Ducati Sporting Club UK - Did that really just happen???

Ever had a weekend where you're just completely mesmerised and find yourself asking yourself if that really happened.......................??

i've just had one of the most surreal weekends of my life :)

It started last wednesday when Rob rang me to see if I fancied going to Belgium to see Broc Parkes (WSS rider for Yamaha) race in a super motard event at Mettet. The Superbiker weekend.
Rob's got pretty friendly with Broc over the last couple of seasons, so it'd be the last weekend away and a time to kick back a little.
Thursday came and the question changed to "Broc would like us to go over and crew for him as he's been let down"
OK, lets go and help out.

We caught the ferry to Calais on Friday evening, landed in France and headed to the Belgian border. We landed at a motel about 1am, and got some shut eye.
Saturday morning saw us arrive at Mettet about 10am. we called Broc and got some passes sorted and set to work.
Qualifying was just after lunch and Bernie who'd drove the bikes over from Germany had already got the bikes nearly ready. All that was to do was to cut some grooves into the new Michelin slick. We got that done and Broc set off for Qualifying. He got 6th which was pretty good in the company he was keeping.
The paddock was stuffed with all sorts of stars from different diciplines of bike racing.
Troy Corser was the biggest name there. Stephane Chambion, Stefan Nebal (german SBK champ shared our garage), along with a host of world/european champions from supersport, moto cross, super moto etc.
Saturday night kicked off with a stunt show made up of mainly crossers doing freestyle stunts but also a guy on a ducati S2R who was unbelievable.
Copious amounts of beer and JD were consumed, and while not the best prepartion for race day, saw us crawl into bed about 3am.
Sunday arrived (tooo quickly) but saw us getting ready for the first superbiker race around lunch time.
All went well and Broc got a 5th. Well happy with that.
Race 2 was a starbiker race and this was made up of the superbiker riders as well as the "axe murderers" that make up the elite of the european super moto scene. The grid had risen from around 17, to 50 or so!!
This should be fun then. Broc was on the 4th row.
The flag dropped and it was chaos. These bikes go off the mark like bullets and 200m or so saw the first corner, a 180 degree hairpin and a narrow one at that!!
Broc got taken out on the first lap but got back on, waited to be lapped by the front runners and then ran with them for some "tips". Not a very good result, but his times improved, so all looked good for the third race.
The third race was equally eventful. Chambion on the front row stalled and the bikes immediately behind him the next 5 rows simply ploughed into him.
Broc got through and was going well until he got T-boned at the hairpin after passing two riders on the star/finish.
He came in on the next lap.
A bit of a flat finish to the day, but what a day.
We'd been spannering, changing tyres, carting gennys and tyre warmers around and time keeping. Headless chickens??.......... doesn't even come close!!
We packed the van up and cleared the garage and said our farewells to Bernie as he set off back to Dusseldorf.
We hung around the paddock, chilling with a few bottles of Corona from the Suzuki team and chatted about the days events.
Then it started to get really weird.
Troy Corsers brother came over and told us we could go have some food with them. The organisers had laid on a buffet for the riders and a few VIP guests.
Off we went for what was the first bit of decent food we'd had all weekend............and a few more Coronas ;)
Away from the limelight, it's quite refreshing to find out that these guys are just normal blokes that love riding bikes but are fortunate to be able to ride them extremely fast.
Storys were swapped, loads of jokes were told and laughs were had.
I was in a room, sat around a few tables, having a laugh with Broc Parkes and Troy Corser. Unreal.
We were all stopping at the same hotel, so it was decided we go back there for a drink and some more laughter.
The bar shut a 12 prompt and the manager wasn't going to be swayed, so we headed off into the nearest town in a fleet of Corona Suzuki people carriers to find a bar.
Troy gets the round in and the night sets up as a drink with the lads and chatting with a few aussies including Troys mum, who's a top lady!!
We head off back to the hotel at god knows what hour and collapse in bed.
Waking on Monday morning confirms it is "real" as Broc is the next bed!! Bloody hell and a silly grin appears on my face.
Jeeez...............what a weekend!!
We pack our stuf away and get ready to leave. Broc needs to get a train to Dusseldorf to pack as he's off home to Oz on Wednesday (today).
The timetable isn't good, so as it can't get any more weird, we take him!!
We arrive at Yamaha Germany HQ about 2pm. Have a look around the race workshop and the new R6's that are being prepped for next season, freshen up, say our farewells and set off for Calais.
It all comes to a sudden stop at 1.30am on Tuesday morning. After having no more than about 15 hours sleep since Friday, nothing was going to stop me from climbing in bed and passing out.......................
Lessons learnt.................... these guys are top fellas. Racing is mad. Racing is intenese but fun. if you get a chance in a liftime............take it!!
and finally.................... don't go drinkin with Aussies unprepared!! they are animals :lol:

did it really happen?? ...................... Oh yeah. Did it JUST. Big time!! :D

check out the event at SuperBiker
There's some crackin pictures of the guy doing amazing things on the S2R in the gallerie....................