in the Lightweight class.
The Barry Sheene Classic round is a touchy subject! A family holiday was cut short to take part in a Lightweight race added to the meeting at short notice, but I thought any other competitors going for the championship would make the effort to be there, so I had to make the sacrifice to be there too.”
Stuart Hamilton supported Carruthers, who finished eighth best Ultra Lightweight class participant at the 100th Anniversary Manx Grand Prix, went onto add:
“The last meeting of the year was the Steve Henshaw Gold Cup and Saturday went perfect; I qualified on the front row and was first 400 over the line with a comfortable lead in iffy conditions.
Unfortunately, Sunday was a bit of a disaster with a DNF in the morning race due to an electrical issue, but I managed to ride round the issue in the afternoon to finish third 400.
Overall, I’m delighted to have won the Oliver’s Mount 400cc Championship for 2023.
I couldn’t do it without the hard work my parents put into helping me make the 500-mile round trip to each meeting and I also have to say a big thanks to Stuart Hamilton who let me ride his Kawasaki ZXR400.
Can’t wait to get back next year on the Super Twin, I’m building over the winter.”
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
