Oulton 19th April 2003

Practice day

Set off Thursday evening for the practice on Friday the 18th, arrived at Oulton at 2am, very tired from the 320 mile, 8hr journey.

Awoke to a bright morning on what looked to be shaping up for a lovely day weather wise. I had bought two compounds of rear tyre with me, a soft and two mediums. The soft being the one I used for the Snetterton race and one of the mediums was the one I had struggled with grip with on the Snetterton practice day, the other medium was new. The Michelin pilot race 2s I am using seem really heat sensitive, awesomely grippy when at operating temperature, but useless when not in that ‘zone’, just like slicks I suppose. I bought the old medium as I didn’t want to burn out valuable new rubber on a practice day and was hoping that even though it didn’t perform at Snetterton, with a higher ambient and track temperature and Oulton being a fast ‘twisty’ track it might get hot enough and start ‘working’ again. If not I had the soft that still had some life, which would work well if cold and the new medium if it was hot. As I have said, I didn’t want to burn out the new rubber and realised if it was warm that the soft wouldn’t cope too well (i.e. overheat). As it was unlikely to rain I got the old medium put on the rear wheel that ordinarily I have for my wet on, this would give me a ‘quick change’ option if the old medium didn’t perform. So I started off with the old medium.

I had only ridden at this track once, back in my rookie year. Therefore 2 years had passed since I had been to Oulton. I didn’t know prior to arrival, but they had made some modifications to the track since then too, a chicane had been put in at Knickerbrook, presumably to make what was a v-fast and bumpy corner safer by slowing the traffic, in a similar vein to the modifications that have been put in place at Mallory Esses. This not only meant that I had to try and re-learn the rest of the track, I had to learn this new bit. Also my old personal fastest lap time, which I was intending to use as a yardstick was now invalid. So I was in no-mans land as to what pace I was on at a personal level.

First outing it all felt really weird again, although Snetterton had only been 4 weeks prior it was like I was on a new bike again. Although surprised how far I had slipped already, I was pretty sure it would ‘come back’ easier this time that it did at Snett. I still had a good mental picture of the (old) track so no corners were a surprise, but I certainly needed to 'hone in'. The new chicane at Knickerbrook however I had no prior solution/baseline to work on. I have to say even from the start I found it a really unnatural chicane with a stupidly tight right hand’er entrance, very sharp/short left ‘flop’ then a really short run where you are battling to accelerate, yet get the bike over to the left for the final right, which itself tightens up mid corner. To add insult to injury there was a bollard on the curb on the entrance to the chicane, presumably to mark where it is and to stop cars (you wouldn’t do that on a bike!!) cutting it. Having a bollard there meant that you couldn't apex at the curbstone else you would twat the bollard with your head when leant over, therefore you had to pick a point on the track/in space as your apex instead, which is much more difficult to judge/be consistent.

The old medium was evidently getting much more heat in it than back at cold old Snetterton and was working well now (for a worn tyre).

Even by the end of the session I wasn’t feeling in any way ‘on it’. After a sighting lap or two, at the start of the session I was ~2:12s, reducing this time lap on lap, by the end I was around the 2:02 mark. I knew that my previous best was 1:46.8, therefore some 15 seconds off my old time. Even factoring in the new chicane this seemed way off, and that time was back from when I was a rookie!!! However I had the whole day ahead and although disappointed and realising that indeed I had a whopping task ahead I wasn’t overly concerned at this point.

The next session out I was down to 1:58s, Matt had timed my old rival Kenny Burns, who back in 2002 I was usually the place behind come the finish. Kenny seems to have really come on as a rider, with what is now a seasons experience on me, he is now a worthy MRO contender (he is even doing the BSB privateers cup now), so his laptimes would be a good indicator of ‘the pace’. Matt said Kenny was putting in 1:50s, and that looked to be in traffic, and it was still early in the day!!! Oh <insert expletive>, I was 8 seconds off this preliminary pace!! When lapping at 1:58s I realised I had more to come but felt as if I was trying, I realised Kenny would probably be putting in 1:47s or better by the end of the day, so I estimated I had 11 seconds to find … That is a stupid amount of time!! However I realise that was a ‘winning’ pace and that not everyone would be able to put them sort of times in. Lower 1:50s would be good enough to be competitive.

Made some suspension changes, softening up the damping for this bumpy and demanding track. The next session out I was putting in 1:56s. By the end of the day low 1:54s. Still quite a bit off the pace, but I felt I was getting in the ballpark and pleased with how I was ‘working’ the bike, still realising there was room for improvement and as Matt had pointed out I was too early on the brakes into Lodge, although I was aware of this myself, I found it hard to move my braking point. I would say that point, the new chicane, and to a lesser extent the entrance to Druids were my weak points and time could be made (was being lost) there.

Andrew, my old team-mate was back on a new bike, a Cagiva Raptor of all things, although a strange looking beast, being a 1000cc twin it sounded like an untamed animal, awesome!! However Andrew was suffering from mechanical problems in the engine mapping from the word go and then the throttle stuck open on him!! A 130bhp bike with the throttle pinned isn’t a place you want to be sat!! He battled it, but eventually found the kitty litter. He and the bike were virtually unscathed, with the bike only needing a new brake lever and the rear master cylinder re-aligning to sort, Andrew only had a bruise on his leg, so pretty lucky considering what might have been! He came off the track again later that day, not falling this time just coming to a halt in the kitty litter, this time just from bailing out mid corner where the bike was surging on the mapping. He decided at this point it would be unwise to race the bike the next day with the mapping as it was.

Race day

Morning warm-up:- had put the soft rear in as it was chillier than the day before and I wanted to be sure I was going to have predictable grip. Tyre worked well, practice was only about 4 laps, where I didn’t get below 1:56s, although slower than my best the day before, I felt I was getting ‘dialed in’ and that had the session continued I would have been back on the 1:54s.

They had moved the bollard at Knickerbrook, meaning the line I had been taking during the practice day was now not optimum, but I was pleased they had done it never the less as I could then take a proper apex.

Race1 Supersport 600

Start 29th, Row 8.

I was quite a way back, on the outside of the track. Got away from the lights well and made a few places on the rundown to the first corner intending to go round the outside to hopefully make some places as the rest would bunch up on the inside, just as I entered the corner I saw bikes/bodies and bails of straw everywhere, a two or more bike pileup near the front of the pack had evidently occurred and the effects of everyone evading the incident domino’d back, I had nowhere to go and had to ease off/hit the brakes, loosing loads of positions/momentum, I wasn’t overly concerned as I was sure this would result in a red flag, therefore restart. However by the next corner (Dentons) no sign of a red flag, so I buckled back down, more carnage in the distance as someone went straight on at cascades.

Things were really manic where I was; namely at the back of the pack, with bikes 3 astride in front at most points, swerving everywhere jostling for position, therefore I was finding making ground difficult as I was unsure what lines people would be taking and there would have been a good chance I would get forced off the track or entangled if I was to make a tight pass at this point. Picked off bikes as and when I could and eventually got to the point where I had some clear track ahead, which helped me relax and get settled in. I suffered from fatigue really badly on the last 2-3 laps and lost a couple of positions due to having to back off a bit. Finished the race 18th and had got a couple of 1:53s in when I had a clear track.

Not a great position on paper, but I was pleased with how I was feeling on the bike and not bad all things considered, I had effectively made 11 places from my original grid position (probably nearer 20 overall). Andrew had been watching at Clay Hill (a flat out in 5th (~ 140-145mph) at crest long winding steep hill) and complemented me saying I was looking strong through there and carrying more ‘air’ (the front lifts at the crest whilst you still have the bike partially cranked over) than the front runners. I find that the most exhilarating part of the track and love it even though it is totally mental with very little runoff.

Race 2 Supersport 600 final

As I finished 18th in the morning race I expected to be 18th on the gird (well 19th actually as the winner of the SS6 ‘overflow’ race was being promoted to the main final), which is the 5th row. Yet on my arrival at the collecting area I was told I was to be starting from 37th on the gird …. Back of the pack on row 10. I was a bit confused and checked they had it right, but it said 37th on their bit of paper. I wasn’t overly gutted as it wasn’t as if I was in with a chance of winning to begin with and I had now got the new rear medium put on/in, in the expectation that it may be too hot for the soft later on in the day for the Clubman race, where I was to start from the front row. That race I did fancy my chances in and it wouldn’t want to be a good time to scrub in a brand new tyre!! What was even more confusing is that row 9 and most of row 8 were empty where people had retired on the warm-up lap or not showed.

This race was a write off result wise so I intended to take it pretty easy for the first few laps to scrub the rear in properly and then put a couple of flyers in to try and get back on the pace then slow up to save energy for the Clubman race.

Did exactly as I intended and after scrubbing in, got my head down, was back down to 1:53s and feeling good, on the penultimate lap, I had a massive slide over Dear Leap (corner that comes onto the start-finish straight). I was a little later in changing gear than normal (as the crest is on a corner and you are cranked over, I normally slightly short shift up the hill so I am not on full chat rev wise over the crest), but this time I kept it pinned, the front rose as normal as I hit the crest, but as the bike was right in the ‘sweet spot’ power wise the rear just couldn’t cope and slid. I instantly rolled off the throttle and she did come back, but it WAS close. Must have left a great darkie on the track, but reckon I left a bigger one in my strides … I have to say that wouldn’t have been the nicest place to go down as it is straight into the solid Armco or pit wall. I admit that I didn’t go into the next corner (Old Hall) with the zest I had been doing as the slide had unsettled me, but got my head back down again after that. I wasn’t quite as energetic over dear leap next time though and reverted back to my old method …

Finished 21st

Spoke to the BEMSEE staff, they had indeed made a balls up and put the wrong start position down.

Race 3 Clubman 600 Start 4th, Row1.

I had looked at the griding for the Clubman race and had tried to see what lap times my competitors on the first 2 rows had been getting in the SS6 races that day to size up my competition. A strong possibility of a top 5 and depending on how things pan out even a top 3 or win. I was focused and extra nervous as I was putting pressure on myself to perform, I knew I had the pace, just had to keep my nose clean and hope I didn’t suffer too bad from fatigue when in a good position.

It was announced that the last 3 races of the day were to be reduced by 2 laps as they were running behind schedule. This actually pleased me as fatigue was less likely to be a problem.

On the startline I misjudged the biting point on the clutch, and nearly jumped the lights, so had to pull the clutch in and hit the brakes, the lights then went green, but I had now really messed myself up, I had to de-clutch quickly, the front raised and veered to the left, dipped the clutch and rolled off slightly to prevent flipping it, but I had made a right hash of the start.

I was amazed not to get mugged into turn 1 (Old Hall), only loosing 1 place, but the front 4 had got quite a run on me, they were entering Dentons just as I exited Old Hall. Took me a lap to get back in touch and got on the 4th place blokes tail by the time we got to Shell (hairpin) for the second time. I then got the run on him on the way to Foulstons, intending to take him on the brakes into the entrance. Just as I was lining Mr 4th up, the 3rd place bloke lost the front where he had clipped the curb/white line on the entrance to Foulstons, Mr 4th place had a better line than me (you need to go offline to put a move on) and managed to tighten his line and just avoid the carnage without loosing to much time. I however, that fraction of a second later and with Mr 4th place having been blocking my line of sight and me being on a different line, was greeted with a bike still slowly sliding across the track when I got a full view. I had already started committing to the right ‘flop’, but picked my bike up to avoid the bike … I was now however heading for the rider, who was still sliding/bouncing backwards on his arse with his legs spread. I was desperately trying to stop, the front slipped and started to tuck so I feathered the brakes off and just managed to get the bike turning again now almost stationary, missing his leg by a couple of inches. This obviously shook me up, but more importantly I was now virtually stationary in the middle of a chicane. I had lost all my momentum in the process and was still in 3rd gear or summin, I slipped the clutch and changed down, hooking up as soon as I could. I got away cleanly but had lost lots of ground, by the time I crested ‘Hill Top’ they were already well into the new Knickerbrook chicane. Again I was amazed that I hadn’t been overtaken, I noticed that the bloke in what was now 3rd overcooked it into the chicane and went straight on (the old bit of track still exists) essentially cutting it out, I knew this meant he should get a 10 second penalty. Therefore I didn’t actually have to overtake him to get a 3rd still, just needed to keep within 10 seconds of him. Although a bit ginger through the chicane I got my head down after that, and went about chasing the leading pack. As I wanted to stamp my authority on at least 3rd. The pace was hot though and I was so far behind I couldn’t get a tow, so I decided that I would just try and keep within that 10 seconds. I was still a little shaken by the chicane near miss thing to really ‘get it on' to hunt them down too.

After a lap or two in this position I got overtaken by a silver bike into Island Bend. I had been undisturbed until this point and I then realised there obviously had been someone in pursuit. I let him pass as he had the run on me and set about trying to get him back. Made most of the gap back up on the brakes into Shell, and decided to try and get good drive out of Foulstons and get him on the brakes into Knickerbrook chicane. Got good drive, but not as well as I had hoped, took the inside line ready to make the pass, I was only going to hit the brakes after he did … I saw him slow and I hit my brakes, his rear started snaking violently and I thought he was going to go down, or bang into me, so I bailed out of the pass, he didn’t go down and I lost a lot of momentum where I had to over brake. Got on his tail again through Clay Hill and lined him up through Druids to make the pass into lodge, we got to the braking zone and again his back was all over, so again a bailed out of what was a move, amazingly he didn’t go down though! Again lost momentum in the process and it was Shell before I had got in touch again. I had realised by this point that having a really loose rear when on the brakes was his style so was not taken by surprise when it happened now. I tried to make a pass again into Knickerbrook but I have to say I found the back end of his bike weaving so badly really disconcerting and I didn’t have the guts to make a pass, although I admit I bottled, it is difficult to make a pass when his rear end is taking up ½ the track!!! So I let him go, crossing the line in 5th. Best lap 1:51.8, but I have to say I didn’t feel I was riding the fastest I had done all weekend. Reckon that time was simply made on being slightly better on the brakes into lodge and having a better run through the chicane, which did seem a little better in that race.

When the results came out the chicane dodging bloke hadn’t been penalised. I was actually <10 seconds behind the winner, therefore even if he had gone on to cross the line in 1st, he should have been demoted to 5th. As it only made the difference between 4th and 5th to me, I didn’t put in a complaint, besides I didn’t know which one of the top 3 it was (i.e. although it was the bloke in 3rd when he did it, they could have finished in any order and I would have looked a pratt saying ‘one of the lead 3’ fouled …)

Conclusion

I realised that prior to this event that this could make or break me as a racer (no pun intended). Mentally/psychologically I was unsure if I really wanted to continue racing. I had done lots of thinking, I was a bit apprehensive on the injury etc front and especially after the 2 deaths at the last 2 rounds wondering if I was doing the right thing. I was also finding it very frustrating that I was struggling to get back to my old form. Before I had to sit out the rest of last season, I was coming on in leaps and bounds as a rider and I wanted to pick up where I had left off or there abouts, but it wasn’t happening, I set standards for myself and I was falling to achieve them. I was feeling that there is no point putting myself at this sort of risk and financial burden if I wasn’t enjoying it due to being slightly apprehensive/scared and frustrated with not achieving my personal expectations so was on the verge of quitting.

However the weekend went well and I am sat here the day after honestly thinking ‘The boy is on his way back’. I realise I still have a way to go, but the form I want to be on is within my grasp. My confidence has grown and I am starting to believe in myself again. Racing is 90% in your head and my head is starting to get sorted again. Things are on the up, but I also realise this current mindset is fragile at the moment and I need to compound the belief. In short I can’t afford mentally to have any setbacks (crashes/poor personal performances) for the next few rounds.

Bring it on!!