Pembrey 25th June and 26th June 2005

Prologue

Due to missing the two events (4 rounds) in between due to the van breaking down etc, it had been about 2 months since my last time on the bike (Brands), and I hadn't ridden at Pembrey since 2002, so 3 years. Back then it was an event I did with North Gloucester club, and that was my first time back on the bike after my big off at Mallory in early/mid 2002. So basically my track knowledge was pretty limited and outdated. This would also be the first time I had ridden the bikes since rebuilding the forks and putting the new yokes on after the crash at Brands.

To try and blag a half decent bit of paddock space I have learnt that you have to get there early, Pembrey isn’t the best paddock in town, with no power and not much hard standing. As many people do the practice day, although I can't afford to do the practice days myself, I still got there on the Thursday night (practice is on the Friday) to get a good space. There were a couple more reasons for travelling Thursday too.

This would be the first time I had used the race van FULLY laden since fixing it after it broke down on the way to Cadwell. Also the bike had strangely been cutting out on warm-up at Brands too, so I thought it would give me the Friday to mess about with

During the Friday I kept a keen eye on what lines and times JPS (the championship leader) was taking/making.

I had done a 1:03.5 when I was thee back in 02. He was putting in 1:02s through traffic!!! Also as for lines, well he basically was carving through traffic so bad that he pretty much put the bike where he wanted, I couldn’t really establish his preferred line as it was different lap on lap (due to him overtaking people).

Race Day 1 Saturday 25th June 2005

It hadn’t rained overnight, therefore track was still dry from the day before. The forecast had been for good weather, with the possibility of showers.

Morning Practice

I wasn’t sure how I would do in practice, it had been a long time since I had been on the bike, even longer since I had been to Pembrey. I had walked the track a few times during the evenings before to try and remember/work out the lines.

Didn’t feel that comfortable out there, but was early days and to be expected.

Fastest lap: 1:06.841

Supersport 600 Sat AM race 7

Start 9th finish 18th.

Rubbish start, Pembrey has a god awful hairpin (Hatchets) at the end of the start finish straight, here things get so bulked up. I just went backwards, about 10 places in all, then slipped back a few more as things went on and I got bulked a few more times. Things pickled up mid race and I started to make my way forward a bit, but I realised I was way back. I just wasn’t really comfortable on the bike, that accompanied by being mid-rear pack now and getting all the erratic riders, it wasn’t going to happen.

Crossed the line in a lowly 18th place, not overly happy with that, but at least I had a finish, got a few laps under my belt and had proven that the forks do indeed go up and down!!

I simply hadn’t felt comfortable on the bike.

Fastest lap: 1:04.793

Supersport 600 Sat PM race 17

Start 18th finish 9th

I had put a new rear tyre in for this race, I had used na old tyre for practice and the first race, as well lets face it under the circumstances I wasn’t really going to be fully ‘on it’ therefore I was best saving my new rubber for when I would get best use out of it!

Actually made a few places on the start here, by going round the outside at Hatchets on the opening lap. Felt a lot better on the bike, the new rear tyre giving me much more feel and confidence too. With this, I made my way forward when things settled down a bit. Made my way up to 11th by lap 3 … then two further up the field crashed on the last lap promoting me to 9th.

Fastest lap: 1:03.782

Clubman 600 Sat race 20

Start 6th (3rd 600) finish 6th (2nd 600).

Right, feeling a lot better on the bike now, I was 6th on the grid, they have done the logical thing and mixed the guys that are the front of the 1000cc and 600cc championship together. Coming into this round I was 3rd in the Clubman 600 championship, therefore 6th on the grid (1st was 1000 #1, 2nd was 600 #1 etc).

Ok, so I was basically telling myself, don’t worry about the ‘thous, if they pass they pass it makes no odds to my position, just keep an eye on the 600s. I want a podium here, so no more than 2 600s in front please.

Got away to a reasonable start, managed to be about 4th 600, then the race was stopped due to a crash! Then someone crashed on the restart, then the restart was delayed … this was dodgy as I was just sitting around, not even up to my marker on the grid, expecting there to be another warmup lap or something. Then suddenly the flag dropped and the bloke pointed at the lights!!! I hurriedly rolled up to my line, clicked it in gear and waited for the lights to go out!!! Got away ok and managed to hold my own (against the 600s) in the opening laps, I think I dropped one place then got it back. Right, I am in 3rd, happy with that.

About mid race took a look over my shoulder to see how far behind the next bloke was … not far enough!!! So I got my head down!! I could see I was closing on the next 600 that was ahead, so thought, hey, lets not go daft here, happy with this position and the bloke behind is going to struggle to pass with me at this pace, but see if I can close up on him, if I do and he makes a mistake then I might have an opportunity to get past and not only get 2nd, but have a bit of a buffer, i.e. I can afford to drop place and still be on the podium.

I actually managed to catch up with him relatively quickly, as such I had an opportunity to have a nibble, it wasn’t really on so I actually bailed. However he may have felt pressured now and out broke himself at the hairpin on the last lap, he didn’t have to ask me twice and I took the place, neat! Crossed the line in 6th, 2nd 600 home.

Tentative moments as I awaited for the official results to come out (you never know might have got a penalty again), but no, it was official Nick Bailey 2nd … and a nice trophy therefore awaited

Fastest lap: 1:02.894

Race Day 2 Sunday 26th June 2005

Supersport 600 Sun AM race 7

Start 9th finish 14th

I got a hideous start, slipped back to 18th. Took me a few laps to wake up and get my head down/in gear. During the race I picked myself up and made my way gradually forward to 14th lap 2-5 stayed same position where I was stuck behind this really erratic rider on a GSXR600, he barged one person right off the track and another he forced wide. I wasn’t really thinking of making a pass unless it was with plenty of room, therefore I got stuck behind him!!

It was a shame I messed the start up as I could have done much better than 14th with a 3rd row start like that I felt.

Fastest lap: 1:03.828

Supersport 600 Sun PM race 17

Start 14th finish 11th.

Yet another race that needed a restart!! My tyres were defiantly past best now, I made my way gradually forward, felling better on the bike again but nothing exceptional happened here.

Fastest lap: 1:03.05

Clubman 600 Sun race 20

Oh god, yet another hiddeeous start, I wanted a good finish here, that has torn it!!! I had been demoted to 15th from 6th. However I got my head down and made way forward a bike or two pretty much every lap!! Crossed the line in 9th, having passed 5 600s and a thou, that put me 4th 600. Not bad considering, I had my podium from the day before, so not that bothered, it was solid points for my championship, and insured that I stayed where I was.

Fastest lap: 1:03.218

Summery

Well, I suppose this could be chalked up as an ‘OK’ weekend, could have been better, could have been worse. I had a trophy to take home so I was happy.

What I wasn’t happy with was the bike, at Brands it developed a running problem where it tended to cut out when warming up. It never used to do this.

Matt and I had been fiddling with the bike all weekend taking the carbs off numerous times, but to no avail. To be honest on race day I don’t want to be fiddling with the bike, and having a bike that isn’t behaving is another distraction/thing in the back of your mind that you don’t need.

The strange thing was that the bike still revved hard, so it was rideable, but I had noticed that apart from the cutting out on warmup, it really was lacking drive out of the slower corners (i.e. at lower revs) The hairpin was so tight that the bike is down to 6k rpm, I am not normally down that low, but I was sure it used to pull even from there. But it was sluggish until it hit 9k and then all hell would start to break loose, just like a 2-stroke. Looking at the dyno, this defiantly shouldn’t be so, so I am dropping it off at my tuners who althought busy with other commitments has assured me it will be sorted by Brands in 3 weeks, whatever is wrong with it!!

Roll on Brands GP, that is an awesome circuit, scares the carp out of me!! Yet again I am going to be at a distinct disadvantage as I am not going to do practice, and haven’t done many laps there, so it will be feet first on race day again!! I do seem to thrive on that mind!