Rea wins Race of The Year to cap off impressive season

29 October 2021 Giles Spencer

BY GILES SPENCER
giles@slpmedia.co.uk

Superbike racer Gino Rea wrapped up his season in the best way by winning the prestigious Race of the Year at Mallory Park in Leicestershire last weekend.

The Tooting born rider had a clean sweep, topping the timing sheets in practice, setting pole position in qualifying and winning the twenty lap race from the front by 1.878 seconds from fellow Buildbase Suzuki rider Leon Jeacock and setting fastest race lap.

The race is a non-championship affair held alongside the final round of the East Midlands Racing Association (EMRA) championship and was first run in 1958 and has traditionally attracted the best riders from the Grand Prix, British and World Superbike scenes.

Previous winners have included world champions such as John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini, Barry Sheene and Kenny Roberts.

A delighted Rea said, “It was a great day. It’s the first time I’ve raced at Mallory Park since my first ever road race back in 2006 in the winter, which I believe was at the same event, so from from my first race then until now it’s been a long time.

“It’s a great little circuit. It’s difficult to race on a superbike but EMRA, Mallory Park and Hawk Racing put on a great event.

“We were P1 in practice, qualifying and race. I just managed the race really. I got up front and Leon Jeacock was pressuring me. It’s his home track and he’s very fast there so he kept the pressure on and I just managed the gap until the end and had a really enjoyable race.