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| #1  06-Jun-2005, 21:23 | ||||
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| TP\'s Castle Doom Report Doom indeed ... what a, a ... I'm not allowed to swear but lets just say I'm not happy with Saturday. I was sliding around on my tyres at a recent track day at Brands so had decided to change them. There was no-one around on Friday evening to get it done so decided to do it Sat morning. Anyway, I took the wheels off and took them to get the new tyres on but after much mucking around they weren’t going to be ready in time to allow me to have them back on, go through scrutineering, sign on and make DD untimed practice. So Paul Mugridge kindly loaned me his spare set of wheels (thanks mate) and PeteB, Flanks and AK got the sprocket carrier and right sprocket on, after I stuffed them around, whilst I got the leathers on and get ready to go to scrut’ing. I really appreciate the help everyone gave me here to get through when I was getting all stressed! Also to big Scottch and my big brother Mike (mw) for the calming words. Unfortunately I still missed the untimed DD practice but made it out for the SoT untimed practice. So I get out there and straight away there’s something wrong that I’m struggling with. I kept riding around until I realised that the forks were all wrong. They felt way too stiff and I couldn’t brake where I wanted to brake. And then disaster struck – I ran out of fuel after 5 laps! I didn’t check it in the haste to get out for the session. Bugger and damnation! So, fuelled up and miffed I made it out for the qualifying session to stick a time in. I wasn’t feeling very positive about the forks and I had a nightmare session. It wasn’t just the forks, I was in track day mode. I couldn’t get my head on right, was cruising into corners and not overtaking people. I ended up 18th on the grid – I was very disappointed in myself after being 8th at Cadwell. Race 1 - I got an average start and Antoine came flying past me from the row behind. He got a flyer. I thought it was looking good right up until I had to start braking and then every man and his dog mugged me. I must have been in 22nd or something. I was just shaking my head thinking about how much work I’d just made for myself. I still didn’t have my head screwed on and without being confident on braking late I didn’t dare put in the hard moves to get past anyone because I wanted to finish the race and not lose the front. I started making my way through the field, seeing Dom do his nice rolling stoppie past the entrance to Bobbies! I got past him after that and then I was lining someone up to come back under them on the exit of Camp when I turned it way too early (was trying to leave it late and turn it fast) and was heading for the grass on the inside. I just stood it up but damned if I was going to lose all that drive onto the fastest section of the track so I just kept in pinned and stood on the pegs, motox style. Once through the grass I was ok and just tipped it in. I even managed to hang onto the person I was trying to overtake! I kept moving up until I came across Andy and Tim trying to mug each other when Tim missed a gear coming out of Bobbies and Andy and I went past him. Then I had a good dice with Andy for the last lap and didn’t get past, he beat me by a small margin but that bit was fun. It was the only good part of that race. I put a half decent time in during the race though with a 1:27:5 which I felt wasn’t too bad considering. Ended up 11th. Actually, I missed a rather entertaining moment (for those around me but not me) when I lost the front in the left hander exit from Bobbies and manage to save it without going on the grass. It was a bit scary but I had two people come up to me after the race and mention it! I was busy cleaning out my leathers. Race 2 – Got a slightly better start with a small wheelie and we’re off. As per race 1, I lost a load of places going into Quarry and had to start making my way through the field. Only this time I had my head on a bit better and was overtaking quickly whereas in Race 1 I’d end up sitting behind people and letting them have the corner. I got through traffic quicker. It showed when I went past Andy, my race 1 nemesis, through Hammerdown when I got good drive through there and into Tower and went on with it. I even manage to pass my Cadwell nemesis, The Axeman, who was the last person I managed to get past. It was another 11th but with Ian Leah showing up for the second race  and Ali finishing the second race I felt that even though I finished 11th again it was worth a bit more.It was a HUGE relief to finish the second race and it kind of showed afterwards, thanks Jon. It was a big day for all of us and it was a bit overwhelming at the end. Even though I’m not happy with how it went I can’t complain about two 11th’s to move up the championship ladder a bit and not lose too many points on the people I want to be challenging over the course of the season. Thanks to so many people – Ange and the kids for being Team TP, Mike for being my big brother and my mate, Lizzie for all your encouragement and for being steadfast throughout, Annette for your gleaming smile and example of strength, Scott and Julie for travelling all the way from East Fife to watch the racing and support me – you’re both stars, Paul Mugridge for the wheels, PeteB, AK, CK, Flanks for sorting out the wheels on the bike and for support, all the people who came to offer words of encouragement for me – too many to list, Chi for being the man with conviction and a babysitter!, the spectators for coming to watch us, and finally all the DD riders for being good sports and keeping the spirit alive after such a difficult week for the series, club and for many individuals. This is what the DSC is all about. Apologies for anyone I’ve missed through my sieve-like memory. And sorry for the length, they won’t all be Oscar acceptance speeches but this one was kind of significant.  |
| #3 06-Jun-2005, 22:34 | |||
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