Brands Hatch North Gloucester

The opening round of North Gloucester M/C just happens to be at Brands where we have a few things we want to try – I have shortened the wheel base a lot and tried some things with the front forks – I had no issues with the old set up but unless you try these things you never know!

There is no qualifying but we get a morning warm up, where I can tell pretty quickly that the forks are not as good and I am having traction problems, also the slightly longer gearing doesn’t seem to be as good – but we try just changing the forks back to see if it gives the rear a fighting chance at working and getting me to race pace where the gearing will make more sense.

For the first race we are 28th on the grid on row 7. It’s a long was back and I look over and see superstock rider Bruce Wilson next to me so I know we both have the same idea! Unfortunately a sidecar had dropped all its oil going into and down paddock hill bend on the inside so getting mid track is pretty important into the first bend, I get a good start and pick a few off before the braking zone, however I am on the right hand side and have to slow right down for the oil spillage but hold the inside line to fire it up the inside into druids, taking some more on the brakes and out driving a few on the way out and into graham hill – this kinda continues for the next ten laps and I work my way into the top ten, but by now my already knackered tyres (the same ones I had used at the last MRO round) are really complaining and the rear is spinning and not holding a very good line so I have to be a little careful squeezing past people in case it kicks out too far – on the last lap I am closing in on Mick Blank on his ex BSB rocket ship and just before the line he sits up and squeeze past him on the line to get 8th place – not a bad result and great fun – but by now we have big grip issues and the front is starting to give up as I am pushing hard on the brakes to make up for no drive.

For the last race we put the bike back to how it was at the last round – Its very late before we get on circuit and the track is in slightly better shape although the racing line is still not on round paddock hill, I get an awesome start and turn into paddock in 4th place but get an early drift on the way out and cant really hold a line into druids, I really want to keep with the leaders as I know I can run close to their pace and need the drag to get me on the pace – but no matter how hard I try I cant get the bike to drive or hold a decent line and it is drifting on the exits – and spinning up pretty badly leaving clearways ruining my drive on to the straight – not surprisingly this gives the other guys a chance to get next to me and block me into the corners – after I’d been stood up a few times I realise the battle is futile and just enjoy the ride and let her spin.

If nothing else we had found out what doesn’t work on the bike – and even with these issues we still posted some ok times and made some nice overtakes so it can’t be a waist of time – I’m riding well and getting some miles under my belt at Brands so for the next MRO rounds I intend to be right on it from the start!.