the
ups and downs of racing.......
I had been waiting for this round all season, maybe even since
May last year when we last raced here, as this was not only my
favourite track but one I knew very well. I was prepared well
and early so that I could get up to the circuit early enough on
the Thursday to grab a decent spot for myself and Alan. Gazza
was not travelling in the trusty blue van and would be joining
us Friday night after the test day. At 5.30pm I joined the already
long queue just outside the circuit but it wasn't long before
we were let in to the paddock so that we could all choose our
piece of tarmac to call home for the next few days. Brands Hatch
is one of the best circuits we visit and has power and running
water laid on in the paddock which means we do not have to listen
to the noise of generators all weekend. Location chosen, enough
space saved for Alan and I soon had the Gazebo up and things sorted
in time for a microwave curry dinner and a couple of lagers.
Alan called soon after to let me know he was still at home packing
but after the disaster he had at Snetterton with his R6, he was
still waiting for the exhaust (to be delivered that night) and
he still had to finish preparing the bike when he arrived. But,
he now had another problem - no ignition power. He just packed
up and decided to fix it at the circuit. Soon after he arrived
and with in a few minutes his gazebo was up and zipped to mine
to create our now familiar large garage area. We immediately set
about finding the problem with the electric's on the R6 and soon
found the problem, just a fuse.
Mark Hill from MHP exhausts called to find out if Alan really
wanted his exhaust tonight. That will be a YES then although he
wasn't expecting to get to Brands until midnight. I turned in
at about 11pm leaving Alan to wait. A few hours later I was woken
by some sounds coming from the gazebo. Then the sound of a microwave
being programmed and turned on. We either had hungry burglars
or Alan was making himself a very early morning snack, I opted
for the later and went back to sleep. Alan finally received his
exhaust at 3.15am in the morning!
Friday test day
The sun was out and the wind had dropped, these were perfect conditions.
Alan got up complaining about lack of sleep and unreliable tuning
companies whilst continuing to rebuild his bike - he was only
planning to test for the afternoon. I was out in the 3rd session
of the day with the superstock 1000's. The first couple of laps
and the pace was very fast which meant 
I
couldn't gradually familiarise with the circuit again. Some were
so keen that they were doing their best to crash before we got
out of the pit lane, and then braking for Paddock Hill bend I
turned in for someone to attempt the outside route but he clipped
my arm and left bar. No harm done I carried on up to Druids, braked,
went to change down, no clutch lever - it had folded in from being
tagged by the stupidly enthusiastic rider!
I gradually got quicker throughout the day and ended up with a
time 2 seconds quicker than my previous best around the Indy circuit
so I was happy with my days work. I finished early and got the
bike through scrutineering just in time for the rain to come down.
Gazza arrived soon after, in time for lager and food whilst Alan
decided to go home to pick up his brand new van.
Saturday race 1
I qualified a disappointing 34th on the grid which was surprising
but it seemed a lot Brands Hatch specialists had turned up to
this round. I dreadful start did not help matters either but fortunately,
for me anyway, the race was stopped after one lap for a crash.
The second start was better and I tagged on to the back of number
78, Billy Hunnam, following him for the first couple of laps.
I realised I was quicker around paddock and into druids so I out-braked
him going into the hairpin and attempted to pull away only for
him to come past me on the power coming out of Clearways onto
the start finish straight. I caught up again and pulled the same
move but this time knew where I had to push a bit harder - out
of Clearways.
This I did and fed on the power in forth gear on the second apex
of the corner and the next thing I know I am sliding along the
tarmac on my back at some speed, my hands getting hotter and hotter
through the protection of gloves before I enter the huge gravel
trap which slows me down and flips me over. Up on my hands and
knees, dust everywhere I get greeted by one of the orange clad
marshals - 'you alright mate'? I seemed to be fine every thing
was working and moving and nothing was missing except my bike
which was being unceremoniously dragged to the side of the track
50 metres further down the track. The van came around to pick
the R6 and myself up which already had one passenger who was a
victim of the entry to the same corner. I later found out that
the guy that i thought was behind me had pulled in that lap so
I had no need to push!
Back at the scrutineering bay I was met by Emmett and Gazza to
see if I was ok and to find out what had happened, leaving Claire
to worry back at the gazebo. The bike was looking second hand
but nothing we felt we would not be able to fix and I had a few
bruises and a finger that was rapidly swelling up but nothing
too serious. Once back to the pits everybody immediately jumped
on the bike, stripping it to clean out all of the gravel whilst
Alan set about fibre glassing the fairing up and Emmett went off
to hunt for a large metal bar to bend the rear sub frame back
before he took a disc cutter to it with some slightly insane enthusiasm.
Mean while Gazza and Adam used the more traditional route of spanners
to sort the others areas out while Claire washed me down with
a bucket and sponge - that gravel gets every where! DNF, with
a fastest lap of 54.3 secs a personal best.
crash assessment by Adam and Emmett makes some 'adjustments'!
Saturday race 2
With the bike back together and having been passed by the scrutineers,
I made my way back to the track for race 2. I took up the same
grid position again and made a reasonable start if not a bit tentative.
I was quite steady for the first two laps which you can not do
with these short races and I was a drift from the main pack. It
is always difficult racing the bike for the first time after a
crash because you really do not know if everything is working
correctly and you have not had time to test it at speed. I finished
30th, 18th in class with a slower lap of 56.1 secs.
Racing was over for the day and evening of curry and lager was
planned at a curry house down the road that Alan had recommended
- perfect.
Sunday race 1
Due to the nature of the crash on Saturday I decided to adjust
the rear suspension with the idea that rather than the backend
just snapping out, it would give me some warning so that I could
correct it. I had a decent enough start and as I came around Druids
for the first time there was mayhem with about 3 bikes going down
including Liam Lyon the now MRO Supersport champion with 2 rounds
still to go. An uneventful race but I was having trouble getting
my lap times down to the previous days. Once back in the pits
I inspected my rear tyre and it was starting to tear which could
have had something to do with my problems. Finished 18th, 29th
overall with a lap of 55.8 secs.
Sunday race 2
I was not 100% happy with my rear tyre going into the last race
of the weekend, but had no choice but to stick with it if I wanted
to enter this race. My start was not too bad, certainly a lot
better than Alan on his R6 rocketship, and we went around Paddock
Hill Bend together whilst watching Paul King #81 charge into the
gravel. I followed Alan around Druids and he was all over the
place and over the grass on the exit. Once on the straight he
pulled a gap and I was having trouble getting my times down to
catch up. Six laps in and I was struggling to drive out of right
hand corners and I was losing ground hand over fist. Lap 7 and
I pulled in. DNF, with a fastest lap of 56.4 secs.
This was certainly a weekend of highs and lows. It started so
well with my times decreasing and a good first race until the
crash. No real damage was done to me or the bike and although
not quite the gleam machine it was, is still intact and will not
cost that much to fix for Snetterton in September. I have since
found out that I was adjusting the suspension in the wrong direction,
so making it worse, hence destroying the rear tyre.
Thanks to Gazza, Alan, Emmett (with one hand), Adam and of course
Claire for all their help.
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