We're almost at the mid point of the season now in July, and I've been mega busy racing, so thought I'd grab a minute to update this place for the first time in a while! As you can see in my race schedule, I've been competing with Preston & District Motor racing club at Three Sisters race circuit near Wigan, in the F600 and 501-1300cc open classes, hoping to retain my 2010 championships.
We are at the turning point for the season now, with one week to go before PDMCC's double header where there are 4 points races over the weekend rather than the usual 2 races, but also Thundersport GB have their round 6 at Snetterton. This is my only clash of the year between the two clubs I'm racing with.
It took me a few months to decide who i wanted to race with on this weekend. Chasing two championships with Three Sisters, it would be a pivotal weekend, with twice as many points available compared with every other round there, and Snetterton with Thundersport would be the first time at the new Snetterton 300 circuit, racing in a class where i am hoping to keep moving up in, improving at each round, with hopes of making a push for higher championship placings in 2011.
So first things first, Three Sisters so far...
Round 1
Round 1 seems so long ago now, 15th May to be exact. It was a wet wet Sunday, and was the first time I'd ridden Houdini, my Yamaha R6 at The circuit. There is no qualifying with PDMCC. Everyone picks a peg and crosses their fingers. I picked a middle of the field 10th for F600, and 9th for the open race.
I'd had some set up time on the Friday at a test day there with two hours to play with the bike to sort my gearing, and sort out some settings to get grip on the extremely bumpy track, the stiff chassis was definitely not developing the grip that i had on El diablo, my much missed 2003 CBR600RR from last year, so i backed things off and found a set up that gave me similar pace to 2010.
The races went quite well, but as is the way when you pick pegs, you can have faster guys at the back that have to fight through the pack and get to their main competition. My main competition was ahead of me, and riding the track for the first time in the wet, i made the first lap a little cautious to see how grip was. I made it through the pack but the top 3 in the open race had already broken clear, so i decided to make a safe race out of it and came in 4th place. In the F600 race it was the same story, although i managed to make a 3rd out of it, taking a pot from the trophy race, and getting myself on the front row for race two. As i finished 4th in the open race, i was leading the second row for the points race in that class.
The afternoon brought the trophy races and from the second row in the open class, i got away in 4th position and in the first lap managed to move up to third. All three of us were on similar pace then and to be honest, in this position, i found myself riding around lap after lap, with no hint of aggression or commitment in my riding. I was not riding at 100% and was thinking not about chasing and passing, but of riding safe to not crash. I brought it home in 3rd place and returned to the paddock a little disappointed that i was feeling how i was. My result was not terrible, but my attitude was not what i was hoping.
I talked to Ryan Myler about how i was feeling, as we've raced together from day one and know how things go. He gave me some words of wisdom and I went out for my points race in F600. I started this time on the front row and with a good start, rode over the mountain into second place. I was more aggressive this time and rode some good laps, but did not have that feeling in my head to push enough to take the lead and risk crashing. Again i raced home to second position with a feeling of disappointment, although i did ride with more aggression and commitment than the last race.
I came away from this round with a pot, which is always nice, and i was third and second in the Open and F600 championships respectively, however i was unsure if i wanted to continue racing here. I felt more satisfaction racing to my first top ten results with Thundersport GB at Anglesey the previous weekend, than i did getting podiums here, and i was riding around worrying about crashing because it could spoil my TSGB racing, which for this year was something important to me and something in which i wanted to improve and continue to progress in.
Over the next couple of weeks i decided to go again and enter the second round of PDMCC and see how i felt with it all. It's a club i do love and feel at home in, so i wanted to love my time there like i did last year!
Round 2
Round 2 was sunny, it started of with some cloud, and teased us with the odd spit early on, but the dry tyres stayed on all day. I pulled 16th and 15th in the Open and F600, so with 3 per row, i was way back. In the Open, i got a great start, but got boxed in on the first corner. By the time i worked through the pack over the next 3 laps, the top 3 had pulled away. I worked on them for a couple of laps and ended up maintaining a gap, unable to take it to them, but happy enough with leading the second row for the important points race later that day.
In F600, i was in a similar position to the Open, and knew where not to go. I moved to the outside and managed to ride around the outside of a lot of people in the first corner. I was quickly up into a decent position and picked a few riders off over the next few laps, ending up in 4th place. I ended up behind Nigel Rea, a friend from Clitheroe who was in third place, and after following for a couple of laps and seeing where i was stronger, on the last lap, i put a pretty crude block pass on him to be honest, taking his outside into the second to last bend, holding the inside line into the last complex and finishing in third place for another pot and a front row start in the points race.
The points races in the afternoon went well too, with the Open, i lead into the first corner but with my tight line into it i ran a little wide, and usual suspect Paul Turner was right there to take the position. He rode a great race and maintained a gap to me over the entire race. I could not catch him and make a move on him, so with the two of us gapping the rest of the field, we ended up how we began, with him taking the flag and me in second place. He was leading the championship now with me in second place.
F600 came and I got a great start. I never saw anyone into the first corner and lead of the line. On the first lap though, coming out of the last corner, Ryan Myler had a wicked highside that saw him out of the race with a trashed bike, and a bang to his head that made him throw his guts up in his lid as he was still sliding! He was out of the race, and as i passed over the next few laps, tried to wave to him to see if he was OK, but with his head down, i knew he was injured. I rode to the victory, which meant i was leading the F600 championship, but was concerned how Ryan was, so straight back to the paddock and off to the medical center. He was pretty beaten up, but not too bad. I think he was equally upset about his injuries and his bike, but also the fact that him and Claire were now going to miss the Kings of Leon that night at Old Trafford cricket ground!!
Summary
So anyway, two rounds down into the PDMCC championships, and now with 7 days to go before rounds 3 & 4. After several rounds in Thundersport where I've been making steps forwards, in lap times, set up, championship standings and results, I've decided to continue with the Superstock 600 championship with them, and unfortunately miss Three Sisters.
This will effectively put me out of the running for the titles this year, which is obviously a disappointment, but looking forwards, Thundersport is where i want to be in 2012 to put on a serious effort, and it's the paddock and the racing that will bring me on more as racer. I will be back at Three Sisters for the rounds after next weekend though, and who knows, i may still be in with championship chances. I'll certainly do my best to ruin everyone else's chances!
For the two rounds up to now with PDMCC, I'd need to thank everyone who has helped me. Once again I have only been able to race and succeed thanks to so many people. Mexico Paul (Paul Cooper) for his continued help in the paddock, and constant spannering, Ryan & Claire for their support and help in the paddock, www.Pipewerxbikes.com for the best sounding bike in the paddock, Bates Car & Commercials of Burnley, Mike Chappell, Chris Rustage, Ant & Carol Birchall, Ryan @ www.Moto-racespares.com, Rich @ Signs Express Lincoln, and it goes without saying, my Parents, for just about everything!
Really excited for Snetterton next week now, but I'll be thinking of Three Sisters when I'm there!!
Thanks everyone, more soon! Bongo
Click for Pictures of these races courtesy of Steve @ http://www.d-pix.co.uk
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| Three Sisters Round one & two 2011 |
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