Race 2

Confidence was now running high, i was full of myself and now starting from 5th on the grid for the second race i was feeling i could get top 3.

The lights changed and the start was good but not as good as the first, again this was a 4 lap race, so if you don't get away with the front runners your gonna be struggling.

So i got away and not for the first time i had been duffed up and been over took on the inside and had probably slipped down to 10th, as i rounded Cascades which is the 3rd corner, i ran out onto the plastic gridding, which is not very grippy and flat in 3rd gear the back tyre decided to shake its head quite violently and at one point was hoping there was no one right next to me because i would have hit them. Anyway the bike straightened itself out and no one had come passed so that was it, i was really determined now, and i got my head down.

I had passed a few bikes going into shell corner and was really trying, but like i said before in a 4 lap race if you don't get away good your gonna be struggling. As i saw the last lap flag and got onto the run up to Island bend i had a quick look behind and couldn't see anyone near me, now it was a case of just getting to the finish.

I'd finished 9th overall and 8th in class, which if i was honest i was gutted, my fastest time was a 2min 2 sec, and i just expected more, but such is life, so now it was time to reflect on how i could have done better and make a mental note......MUST TRY HARDER!!!!

Race 1

After finding out that i'd accidently forgot to set the tyre pressures and the wets were at 50 psi...........whoops.
So after finely adjusting the setup of the bike by setting the pressures correctly (it was still a wet track by the way) i was hopeful of a decent result, but as i was still being badgered by James to focus and get on it i was slowly coming round to his was of thinking. As i sat on the grid i just thought lets have some of this, the lights turned red, i gave it plently of throttle, just as the lights turned i'd dumped the clutch and i'd made a lightening start, a bit of wheel spin in the wet but i was away clean and from 12th on the line upto about 9th in the first corner.
I was feeling my way round and after the first lap, for the first time on a bike i could feel plenty of grip in the wet it was a really good feeling, and that was all i needed.
I then started to climb through the field, i felt completely confident and was sliding the bike around but it felt good, the front felt rooted to the floor and i was enjoying myslef, who would have thought it!!
This was a 4 lap race, but i was on a mission, upto druids and i was right behind another rider, i had loads of drive out of there and i had the run of him upto lodge, he managed to pip me through lodge but that just really wound me up i was getting past, over the start line then upto old hall where i made my move, late on the brakes and up the inside, then as soon i got past i was hot on the heels of the next bike, again it was at druids where i had much more drive and was past.
I was praying for more time but that was that, i'd started 12th and finished 5th overall, but 4th in class, i was buzzing, i couldn't believe how in a 4 lap race had made up so much time.

Roll on race 2

Oulton Park 12-04-08

This was the meeting i was looking forward to, i knew Oulton Park, and was feeling really confident as i'd been at Donington the previous wednesday afternoon and i felt really good on the bike.This was also a big occasion for me because this was the first time my mum had come to watch me race, she doesn't really like bikes to say the least but i was really glad that my mum and dad were there and also my gorgeous girlfriend Adele, i also had the mind expert James along as well to help me out (a good mate from work who was at the time suffering from a massive hangover), now i had my pit crew and fan club i was really up for it.
There was one slight problem though..........it was raining.......DOH!!

As i wasn't very confident in the wet i was very apprehensive. I went out for practice and instantly the bike felt....well....just not right, but i thought it was down to the greasy surface, so i carried on and the lap before i had a big slide coming onto the start finish....something wasn't right...

Race 2

Now the weather was glorious well, it was sunny and quite nice even if it was a bit windy, i was starting 11th on the grid, and full of confidence, even though id not covered many miles round the Anglesey Coastel circuit.
Lights changed and i had not got the best of starts YET AGAIN! but as the lap went on i managed to claw back a few places i lost at the start.
I was getting used to the track and braking later and later for every corner, i was now 11th overall and i could see a group of about 3 bikes in front of me, i was pushing really hard and as i turned on the start finish line i had a massive slide, i rounded the first corner then hard into the banked right hander then had a quick glance over my shoulder, there was no point me pushing to much and falling off, i couldn't see anyone behind and backed off slightly, if there were another 5 or 6 laps i think i would have caught the bikes in front, but i would have to settle for 11th overall 10th in class, so i kept going and crossed the line and finish in a respectable 10th in class, not bad as i'd never seen Anglesey before.

Onwards and Upwards!!!

Race 1

A last minute decision to swap from wets to drys proved a wise choice. The track was dry pretty much everywhere, so this was it, my first race at Anglesey, i was still learning the track and just hoping to finish at least half way.

There's one thing i'd never done at a race meeting before and that was to choose my starting position from a hat...........and when i did...........mmmm...... 27th out of 29..........oh well

I'd nothing to lose in this race, i was on the back row and racing somewhere where i'd only done about 7 laps in practice, well here goes.

I got a half decent start and manged to pass about 4 before the first corner, then another 2 before the 3rd, this was going ok........

I was gradually picking up places and more than that i was having a ball, the track was awesome and i was learning every bump and twist with every lap.

With every lap my confidence grew and lap times dropped, i rounded the last corner and that was that.

I'd started 27th and finished 10th, not bad saying id no experience of the circuit

hope race 2 goes as good...

Anglesey 16/03/08 Practice

We arrived at Anglesey Circuit Saturday night about 8 ish to be welcomed by gale force rain and horrendous rain, i thought it was going to be a washout next day but i was to be proved very wrong.

Sunday was dryer than Saturday but it was still very windy, the track was still wet and i was very apprehensive about going on track as I'd never been here before and didn't have a clue to where the track went.

So we gathered in the holding area, i had wets on as the track was still wet but it wasn't raining, out we went i let the fast guys go away while i waited for someone to try and tag on to so i could try and learn the circuit.

I think i got about 10 or 12 laps in and was happy with everything, i just needed a go start in the 1st race..

Anglesey 16/03/08

Ok then my next race is at Anglesey on the 16th of March with Wirral 100. I've never been to Anglesey before and its all new to me, i just hope i can learn the track fairly quick and put in a good performance.

The race is on Sunday the 16th of March, i just hope the weather will stay dry and hopefully dry (ish).

Stay tuned for a full race report and pictures

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