Qualifying

I was slightly unsure how to approach this, did i go away with all the pack or just hold back and go on my own with free track in front of me so i could build up and not get duffed up by other riders.

Well i decided to sit back wait for everyone to fire away then i was off, i wanted to settle myself into a rythem then build up faster and faster.

I felt comfortable on the bike, and i was pushing harder and harder then after about 7 or 8 laps going up into the hairpin i got arm pump, i'd suffered from it before and knew instantly that i'd struggle to go any quicker, i completed another lap but that was it, i had to come in early, i couldn't go any quicker... that was that..

I'd qualified 21st out of 28, the decision to hang back was probably not the best but you live and learn and at least i know what to do next time..

Thundersport GB (Mallory Park)

This was a first for me, i'd heard about Thundersport GB and knew that the competition was really good and also that it was televised on Motors Tv on sky.

This was a real last minute decision to run this meeting and was made possible by Eddy Roberts at Complog who forked out the money for the entry fee.

The layout of the day was i'd have a 10 minute practice session then a 15 minute qualifying session then two races.

Qualifying? I'd never done this before and wasn't too sure how to approach it.......

Here goes...

Donington (Race 2)

The second race was ready to start and i was 16th on the grid and was more determined to be a bit more aggressive.

Into Redgate and i was on the inside and it was manic, but i was gonna stand my ground and get in amongst it.

Round Coppice and i was not losing too much out of there and up the straight, i was hard on the brakes and right up behind a few bikes, i was quick through the chicane but i couldn't keep the momentum up as i was being slowed down through the corner.

I'd managed to break away from the bikes right behind me and was gaining on the two bikes in front, i felt quicker than i was in the first race and as soon as i got some free track i closed right up on the bikes in front, i was feeling quicker and quicker and felt i could catch and get past the two bikes in front.

I'd finally managed to get my nose in front and now had free track in front and got my head down, i was braking later and later and getting on the gas earlier and earlier.

I was coming down Craner Curves and flat out in 6th when just through the left hander when the rear tyre decided to keep me on my toes by having a bit of a moment, by this time it was the last lap and i'd gained on the bike in front but didn't have the time or to be honest the energy to get past.

I'd felt much better in this race, i'd relaxed a lot more and felt quicker than the first but i wasn't, my fastest time in race 2 was a 1min 23.28

Oh well, i'd had a good day and was looking forward to the next meeting..

Donington Park (North Gloucester)

Well after the previous week at Mallory and winning my first trophy i was full of confidence and couldn't wait to get on track. I'd done a few afternoons at Donington on the National circuit and i was pretty confident of doing well.

The last time i rode with North Gloucester was at Thruxton and i remember how quick some of those lads were.

We went out for practice and i didnt feel too confident, i kept getting caught in traffic and never had a clear lap, i really didn't feel confident and i kept getting passed on the back straight and to be honest i was pretty concerned.

I came in after practice and looked at the times, I'd done a 1 min 27secs and was 24th overall out of 43.

Not too bad as i know i didn't push to hard, but my gearing was wrong for the back straight and knew the race was going to be a struggle......

On the grid for the 1st race and i was 20th and what seemed to be a long long way to the front. Anyhow the lights were off and we were away, i didn't get too bad a start but still seemed to get swamped, upto Redgate and it was madness there were bikes on either side, were were nearly bashing fairings into the first corner and off down into Craner (the joys of club racing) and i was slowly gaining on people in front, i'd listened to Alec from SMT Honda (BSB Team) and after he'd showed me the lines round Donington i was keen to put it into practice.

So after the first few laps i knew where i was strong and where i was struggling, i was getting better and better on the brakes but out and out top speed i was struggling on the back straight.

I got into a bit of a battle and was swapping places every other corner, i was quick through the last chicane, good on the brakes through Redgate, down through Craner curves and the Old hairpin. The only place i was losing out on really was coming out of Coppice and the back straight.

I thought i was doing ok, but again i was out dragged on the straight but managed to pass them back on the brakes and the outside of the chicane i was back through.

Onto the last lap i was into Redgate and upto about 14th or 13th, then through Craner and the Old Hairpin, soon as we got on the straight i was passed by 2 bikes, i was gutted, and i couldn't get back at them.

I'd finished 16th and knew i could do better, but i suppose i had to settle for it and learn from the first race.

I had done a 1min 23.13s and i knew i could go quicker as my times were quicker than the guys in front..

My First Win!!!!!

I just wanted to thank everybody thats helped get this trophy.

First of all i want to thank the man that put the bike together, tuned the engine, and helped me with all to do with the bike, John Quail, he has built me a great,reliable bike and i'm extremely grateful, thanks mate.

Secondly to Ed at Complog, cheers, you've helped me with a lot a and i'm really grateful for your help, cheers.

Another big thanks to Rob Mathewson, cheers for the dyno work and for your advice with the bike and racing, again i'm extremely grateful.

Jim, Cheers, you talk the arse off a dead donkey but you do make sense

cheers mate.

And last but no means least, thanks to my gorgeous fiance and soon to be wife Adele. We've gone through so much this last month or so and you've been there for me every step of the way and i'm so glad that im with you and i love you so much.

Novice Race

This race was all novices but there was every type of bike, from 125 upto 1000cc bikes.

For this race we had to pull sticks from a hat to determine our grid positions, i pulled out number.....................6!!

I was quite chuffed but to be quite honest i was expecting to get swamped into the first corner with 1000cc bikes coming past and more than likely 600's too.

The lights had gone out and i'd made a good start, we were into Gerrard's and i was in 4th, i couldn't believe it,

I was expecting to be swamped going into the first corner but i wasn't i'd made it to 4th overall, there was an R1 leading who made a blistering start and ther was no chance of getting near him, and behind him there were 2 GSXR 1000's, and me in 4th.

I keep going on about it but i was expecting to be passed by bigger bikes and not only that the 2 thousands in front of me i was expecting to have gone off in the distance...

This was all new to me, i was sat in 4th place behind 2 1000cc bikes and i was all over them into the corners, i was not only gaining on them but i was feeling great and pushing myself to go faster and faster.

I can't remember but it was about the 4th or 5th lap and i had gained maybe 50 feet going into the hairpin and through the bus stop, i was along side 3rd then 2nd place just going over the start finish line, Oh i've never wanted a chequered flag so much before ha ha ha ha...

Hence to say as soon as we got on the straights they just pulled away, i was going as fast as i ever had in the wet and loved every minute, i was sliding the bike going in and felt really confident.

I finally crossed the line in 4th place, i was over the moon, i had beaten 3 1000cc bikes and i had won my class, i was slightly disappointed that i'd not got a top 3 place but i was only on a 400 HA HA HA...

I'd proved i could go quick in the wet and also proved i could win.

Race 2

After the sunny dry conditions of the first race the heavens had now well and truely opened, i was feeling fairly confident that i could go well in the rain and that i could even sneak a podium...

We were in the holding area and to be honest it was absolutely bouncing down. They had delayed the start by 10 mins, so a few final thoughts on how i'd approach the race and was looking forward to some good racing.

We were away and i had a half decent start and was about 8th into the first corner, we were really tentative round the lap, my tyres had been on warmers but i was still unsure on grip and especially with the standing water on track i was very cautious.

On lap 2 i was really feeling grip and i was working my way up again and amazingly yet again in the wet conditions i was enjoying myself, everytime i got on the power loads of grip and was gaining more confidence in these dodgy conditions.

I had worked my way upto 5 th and seemed to on my own, i was a way from 4th and had nobody snapping on my heels.

I tried for a few laps to see if i could get upto 4th but i wasn't so i decided that 5th it was and i was going to not do anything daft and keep it rubber side down.

I'd had a good race in the F400 class there was one more race for me and that was the novice race....

Race 1

Right where do i begin......the weather was appalling, the racing was good and i managed a few good results.

Ok the practice/qualifying was wet, i mean really wet. It had been teeming down and just before i was due to go out we were told there was oil everywhere..........excellent, the track was wet through and i wouldn't be able to see the oil....

After maybe a lap or 2 i couldn't see anything, my visor had fogged up and was struggling, i wasn't feeling too confident and was still looking for traces of oil, this wasn't going well.

I'd qualified 9th but knew i could go faster even in the wet.

We were on the grid and i wasn't feeling to great but one plus, it was dry and sunny.

I didn't get too bad a start, and i was not doing too bad, i was upto 7th, then the fireworks began.

I'd passed another Honda and an rs250 Aprilia, then proceeded to have a real battle, i was quicker than both of them into the corners on the brakes, if this bike has taught me anything its use the brakes to compensate for the lack of power. we were swapping places left right and centre, on the way upto the hairpin i was passed on the inside but tried to close the door but there was no where for me to go, and the honda was through, then the Aprilia was through aswell, i was fuming!

Next lap i outbroke the Aprilia into edwina's and then i was on the honda, round the hairpin and he'd lowsided, he was out, so it was just me and the aprilia...

The aprilia came past again, it was now the last lap so i was really determined to get past, so upto edwina's and he left me the gap, i left the brakes really late and got past, through the esses and upto the hairpin, i was taking the very defensive line and determined not to get past, i was into the bus stop and still in front, i knew i'd beat him and was really happy, we'd had a great race and i'd thoroughly enjoyed it.

I'd got 5th and was pretty pleased.........