Oulton Park Trackday

A pic from Oulton Park, had a slow start to the day but got used to the track. Took a few sessions to get into the swing of things but didn't do too bad, Managed a time of 2 min 04 but it was bloody cold and when your on track against 1000cc bikes and 600's its difficult to try and gauge yourself but im sure with a few more laps i'd be knocking a few more seconds off the lap times....

Seen as the season has all but finished i needed to get back on the bike, i need track time and as much as i can if i'm going to try and do my best next year, plus i also need try and get fit, the last time out at Mallory showed just how unfit i am and that i could have done better in the race if i had been more physically fit. So hopefully this trackday will help and i'm trying some new gearing.





Trackday on Saturday 17th Nov with Focused Events

F400/F600 Race

View from the banking at Devil's Elbow

Going Through The Bus Stop

F400/F600 Race

Race 2 F400/F600

Ok then this was going to be more of a race, i knew i could get up there and mix it with the lads that had been running top 5 all year even though this is the 4th time I've ridden the bike in 12 months.

We gathered in our grid positions, i was 31st out of 33 and knew i had my work cut out to get anywhere near the front runners, i mean the front runners in the 400 class, there were quick guys on 600's an i knew they would prob lap me at some point. Anyway the lights went out and for the first time i got away well, picking places up on the straight, then in to Gerrard's and i was passing people on the outside and i had good drive on to the back straight down to Edwina's, I'd picked up maybe 5 or 6 places in half a lap!!

Things were getting better as i slowly got quicker and quicker picking off more riders and the odd 600 as well, i was into maybe the 7th or 8th lap when i had a battle on my hands, a VFR 400 had tried passing my twice going in to Edwina's but I'd definitely slammed the door in his face, i was getting more and more tired though at this point and round to Edwina's once again where just when i thought about the same guy passing me he was along side and there was no way i could have kept him at bay.

By now i was getting bad arm pump and really showed how unfit i was, as hard as i was trying i couldn't go any faster i was just to tired, so i just settled in and tried to keep the pace up for the last few laps.

I'd given as much as i could and i was well and truly knackered! I'd tried my hardest and finished 22nd overall, and 5th in class. I was a bit gutted I'd not finished higher but seen as these guys have been racing all year i was chuffed deep down. I'd also posted a good lap time of 1:01.330, this was my fastest time of the day and I'd proved to myself that i could run near the front, i was filled with confidence can't wait to get back on the bike again.

Practice 2 F400/F600

After my first practice i had a second with F400/F600, which was a lot better for me as i felt more comfortable and could gauge things a lot better for the race with me practicing with similiar powered bikes.

I set off in the practice and instantly got into the groove and felt quicker and quicker, then coming through Edwina's then hard on the gas when the back end just broke away and before i knew it i was staring at the front wheel, then i managed to get back on the seat and away i went, for a split second i thought, ''SHIT'' i was lucky to get away with that one, after that the rear tyre felt to be sliding a lot more, i did about 3 more laps and came in, i checked the rear wheel and the tyre was scrap, i had been running an Sc1 compound (soft) but only had the option for a 2 (medium) but needed it so that was that. After the practice i was 20th out of 26 on track posting a time of 1:02.413

Alamo Race Standings

Race 1 - The Alamo Racing Trophy

Right then i had nothing to lose, i was against bigger,faster bikes and more experienced riders but i didn't care i knew if i could get a decent start i could keep with a few of them for a lap at least!

The red light came on and then off, it was go! i made a mess yet again of my start, and within a blink of an eye i was dead last....bugger! Oh well i thought id just get my head down and see what i could do, round Gerrards and down to Edwina's, id been getting faster through there in practice and felt i was holding a good line and good speed, so through i went and through the Esses and up to the hairpin, i was hard on the brakes and took about 40 foot out of the guy in front on what looked like a Fireblade, i was gaining slightly on him, down the straight then round Gerrards again and up to Edwina's, where the two guys in front must have had a bit of an incident cos one of the 2 went straight on at Edwina's and i wasn't last anymore....well for now anyway.

Through the bus stop and down the start finish and I'd not been passed...i thought the guy behind must have had a problem with his bike because he'd not passed me on the straight. Through the next lap and still no one had passed then me thinking he was in the pits he passed me going up to Edwina's on the brakes.....it was inevitable but i battled on all the same. Now was the time i knew the guys winning would be coming up to lap me so i had one eye on the Marshall's waiting for the blue flags to come out when on the start finish 2 bikes passed me at warp speed, so i decided to try and learn a bit from them, their lines etc, i was equally fast going through Edwina's but an R1 with 170 or so bhp is going to leave me for dead on the power, so a few more past going up to the hairpin, i looked over my shoulder and took a wide line round the hairpin trying not to get caught up with any faster bikes. One thing i did learn is as i was riding round the bus stop, you could see the faster guys powering on as soon as you flick it right.

Now it was all about getting track time, so i felt i was getting faster when as i rounded Gerrards for the 10th time (these were 12 lap races) someone had gone down and it was red flagged, i had been lapped twice but id enjoyed the track and learnt something so i was really confident for my next race which would be a lot more even. I had finished last but my fastest time wasn't that far off the guy in front who was on a 1000cc bike. Roll on race 2!!

Race Of The Year

Sunday the 21st of October was Race Of The Year and i was on the same bill, i raced in the Alamo Trophy, and the F400 class. The weather was perfect especially for the last week in October, it was a bit chilly first thing in the morning but when the sun came out it was quite warm, so plenty of grip.

To be honest id entered in the Alamo Trophy not really knowing who or what kind of bikes would be in there, so i was a bit apprehensive to see that it was full of 1000's and 600's, some of which had raced or were racing at national level.......oh well i had nothing to lose so went out in first practice to get a feel for the bike, id completed nearly a full lap when i came out of the bus stop and the rear of the bike was all over, it felt like a flat tyre so i coasted to the end of pit lane and pulled in, it felt serious so needed to stop as soon as.

I pulled in and Rob and John were there (Rob was chief engineer at Foggy Petronas and works at BSB with us, John tuned and has basically built the bike you see today) to cast an eye on proceedings, Rob saw straight away that the rear hub was loose.......DOH!!! id adjusted the chain the previous day and forgotten to tighten it. It was a mad dash back to the truck, where rob and john did a great job to adjust the chain and tighten everything back up so i still had a few more mins to get some laps in, i duly went out and posted my fastest time at mallory, id done a 1:02.702 which put me 20th on times, beating some 1000's in the process which gave me confidence going into the race.

I was 17th on the grid and i thought i was last , but no there were late entries and there were about 3 or 4 bikes behind me.......this was lambs to the slaughter!!