If there ever was an appropriate phrase to summarise our season, it has to be "in racing, the lows are very low and the highs simply fantastic". I'm sure this applies to most racers though.
This has been our first full season of racing and also as a 3 man team. Our plan at the start of the season was to foremost enjoy it as much as we can, contribute a reasonable level of professionalism to the race club, and make a proper attempt at winning the newcomers championship for the Thunderbikes with Derby-Phoenix.
Our season preparations were great fun with lots of "secret meetings" in pubs required, deciding on team name and livery, etc., etc. Many of the picture can be found in older post and on
Guy's website. Everyone at 3UpRacing must extend our special thanks to Guy's excellent and tireless work: Many, many thanks for capturing some special memories, Guy.
The season's racing had some great moments but also a few crashes. The worst ones for each of us were my highside at Chris curve at Cadwell (oil on rear tyre), Nick C getting spat off on the start-finish straight at Cadwell in the rain (at about 145 MPH), and Nick B's highside as Devil's elbow at Mallory. Nick B was the only one to require any kind of medical attention with a trip to Leicester hospital for a punctured lung and a few broken ribs. All the other, we walked away with a few cuts and bruises.
One positive side, we collected plenty of silverware with the highlight being a sweep of the newcomers podium at Donington. I think we probably thought we could walk on water at that point.
Unfortunately, the theft of my bike put a premature end to my racing season, but my team mates were only prevented by one man to reach the top two places in the final championship standings. As it was, the team finished second and third. A result we are certainly very pleased with. Chris Mathews, the newcomers champion, was so far ahead that he won the races outright more than once. As another saying in racing goes: There will be always someone faster than you.
So there you have it. What a fabulous year of fantastic fun. Oh, and I have no idea what it cost.
