Ducati Sporting Club UK > Sport > Trackdays & Race Schools > TA4 Cadwell today - any reports

[bradders]

just got home....knackered!!

[BDG]

After a grim start (rode all the way there in the rain on Sunday night, more like windsurfing down the M62) arrived in time for last orders, i was was hoping the rain would stop during the night. No such luck and Monday morning didn't look promising, what with new tyres and brake pads and a wet track.

Fortunately the rain stopped and the day was really superb. I only do on average 1 track day a year, but the DSC Track Attack was the most enjoyable one i've ever done.

Great to see lots of friends, listen to nothing but Ducati's, look at everyones bikes, (most interesting one was the 916 with the LSL handlebar conversion....just what the Multistrada should have been). Felt sorry for the ever helpfull Nelly, working on his day off.

Cadwell is a really interesting and hard track to ride, and as the day progressed my grin just got bigger, especially after lunch. There seemed to be a lot less get off's than some of the other track days i've been to. Best wishes for Wheelspin and at this stage the other unkown person who took big tumbles for a quick and full recovery.

Hero award goes to Dibble for lending his bike out to Rally who was without a bike. Villian award goes to someone who cut Redruth up badly in front of the Clubhouse and nearly nerfed her off.

Fastest tourer award goes to the 916 with a Givi rack fitted in the fast group.

Best wheelies (accidental of course as there frowned upon)
Chillo, Mr LSL bars, and last but not least Tantrum on the Funkystrada.

Funniest phrase HAMMER TIME! (subtle in joke here) for the fast cheeky monkey!

Biggest grin goes to DCR when he saw his knee down photo.

Huge thanks to Lizzie, Monty and everyone else involved in the organising of a top club event.

I had a great day, topped of by a dry ride home over the Peak District.

[Edited on 26-7-2005 by BDG]

[ericthered40]

Ericthereds day

First session missed, fast group first out,still had bike in van, so I went out in Inters in the rain on Rennsports. Nice and slow to start with, never ridden at Caddwell before.
Second session still wet but a little cockiness, I can ride in the rain started to creep in to my tiny mind and at the end of park it started to go badly wrong. In to hot, back up strait, more brake, front wheel lock, let go save, on to grass moto x comes back in to play, luckily the run of is Looooooooooong, get back on track shaken. Still wet so tires clean up down through the Gooseneck, but the mud on my right hand boot doesn’t revile itself until my foot slip’s off the peg as I shift across the bike at the second part of the chicane, nice. Still come on lad get on with it and I do until I get to the old hairpin, wheel lights up full lock looking down at no bike, then it reappeared and I landed on it. Shaken and stirred, wets in the rain Rennsports in the dry.
Third session starting to dry out but still really freaked out by the track itself and the conditions, so much to learn at this place without all this rain and nearly crashing crap.
Dry for the rest of the day tiers working but rider still lost the plot.
Thanks to all the guys who showed me round today learned lodes.
Is it me or dose Caddwell remind you of an early scaleletrics track.
Highlights of the day Ali round Barn,Geoff anywhere and Chillos wheelies.


Very intense track not for the gunho grasstracking background is not essential but is highly desirable

[Firefly]

What a day, it was awesome. It was the second time on Fil2's race bike and this time I realy enjoyed it. As it was wet in the morning I had a chance to slowly build up the pace and knowlegde of the track. Know I know why people rave about Cadwell :O)

Excellent day, thanks to the organisers

Kel x

[butch890]

As usual fantastic day.
The faller in the last group was Scott,and although it sounded serious at first ,the thought of having to pay for treatment saw Scott singing the release forms and discharging himself,i saw him in the paddock as we were leaving and apart from a graze on the head he seemed ok.
The rest of the day,well, as usual great company (goes without saying) and from a personal point of view i was well pleased with my riding (all on the babyR ) managing to turn much later and faster and also getting on the gas MUCH earlier.
Chris had a great day helping fellow members improve ,he seems to get so much from this,he also had 3 sessions in the fast group on the babyR and was a joy to watch.
He managed to sum the bike up beautifully when asked what he thought of it with the reply "makes the 890 seem ordinary"!
Thanks to Monty ,Lizzie and all the other helpers ,without your efforts we wouldn't have days like yesterday.
Final thought ,seeing a standard 620 numptystrudel battleing with Geoff Spencer (and leading him for 2 laps) was a joy to behold!
Butch

[Tantrum992]

Left Norwich in sunshine but by time i'd covered the 15 miles to Dereham to meet up with Sparkin it was spitting with rain and by time we got to kings lynn to meet up with Wheelspin and Rooney it was time for the water proofs it p****d it down all the way to Cadwell, although the MT had no probs with the wet roads the electrics were'nt liking it, cutting out three times in the last ten miles. Once at the track first port of call was the bar four or five pints later and its time to set up camp, thank god for that marque that someone left up. Morning came round all to quick and the sudden thought as to where my wallet was, turned out i left it on the bar the night before and a member of staff handed it in so had to be gratefull i got both parts of my licence and cards back even though it was missing the five twenty pound notes, oh well own fault for leaving it there in the first place.As for the track, never done Cadwell before and was a bit nervous of going around in the wet but the tyres seemed to have loads of grip and i was soon up to speed although was still getting several reminders from the rear under braking and down shifting, once the track started to dry the fun started, being able to dice more confidently with some of the other guys ( and gals ) and the mountain had me laughing so louding in my helmet i thought i was going to roll of the bike clutching my sides, the wheel may have only been a couple of inches of the ground but it felt massive to me and i was loving it. All in all a fantastic day

Unfortunatly not so good for eveyone, hope your not to badly beaton up Wheelspin, ill speak to you later to see how you are, anyone know how the guy is that went down on the final inters session or who it was.

Look foward to see'ing all thoughs of you that are brave enough to go on the Narfok raid next Sunday

[AK]

Brilliant day out - in fact brilliant weekend, mainly thanks to Pooh & Tigger (who live about 20 miles up the road from Cadwell) Reccommenation to all who enjoy a good rideout - stay over some time & have a hoon on some of those awesome roads

AK had a great time on track with Mrs Snot, gradually building up confidence & speed. He says a BIG thanks to Geoff for his instructing on & off the track - he learnt such a lot, completing all the sessions.

Tool kit came in usefull for a few members during the day, and cheers to NBs for the space under his gazebo (as we had left ours behind)

I bumbled around at lunchtime - once again thanks to Geoff who led me round (wanted to go faster y know ) - and I am happy to annouce to all who know me 'I was on Geoffs tail for a couple of circuits - closest I'll ever get - and more than many of the DD boys will at Donnington next time':P

good drive home, saw us getting in the door 3 hours after leaving - quickest yet

Cheers to Lizzie for organising it - and to the weather for drying up

Charlotte & Alan

[Edited on 26-7-2005 by CK and AK]

[ChrisBushell]

Ok I will do a proper write up for Pronto, but for those of you who are interested, the bike I rode yesterday is a 1967 narrow case 350 single.

The rolling chassis is basically standard, but the engine has been ported, big valves, high comp racing piston and a lumpy cam. I havent had it on the dyno in the curent incarnation, but would think that it makes just under 30hp and weighs about 90kgs.

Once I sorted the carb probems, it was going fine except for a bit of fuel starvation down the main straight (note to self to fit a 2nd fuel tap).

Must admit I had a great day and will do a write up for Pronto.

[NBs996]

Don't talk to me about driving home...
Who's idea was it to close the M1

Had massive fun raggin' the monster around for a couple of sessions, so much more grin factor than on the 996 (for sale very soon... watch this space)

[Edited on 26-7-2005 by NBs996]

[Steve M]

First - a big thankyou to BDG for sorting out the B&B for me, and DCR, Sharon & Gizmo for their help on the day.

Day started a bit iffy as I managed to get to the circuit half way through WJB's safety talk, one of the Cadwell staff spotted me coming in late and made me have my own safety talk before giving me the second arm band! By the time I was ready to go out my first session was coming back in - oops. So second session came around and out I go - with new tyres and it's wet, but they soon scrubbed up and the rusty feeling from not being on a track for three years started to fade. After lunch things were fine (exept I need to get fitter - 6 laps & I was knackered) it was real fun watching the DD bikes in action and in one session I found myself in with 4 DD bikes having a mini DD race - superb. Other points that stood out for me were going into the Gooseneck (a section I don't really like) and having Geoff Spencer dive under me going in, showing me just how hard you can get through there - nice riding mate, then another time in the second part of Charlies I closed on someone, eased off a bit, only to have Micheal Neeves come round the outside of both of us on the DUK 620 Multisrada, the speed he got round on that was very impressive - good to watch it on the straight too as it weaved it's way from one end to the other - did he back off? - not a bit.
Fantastic day was had.
Pirelli Diablo Corsas

And to everyone from the DSC and Cadwell involved in putting the day on for us - thankyou very very much

And to those who fell, best wishes for a speedy recovery.


Mort - I hope we sounded and looked good. RIP.