Not quite the weekend I planned but not all bad
Friday I spent working on some changes my Spanner man and racing mentor gave me to improve my drive. Being a trackday, it got a bit hairy a times but the data logger was showing I was getting quicker during the day so took that, and managed to get two decent lines into he two new lefts
Sat and qualifying, due to a few issues with my can (thanks Brummie Dave for the lend of the can) I had to scrub tyres in during qually. Now last year i did the same and slid off on lap 2 and cost me dearly so I decided I'd take it easy for a least two laps
As it would happen, Awesome seemed to be doing the same just in front of me so when he got going, I got going. I gave him some space then caught him for a few laps then decided I needed to go past. Matt knew I was here and let me pass into the new hairpin, which I thanked wih a wave, and I got going.
Qualified 4th which I was amazed with, although 3 secs off Angry and Paul P
First race and watching the lights, I saw in the corner of my eye Angry move so went. Even moving an inch with hottrax means a jump start, I figured best to pin it as the lights we out and I wasn't sure if I jumped or not....1 st corner and 1st place; gulp!
I sensed Angry on my outside at the hairpin and knew when I exited that I would be drifting wide, thats my line, so he would have to check and come under me. Which he did and drove past me like I was standing still. I nearly collected him in church and had to shut the throttle or I would have been on his back, and lost some momentum allowing Awesome to pass me on the brakes into Rocket hairpin.
I held my spot until the red flag which was on the way up to the next hairpin and was gutted as I was keeping with Awesome....
Start 2 not quite so good, about 7 th I think into first corner but managed to catch Paul P at Church and get alongside, outside. Bit hairy as he was drifting wide and I was on the white line already but hey...keep it pinned Bradbury was all that crossed my mind.
Paul is much better than me on the brakes so I didn't get chance to get him in turn 1 although I looked round the outside, but learned from the previous lap and went in wider for tighter exit at church to drive up the hill. Paul must have expected me on the outside and, tbh unexpectedly, seemed to give me a little space and had a look over his left shoulder. Alas I was already alongside on his right as he drifted into me, leather to leather.
Once past, I was catching Awesome and feeling like I could reel him in on the remaining few laps. Tipping into peel, I had my knee down and my foot and off the throttle ready to pick it up when I was suddenly laying flat on he track...the rear had just let go but, one in a million, it gripped and I was still on it so went from lowside to high side and I went from sliding to having a great view over Snowdonia for a brief second. "feck this is gonna hurt" feck it did. Alas I got tangled with the bike too, so every tumble forward mean the bike kept hitting me in my chest and face. Also Paul couldn't avoid the bike and went into it (sorry again)
Being totally aware of what was going on I tried to crawl away from the track to safety, stopping after a few feet as I didn't have the strength and couldn't be arsed! Now at this point i may have given it a bit of grass bashing, before I lay on my back and Just accepted whatever was happening next.
Getting in the ambulance, I heard my name and saw she beaming smile of Mike T with a big thumbs up for the aeronautical display I had just delivered
At that point I retired. No more racing. Track days only. Risks too high.
Sum of injuries are 3 broken meta tarsels right foot, sprained or slightly torn ligament left knee, few stiches in my arm, can't lift or bear weight with my right arm as my neck and shoulder is so stiff, right thumb looks like one of Ghosts not mine
At this point I'm hoping the sprain isn't severe, the cast will be off in a few weeks and a set of Daynona boots will keep everything in place for Cadwell
Massive thanks to Nick Boustead for not only sorting everything out at the track and driving me, but the moral and physical (which we will never speak of agan!) support he gave me. Also Roy & Sandra for their personal support and keeping Nicola up the speed and Phil and Liz for the concern and helping keep me level headed
At times like these you find out who your friends are. And to those friends I offer my eternal thanks for their concern and texts
Onward and upward and away
