Ducati Sporting Club UK > DesmoDue Race Series > DesmoDue - General Questions and Chat > 10-10-10-10 and a personal best and my first trip in back of the pick up van later !

[phoenix n max]

Well had they had boards apparently thats what the marshalls would have held up for my exit over the barrier in race one of DD

I wouldn't have minded but it was all soooo unspectacular too and to all those who saw Max laying on the ground - sowwy!

Anyway starts off first thing in the morning with an ongoing problem so off come rear brakes and 2 hours later the thing still won't bleed - mucho frustration and change back and with some choice language it's bled and ready to go so huge thanks to my crew for that little struggle.

Practice - ok
Timed - must do better
Race 1 - Hmmmm.

Well I got too excited and only counted 1 when the red lights came on so I jumped the start - didn't think anyone would notice being way back in 34th but they did


By the time I've got halfway down Paddock Hill I can't see a thing thanks to steamy visor but hey ho onward we go and hard as I try I still lose the back of the pack quite quickly, in fact a tad too quickly

Lap 2 and down Paddock again and as I get to the bottom i'm thinking this is tooooo slow whats going on ! halfway up to Druids i'm revving Max as hard as I can and we're coming to a dead stop right on the entry into the corner and we're stuck SOLID
I can do nothing and go nowhere so I have to jump off and lay Max down as I can hear a rather loud rumble heading right for me!

I think and take a leap of faith headfirst over the steel barrier in front of me landing the other side before my feet did - got up to see the marshalls with the thumbs up but laughing

I spend the rest of the race watching you lot from behind the safety of a tree and race end sees the 4 marshalls coming over to rescue Max. They were all very complimentary about my exit over the barrier but one then pointed out that had I ran 6 feet to my left I could have just walked around the end of the barrier - Doh !!!!! ( I didn't see it at all ) They also then tell me I should have fallen off further down the track cos i'd won myself a ten second penalty for a jump start!!!

Anyway the van arrives to pick me up and i'm not alone cos Mr Ali is in there too after depositing most of his engine on the track by all accounts (bad luck hun) Fancy meeting you here however I wished he wasn't in there cos my did it stink in there

Back in the garage to a few worried faces but explanations given and heart rates return to normal. Thanks to all who asked how I was and what had happened

Max is stripped and checked over and a problem seems to be evident with a small screw on the rearsets which has unadjusted itself and meant that the brake pedal was lower than it should have been ( cheers Mr Crust ) hence the hotter it got the fluid couldn't return or something so on when my rear brake That sorted and some elastic bands (is that in the acu handbook? )later my pedal is higher and we set off on race 2.

Better start this time but I can't let my fellow competitiors down so I drop back to my last place slot ( well someones gotta be it ) and continue my merry way as best I could but still hadn't solved the visor steaming issue.

Anyway all in all a lovely weekend - shame about the weather - thanks for the help to one and all and i'm sorry someone else was last in Race 1 but Max wasn't gonna play.

To sum up - my first trip over the barrier - my first trip in the van - gave the marshalls a giggle at Druids - and got a personal best laptime for my 3rd time at Brands and Max and I are still in one piece. Success

Thanks to all who make it what it is and special thanks to my crew for the help and support they give me. You're all stars
Gws TP



[Edited on 12-9-2005 by phoenix n max]

[NBs996]

Was gutted when I saw Max laying helpless at Druids, but pleased to hear it wasn't a crash and he'll live to fight another trip to Tesco.

You're a star!

n

[lizzie]

Did look odd, Lin, as you came up the hill and just stopped rather than coasting to the side of the track and leaning the bike against the armco. I couldn't work out what was going on as you were obviously trying to get the bike to move by rocking it to and fro before you dropped it. And the vault over the barrier was quite impressive as the marshals said tho' I too wondered why you just didn't walk around the end..... better luck next time!

And for those of you (and there were quite a number) that overtook under yellow, shame on you - and you were lucky to get away with it.....

[domski]

I must admit I did wonder how you managed to crash there, but now it makes sense

Glad you're ok Lin, unlike Ali who is mechanically unstable and TP who is physically unstable (and Australian, but we won't hold that against him)