Round 6 and 7 Cadwell Park

Off to cadwell park in the pooring rain again!

it really was monsoon weather with relentless pooring rain and high winds, with the awning strapped down from every angle and the slicks left in the van we needed a better weekend so keep our spirits high. Since Snett we have put a second hand gear box in the bike and put the last bolts in just before loading the van to leave - so fingers crossed.

I cruised round on the first few laps of qualifying to check the bike was going to work and we had 6 gears! all seemed fine and we qualifyed 3rd on the grid - front row was going to be important in this weather.

I started well hole shotting into the first corner, it was still pooring and with puddles everywhere is was far from easy. On lap 3 Marcus came past on the nimble 675 triumph and although I tried I could only just keep with him - especially through the slower corners - towards the end of the race the bike started missfiring - we think due to water in the quick shifter, with a massive gap to 3rd I cruised it home for the last few laps.

Race 2 was much the same without the miss fire as we had removed the quickshifter - it was all I could do to keep with the flying triumph and really never looked like taking the win, we cruised to another 2nd place.

That night we went to get some new tyres but there were no bridgestones left so Mark from Holbeach tyres very kindly tracked us down some Pirelli wets and all was go for the Monday. It rained all night and the winds picked up, come the morning I really wasnt sure they would run the day - but we were out on track at 9am fighting the conditions!

there was very little grip comapared to the day before and it was early and cold - we managed 4th but had lots of slides along the way.

In race one I didnt get the best of starts and was being held up a bit, but felt sure I could pass no problems - when the rear let go and threw me all over the bike! its the closest you can get to crashing without actually hitting the deck! to my suprise I was still on the bike but the engine had cut - we think the tilt switch had been triggered stopping the bike firing and I was out of the race! yet another DNF to add to this years tally - gutted but nothing we could do about it.

In the last race once again I didnt get the best of starts and was 5th or 6th into the firat corner - I got back to third but had a tough time getting past skelly on the 1098 as I could hold more corner speed but had no match for his grunt out of the corners, all the time the leader was pulling away - I passed on lap 5 and pulled 2 seconds a a lap but could not catch the eventual winner, best race of the weekend to finish with.

Not the best of weekend with the DNF but we still closed on the Skelly leader and pulled away from Russel in 3rd - however Marcus Wade on the 675 is right up with all 3 of us now and well and truly in the mix - if nothing else its making for very interesting racing!!!