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Old 30-Mar-2009, 17:22
Dominic Clegg's Avatar
Dominic Clegg Dominic Clegg is offline
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Class B race report

Code Zero Racing
Round One: Donington Park 28th & 29th March 2009 Moto Six
Desmo-Due Class B

Qualifying: I got out front and had a very clean run but I was tense on the bike and was cramping up and I was a bit disappointed with the times that were coming up on my lap timer. Thankfully my lap times were good enough for a second row start and second overall in class B. My lap time was 2:02.2. Looking at the timing sheet Sam West was on pole. I felt confident going into the race and I knew I could run lap times under two minutes because of the test day the team had at Donington Park.

Race one: It was very cold but thankfully the sun came out before our race. I got a good start and tucked into second behind Harriet. I then started to battle with Tim Howard on a class A bike and we were slowing each other up badly. I could see Harriet getting away so decided to stick behind Tim and use him as a tow down the back straight to get back on terms. However, Tim ran over the curve at the loop and the bike slid from under him. As I was only inches from his back wheel, I had to take avoiding action and missed running over Tim by less than an inch. This let Sam West catch up and get past. Every time I went past him he would pass me right back at the next corner. When racing so close to someone like that you need to trust them and some of the passing moves I was pulling were hard but Sam gave just as good back and we did not touch once. I lost count as to the number of passes that were made but it will look really good on TV. I finally put a good pass in to Goddards to make it stick and put my head down to try and close down Harriet, I pulled my lap times down to the two minute mark but by this time I had run out of laps and could not close her down. What a fantastic win for Harriet and what a comeback race for Sam. Looks like I’m not going to have it my own way this year!

Race two: I made a poor start and slipped back but was able to run up the inside of the first corner to tuck in right behind Sam who was leading the race. Having battled hard with Sam in the first race I stuck to his back wheel and found out where his strengths and weaknesses were. I found that I had the best of him throughout the first part of the lap, but Sam was much faster around the loop at Goddards. I stuck behind Sam as I didn’t want to show my hand to early. However, Sam made a mistake in to the old hairpin and ran on to the grass on the outside and I took the opportunity with both hands and took the lead. I put my head down and with six laps to go I had a 6 second lead and put in a low 1.59 lap. As I got on the power out of Redgates on the next lap, the bike flicked me out of the seat but I kept the power on. I should have seen this as a warning, but then as I was going down craner the back let go in a big way. Somehow I kept it together but it felt like there was little grip left in the tyres and on this lap I ended up three seconds slower than my last lap. William Charters came past at Goddards on his class A bike and I had a look over my shoulder to see Sam West right on my tail. At this point my tyres were completely gone and I just tried to be smooth and somehow I stayed ahead of Sam. By the time the last lap flag came out I had got on the back wheel of William and my bike was sliding all the way around coppice. I got on the gas before William and managed to catch his slip stream. Knowing that Sam was right on my tail I knew I had to pass William and put him between us before the last two corners where Sam was strong. I braked so late for the esses and the back wheel was waving all over the place in the air, thankfully it settled down and the back wheel landed before I threw the bike into the esses. I had done it, I passed William! I was then slow into the loop and blocked the line. I did the same into Godards as I turned in early and tight and the front moved a good foot. I put my head on the tank and powered to the line finishing one tenth of a second in front of Sam for the race win.


Over the two races I had never pushed the bike so hard and never pushed an old set of tyres. They were on the very limit of what was left in them.

I have now got a new set of tyres on order for Anglesey and I am going to need them as it looks like I’m going to have my hands full again this year with Sam and Harriet.

I would like to say thank you to my sponsors; Viva Moto and Dickinson Harrison as I wouldn’t have been on the grid without them.

I was also amazed by just how well my team mates Dean and Shane did, as just over a year ago they had their first trackday at Donington. Well done Code Zero Racing!

http://www.theresults.co.uk/theresul...sults_0328.pdf
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  #2  
Old 31-Mar-2009, 00:19
andys 900ss's Avatar
andys 900ss andys 900ss is offline
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Well done Dom!

Top results for you, Harriet and Sam. Looks like some close racing is in order once again.

Well chuffed you got under the 2mins which I thought would be achieveable on the class b bikes.

See you all in Anglesey

Andy
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  #3  
Old 31-Mar-2009, 01:06
skidlids's Avatar
DSC Region Organiser skidlids skidlids is offline
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Good report Dom, never thought I would see the day when you would type
Quote:
and I just tried to be smooth


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  #4  
Old 31-Mar-2009, 02:02
SixtyTwo SixtyTwo is offline
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Good report Dom, and a great race! It was good to see everyone again and meet some new people too. Thanks to everyone who gave me help and advice over the weekend, particularly Matt T for some words of wisdom (I don't mean the comments about my leathers!)

I had a fantastic weekend, this was the first race for me since Brands last year after I broke my leg at Snetterton. Having only ridden the bike on two occasions before qualifying I was somewhat nervous as to how well I would go, I really didn't have a clue if I was on the pace or not. I went out in qually behind Dom and Harriet and they stayed well ahead of me the whole session, so I was shocked to find I was on pole! Chuffed too of course, it being my first time

Saturday
I got a terrible start and everyone shot past me but a bit of bravery got me back towards the front within the first few corners. I managed to catch Dom and was close behind him when Tim dropped it at Melbourne, Dom had to swerve to avoid Tim and I went through. The next few laps saw me dicing with Dom, passing on almost every corner. Each corner I would pass him and the next he would take me straight back, it was great racing and although some of the passes were close they were all very proper with no contact. I even engaged in some casual grass tracking! Back in the paddock I found that I had very little damping in the forks which explained why I felt I was fighting it round the track, however I was just happy to be on the podium for the first time, and in front of a tv camera!
I didnt even see Harriet after the first lap, she got a great start and stayed out in front putting in consistent fast laps which won her the race

Sunday
Two warm up laps was great for building some confidence in tyres for the first race lap! Why cant we always have this?!
I lead the race for a short while until I went grasstracking again, this time at the old hairpin. I had to back off and Dom and Will shot through and into the distance as I tried to get my speed up again. I gradually caught up and concentrated on staying smooth and comfortable knowing that if I kept that position I would bag second place as Andy Challis wasn't immediately behind me. On the last lap I tried to make a move at Goddards where i knew i could get on the power earlier than Dom but I didnt get the drive I was after and Dom took the line ahead of me. I wasn't in the least bit unhappy that I didnt win the race, a second and third are my first podiums and taking the lap record on both days was a bonus.

Bring on Anglesey!
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  #5  
Old 31-Mar-2009, 11:14
Paul James's Avatar
DSC Member Paul James Paul James is offline
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Looked pretty smooth from where we were standing, really strong down Craner and through the old hairpin; if those were "old tyres" it says a lot for the tyre we use in the series!.

Perhaps some don't have confidence in the tyre, then don't push it to get the heat in and it becomes a vicious circle? They seem to work best on the ST when pushed a bit, grip seems to be very predictable and the bike can be ridden in quite a "spirited" fashion.

Well done on the results Dom, I think you'll need to keep your wits about you if you want to keep that lead though.


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  #6  
Old 31-Mar-2009, 19:35
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Otei Otei is offline
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Well done Dom, some good rides, and I reckon you're right about Sam and Harriet being up for the fight. Shame about her get off, especially as it was after the race was initially supposed to have ended!!!

Anyway, roll on Anglesey, looks like it'll be awesome on the little dukes.

Word!
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