Castle Combe report - my first one!
 

Here goes, my first attempt at a race report.

Well what can I say about last Saturday? It was brilliant!

To my surprise the track at Castle Combe was great, here was me under the impression it was a thrown together, pokey little chunk of bumpy concrete filling a gap in our calendar representing the southy-middleish part of the country. How very wrong I was. Given the number of people asking for extra tickets on DSC I should’ve know better.

On the day I was a bit miffed at not being able to enter the allcomers race and this made me very nervous, however upon seeing Cleggy I was informed I could enter the allsorts race, which I promptly set off to do. Very luckily I got the 40th and final place in it as I‘d not been to CC before.

After following an extremely ballsy young fellow on an 80cc machine for a couple of sighting laps I set off in search of a decent qualifying time. I failed this miserably and ended up 36th on the grid with only the youngster behind me, what happened to the other 3 entrants I don’t know and had sympathy for my fellow DDers who were refused entry due to a ‘full’ grid.

Next was the DD qualifying, feeling slightly more confident and following like minded chaps I got a season’s best of 22nd on the grid (lol), exactly 1 row in front of Shane Kenny which narked me no-end as he always leaves me standing when the lights go off but that’s the price you pay for too much lager and pies.

The 1st allsorts race went ok with my fastest lap time coming down although I still managed to end up last of the finishers (which didn‘t bother me as I actually finished, on my home-made rear sets and levers too).

Now to the good bit, the 1st DD race was an absolute joy to be part of. There were 5 of us (myself, Shane Kenny, Paul Cox, Dave Jenkins adn David Nicholson) at the back having a total whale of a time all finishing within 3 seconds, just about every corner of every lap had someone trying to get past someone else and resulting in the best 12 or so minutes of track time I’ve ever had, no silly manouvre’s, nothing dangerous and a constant grin. I was having problems with not changing up the gears due to making the classic error of using screwed rod for a gear shift linkage which kept bending rather than changing my gear. This probably cost me a place or 3, certainly 1 on the last corner, as I kicked and searched for 3rd Paul crept past, I thought I’d just about held on but his punch in the air told me he’d taken 13th of me by 0.15 of a second. Never mind I’d got my first points on the scoreboard, or had I? A tyre inspection in the holding area revealed I was on ZRs, gutted I had a vision of my only points being stripped away but I just got a warning and told to change them for the next meet.

The 2nd allsorts race had me with a newly designed gear linkage and it lasted almost a full lap! The bolt I had used was catching and preventing me from making more than one gear change in one direction at a time, another redesign required!

DD race 2 was better, I had a fully functional bike for the first time but that didn’t stop Shane buggering off past me when the lights went out (again!), the 5 bike tussle began once more. It was a bit more spaced out this time with the badger having it’s usual forage onto the green stuff after getting past Mr Kenny and running a little bit too wide, but the place swapping continued all the way to the end and I claimed 13th for myself this time out. 5 points on the board from the day, result!!!

Once more I had a twinge of pride about being a DD racer because of the atmosphere in the paddock, the information/advice shared and overall encouragement given to everyone by everyone. Cheers to Cleggy for the help and pointing out a legal tyre set for sale which are now fitted and ready for my next meet, it was also great to see James hobbling about still with a big smile on his face despite the injury.

I can’t make Pembrey but my bike’s there for someone to use if needed, see you all at Cadwell.

great write up!, iam still boring everyone (and I mean everyone!) who will listen about the 1st race shenanigans. My 1st points and being able to qualify and run with the likes of you Scott and Shane equates to a net improvement of 4 seconds a lap from the 1st meeting at Donington, not bad for someone with a pie addiction:lol:
See you at cadwell
Seicento

Always puts a smile on my face to see someone enjoying their racing...that's what it's all about.

Keep on improving and having fun, you're doing fine. :)

Nice one M8. You have to keep that report stored safe somewhere as you will look back on it with a grin in years to come.

See you at Cadwell.

Craig

Eyup mate,
I'll look back on it with a grin in years to come! Top write up that one, and that sums it up for me. I'm sure i enjoyed those races far more than Rossi, Stoner, Shakey, (Mince)Spies or any o' that lot do these days.
The whole atmosphere at CC was better than any o' tothers I've been to. I'm lookin forward to Cadwell and a bit of an evening get together i hope for all the DSCers.

See ya then.

Great write up. I love how we can enjoy racing whether you are first or last. Some of my best memories are where I've not been near the front and just enjoying the racing. I recall a mate I used to race with always being last or second last and 'racing' on his own a lot. He was about to give up, when he suddenly had a proper race with a few other bikes changing places as you did and he came back buzzing - who cares if you are front or back, that's what's it's all about.

Look forward to more of your write ups

WeeJohnyB

CC atmosphere?
 

I must admit that the feeling within the paddock at the Castle was very good, maybe due to the fact that we were all together in the 1 place. but it's not as if any of the other rounds have had a bad one, is it?:)