Ducati Sporting Club UK - Craig's Snetterton Race Report #34 Gbyte666

Gbyte666 Snetterton Race Report

This was a first time for me at Snetterton so I travelled up on the Friday night with my travelling commentator Nick B to get some practice and learn the circuit with the ACU testing group on Saturday.
Great to get there early as we could take our pick of the spots in the paddock and we settled for a nice spot with mains electric next to Chaz who I have not really met properly. More on Uncle Chaz in a min.
Being in the ACU group was great not having to attend the briefing and it was sign on and straight out on track. Got to grips with most of the circuit straight away in the morning except the left right after the bridge, couldn’t get that right. I could go into the left so much faster but couldn’t scrub the speed off for the tight right. I struggled with the chicane into pit straight as well with rear wheel lock ups. After finding that my lap timer was pointing the wrong way in the first session I managed to finish the day with one 1:29 but my average was around 1:31. Not bad for me… I was pleased with that.
Saturday night was great as I knew I had a relaxing day Sunday, it was going to be hot and I could watch the racing. So with more and more DD’rs turning up including Lord Rattler a beer or two was in order. Or a few in Paul Payne’s case.
Opening the van door on Sunday as well as being met by Nick pulling on some trousers the sun was out big time. It was going to be a great day for milling about the paddock and taking photos. I wanted to meet some more DD’rs as it’s hard to do on race day. I managed to get to meet a few more at Anglesey and spend some time talking to them. Phil Wilcock #61( Ghost ) Sam West #62 and his Mum & Dad and Ross Anderson #572.
Franco Nisco arrived and setup camp between us and Chaz, a new face for me and after trying one of his lovely Italian coffees that was another nice DD’r I have met. I left Nick nobbling Franco’s bike and set off around the paddock where I met Andy Sheppard for the first time ( Thx Andy for the Favour ) where I promised I would not get in his way this time…lol and sorry I forgot your name had a nice chat with a Scottish chap on crutches.

Peter Redgwell #66 enjoying the heat, great guy used to race years ago. Nice to meet you Pete.

2 engines down Sam points all the blame squarely at his Mum

This lot all failed the noise test

Sam spots a couple of possible donor bikes. Watch out Dave and James

Watching the racing on Sunday was great, there was some massive entertainment to be had from the close racing between Andy Sheppard and William Charters. Made me wince every time they came into the chicane. Eventually William made a lunge for it and Andy stayed on line. Bang… only one bike was going to fit through there. I managed to get the sequence on camera. I’m going to get a name for crash pics. ( ehh Bradders ) That didn’t help Sams Mums nerves much either seeing that and waiting for Sam to come round.
Back at the Van there had been about 10 young kids playing very noisily on the grass bank behind Chaz’s camper and I was pleased to see that Uncle Chaz’s trap that he had set the night before had managed to get two of them. Looked like Paul and Tim were getting stake tonight after all.

Raceday

Qualifying was early for us this time and I was ready for it after spending a relaxing night at a B&B with my wife and two Boys. Nick had sorted the bike and was off to see commentator. I was disappointed with a rubbish 1:32. But hey ho its my first year and I’m having fun.
Race 1

I seem to be getting more relaxed at being on a start grid now, but the thought of that first corner bundle still scares me, but two warm up laps helped my head with the tyre heat.
The lights were quick at Snetterton, On/Off bang were off, I got a flying start again pulling through the pack a bit. First corner I found myself because of my grid position still in among the pack and got pushed out wider than I wanted to and the sight of #27 Dallas playing bowls made me settle in at that point. As we went down the back straight I found myself behind Kev Senna #3 hotly followed by David Nicholson #32 and Phil Wilcock #61. The whole of race one we come to the back straight corner and the chicane with David being a demon late breaker and smooth into the corner and Kev a demon blocker. I could take back the place from David down the straights as I was on a class A but I just couldn’t get close enough to Kev out of the corners to get past him down the straight. Damm that thing go’s well in a straight line for a B bike. I could go faster than Kev round the right hander on the straight but no balls stopped me making that move. Poor Phil dropped out of the battle after loosing a gear lever and I managed to barely go past David on the chequered flag down the straight to finish behind Kev. The best part of finishing a race for me is then going round and waving at my Wife and Boys waving franticly at me from the fence.

Race 2

I’m up for this one. The weather guys all week had been saying that the rain / storm would be here by now. But the sun is still beating down. The lights nearly catch me out this time and I did lurch a little bit, but I’m away and into the first corner. Hold on isn’t this race one ? I’m behind Kev Senna again and David is right on my wheel again. Into the left hander under the bridge and David is still a demon into it straight past me but cant get by Kev. Hmmmm I got to get past Kev or this will be the same result as race 1. I manage to get right on Kev’s back wheel on the right hander going into the back straight which gives me a bit of a tow before pulling out and slowly passing. As I get under the bridge I’m just waiting for David to go past me into the corner but I’m sure he’s right on me. In the distance I can see a rider and focus on him. After a couple of laps I just cant believe to see that I’m getting closer to the rider ahead and push a little harder. As I get closer I can see it is Antoine Josserend #8. Now he must have been having a bad day because I know he is faster than that but knowing that makes me try even harder. Going into the last lap flag I realise I might actually catch him and I go in the right hander knee down boot scraping and bum clenching. I passed halfway down the back straight but I can hear his engine behind me all the way to the finish.
What a race, I was high as a kite. It gave me a real warm feeling congratulating Antoine reaching out to shake hands on track. ( Wish PLJ took a photo of that moment ) Again I looked forward to coming round and giving My family that hearty wave. Not a winner, but I achieved what I set out to do. Have fun. More fun than I’d ever had on two wheels.
Now it was time to relax again and Kev hits the wine.

I like to thank the whole DD paddock for making the experience of racing as a novice such great fun on and off track.
Thanks to Chaz for loads of things over the weekend.
Thanks Nick for the help
Thanks to all the supporters + the Hants mob for coming to support us. Dave Monstermob, Roy & Sandra, Steve & Shell, Bradders.
Thanks to anyone that actualy read this without just looking at the pictures. Sorry it was so long. But I'm still buzzing. I need to get a parrot to tell it all to as I think my wife and friends are getting bored of it now.
Of the many photos I took the best that weekend I thought was this one of Sam on the kindly lent bike of David Nicholson.

Craig ( Gbyte666 ) #34