| banger san | 19-Jun-2012 21:39 |
Tales from the Newbie part III
Less than two weeks since Anglesey and we are heading back up North again this time to Oulton Park. I’ve fitted new pads and dried everything out and that’s about all I’ve had time for. We arrive at the circuit early Friday morning to find all the regulars already set up in the garage, tea urn on and looking very relaxed, I’m anything but as this is the first new circuit for me. All day is spent trying to learn the circuit and sort the gearing not made any easier with the now typical mixture of dry, damp and wet sessions.:confused:
Saturday morning and I have a cunning plan for qualifying, get out early and try and tag on to some of the faster guys while they build up speed. All went according to plan until I got to the very first corner, much quicker than planned, panicked big handful of front brake, new pads work alright as the front locks :eek: and I’m sure I’m going down but somehow I stay on, legs flailing and make it round. Not surprisingly Ghosty and Senna are now long gone taking my confidence with them. A few more come past before I settle down a bit and try and post some times, imagine my surprise to find I’m 14th overall and 6th in class one behind Skids (still feel it would be rude to out qualify him with all the help he’s given me).:D
Race 1 is dry for a change, not the best of starts as I pop a wheelie (typical can’t do them when I want to and can when I don’t) and I have to shut off a bit to drop the front, get well and truly mugged in the first corner and don’t settle ending the first lap 19th. Never really make any progress but do have a good race long battle with Adam Ball who’s making his debut in DD in class A. Yes I know I shouldn’t worry about the A class boys but I wasn’t just going to let him have it so an ambitious last lap out braking manoeuvre down into Hizzies see me have to sit it up and take to the grass, you can see the marshalls getting ready but she stays up right and I re-join the track in front of Adam but let him have the place back and don’t get another chance. 16th overall, 8th in class but I’m disappointed, amazing how quickly your expectations change.
Thai curry for lunch, fuel the bike and then a quick rain dance see my race 2 prep complete,:lol: sure enough the rain comes in as ordered and I feel better going out to the start. A good launch sees me in the thick of things at the first corner and I settle quickly into a nice rhythm 9th overall at the end of the first lap. Grip is not brilliant but so much fun going into Druids with the front sliding and coming out with the back sliding, no more dramas but I can’t quite get close enough to challenge either Paul or Tom for the last podium place. Crossing the line I’m gutted thinking I’ve finished fourth what I hadn’t noticed was Chris doing his own grass tracking this time so I’m third another podium finish.:)
A mixed weekend ended on a real high, roll on Cadwell and I promise no more rain dancing. :devil: | 