desmodue and sound of thunder... i returned to the scene of my crash earlier in the season, with plans to, erm, not crash!
Aha! Well aware of the fact that almost everyone was doing a trackday at donny, except moi, i decided to enter SoT as an extra race. Unfortunately, i was only a reserve. The race's were scheduled as 12 lappers. Thety call it a 'long' race. Having spent a couple of seasons in endurance, i call it a dash.
Having not had a decent ride around the circuit for a couple of years, my SoT qually threw up a 'brisk walk' paced 1'35 lap. i wasnt slowest though, with a couple of 998/999's behind me. Not important, i was a reserve anyway so would be off the back row if i got out.
DD qually went a bit better. I went out on the tail end of the second batch let out onto circuit, and got clear of the preceeding bikes within the first few corners with the hope of getting one's head down. i saw a 5 second improvement, but still only 22nd on the grid of 39. 14th through to 25th was covered by just 1 second. Must get my head into qualifying...
SoT race, and i was informed that there was no room on grid. so i sat in pitlane. As the lights came on, i thought 'well, thats that then'. 3 seconds later and the flags were out for a rather nasty grid incident, and i was able to join on the grid alongside Lily on her 998. Having got a good (and legal) start, i tipped into the first corner and felt the rear end take a wallop. I looked over my left expecting to see a bike going down in the gravel, but didn’t see anything. I eventually found myself at the back playing with a 999 but he got the better of me in the end. One of the fast boys passed me on the way into the chicane but his engine let go and showered me with oil, which was nice, but I have plenty of my own, thanks! Paul Payne approached me afterwards to ask if I wanted my paint back after the first corner contact… d’oh!
After sitting around for a few hours, fitting a tyre/wheel onto the road bike, discovering that my genny was knackered whilst I was trying to microwave my dinner etc, the DD race eventually came around!
Back on row 6, the lights seemed a long way away. I found if I squinted I could just about make them out though, so it was ok. As the lights WENT OUT and I propelled my steed through the pack, a bike to the right of me moved left and as I couldn’t go anywhere to avoid, I had to keep it nailed to pass, and a slight bar/arm impact occurred. I don’t know who that was but it was an honest 50/50 so sorry whoever you are! I found myself around 13th in the first turn and as the first lap opened up, I was dicing with Cleggy. A few laps in and myself and Clegg were still dicing, I glanced back to see no one else immediately behind. I was aware that we were holding each other up, but Dominic carried some serious pace through Craner’s and Old Hairpin and would pass me, but was holding me up on the uphill stretch and I couldn’t find a way past him there. I found I would pass him on the straight but he’d either pass me into the chicane or in Craner’s again. It was frustrating me that we were holding each other up, and no doubt the same for him. Another look around revealed that our dicing had let JPM latch onto our tails. On the last lap, I was ahead of Clegg and was hoping Freak was behind Clegg. I hesitated momentarily to pass a backmarker on the approach to McCleans and JPM stuck it up my inside and block passed, causing me to shut off and also letting Cleggy through!! I thought I’d fallen off the tail of Dominic too much to make a pass on the straight stick, but I put it in anyway and took a tight line into the chicane to hold the place for JPM to lead me followed by Clegg across the line with about 1 second between us.
Fastest lap now 7 seconds improvement from SoT qualifying for 1'28.
Maintained 7th place in championship, but 8th/9th/10th closing rapidly now, and bike not feeling too healthy. No time/funds available for garaging, so i'll run as it is at snetterton.
