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My occupation is a Motorcycle Road Racer, but to
subsidise the running costs I am currently employed
as an ‘Engineering Technical Operator’ by
a major pharmaceutical company. Before this, I
worked as Motor Vehicle Technician at a local FE
college.
I first became interested in motor-cycling when
I was about 12 or 13 years old. I remember watching
the great battles between Roberts and Spencer on
the TV, and I had a poster of Barry Sheene in my
desk! My parents thought it was a phase that
I’d grow out of but having ridden horses from
the age of 4, I’ve always loved speed. By the
time I was 19, I’d bought myself a CBR600
roadbike. I am very competitive by nature, and from
the age of 9 years old, I have been competing
regularly at show jumping events. Although it
appeared to be a natural progression to motorcycle
racing, it wasn’t until 1989 when I was
involved in a serious road accident, that I was
given the incentive to get out on the track. Due to
a lack of finances, the ‘big’ moment
didn’t happen until two years later.
During 1991, I began racing my FZR600 roadbike.
My first race was at Snetterton, I’d never
been out on a track before, didn’t have a clue
about race lines, got lapped and finished last! But
I was hooked. I couldn’t drive at the time, so
I used to ride to the meetings, tape up my lights
and go out racing. My spares kit consisted of a
roll of duct tape, brake and clutch levers. If it
was a weekend meeting I took a tent and panniers! I
didn’t worry about crashing.
The following season, I finished 3rd overall in
the KRC Novice Championship despite crashing
fourteen times! I was definitely kamikaze - win or
crash, trophy or hospital!
In 1993, I was forced to take a year off from
racing due to a serious cash flow problem. I’d
actually decided to quit the sport through
struggling to meet the costs, however the racing
addiction was too strong, I bought a ZXR400 and
returned to the fray. In 1995 I finished 2nd
overall in the KRC Supersport 400 Championship.
Since then, other highlights of my short circuit
career have included - finishing 18th in the 1996
British Thunderbike round at Brands Hatch, and
competing in the 1997 British Supersport 600
Championship. Although I have good product
sponsorship from Harris Performance, Hideout
Leather and Bob Hill Motorcycles, my racing is
entirely self-financed. My race transport consists
of a Transit van, caravan and awning which doubles
up as a hotel and workshop! We always stay in the
Paddock to keep costs down, and Seacat provide
invaluable support with ferry crossings. As a
privateer, without financial backing, trying to
race competitively in the 1997 British Championship
was extremely difficult, and it has taken me nearly
two years to repay the debts incurred from that one
season!
Anita Buxton - Motorcycle Road Racer
Isle of Man TT Production race 1999
In 1996 I had my first taste of ‘pure’
road racing coupled with the fantastic Irish
hospitality. I’d entered my RS125 in the North
West 200, and although I had a DNF in the race, the
magic of ‘pure’ road racing had cast its
spell! The ultimate challenge in road racing has to
be the Isle of Man TT circuit, and not wanting to
‘jump in the deep end’ at the TT, I
decided instead to enter the Manx GP.
In preparation for the Manx, I raced the 125 at
the Skerries, finishing 11th and 16th before buying
a race kitted FZR600R which I took to Aberdare
Park, finishing 4th and 5th. I then went back to
Ireland to race both bikes at the Ulster GP
finishing 16th in the Regal 600 and 29th in the 125
races. After having some reasonable results on the
Roads, I felt fairly confident about tackling the
Manx on the FZR.
I can honestly say that I did not enjoy my first
visit to the Island. Although I’d read all the
books and endlessly studied the ‘on bike’
videos nothing could have prepared me for that
first ever lap of the TT course! I didn’t have
a clue where the circuit went, and I was completely
unaware of the hidden dangers. The length of the
circuit was totally daunting and incredibly
difficult to remember, with many places looking
similar. I spent a wet practice week trying to
learn the place and surviving numerous scary
‘moments’. I was relieved to finish the
damp Newcomers Junior race in 14th place and return
home still in one piece!
During 1997, I raced at the North West 200 and
concentrated on the British Championships. I
didn’t return to the Isle Of Man until 1998,
when I was offered Peter Nolan’s Fireblade for
the Production races at both the North West and the
TT. I’ve always considered the TT Races to be
the pinnacle of achievement in motorcycle racing
and coupled with the offer of the Fireblade, the
temptation was too much to resist!
At the North West, I finished 19th in the
Production race which was a good warm up for the
TT. I went back to the Island with a fresh
attitude, I tried to learn the circuit by breaking
it down into small sections and then tackling each
section in turn. This time I didn’t get fazed
by the length each lap, and the new approach
worked. The challenge of tackling the TT Mountain
Course on a good bike and finishing - the whole
experience was absolutely fantastic, from the
Gooseneck down to Signpost Corner on the final lap,
the crowd were encouraging me and waving their
programmes. To compete in the TT Races, and be a
part of whole event, with its unique atmosphere is
an incredible feeling. When I finished the
Production race in 55th place, I couldn’t
speak from excitement and the sense of achievement
– I was on an adrenaline high for weeks!
Preparations for this year’s TT started in
December 1998, when I bought a ZX-7R for the
Formula One and Senior races. My boyfriend, Pete is
very supportive acting as both mechanic and moral
support! Between us we set about the enormous task
of converting the original roadbike into an F1
Superbike. In January, I began working on my
fitness programme with running, rowing and weight
training in the Gym. In March Pete became a sponsor
when he bought himself a ZX-9R roadbike, and I
promptly asked him to loan it to me for two weeks
in June!
I’d entered the Superbike races at the
North West 200 as a shakedown test for the 750, but
a delay in parts being delivered meant that it
wasn’t ready in time. However Pete’s
roadbike/Production racer was all set for the TT,
so we took the 900 to the North West instead.
Despite losing one qualifying session to torrential
rain, the ZX-9 was good fun around the triangle,
although it wasn’t very competitive against a
200mph V+M tuned R1 down the long straights! I
finished the first Superbike race in 35th place
after a race long scrap with Alan Bezzant on his
ZX-9, before retiring from the second Superbike
race with steering damper problems - after several
160mph tankslappers through Station Corner, I
decided pull in before I went through the
hedge!
At the 1999 TT, I’d entered three races -
the Formula One, the Production and the Senior.
Teething problems with the 750, meant that several
days during practice week were spent testing at
Jurby Airfield trying to sort the bike out. Fuel
starvation was the major problem, after several
minutes testing the bike would cut out, leaving me
to push it back down the runway. By the end of
practice week I hadn’t even attempted one lap
on the 750. Luckily the 900 performed faultlessly
throughout practice with no problems, apart from a
broken exhaust bracket which forced me to retire at
Ramsey. A very worried Pete came to collect me,
after being misinformed that I’d crashed!
Although I’d entered the 750, I requested a
change of machine for the Formula One and I was
given permission to race the Production bike
instead. This meant that I would be unable to ride
in the Senior due to the rule about Production
bikes.
The forecast for the F1 was wet, and sure enough
it rained all morning. This caused problems
deciding which tyres to use and I opted for heavily
treaded intermediates. Just before the start the
rain stopped, but the roads were still wet, so we
stuck with the inters. About a minute before I was
due to start, the race was red flagged due to Paul
Orritt’s crash on Bray Hill. While we waited
for a restart, the roads began to dry out and the
returning riders decided to change their inters for
slicks. This presented a big problem - the Proddy
bike only had the one set of wheels, and we
didn’t have time to get the wheels out and the
tyres changed. I was forced to stick with the
original tyres.
By the time I reached Quarterbridge on the first
lap, I knew I’d made the wrong tyre choice!
The bike was sliding everywhere on the dry roads
and by the second lap I decided to retire at the
Pits - I’d had enough! However, when I pulled
in my crew did a blinding pit stop, and told me to
carry on! The bike was all over the place and the
tyres were totally shot, presenting a major
handicap but I struggled on and managed to finish
47th.
In contrast, the Friday’s Production race
went really well. The weather was fine and the
roads were dry, which meant that I was able to use
the Michelin Pilot’s that I’d used during
practice. The bike felt good, it was flying, easily
keeping up with the Yamaha R1s. I finished 55th and
did my quickest lap of 103mph, which was very
encouraging as I’m still getting to grips with
the circuit. I was riding well within myself,
didn’t have any ‘moments’ and I knew
there was a lot more to come!
During 2001, Foot and Mouth disease forced the
cancellation of the North West 200, the Isle of Man
TT and the Southern 100 meetings. Despite this,
racing at the Ulster Grand Prix went ahead and I
finished 18th in the Production race on the ZX9R
(lapping at 105mph). This was a particularly good
result, with the UGP being the first (and only)
Road meeting of the season, held over an altered
course that included an extra chicane.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get to race the ZX7RR
due to engine failure in the qualifying
session.
Highlights of 2002 included finishing in 27th
place in the Lightweight 400 TT and winning the
Club Team Award with Jim Hodson and John
McGuinness. We won a Silver Replica for the Darley
Moor MCC for the fastest aggregate time in the
race, and I also received a Finishers Medal. I also
got another good result at the Ulster Grand Prix
where I finished 5th in the 400cc Race lapping at
102mph average on my ZXR400. Earlier in the year at
the North West 200, I’d been clocked through
the speed trap at 171mph on my Production spec ZX9R
(not bad for a four year old road bike!). This made
me the quickest female rider ever at the North West
200.
For 2003, I bought a brand new Suzuki GSXR1000
as a replacement for my ageing ZX900R, in order to
compete at all the big Road Race meetings on
competitive machinery. Unfortunately, once again my
entries for the F1 and Production TT were refused.
I have been caught in a cycle of entry rejection
since TT2000, thus not giving me the opportunity to
improve my lap times on the big bike at TT –
very disappointing! However, my results this year
speak for themselves….. 5th place in the
S400cc race at the North West 200, 11th place at
the Southern 100, 5th place in the 400cc race at
the Ulster GP lapping at 103mph (on a sick
engine!), and the biggest highlight of the year was
lapping at 112mph average to achieve 22nd place in
the Production race at the Ulster GP, making me the
fastest ever female at the Ulster GP. Wow! Roll on
next year…….
www.racecorporation.co.uk/Anita_Buxton.htm
or E-Mail
Raced in April, 2005
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