Feeling flat
 

Well it's all over for the year - didn't it go quick?

I'm glad that I made the choice to to DD rather than try another year of Sound of Thunder. The atmosphere in the paddock has been brilliant and there has been some great racing going on.
Knowing the people that you are racing adds a certain something, rather than just battling with "a guy on a red/yellow/whatever bike".

There have been some fantastic performances which have been mentioned elsewhere, and this has been reflected in positive comments from the organisers, marshals etc about the series.

On a personal note I feel down that my performances tailed off following the high of reaching 7th following Snet - crashing at Donington and Brands didn't help my confidence or riding and a lot of other people seemed to raise their game mid-season.
I can take some satisfaction in being the 2nd 674 runner, albeit possibly as a result of injuries to Ali and Andy - maybe I'm the better crasher?!

Now I'm left with the dilemma of what to race next year:

Do I patch up the SS and turn it back to a 583 while I'm still eligible to race, or do I move on to a 620? Guess I'll just have to wait to see how the rules pan out.......

It's been great folks, see you all at the Dinner Dance

Paul

Honestly, you should better race in 583... :eureka:








(cool, one place won :lol: :lol: )

A great year for you fella.

In my view, you seemed to suffer a bit this year from "****ingaboutwiththebikeitis" !!!! ;)

You never seemed to have the same spec bike at each race!!! - flat-sides this, big-bore that - its been tricky working out what you've been on!!!! ;)

But you do love to tinker with the bikes and maybe this suits the 583 runners better ?? - I'm not too sure, perhaps the chance to take an older bike and fit newer Ducati OEM parts and tune it to create a top-spec race bike "floats your boat" - I don't know.

In my view, its guys like yourself, Skids, and Ali (amongst others) who epitomise what the original intention of the series was about. - Budget, creative, close racing.

The series has inevitably moved on and you can go the bigger-budget 620 route or stay with the 583s. In my view, you're a tinkerer and your ability to create a hybrid race bike will give you a greater advantage in the 583s.

It seems to me that the way that the 620s are heading is more along the "specialist" route, with the top performing 620s being "delivered" from the workshops just before race days. - yep I'm a cynical b'stard I know!!! ;)

Either 620 or 583, it'd be great to see you out there next year - sharing a beer at the end of the racing - fantastic.

Just make sure that you fit exhaust guards - it was funny to see your melted boots at Brands!!!

Tim

[Edited on 11-10-2005 by Rattler]

Paul....

u have been a great DD'er all season the paddock and the series is better for having you in it m8..........

On a personal note i hope you make the choice to go 583 i will be smiling in my lid if we line up against each other again next year...........

Phil