Brands Hatch 30th April and 1st May 2005  

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Prologue 

It had been about 4 weeks since Lydden, and I hadn't ridden at Brands since the end of last season, 7 months or so ago.

To try and blag a half decent bit of paddock space I have learnt that you have to get there early, as many people do the practice day, this normally means early is the night before that. Therefore although I can't afford to do the practice days myself, I still get there on the Thursday night (practice is on the Friday).

As I was there anyway, I watched the Friday practice, firstly as something to do and secondly to keep an eye on what my competitors were up to try and establish their laptimes and lines they use. 

It was actually a bit disconcerting watching, seeing the guys I would be up against tomorrow out there practicing, putting in some good time and knowing I had to go up against them 'cold' tomorrow!!

One of the championship leaders 'John Paul Scott', was looking particularly strong, putting in LOW 50s laps easily, He was going faster in practice than I had ever been on my best race day!!

Race Day 1 Saturday 30th April 2005 

It hadn’t rained overnight, therefore track was still dry from the day before. The forecast had been for good weather, nice sunny day.  Well about an hour before things we set to kick of a light shower arrived! Luckily it was gone as quickly as it came.  So by the time I got to practice, it was dry, but the sun didn’t really have his hat on. 

Morning Practice

I wasn’t sure how I would do in practice, it had been a long time since I had been to Brands (since the end of last season).  My fastest lap at Brands Indy is a 50.83, which I set in the Summer of 04.  Realistically 53-52s in practice would be a good start. Managed to tag onto the championship leader (John Paul Scott) and keep with him even took him at one point, 51.99 fastest time, gotta be happy with that!  

This then put the pressure on for the first race, there was a chance I might do ok. 

Supersport 600 Sat AM race 8

Start 4^th finish DNF.

Front row, forth on the grid.  Chronic start as per usual, this time because I nearly jumped the lights, had to back off, then they changed!! So didn't get away form the line well. Slipped back to 8th on the opening lap. I knew I'd have to make my way forward quickly if I wanted to get on the podium. But making my way past was hard, this one chap in particular was simply getting in the way! Took me a couple of laps to get past him then I was away! Started to make my way forward now, feeling good, got to 5th and saw my podium place looming, I was gaining on Mr 4th, within a couple of laps I'd be on him. Feeling really comfortable and confident. On lap 6 or 7, Tuned into Paddock Hill, just as I passed the apex, and gentle as anything, the front just slid away, there was nothing I could do, it gracefully slid and I was on the floor!!! I was sliding down the track thinking "Ahh I am down down here!" .  Then I hit the kitty litter and was thrown in to the air and started a series of rolls. I was rolling over, flying through the air in big bounces, I could see the and feel the gravel peppering my visor and I could also see my bike tumbling too in flashes as I rolled. My arms were wanting to fling out, but I tried to keep them to my side, but without tensing up to try and minimise injury, I eventually came to a halt.

I hopped up and tried to run for the safety of the tyre wall, the gravel was so deep I stumbled, picked myself up and tried again, a marshal came out to meet me and helped me to the tyre wall. 

I was totally unhurt, very lucky as Paddock Hill is quite a place to get off!!!

I really couldn't say why the front went like that, I mean I was 'trying' but didn't think I was over doing it on that lap!? Worrying! Still I was ok, lets get on and fix the bike for the next race!

Fastest lap: 51.182

Supersport 600 Sat PM race 8  

Start 33^rd finish 8^th

With the aid of my faithful spanner-man Matt and another Matt (his relative too) that come to watch we had managed to patch the bike up.  It was a new screen brace, exhaust bracket, front master cylinder brake fluid reservoir and major fibreglass of the fairing job.  My leathers were also holed and my lid had received stone blasting from the kitty litter, although both slipped through scruteneering, both would need repair/replacement after this round, more expense!

I was starting from the back in this one, so had my work cut out!  I knew it was crucial that I tried to make good headway in the first few laps, but to be honest I really just wanted to get 'back in the saddle' so to speak!  Hoping in could make a few places on the way, check the bike was ok and well, see how it went!

I actually got away from the line pretty poorly, but managed to go round the outside of many at paddock hill, and then a few more round druids.  Wow, I was actually in sight of the front guys here!

The bike wasn't felling quite right, the bars, although aligned with the marks I made on the yokes, were not aligned with each other, with the left hand bar seeming further out. There was also some vibration from the rear end as I exited clearways.

Bearing this in mind I got my head down a bit, and consequently made may way forward a bit more.  I then had a rear slide as I entered clearways ... hummm ... what was that all about? A couple of laps later I had both the front and the rear go at the same point, I thought "Oh god I am down again" Luckily it came back this time. But I had duly learnt my lesson.  I had been trying a wider line in there, perhaps there was a slippy bit? I would stay tight from now on!

Just settled for where I was, crossing the line in 8th, not bad all things considered, happy with that.

I had noticed a slight weeping casing from where it had gone down, the oil spray was making it way onto the exhaust and presumably the tyre, this had to be changed before I went out again!

Fastest lap: 51.618

Clubman 600-1000 shootout Sat race  

Start 15^th finish 8^th (2^nd 600)

I had noticed that the yokes didn't look square when riding, humm ... that might explain why the left bar felt further out ... still nothing I could do about it now, just have to get on.

Coming into this round, I was leading the Clubman 600 championship, so expected to be on pole for this race.  When I looked at the griddings I was actually put 15th on the grid.  Basically they had put al the 1000s first then the 600s.  Ouch, I would have to wade through the slower thous!!  I wasn't happy, To me it would seem fairer to put say the C1000 championship leader on Pole, then me on 2nd (or visa versa) then put the 2nd place blokes on 3rd and 4th, thus filling the front of the grid with the fastest riders. Anyway, C600s after C1000s was the way they had done it, so that is the way I would have to run! Again I knew it was crucial to get away well here.

Yet again I got a poor start! Although I took some of the weaker C1000 guys a few of the C600s took me too!! It was really hard to tell who was who, and how many had got past me, but I dug in and tried to pick as many off as possible.  At this point I figured I was about the 6th 600.

As the race went on, I managed to pick a few of the 600 riders off, but it was difficult to tell as the 1000s  look very similar.  I then got stuck behind an R1 for a few laps, I could see a 600 in front of him, but I just couldn't get past to have a go!

Crossed the line not quite sure where I had finished (in the 600s, or overall). I figured it was about 4th, which would be annoying as that is just off silverware!

It was an anxious wait for the results!

When they came out, I was actually 2nd 600 home! WOW .  I had actually crossed the line 3rd 600 home, but the guy who was first 600 decided to do a burnout on the cool down lap, for this he got disqualified! therefore promoting me to 2nd

Looking at the lapchart on www.mylaps.com, which is where the data from our transponders is published, I actually crossed the line in 15th after the first lap, so I made 18 places in the opening lap!!

Fastest lap: 51.759

Day 1 Summary  

Well, what a shocking start, that has to be the worst, crashing out in the first race of the weekend!

However I was unhurt (apart from a few aches and pains that reared their head once the adrenalin had worn off! ).  Also I did manage to make the remaining races, with some pleasing results all things considered too.  The bike didn't feel right though!

I investigated the forks, long, long story short, the forks and yokes were both bent!!

I didn't have any spare forks and/or yokes, so I was left with a bit of a dilemma, the bike obviously wasn't right, should I ride it again? I had ridden it like that and managed to stay on, but would I be pushing my luck running it like that for the remainder of the weekend!?

Race Day 2 Sunday 1st May 2005

It hadn’t rained overnight, so track was still dry, then for some reason it started raining in the morning.  It was a brief shower, so no harm done!

After fiddling with the bike the night before to try and make the best of the worst, I was a little unsure how it/I would feel, but I also knew it was rideable with the forks in this state.

Supersport 600 Sun AM race 8

Start 8^th, Finish 11^th

Shocking start, no surprise I suppose, but even still disappointing as I wanted to get away well to try and an least hold my own.  Went a bit backwards during points of the race, but fought back some too.

I had noticed that the bike was running at 95deg on the cool down lap, it was hot out, but not as hot as it would be in the summer, this was worrying. I still had the thermostat in that I kept in for the winter months (better than  sticking tape over the rad to try and keep it running hot enough), normally in the summer I run without a thermostat as this is acts as a point of restriction, so it was time that came out!

Crossed the line evidently in 11th, I must admit I thought I was about 9th. I was a bit disappointed, not only was that not a particularly great finish, but I wasn't feeling 'comfortable' on the bike, I really didn't want to push it. I think this is because I KNEW there was something wrong with the bike now, whereas the day before things just felt a bit odd.

So on a bit of a downer now.

Fastest lap: 51.386

Supersport 600 Sun PM race

Start 11^th, Finish 15^th

I wanted to get a good start here and tried a slightly different technique, this evidently didn't work!!! To be fair most of it was where I nearly made a jump start and had to back off, none the less I went totally backwards!

For some reason during the race, I was looking at the temp gauge trying to make out what temperature the bike was running at, now although this is interesting and important, er, shouldn't I be concentrating on other things right now?!?!?!?

Right time to make my way forward a bit now, lined one bloke up coming out of Druids, with the aim of passing into Graham hill, Wooooooo there, yellow flag!! I had to bail on that overtake, thing is I was carrying so much speed, I'd have to really haul on the brakes, thus loosing me all my momentum.

Crossed the line in 15th, again I thought I had done marginally better than that, but evidently not!

Thing is I felt as if I was 'trying' a bit in that race, and was even more gutted to find out that I was that low down the order and my laptimes were slower!!!

Fastest lap: 51.852

Clubman 600-1000 shootout Sun race

Start 8^th (2nd 600), Finish 10^th (5^th 600)

Right, must get a good start, must get a good start.  Funnily enough I didn't get the best of starts!!! Dropped quite a few places on the opening laps, but managed to fight my way back forward, there were 1000cc bike and 600cc bikes, all I was interested in was the 600s as that was my championship, the thous were just an annoyance. I stayed in what I thought was 5th 600 for a while, battling with a couple of thous, I then saw one bike retire, that was a 600, so I thought, cool I am in 4th.

I could see what I thought was 3rd 600 place bloke in front of the R1 I was stuck behind, I just couldn't get passed him to try and catch the 600.  I did get passed him in the end, but alas the 600 was out of my reach now.  I then got taken by the R1 again, I wasn't overly fussed as I was only really interested in the 600s, but obviously I wanted that place back.  One of my strongest points is into Graham hill, I lined him up there, but bailed, it was tight and I would be really pushing the front to tuck it under him.  Unfortunately bailing like that again made me loose momentum.  On the exit I got taken by another one of the thous, as explained above, to be honest I didn't really care, I had nothing to gain being in front of them and lots to loose by binning it trying to do so!  So I just just took this one home and keep my championship alive.

Looking at the results I finished 5th 600 home, not 4th as I had first thought.  A bit disappointed, but in a way pleased, that 600 the I wasn't able to catch in the race would only have seen me 4th, not a podium anyhow!

Fastest lap: 51.431