Chris Watson sets Long Track alight

If it wasn’t for the storm clouds drenching the circuit, Chris Watson’s recent flying lap of the Bathurst Long Track would have turned the granite surface back into a smouldering river of lava.

The retired veteran dirt track champion was invited to do a few demonstration laps during the recent Australian Long Track Masters event, held annually on the 800-metre Bathurst Showground circuit. He then backed up that up and jumped out at the end of the one-lap ‘Shootout’ to do one more ‘demonstration‘.

What happened had social media channels going into meltdown mode when Watson reeled off a single lap time of 25.077 seconds – the fastest of the night! Watson is now 50 years young but still keeps his hands dirty with events including the annual Troy Bayliss Classic.

The Bathurst crowd was ecstatic to see the legend rolling around. Nobody thought he would even try to set a fast time until his big 500cc machine echoed past the stands at full noise and into turn one with the throttle completely open. And that’s where it stayed for the whole lap – fully open and on the stoppers.

^ From left to right: Michael Kirkness, Phil Lovett and Chris Watson. Image: Andy Wigan

Watto told Transmoto that, although it was no ordinary steed, it was just his 12-year-old long track slider chassis with a later-model-borrowed short-stroke motor. He was also unapologetic in saying that he still had some left up his sleeve. “I was being a little cautious,” he said. “Although the track was in great condition, it had rained earlier and I haven’t been on the long tracker a lot lately.”

So, how can a guy wheel out an untested long tracker and instantly cut better laps than anyone else? Well, Watson is undisputedly the greatest dirt track racer the country has ever seen and even back in the days when I circulated behind him, there was no half throttle. He is the King of commitment. Between 1981 and 2010, he amassed 43 Australian titles, 76 State titles and three in New Zealand. And if he wanted to, he could easily add to that tally.

So, will we see the man back at it? Although he says he is never far away from a bike, he pauses to lament his top level competition days are over. And Amen, I can hear the others say.

Watson has invited Transmoto out for a close up look at his long track slider in action – stay tuned.