My only previous visit to Cadwell was last year after a motorbike accident left me with a broken shoulder. Then to top that my bike, that I had lent to a friend, managed to eject him and try its best to destroy itself at the gooseneck!
I arrived Thursday evening at about 9.30, unloaded my van and went to bed. Can't beat a nice early evening before a days testing on a new track.
Friday morning and it turns out that my late entry sent to new era with £99 for the test day, hasn't reached Hottrax and they are fully booked! No testing for me.
So the first thanks go to Alan (Sorted #21) for giving me his afternoon on track so I could learn left from right.
Free practice seemed to go ok. I got the impression from talking to people that my pace would probably get me in the top 5 or 6 so with a bit of effort could bring a trophy.
Qualifying however was the first sign that things weren't going smoothly. After 5 laps of traffic, I managed to find my first clear lap and felt it was going well until the exit of Barn when there was a familiar loss of power as my fuel pump decided to retire! (I thought losing a fuel pump at snetterton was a one off)
Second thanks go to Ron (Jolley #2) for letting me borrow his spare fuel pump.
After a 4th and a 5th in the first 2 races, Sunday was not looking like it was going to offer much improvement. After sorting out my excessively stiff throttle with the aid of some WD-40 ( thanks to the preparedness of Hugh #4) I set off to line up on the 5th row resigned to another 5th place.
A couple of laps in however I found myself looking at the back of the leading pack just ahead of me on the track. (not always a pretty sight!) Only another couple of laps in, and I had joined the back of them in 5th place having watched Bradders ride through the group and off into the sunset! I sat there for a lap or so and found myself overtaking Phil (Ghost #61) and Ron (Jolley #2) and now sitting in 3rd behind Kev Palmer (Senna#3).
Things were starting to look up... or so I thought!
As I exited the gooseneck, on what became the last lap of the race... I found myself halfway past Kev on the inside, just about as far as you can get without being seen! I SHOULD have braked a bit harder and let him turn across in front of me none the wiser, but unfortunately the Motogp wannabe in me decided to let off the brake and pass him. Now it appeared at this point to have worked, because I turned in neatly ahead of Kev albeit on a wide exiting line. The problem came when I applied my newly lubricated and free turning throttle and put all of my 47bhp through the edge of my tire. Those who were following / trying to avoid me will probably tell it better, but I'm pretty sure my bike was about as sideways as they go. I can only guess that I must have let off the throttle at this point because the next thing I know I was flying, and was pretty sure it was going to hurt!
So the first apology must go to Kev Palmer (Senna #3) for putting my bike sideways in front of him and giving him nowhere to go but over it. I hope you weren't hurt at all, and I hope I didn't do too much damage to your beautifully prepared bike.
Second apology then goes to Ron (Jolley #2) for almost the same reason, but it wasn't my bike that caused him to crash, but running over my ribcage! Glad to hear that I didn't damage your new alloy tank.
So that was pretty much the end of my weekend. Except of course for the visit to the medical centre, trip in an ambulance, and 5 hours in casualty to be told I had a broken collar bone, and a broken foot!
So the third and greatest thanks have to go to Dean (#14), Jason and Lara for loading my van, waiting in Grimsby hospital for 3 hours and then driving me home! Without them I would probably still be trying to thumb a lift back to Cadwell to get my van!!
I guess i owe an apology to everyone on the grid who wanted to do all 10 laps and not my shortened race distance... Sorry!
I had a grandstand view Neil. You were 90 deg to the track. I just missed your spinning bike as it came across the circuit. Get well soon mate and nice riding from your grid position.
Mood: Find people who share your values, and you'll conquer the world together.
I came round mansfield to a flurry of red flags and marshals running all over the shop and what seemed to be a train wreck on the track just before the hairpin, i always hate to see a bike down but to see three always fills me dread. caught a glimps of Senna (Kev) on his feet so knew at least one of you was OK and standing, so i was glad to hear that Ron was also on his feet when i stopped back on the grid and later to hear you had only sufferd a broken ankle and collar bone was also a relief.
Hope you heal fast m8 and we see you back on the grid.
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