Quietly making impressive under the radar progress at Scarborough in recent years, Robin Howells who’s claimed multiple top ten finishes at England’s sole closed roads course, is the next racer to take part in Road Racing News growing in popularity, Oliver’s Mount Top 8 series.
An accomplished exponent of the ultra competitive Supersport 600 class, his answers to the Scarborough themed set of questions are as follows:
Q1: First memory of Oliver’s Mount?
“First memory, I always remember watching Barry Sheene there many years ago, but in more recent years, it was Guy Martin and Ryan Farquhar that I followed.”
Q2: Favourite part about racing at the mount?
“The paddock at the Mount is just amazing. The atmosphere is brilliant and when you form on the grid, you can sense everybody watching it all take shape. Amazing feeling!”
Q3: Favourite section of Scarborough course?
“It has to be over the jumps, not much tops that. It starts way back at Mountside Hairpin when you are in first gear, getting on the power as soon as possible and working up through the gearbox.
Hearing another bike or so behind you and probably following another few too. Seeing the jumps looming is just the best feeling and then hitting them flat out just adds to it!”
Q4: Best moment thus far at Scarborough?
“Probably has to be sliding off at Memorial, watching the stone column get closer and closer and realising that both me and my bike, had stopped just before it!”
Q5: All time Scarborough racing hero?
“All time hero, Dean Harrison. Is just amazing to watch around there, so smooth and still looks as though he has more in the bag.”
Q6: Is there one machine in particular that you would like to race at Scarborough?
“I never got to try a 1000cc bike around there, so a BMW S1000RR or Kawasaki ZX10 would be interesting.”
Q7: One word to describe Oliver’s Mount?
“Hilly”
Q8: Most respected racing rival at Scarborough?
“This sounds cheesy and has been said before, but I respect all the riders. But I have had some great battles there with Christian ‘Bomber’ Slater. Top guy!”
Words by Stevie Rial