Ghost's Castle
 

Well everyone else is doing it, so as it was my best result to date I thought I ought to put digit to plastic.

Wasn't going to do the Castle as I had never been there not even as a spectator, so held nothing special for me. Then I realised I've a wedding to attend (not mine):) on the Pembrey weekend. So I thought ***k it I'll do the Castle.

Went on the Weds track day, bike pulling like a good one but always running wide on the corners but I thought it was just me being a wimp and not getting over far enough. So I invited Sam West to take it out in the last sesh, his words were, "God it goes like hell but runs wide on corners".

Along comes Mr Cobby and I explain to him my troubles, he demonstrates various aspects of the suspension, using Harriets bike as the specimen. I've been riding around on a chopper front end not working at all, hopefully that accounts for my 3 excursions at the gooseneck at Cadwell.

So between Weds and Fri I had made some changes as per Ian's instruction I didn't seem to me to be riding any harder but was gobsmcked with my DD qually time of 1:29.3.

So into the allcomers race with the lairy pink hornet with Ben Spies ridealike on board. First corner I saw a rider take to the grass then lay it down, the bike kept spinning and came onto the track at Quarry, it had my name on it as I kept going wide to miss it then I took to the grass on the outside of Quarry when the bike hit me, gave me a wobble, but I was still upright so set off.

When I came in I found out it was Guy Lachlan's bike I hit big tyre mark on the screen and my front guard pushed into the wheel. Gbyte has posted some pics.

Race 1 I seemed to be on my own for a time and could see Andy Challis, that was unusual as he is normally gone. I'm sure that I felt strange at being up near the sharp end for the first time. Then a wake up call, Antoine on his lovelly blue and silver monster passed me going into Tower, bugger so I dared to corner the chicane faster and got on his tail only to balls up the next chicane and went straight through it. I slowed to give the place back when Dallas scorched through, double bugger.

I was closing on the pair slightly going to Quarry made no headway around to Tower, then Dallas and Tony passed Ross just after Tower and before the chicane. I arrived and new that I couldn't lap Ross safely in the chicane so I pretended it wasn't there and went through it. :devil: Finished in 5th place with a best of 1:28.99.

Race 2 was much the same till midway when Dean Russell passed me, bloody quick in the corners Dean need to up my game. Then Dallas passed me, it could have been the other way round hazy memory at my age. They were on a mission and getting away from me, I had no idea where we were race position. They were 25/30 yds in front I came out of the last but one chicane to see Dean parked in the middle of the last chicane, it spooked me a little and thought in the interests of safety we will pretend that chicane wasn't there either. :devil:

Well you have to work on ones own initiative and make a snap decision every now and again. Dean must have been well fired up as there was only 2 laps to the finish and I pipped him by 0.31 of a second, to take 6th place. So a great weekend plagued by bloody wasps. wish I was at Pembrey but hope we have a Cadwell as good as last year. See you there .... for both days. :)

Great write up Phil. Sorry I missed it. Look forward to catching up with you soon.
Graeme

Hopefully at Cadwell Graeme. :roll:

Nice one Phil. Pleased for you, well earned.

Craig

Gotta be quick in the corners Phil 'cause at 16'6 stone i seem to go backwards on the straights and starts!

Great write up Phil, great riding. See you at Cadwell.

Bloody hell I knew you were tall, but you certainly don't look that weight. Ally tank back on for cadders and I'm only 95Kg in riding gear. No more Gooseneck offs I hope.

You guys keep eating the burgers, even it out a bit:D
Could probably get hold of a cast iron tank for ya Ghost, it'd do wonders for the rest of us :lol: :devil:

Top write up mate, see you at the finally...Cadwell
:)

Every Castle needs its Ghost :-)
 

Great write-up, Phil, I'm only sorry to have missed the event. Bet you're really looking forward to Cadwell on the "new" bike, aren't you?:)

And I thought it was the improved bike setup that was making you harder to catch.
As you say Phil sometimes you have to make a on the spot decision especially when it comes down to yours and others safety.
Dispite some very close racing the meeting was almost incident free, a big improvement over Cadwell.

See you at the next Cadwell

I've never ridden bikes that need the front end to be right like these bikes. In all honesty, you never get it "right", they're just not capable of feeling that way. Be interesting to ride something with loads of feel now..anyone got a 250 GP bike? :)

In the end though, when it feels like it's turning ok, you just have to believe that the front tyre will grip, despite the fact that you can't really feel what's going on. That, I believe, is the key to riding these......oh yeah, and believing that the rear will grip when you get on the throttle 5cm after the apex!!!

Nice to see people writing reports, and great to see people improving and getting the buzz that goes with that.

Good skillz Phillz! ;)