 The Badger Blog 2011 - Brands
And we’re off!!
The 2011 season kicked off a few weeks earlier than 2010 at the same track but in infinitely better weather conditions. Setting off from the tropic of Stockport with my spannerman Chris all weather reports were joyous to our lug holes, dry and sunny with some cloud from all sources. A 6 and a half hour journey (via Tonio’s to pick up my new awning) got us into the paddock and a few familiar sights were there, including the familiar Appleby gazebo and the Parkes hotel on wheels! After a wander round bumping into a few more faces it was snooze time.
My Friday plan was to get my new tyres fitted, climatise and do just the afternoon practice but after a chat with a rather spooked Toni she offered me her wristband after only doing the first session, a deal was struck and after locking my keys in my van I set off out. I was crap, didn’t like it one bit and couldn’t get my head straight at all so came in moaning and in a foul mood. Several attempts to get into my van failed and I rang my mum to post the spare key down to me, £16.50 for guaranteed before 9am, quite a lot cheaper than a new window or lock. Big thank you to Bradders here for phoning his AA buddy for help and the loan of a jerry can which new boy Dean Pollard (#14 on Dean Russell’s old bike) kindly got his missus to fill up for me (with fuel before any filthy mind goes into overdrive!). As I continued to moan to Bradders he suggested changing my front 15t sprocket to a 14t, scrounging one from Neil Appleby I set off out on track. Huge difference, each corner had it’s own gear and felt loads better, I was finally happy so decided to kick the ass out of a bottle of JD, bottle of wine and half a dozen John Smiths when the day was over!
Saturday’s dawn broke with a clear head and high hopes, by 9.15 I was scruted and signed on but still van keyless. After a pleasing practice I was scraping together the required £60 for transponder hire when the call from security came, my spare key had arrived an hour late. My own transponder fitted and it was qually time, I set a target of sub 1:05 so when I posted 1:01.81 I was proper chuffed until I noticed Bradders half a second ahead of me! Game on bumble boy.
Race 1 was just like going back to the end of last year, I got a great start making up 3 or 4 places by the first bend and was at the front of my own little pack after 4 laps. I felt I was going great and pulling a lead on the others in my battle, I was half right. Bradders had stayed with me and after around 11 laps he took me on the inside round Graham Hill, we swapped and changed for a few laps and life was oh so good I was grinning at every corner wondering what would happen. I nailed Paddock Hill bend and cut Bradders’ nose off round Druids after sandwiching Mark Ellery, Brads came outside me down the hill into Graham Hill and tipped in, I had to dab the anchors which caused a nose dive, I had to stand the Badger up and exit stage green we went tracking! Ells pootled past while bumble ba***rd was out of sight. A lap board on the start/finish straight showed 2 to go and I was all alone, not sure if the grass jolted my neck but it was causing me plenty of grief so I thought I’d take the last 2 laps steady. Mistake, Paul Pullen shot past at the now infuriating Graham Hill bend and a lap and a half wasn’t enough to claw him back in, not with an aching neck anyway! 8th place and a new best of 1:00.97. Arriving back to the paddock I noticed we were Deanless, he’d launched it into the kitty litter at Paddock Hill in apparently rather spectacularly amusing fashion. Unharmed apart from dented pride he still had a huge smile but the bike had an electrical problem and his race day was over.
Race 2 was going to be different. Not as good a start and Brads had pulled a 20 or so bike length lead by time I’d got past Craig Fisher (see DSC home page!) and took a good further 5 laps to reel in. I was nailing Paddock Hill bend each time and this was my best place for taking time off him, the lectures off my spannerman and watching Jenny Tinmouth were paying off. I got by Brads and kept on the same pace for a few more laps pulling away from him, unknowingly I then started slowing down and with 2 to go I got a glimpse of a familiar yellow front wheel. Head down and arse up we went past the last lap flag, nailing Paddock Hill again and a nice line round Druids I headed for my cursed corner, broke as late as I dared I tipped in and came out in front, feckin result, I’d held the Bee off! Oh no, he took a different line and got better drive out than me. He came along side down Surtees and had the inside line, I had to yield but pinned it as much as I could round Clearways, I was half a bike behind coming out and it was a dash for the line. It was not to be and another 8th place with yet another best lap of 1:00.69. The lesson learnt in this one was not to tail off when you’re going well but a big well done to Bradders for 2 great races, the loan of his jerry can, the sprocket advice and help with my van lock, the DD paddock summed up to a tee! Cheers matey.
Mallory in 4 weeks will be tricky, I’ve never been there so I could be breathing Bumble dust again. See you all there for another tip top DD meeting.
It's not the size of the dog in the fight that matters, but the size of the fight in the dog.
Scott #50 | 
16-Mar-2011, 02:15 
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