Ducati Sporting Club UK > Sport > Trackdays & Race Schools > Important - more people to thank for Cadwell

[mickey205]

many thanks to all there at cadwell as it was my first trackday and for tony for some good advice.

[Dukerob]

Good call John, excellent 2 days, thanks to all of whom you mentioned above and especially to 'Mr Disco' I think Andy Shep's gonna take some time to get used to his his new monicker.......and big flares

[Jools]

Ooooh, where do I start with the Massive Thanks

I've got so many people to thank it could be a long post...but you knew that anyway

The Background

After failing dismally to get my 888 track bodywork and buckled wheel sorted, I decided that the simplest thing to do would be to take the covers off my ST2 (after letting the poor old dear stand idle for 6 months) change the oil and the belts, put the scruffiest set of fairings on it and spank it round Cadwell.

I went out for the first session when it was still wet and had a lovely rear wheel slide that felt totally under control as I gassed it out of the hairpin 2nd lap round - I was well impressed with how grunty the big old 2 valver was after the T8, it was pulling like a train.

Unfortunately as I started to up the pace after the two sighting laps it all started to go Pete Tong. The bike started to splutter and misfire as I tried to drive out of Charlies 2 and along Park Straight - then loads worse as I went round Chris Curve. It felt like fuel starvation and the engine would bog down, then charge hard again - seemed particularly bad on right handers.

As I went round Barn, off camber, under the trees, in the wet, trying to roll on really smooth, the engine went Buuuuuuuuuurrrrrr Bwaaaaaaaaaaaa Buuuuuuuuuuuur Bwaaaaaaaaaaaa as it died then came on full charge again - not ideal for a nice smooth wet riding technique.

So I came back in again early then fiddlied with fuel filters, fuel pumps, plugs, electrics between each session to try and fix it. All to no avail - so by the end of the first session after lunch I'd only done 10 spluttery laps.

Effectively I'd turned up at Cadwell without a bike. So my massive vote of thanks go to.

Chass and Alex: For lending me all the fuel related bits and taking over spannering duties for me between sessions while I farted around being generally useless.

Glyn: For the spark plugs

The whole paddock: For putting up with 'that tosser' gunning the ST up and down the entrance road time and time again after each frantic fettling session to see if we'd fixed it

Everyone in the fast group: For putting up with having to avoid 'that tosser' on the spluttery, misfiring mobile chicane for the first 3-4 laps of each morning session

Monty: For just chucking me the keys of his ST4S and letting me get the two final sessions of the day on a bike that actually went faster when you crack the throttle instead of dying (although those brakes had me in all sorts of bother at the hairpin on one lap)

Redruth: For lending me her 996 for the first two sessions on Tuesday and waiting patiently for me to bring her bike back safely so she could go out in the inters straight afterwards - and for the first session out after lunch when (naughty naughty) I'd adjusted my leathers so that they didn't cut off the blood supply to my neck. Fantastic session, let me pick up the pace enough to actually overtake 4 or 5 people - thanks to those people as well for some good fair riding

AK and CK: For being generally brilliant. Letting me take out the 583 DD bike for a couple of sessions in the morning and the 620 for the final session - felt pretty good and I put in a moderately respectable lap time for the first time out on the bike. Can't say enough good things about you guys - CK even said, just take the mirrors of the monster and use that. Sorry I couldn't do your beautifully prepared bikes justice - that rearset position had me wincing in pain after 4 or 5 laps, so much so that I couldn't move my legs to change gear after a bit.

WeeJonnyB: For letting me crack round on the CB500 - the biggest grin of the day - couldn't believe that the smallest bike out there was keeping up with the big bikes all the way from park to the start finish. Until we came to the straights of course when they would just feck off never to be seen again. Thanks to John for the riding tips as well - I will practise on my own bike.

Rattler: For putting up with me whingeing about my own bike, making bullsh... excuses about not being able to go fast enough on other peoples bikes because they didn't fit me, wasn't used to the brakes blah, blah, blah. Being generally encouraging and giving me some good advice about proper racing lines.

The Whole Fordie Gang: Fordie himself, Kelly, Phil, Rob for being all round good folks, putting up with the same whining as Rattler did, sharing their food, the Fordie tent, putting up with me snoring and farting and mostly for their infinite patience in loading up my bike for me and effectively transporting 215 kilos of dead bike to and from Cadwell. Diamond people.

Thanks to Sarah for the fire swinging (amazing seeing it close up) and Mike for sharing the front seat of the transit with a fat bloke.

I'll echo everything that's been said about Monty, Lizzie, WJB, the instructors, the marshalls - as a member of the MT for the first time this years I do know a bit about what it took to organise. It was the best couple of days on bikes I've ever had despite all the bike woes.

Thanks to the generosity of everyone who had the trust in me to hoon their pride and joy bikes about, I rode a bigger variety of bikes in a couple of days than I've ever done before. I'm glad I kept them the right side up

[Ray]

Big thanks to Lizzie, Monty and all the hard working crew who helped put the 2 dayer on.

The track soon dried out on day one. Courteous riding by all.

Lessons from Paul Smart Rep "Number 16" on how to go round corners.

Thanks to Butch for sorting out the Hog Roast.

Nice tunes from “Club Conerspeed” at the top of the paddock, shame the pole dancer wasn’t up to doing her act after the off earlier in the day

The fire twirling looked good in the distance and deadly close up.

Breakie in the café was a treat watching the sun beaming down on cadwell’s mountain. More lessons in how to go round corners from the DDers, was fairly hopefull of at least keeping AK in sight for a while ‘til the elastic broke.

Thanks to DUK for bringing some bikes to ride, had a go on the S4RS Monster, what a Hoot, was just as quick as the 998 in a straight line and so much more leverage on the bars for going round the corners, a great bike for the twisty stuff.

More lessons, in how to ride round corners, this time from Tonio? on DUK’s 749.


Then the fun was over, ‘Til next time.

Ray.

[Tankgirl]

Hey guys....my pleasure for the fire swinging (poi - weejonnyb) a few people had a go at some basic moves & it was nice to see not too many injuries (apart from Kelly's poor knuckle)...! There are usually a team of us girlies fireswinging (in costume) available for any event should you need us!!

Thanks to everyone for an amazing time, can't wait til next year & will defo be on track next time... & a HUGE thanks to 'the firm' I camped with for welcoming me into your extended family (you all know who you are...!)

STILL SMILING!
Sarah x

[andys 900ss]

Nice fire swinging display there Sarah, sorry I couldn't fing your song as I only grabbed a handfull of Cd's to chuck into the van.

I hope everyone enjoyed the noise we created, it was very much a last thought on holiday to sling my old DJ kit in the van come lack of entertainment, next time I'll bring my proper kit if we have a big gennie(s).

Andy

[yeti]

Originally Posted by andys 900ss

I hope everyone enjoyed the noise we created,........, next time I'll bring my proper kit if we have a big gennie(s).

Oh Gawd, gonna need thicker ear plugs next year...........

[Monty]

How big a genny you going to need Andy-mines 2.5 KV if that's any good-might as well start the organisation...................(I already have actually)

John

[Grib]

Nice to meet you Sarah Shame we had to miss the fire twirling, the practice runs looked interesting from everyone else though