Lydden Hill 2nd and 3rd April 2005

Prolougue

After the unexpectedly good round at Snetterton with two podiums, I realised I had set myself a high standard and it would be a hard act to follow! Lydden is not one of my favourite tracks and I had decided not to go for the practice day, for two reasons, firstly it was held about a week prior, so would mean a separate trip, and well the money!! I suppose the largest part of point 1 is that it would obviously ramp up costs doing 2 trips.

Anyway, it was my choice and I chose not to do it. I hadn’t been to Lydden since 2003, where to be honest I hadn’t really enjoyed or performed, I didn’t enjoy the weekend you can read that report in the 2003 archives under the Misc. tab.

Unlike Snetterton, which I feel is my strongest track, I feel Lydden is one of my weakest. So I went into this round wanting to consolidate my championship position, but realised I shouldn’t expect too much as unlike Snetterton where I can blag it here I have been there quite a few times now, I think I have only been to Lydden 2 or 3 times.

Arrived at about midday on the Friday in an attempt to get a ½ decent paddock space, I was surprised at the number of people there already. All the best spots had gone, I did manage to find a little spot that wasn’t far from scruteneering and had some power. Unfortunately it was on a slope (not good when you are trying to put the bike in a paddock stand, it tends to want to roll off again!) and had a short stretch of gravel before the tarmac road.

The forecast was good.

Race Day 1 Saturday 2nd April 2005

It hadn’t rained overnight, therefore track was still dry for the day before. The forecast had been for good weather, nice sunny day. Well it was dry, but the sun didn’t really have his hat on, it was pretty cold.

Morning Practice

I wasn’t sure how I would do in practice bearing in mind my comments in the prologue, however I got out there and well, I felt like I was one of the strongest out there to be honest.

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 3^rd finish 6^th

I was actually 6^th in the championship, but front row of the grid, wow! No excuses here then, what an opportunity!! To be honest this put even more pressure on the situation, but hey.

It was crucial that I got away from the line well and kept with the front runners here, Lydden is a difficult track to pass at and not knowing how I would fair, I didn’t want to give any ground up!! However sure enough a rubbish start!!! Slid back to something like 7^th or 8^th place on the opening few corners! I also had a big moment halfway round/on the exit of North Bend the back end let go, got a bit out of shape, but got away with it. This shook me up a bit as I wasn’t expecting it and it was so early on.

As the race went on I de-nerved a bit and managed to take one or two of those back then I kind of got into a no-mans land and spent much of the race just holding my own. I could see the lead guy had cleared off but there was a pack of 3or 4 that were just that bit too far away, but I was not gaining on them. I then got a second wind and started reeling them in. I had had a few more minor slides, I didn’t have much confidence in that rear!

After a lap or 3, I had managed to get on terms with the pack, I had just taken the tail bloke and then the race was red flagged, so basically it was counted back anyway!! So finished 6^th. Not happy, but hey, not to bad a position at the end of the day. I also noticed when looking at the results that I was actually faster than all of the riders that were in that little pack in I had caught, so you never know if it had gone race distance, then I could have been further up.

Fastest lap: 44.162

Clubman 600-1000 shootout Sat AM race

Start 4^th finish 2^nd

I had had a bit of a confidence knock in the Supersport race, but lets face it I was on the front row again and I figured that I had one this class at Snetterton! So I might have a chance here.

Got an ok start, lost a couple of places, but took them back quickly. After a few lap I had settled in and I then managed to work my way forward, to 2^nd of all places!!

I then spent the rest of the race on my own, I could see the front guy, but I wasn’t realistically going to catch him, but he wasn’t really getting away. I well, basically settled!!! Crossed the line in 2^nd, whoooo a podium, gotta be happy with that!?! For some reason I wasn’t , basically the race had been boring where I had spent it by myself, I had been wishing the laps away! And most importantly I had settled! That isn’t what I should be doing and I was disappointed with myself because of that.

Fastest lap: 43.774

Supersport 600 Sat AM race 8

Start 6^th finish 12^th.

Second row, well that is still right up there! I knew technically I could ride faster than most of the guys in front, so lets see what I could do!?!

The guy on pole had to retire as a part fell off his bike on the warmup lap, bad news for him, great news for me!!

Got away ok, managed to may my way forward pretty early on too, got 3^rd, the 2^nd, then oh my god 1^st!!! Wow I might win this, a Supersport race, how cool is that?!? I have to get on the podium unless I do something drastically wrong right? I then spent most of the race on my todd again, I just didn’t know how much I had to play with, then sure enough on the last lap I got knobbled into Devils elbow. He went in way to hot and went wide though, I managed to turn it tight and retake him. I kept it clean up the hill, then kept a nice line round the top hairpin, powered down the hill. I figured I had done enough and just needed to take it to the line, then to my disgust he pulled alongside, wow he must have got some good drive! I wasn’t wanting any of that though, this was the win we were talking about an I had effectively lead most of the race. So braked nice and late, but so did he! He then continued to force me wide, I kept it going though, hoping he would concede, but he was refusing too, his bike now touching my elbow, the edge of the track approaching fast. I wasn’t willing to go any wider and actually had to pull my elbow in! We crossed the line virtually side by side, he perhaps had a wheel length?

Bummer, however that was a Supersport 600 2^nd place, that will do me and my championship thank you!!!

Got back to the pits, then Matt said to me ‘Dude you overtook on a yellow’ er WHAT!?! a yellow oh no!!! Where was it?!? I didn’t see any yellow! However one of my fellow competitors came over and said the same thing, really confirming that unbeknown to me I must have. Oh no that would mean a 10 second penalty!!! The grave consequences being that I would not get my deserved podium. A tense few minuets before the results came out (the officials may not have seen it an I might have got away?!) but sure enough a 10 second penalty for a yellow flag infringement, dropping me back to 12^th I was mortified!! To be honest I really did almost cry, yet again I had snatched defeat in the jaws of victory. Gutted!

To add insult to injury, it would mean loss of all those championship points AND mean I was starting well back for the first of the Sunday races, making my plight even harder. It was a very sombre next half hour or so, I was very depressed!

Fastest lap: 44.261

Clubman 600-1000 shootout Sat PM race

Start 2^nd finish 2^nd

Where there was a late start on the Sunday, they had tried to run as many races on the Saturday to take up the slack, so this race was also on the Saturday (clubman races usually only 1 race a day).

After the letdown in the Supersport race it was hard to pick myself up for this one. But hey, I knew I had a fair chance here, so lets just see what happens. I was most definitely going to keep an eye out for them yellow flags!! They had had so many infringements that day they put out on the tannoy that the next infringement would result in a £100 fine and not being to continue racing for the rest of the weekend.

To be honest I can’t really remember much about this race, but I managed to keep in the top 4 or so on the first lap. I then managed to pick 2 of the guys off that were in front leaving me in 2^nd!

I did managed to reel the lead bloke in and put a pass on him, he did get me back and I lined him up for another pass on the last lap, but unfortunately the pesky yellow were out just where I was going to do it!!! I had seen them this time and lets face it, there was no way I was going to make a pass under yellows If I knew they were there!!! So unfortunately I had to settle again, this time more through circumstance than simply settling, A lucky escape for him, another 2^nd place for me. Lets face it can’t be overly gutted by that!?!

Fastest lap: 43.913

Day 1 Summary

Well a mixed bag really, very disappointed with the SS6 results, and for some reason not particularly overjoyed by the Clubman results go figure!?! I was apprehensive about day 2 as I knew I was starting from back in 12th and that I may well struggle to get to the front from there, especially at a track like Lydden.

Race Day 2 Sunday 3rd April 2005

It hadn’t rained overnight, the sun had his hat on, although it was still a very chilly wind. Unfortunately due to the locals, AM racing is not allowed at Lydden, so we had to wait around all morning before even practice could resume! This gave plenty of time to get bored and nervous!!

Supersport 600 Sun AM race 8

Start 12^th, Finish 9^th

As explained above, I had made work for myself here, starting from 12th on the grid and all! I knew it would be crucial to get a good start here, if I could then I could at least bring home a top 5 hopefully, giving me reasonable championship points and a better grid for the PM race, where hopefully I can challenge for the podium again.

It looked like the bloke who won the first SS6 and Clubman race on the Sat had fixed his bike as he was in the collecting area, so that was an extra challenger, he would be starting from the back mind you.

I got an all too familiar bad start! back to about 17th in the first couple of turns! Well that has stuffed it then!!

When things settled down I did make my way forward, but with the rear tyre feeling like it wasn't really giving me what I wanted and traffic, I just couldn't make as much progress as I wanted. They had reduced the races by a lap for Sunday too, so less time to move forward!

Crossed the line a lowly 9th. Very disappointed, if it was 8th the at least I would have been on the 2nd row for the PM start at 9th I was little better off than 12th! And a 9th only gives me 7 championship points.

Disappointed with a 9th, a year ago I would have been very happy with that! Just goes to show how your expectations change after you have got a couple of good finishes.

Fastest lap: 44.291

Supersport 600 Sun PM race

DNS

I was all dressed, warming the engine waiting for my race. Matt was on lookout as you could see the track from where I was in the pits, as lookout he could see what lap the race was on helping to jugdge when to get the warmers off and leave the paddock (the 'last minute' the better as you keep more heat in the tyres). I was watching him watching the race and he then signaled to me that the race had been stopped. I don't want to get too graphic, as I don't know my audience here but Matt basically explained what he saw. A bloke went down, still stunned he got to his feet, then was hit head on by an oncoming bike. The paramedics were quick on the case but ... well ...

After a while, it went over the tannoy that due to the incident that was still on circuit, there would be no more races that day and called the meet off. Under those circumstances, you are not going to complain!

So I packed up and went home. The ambulances were still on track as I left. I have consequently found out that the guy didn't make it.

Summery

Obviously left on a bit of a low that, but I am afraid in this game that sort of thing does happen, thankfully not that often.

As for my performance, bearing in mind I had got 2 podiums in the Clubman and I now lead that championship, I was actually not that happy. Basically I had managed to mess things up on the Supersport front and that had overshadowed the event for me. I really thought I had done enough in that SS6 race on Sat and to have it stolen on the line and then a 10s penalty knocking me well back was, well as I said mortifying!

However I had gone into this round not expecting much really, so shouldn't get too down, but as I was going well I feel it was an opportunity missed, and I don't think I will get too many of them to start wasting them like that!

I don't know if they will re-run the the missed SS6 race at the next round (Brands) or what, they may just double the finish points from the AM races!? We will have to wait and see, but I think I would prefer to have a re-run ... I'll probably be saying different when i get less than a 9th in the re-run!!