When we interviewed the UK's top female flat tracker, Leah Tokelove, at the 2018 DTRA Indian Hooligan Team launch, she was playing down her chances in the class. No one else was, especially after seeing her practising at her local Greenfield track. She came second in the first race, at King's Lynn, top of the four Scouts after Lee Kirkpatrick slid off on the last lap chasing down eventual winner, Grant Martin.
Read our multi-page profile of the ever-inspiring Leah in Sideburn 25
Here is the official Indian Motorcycles press release...
The ‘Indian Motorcycle Hooligan Championship’ got underway at Norfolk Arena, Kings Lynn on Saturday April 7th, alongside the DTRA’s popular ‘Indian Motorcycle Flat Track Nationals’ Pro Series.
Scout Hooligans were out in force at the weekend as Krazy Horse, of Bury St Edmunds, supported four riders competing for the Indian Motorcycle sponsored Hooligan title; Jonathan Falkman, Lee Kirkpatrick, Chris Hatton and Leah Tokelove.
Twenty-year-old Business Management Masters student Leah Tokelove (#37) joined the 2018 Indian Hooligan team as a supported DTRA scholarship rider, following her rise to the DTRA’s Pro class in 2017, where she rides a 450.
The Indian Motorcycle Hooligan Class represented an all new challenge for her as “Street Bike Racing” racing rules allow only lightly modified 750cc twins and above, all road based machines, to battle it out on the shale ovals.
Leah entered the first Hooligan race heats at Kings Lynn having had just one Saturday afternoon of practice with the Krazy Horse prepared 200kg, 999cc Indian Scout Sixty Hooligan at her home circuit, Greenfield Dirt Track.
From heat one at Kings Lynn Leah looked comfortable on the bike, laying down faster and faster laps to qualify for the final; where she picked off her opponents while calmly building pace to claim the fastest lap of 18.013, giving her a half a second advantage on her closest rival. Moving to P2 on the final lap, Leah secured a solid podium on her first outing, clearly showing her intent for the forthcoming Hooligan season.
Speaking after the final, Leah said: “It’s been an amazing day, I can’t thank Indian and Krazy Horse enough, the bike performed faultlessly all evening and I’m stoked to be able to put the Indian on the podium. It’s a massive difference to riding my pro-bike and there is some tough competition; with a bit more bike time I hope to really get up there – I’m buzzing to be honest – we’ve a lot to look forward too!”
King's Lynn results:
1st Grant Martin (Harley-Davidson) 2nd Leah Tokelove (Indian) 3rd Jonathan Falkman (Indian) 4th Chris Hatton (Indian) 5th Max Hunt (Ducati)
The next Hooligan round takes place at ‘Hells Race’ at the Lelystad Speedway in the Netherlands on May 6th with a practice day on May 5th. Make a weekend of it and enjoy the atmosphere!