Ducati Sporting Club UK > DesmoDue Race Series > DesmoDue - General Questions and Chat > awesome weekend

[mat2hew]

Test Day

Being the first meeting of the year, we were a little out of practice and it showed. I had forgotten to take my race licence and missed the first session whilst sorting out the paperwork then on the next session after just 1 lap I ran out of petrol. In the third session (my first) I did about 5 good laps to remind myself how to ride a bike and where all the corners go and pulled in early so that we could check that the bike was fuelling properly and make some adjustments. Which we did and then did 1 more session on track it all went well and the bike felt good, the team timed me and a few other riders, and advised me not to change anything because we were the fastest. So we gave the bike a quick check over, refuelled it and put it away for the night.

Race day (saturday)

The first session of the day was qualifying and we felt fairly confident after Fridays performance that we could get pole position, Having a new set of tyres I decided to take the first few laps easy and warm them up properly which I did and then put my head down and do some fast laps, all felt pretty good and I put my hand up and started to pull into the pits, Luckly I changed my mind because nobody had told us that the 1st 5 minutes weren't timed! I felt that I had gone as fast as I could so I was a bit disappointed that 2 people went faster, but 3rd is a front row start and as good as any.

Race 1

Off the line I missed a gear and got swamped by the main pack who got past before the first corner, the No.10 bike was in 2nd place and managed to hold up the rest of the pack for a few laps and No.75 was pulling a big gap. When I had made my way up to 3rd I found out how hard No.10 was to get passed and nearly ended up in the gravel trying to go around the outside when he ran wide himself, which put me back to 5th again, I worked my way up to 2nd place but No.75 had an 8 second lead when the race was stopped short. 2nd place wasn't what I was after but not a bad start to the season.

Race Day (Sunday)

Race 2

I got a better start , I still lost a few places but was in 2nd place before the end of the lap, and soon I was in a position to make a move for the lead. The next 6 or 7 laps were spent taking and loosing the lead countless times until only 2 laps remained and I decided to go as fast as I could to try to gap No.75 which I did and the last lap of the race was the new Lap Record!

Race 3

Similar start to race 2 and spent the whole race fighting with No.75. On lap 13 he was pushed wide at Clearways by a back marker and I took lead, only to loose it again at Paddock Hill Bend when I had a slide and ran wide myself. This race was stopped short as well and because I was in front the last time we crossed the line (0.005 seconds) I got the win. Winning is winning but I would have preferred to have finished the race in front.

2nd 1st 1st and a new Brands Hatch Lap Record.

It's a long season but we've had a good start 2012.

[Chaz]

Originally Posted by mat2hew

Test Day

Being the first meeting of the year, we were a little out of practice and it showed. I had forgotten to take my race licence and missed the first session whilst sorting out the paperwork then on the next session after just 1 lap I ran out of petrol. In the third session (my first) I did about 5 good laps to remind myself how to ride a bike and where all the corners go and pulled in early so that we could check that the bike was fuelling properly and make some adjustments. Which we did and then did 1 more session on track it all went well and the bike felt good, the team timed me and a few other riders, and advised me not to change anything because we were the fastest. So we gave the bike a quick check over, refuelled it and put it away for the night.

Race day (saturday)

The first session of the day was qualifying and we felt fairly confident after Fridays performance that we could get pole position, Having a new set of tyres I decided to take the first few laps easy and warm them up properly which I did and then put my head down and do some fast laps, all felt pretty good and I put my hand up and started to pull into the pits, Luckly I changed my mind because nobody had told us that the 1st 5 minutes weren't timed! I felt that I had gone as fast as I could so I was a bit disappointed that 2 people went faster, but 3rd is a front row start and as good as any.

Race 1

Off the line I missed a gear and got swamped by the main pack who got past before the first corner, the No.10 bike was in 2nd place and managed to hold up the rest of the pack for a few laps and No.75 was pulling a big gap. When I had made my way up to 3rd I found out how hard No.10 was to get passed and nearly ended up in the gravel trying to go around the outside when he ran wide himself, which put me back to 5th again, I worked my way up to 2nd place but No.75 had an 8 second lead when the race was stopped short. 2nd place wasn't what I was after but not a bad start to the season.

Race Day (Sunday)

Race 2

I got a better start , I still lost a few places but was in 2nd place before the end of the lap, and soon I was in a position to make a move for the lead. The next 6 or 7 laps were spent taking and loosing the lead countless times until only 2 laps remained and I decided to go as fast as I could to try to gap No.75 which I did and the last lap of the race was the new Lap Record!

Race 3

Similar start to race 2 and spent the whole race fighting with No.75. On lap 13 he was pushed wide at Clearways by a back marker and I took lead, only to loose it again at Paddock Hill Bend when I had a slide and ran wide myself. This race was stopped short as well and because I was in front the last time we crossed the line (0.005 seconds) I got the win. Winning is winning but I would have preferred to have finished the race in front.

2nd 1st 1st and a new Brands Hatch Lap Record.

It's a long season but we've had a good start 2012.

How impersonal DD has become no names just numbers! come on no72 get friendly! We will be having turn numbers at our tracks next like the ****ing Yanks!
Well done Matt & everyone.

[bradders]

you've missed so much out...think No 7 and Dalls (dont know his number!!) were not pushovers in passing in race 1

great results tho and at the end of the season thats all that will count if you're after the title

[mat2hew]

Yeah sorry chaps, I am a really friendly bloke really,

I actually wrote that for my customers and didn't really want to post everybody else's names about and stuff I should have edited it a bit before I put it on the dsc! , But i'll do another one which is a bit more fun and friendly, for you chaps in the paddock.

so, sorry chaps. what was I thinking.

'coz your all brilliant! I'm still on a high, Wednesday morning and I'm still grinning from ear to ear, I can't imagine anything else in the world that could compair to DD. Normal Awesome service will resume I promise.

apologies to Andy, for sounding a bit impersonal and Dallas, Pike, paul payne and bradders for leaving them out altogether, I want to say that those 3 races regardless of the results were definitely the hardest races I've ever had. And the results were probably the luckiest I've ever had.

I had to apologise to Paul Baleta for a misunderstanding in my sign language as well, I was trying to say that we had a close one and it looked like I was saying that I was going to punch him in the face! sorry mate.

I need to thank Kev for his help and Nog for some stuff I needed as well.

Please please please, forgive me for sounding like a tit, it won't happen again.

Matt.

p.s. Chaz, I think these tyres are worth more than a second over the rosso's I'd love to have a chance to race against Mr Lister, but I'm sure he's in a different Class to the rest of us.

[bradders]

excpect nothing less agian at Snett - and all year - and know what you mean about buzzing....also think youre bang on with the tyres. But BNeil didnt get into thyese times last year on them and I'd say race 1 conditions were easily as good, probably race 2 as well

no less Awesome, but less expecting of Awesome

[Jolley]

Originally Posted by mat2hew

p.s. Chaz, I think these tyres are worth more than a second over the rosso's I'd love to have a chance to race against Mr Lister, but I'm sure he's in a different Class to the rest of us.

I can't wait to see how he goes on the 848!

PS, Matt, you are just lucky I'm not there to kick your ass! (on another Chaz prepped bike?!...)

[mat2hew]

Originally Posted by Jolley

PS, Matt, you are just lucky I'm not there to kick your ass! (on another Chaz prepped bike?!...)

we spoke about that on Saturday didn't we?

[Senna3]

Good write up mat and some awsome racing m8 i saw the first four or five laps from behind before you guys disapeared into the distance must try harder ,i must try harder

[dunlop0_1]

Yep well done Maffew.

Now you know how I felt last year. Feels good doesn't it.