Snetterton

I would love to write you a glorious report of podiums and success at the local circuit…. But unfortunately it was not to be again!!

Qualifying went ok, first session we were in 8th place and the bike needed some tweeking – in second qualifying I got stuck in traffic and only really got one clear lap in – we knocked a second of the time and moved up one place as everyone else also improved – so 7th on the grid, not too bad considering the extra wild card BSB boys that had popped in for a play and that pole was in the 1:08 bracket.

Anyway – for race one we have new rubber on thanks to S K sales (cheers Craig) and I am thinking about going sub 10 and sticking with the lead pack – I make an awesome start and go to tip into the first corner and get nudged wide losing a few places as I cant get the bike turned in very well, into sears and run wide again – alarm bells are ringing now, I struggle for the next few laps but things do improve but all too late and I finish a lowly 9th way off my qualifying pace. As soon as we come in I measure the front tyre pressure and its way down even steaming hot – somehow we had lost 10 psi! Bad luck has struck again.

Sunday see the rain chucking itself down and I am reasonably confident that this will knock out the power advantage of the other bikes and we struggled on the straight a lot on the Saturday. So confident in fact that I try the Mode B (which kills off the power to a 600) that I ran to good effect in the rain at Anglesey. I whole shot and pull away at first – but then they come flying past on the straight and even though I can make up time in the corners its not enough to hold off the power bikes. So, I flick back to mode A and we are away again, a few laps from the end I am holding 5th (I think) when I get rudely high sided out of my seat and slide for miles on the wet tarmac watching the bike demolish itself coming out of the essess. I feel terrible as another crash was last thing I needed – especially after all the efforts not only of myself but many other people who made the bike look good after cadwell and put faith in me!! Sorry guys and a huge thanks to Master Fryer for the awesome stickers – nervous graphics for your help, Chutney for the spray job and Ian for the fantastic Fibre Glass repairs.

It took 4 of us 3 hours to fix her up – new brackets, fairings, yolk, bars, pegs etc needed without the team effort race 2 would have been impossible. The crash took out front and rear wheels so we only had one option for a dry track – luckily it was and we were out again.

On the warm up lap I could tell it was quite right but that was not going to stop me having some fun and trying to get over the line. I get another good start and get tangled in a battle for 5th 6th 7th and am getting held up a bit in the corners but couldn’t quite make the lunge – another day without the issues I may have been bolder but not today!!! On the second from last lap a back marker opens the gap and I cruise in for 7th place – a good finish to the weekend.

A hudge thanks must go to everyone who lent a hand – that’s what club racing is all about and we did it.

Cheers Guys!!!