| NBs quick race report... (aka Andy & Tonio\'s cybersex thread!)
Round 4 – Donington Park – 13 August 2005
The previous result from Snetterton was a real disappointment to say the least, and I was not wanting to repeat the result even though Donington is yet another unexplored track. So, on the blower to book a track day so at least I knew which way to turn at the end of the start straight (who was it that told me it’s a 130mph left hander?)! After the track day was dusted I’d not really set the place on fire but enjoyed the circuit so much that I was really looking forward to this race more than any before.
I desperately needed new tyres... I’m still on my first set, which have done 5 races and 5 track days and they’re feeling nothing like they did for round 1. Keeping in touch with an old girl I used to work with who’d been monitoring my progress through the series so far, saw an unbelievably kind donation of a new set of tyres! So I’m sorted, new tyres for Donny should see a big sack full of confidence heading my way. Not so easy though... After monitoring the weather forecast and getting news that we would have no free practice we have a tyre choice to make – yep, even with a single control tyre we have to make a choice... do I fit the new ones and hope for a dry track to scrub them in, or keep the shagged ones and hope for rain?
After much last minute deliberation we run with the old tyres. As luck would have it, it turned out to be the right choice – it was raining on/off all day! The DD qualifying practice was split into 2 groups so there was a slim chance that both groups would see different track conditions. The first group were out on track and I was in the holding area for the second session. Group 1 had about five minutes of dry track when the puppeteers decided the boys and girls were going too fast so dumped a whole load of rain on the track – worst fears are realised, half the grid had at least a couple of dry laps and it looked like the rest of us would be splashing about in the wet.
Out we go for a swim and it’s quickly apparent why so many people give Donny a bad rap when wet, the track was like an oil slick! I get out on track first to try for a clear run and come round (eventually) to complete the first lap to be greeted by a red flag – some poor geezer had fired it out of pit lane and slid off at Redgate (turn 1)! But as they say, every cloud has a silver lining... the rain had eased and the surface water had cleared. A couple of laps after we re-started there was a vague impression of a dry line appearing all the way round the track, albeit only about 3 inches wide in places. A lot of concentration and a bit of luck with the traffic could see a half decent qualifying position. Sadly this was not to be, since I only had a single lap where I could keep the discipline right for the dry line, and this lap I was held up all the way round Coppice by a very tentative CB500 rider who had drifted very slightly off the line and had to roll off the gas. I’d managed to scrounge a 13th place on the grid which I was pretty pleased with considering the challenges which now laid in my wake (or is that ‘bow wave’?).
Race 1.
The track was wet, but no surface water so it was pretty much the same conditions I’d been treated to in qualifying. I was determined to get one of my legendary starts which some guy calling himself Valentino keeps phoning me about, but a practice start for the warm up lap sees my back wheel spinning all the way to turn 1 – not good. Round the lap to form the grid I’m working out how to modify the start to compensate, and I have a cunning plan! On the grid, head down, red light blinks and we’re off. My plan was so cunning that I was having to back off to avoid rear-ending Andy on front of me. This is where I made my first bad decision... go round the left of Andy to get the racing line into Coppice – good theory if it weren’t for all them other bikes on my right punting me to the very slippy outside of the turn! The places I’d taken on the run from the light were now gone, I was back to where I’d started.
After the first turn I was still out wide for Hollywood and on the wetter track. Gave it some berries anyway and the back went sideways! However, there’s so much feel coming back from these Pirelli’s that it was quickly apparent that my little beastie could hold its own against the Poole Pirates! Sliding was suddenly a worry no more and I’m building the power down Craner trying to keep on the tail of god knows who. Approaching the end of lap 1 I see the leaders in the distance, there’s one guy making the most heroic braking move I’d ever witnessed into the chicane, this was closely followed by flailing limbs and some very enthusiastically waved yellow flags. I ride past the carnage to see one of my main championship rivals (Paul Payne) wiping his arse on the tarmac – Maybe I should’ve been a little relieved to see him on the deck, but just felt gutted for him and was disappointed there would be no battle this time.
Not much I could do about that, so on with the show. I get past 2 bikes on that first lap, and now I have Tim in my sights, about a second in front as we cross the line for lap 2. Plenty of time to have a look at where he can and where he can’t so I can plan my move. Taking a quick glance behind on the run out of the Old Hairpin I get a sight of Domski just a second behind – although Dom’s a really nice chap, this is one dude that I really want to beat! I’m already going as fast as I dare, so I’ve just got to ignore him and concentrate on slowly closing the gap to Tim. Next lap Dom’s a little further behind, lap after that he’s even further still... I reckon I’ve broke his tow so lets concentrate on getting Rattler-san in the last 2 laps. Now Tim’s quite cagey all the way from Redgate to the Old Hairpin, and really early on the brakes into the chicane, so there’s 2 places to get by.
Last lap board is shown so this is it – I build up through Redgate and reel him in down Craner, I’m right up his chuff approaching Old Hairpin so I draw alongside... tense isn’t it!... Bugga, the cheecky little fella turns in early and I’m alongside but out of his sight! I grab a handful of Brembo in a last ditch effort to avoid getting rubber on Tim’s pretty-boy boots and the front locks solid! “Oops” goes through my mind, as the front is locked up while leaned over and heading for disaster. I finally convince myself to let go of the brake and the tyre grips instantly, sitting the bike up and seeing the posh chap clearing off in the distance oblivious to events of the previous few seconds! I rag the crap out of Little Beastie to try’n get back on his tail for another stab at the chicane, I’m closing all the way round Coppice and down the back straight, but there’s just not enough track and I’m not stupid enough to risk crashing in sight of the flag so cross the line pretty pleased with 10th place and buzzing from the race-long battle with Tim. Also, a big bonus was making a few more points on the Aussie git who thinks he’s in with a chance of catching me in the championship! A good race and a better than expected result.
Race 2.
It’s been peeing down for a while now, so there’s not likely to be any hope of finding a dry line for the second race. Out on the formation lap we go to find standing water all over the track, and even though Donny is quite hilly the water ain’t draining! We splash round the sighting lap and take the grid.
This time I’m going to go for the non existent gap to the right and hope I don’t get boxed in, but it’s got to be a better option than losing the line into turn 1. Red light blinks and here we go again... I get another decent start, passing a few bikes off the line and there’s a big hole in the traffic right where I’m heading – the gamble paid off and I’ve held a decent position through the first couple of turns.
It’s a different story this time though, the track seems so much more slippy than before, there’s water everywhere and rooster-tails coming off the bikes in front! I try to build the throttle down Craner only to have the bike snaking underneath me like it’s in two separate pieces, someone comes past me with ease and I’ve no idea how I’ll hang on to the leaders. By the end of lap 1 I’d only been passed by Andy Roberts, but there was a queue quickly forming behind. I try to carry a little more speed through the corners, ease the throttle on a bit earlier, but both wheels were struggling to find any grip at all. On lap 2 Tim comes past me on the way to Old Hairpin like I’m parked, and since we’d been so closely matched in race 1 I assumed I could hang on to him. Not a chance, he was on a mission! I take a quick peek behind on the run uphill to McCleans to see the Perrin bearing down on me like a huge dark cloud with his only aim being to hand me my teeth in a bag.
I somehow manage to stay ahead through McCleans but he passes as I fight for grip on the run to Coppice. This is not good, I’ve just got no body weight to push the tyres through the water, I’m surfing! The rain has stopped so I’m starting to find a bit more grip, but Perrin and Tim had cleared off. All I could do now was go as hard as I dare to stop getting mugged by anyone else. I don’t believe it – I’ve managed a complete lap without being overtaken!! Not so lucky on lap 5 though as Mr Yates decides I need teaching a lesson and comes sailing by.
There’s less than 2 laps to go, let’s see who’ll be next to steal my points... a glance behind out of Old Hairpin sees Paul Payne with the bit between his teeth, closing me down inch by soggy inch. Paul is someone who I measure myself against, he’s stuffed me in the dying minutes at Castle Combe, and I’ll not be letting it happen here – I thought, either I beat him or I crash trying, there’s no way I’ll be crossing the line behind him! So head down to try’n keep the speed up for the last lap, I’m concentrating so hard on keeping to the drying line and he’s not shown me a wheel yet... half a lap to go, surely he’s going to have a sniff, so I start to ride to the inside to cover any attacks. We’re on the back straight for the last time so I take a look back... he’s still there, and might be thinking of taking a shot up the inside into the chicane, so I leave the braking late and turn in early. Somehow I manage to stay in front AND upright! I’m so chuffed with this that going past the flag I’m banging the tank like I’d just won the race, when it’s actually my worst result so far! 15th place, I should be disappointed with that but had such a rush in the last couple of laps that I really didn’t care.
Back in the pits and I’m drained, I’ve never had to concentrate so hard to keep a bike upright! The combination of the Monster and Diablo tyres were something a bit special – even though I couldn’t get the grip I wanted, I never once thought I was about to crash. What a brilliant couple of races, first a race long fight with Tim, then a couple of laps fending off Paul – not a good day for points but one I’ll not forget for grin-factor. Another good weekends racing with a lot of personal achievements around the DD paddock – so THIS is why I get up in the morning!
Corrected results:
Race 1 – 8th
Race 2 – 13th
Next game: Brands Hatch, 11th September.
End of chapter 4
NickB#34
[Edited on 18-8-2005 by NBs996]  |
18-Aug-2005, 13:18 
domski
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