Speedtherapy: Flattrackin'

Been really slack on the blog lately. Suffering post-Manx depression, over-blogging and generally unable to get my shit together... but here it a post that should have been posted a week ago...

Spent all of Saturday working on the flattracker. My Dad sorted the rear undertray (it snagged the rear tyre and had a hole worn in it...) and the bent levers while I got to work on the front-end. Discovered I had got the wrong forks... but Anthony (Co-Built) came to the rescue and loaned me a set that would fit. After a bit of driving around, and a few hours in the garage, we got a whole new front-end on the bike!

Replacing the front end and my Dad sorting the back-end

Sunday's racing was at Rye House... this is where I first tasted dirt-tracking on a CCM Dirt Track Experience in May 2007 - that was huuuuge fun and bloody hot!

My Dad and I got there early and found a spot in the back of the tiny paddock where we were soon parked in. All chilled out and relaxed for the practice at 11h00. Start up the bike and it revvs it's tits off . Bollocks! Fiddle, fiddle... then she doesn't want to start. Bollocks! Practice gets underway and we're arsing about with the bike trying to get her to start. Then the starter goes dead. Fantastic! Seat off check, check, check. Battery is cooking. Not good. Work on the bike through practice... and after practice. Co-Built Anthony, Redmax Steve and Pete Wilky lend a hand. We eventually get her started on Pete's roll-starter (cool piece of kit!). But the battery is poked.

Dad's pretty pleased to be doin' a bit of fabrication...

A chap called Mark comes to the rescue. Mark had built a Suzuki framed Thunderbike around an LC4 engine and raced it for a few seasons before getting injured. He had finally decided that flattrackin' wasn't worth the domestic trouble so was selling his bike. He had it at Rye house and whipped out the battery for me to use. What a generous guy... and a nice piece of flattrackin' kit too! (if you want a good Thunderbike... it's a steal!)

All sorted by 20:30 and ready to rock 'n roll - Dad's pleased it's dinner time!

My bike was draining the battery so still had to start it on Pete's magical roll-starter every time but managed to get out for most of the heats.

First heat: Shorttrack and I'm drawn on the front row. No practice on a bike with a completely new front-end and on a tyre I've never ridden on before. I stare over the start line to the first turn. Bollocks! The tape shoots up and "Baaaaaaaarp!" - race on!

In the thick of it - Thanks Steve Baldock for the great pics!

Of course I'm stone last by the time we get onto lap 3. I finish last, about a third of a lap behind the next placed rider. I'm almost lapped in the short 6 lap race! I'm first row in the first Thunderbike heat too, but don't do any better. Last again. Next Shorttrack heat I miss because we couldn't get the bike started. Great!

The always impressive Skooter farm garage

Then things started looking up for the second Thunderbike heat. I finish second last. Yeah! Third Shorttrack heat and I'm last again... but only by about a yard. Yeah!

By the time my third Thunderbike heat comes around, I have done a little practice and have warmed up a bit. I actually race a few other riders this time and finish fourth! Yeeeeeeeha! But that's it. Last heat of the day... over. Doh!

Chewin the fat... John Lee's fantastic #76 Thunderbike... mostly self-made from a Honda 700 twin... ingenuity at it's best!

I don't make the Thunderbike final and have just one consolation race left in the day - the Thunderbike 'B' race. I'm on the front row with Sideburn Gary, Redmax Steve and. This is it! C'mon!

We get to choose gates so I slot into 2nd spot on Steve's left with Gary on my inside. Starter moves away and I stare at the white tape just a few inches in front of my front wheel, vibrating from the revving bikes. Revvs rise, the tape shoots up and we're off! Gary slews across from spot 1 and collides with me... I in turn hit Steve on my right. In the thick of it into turn 1... and manage to get out the other side with two wheels on the dirt and in fourth place.

I ricochet off Gary (#13) into Steve (#59)... sorry mate... didn't mean it. Mike Ryan (#22) gets a flyer - now that's the way to do it... none of this bumpin' and bashin' around!

Pic: Steve Baldock

We cross the line for lap 1 and I slide into turn 1 of lap 2. Then the bloody bike stalls! The second time it happens that day. I pick the bike up and run wide, I try clutch her to bump-start her. But she just skids. I'm running wide trying to get her started when I hear a "Sssshhhhhhhh" on my outside. A rider is on my outside and heading for the barrier. He low-sides a few yards before the barrier and collides with it as I manage to get the bastard bike roll-started.

Flattrack On!

Pic: Steve Baldock

He's lying in the dirt, his foot trapped under the rear of the bike. He's squirming around and beating the ground with his arm like WWF Wrestler in a head-lock. I think "Shit! He's mangled his ankle.". I stop and kill my engine and look to put the bike up to help my fallen competitor, feeling a little guilty that my running wide helped him on his way to the barrier.

The marshals are there within seconds and drag his bike off his foot. He's still squirming around like beached sardine. The paramedic is there pretty soon... and starts checking the patient. Within a minute he's standing on his 'shattered' ankle. His performance was worthy of a Premier League footballer... a good ploy to get the race stopped and be able to restart after binning it. Grrrrrr...

Thanks to Craig, Heather, Kyle and Ross for the visit and valued support!

I'm a bit annoyed. Then try kick-start my bike with a 640cc engine, a left-hand kick start and a steel shoe on my left boot. Pretty soon I'm panting, sweat streaming inside my helmet and pretty pissed off. The grid is waiting for me... including the academy award winner. Two marshals help out and I manage to bump-start the bike. Thanks for your help guys! I'm on the start line again... revs rise... tape shoots up...

It's a carbon-copy of the first start... but there's more space in turn 1 and exit in third place. I spend the rest of the race hounding Gary's back wheel. But he makes no mistakes on the blue groove and I get third on the line. I think that gives me an extra point to add to my championship tally. :-)

Jacopo Monti's mechanic with the flying #5 - Jacopo took another Thunderbike win

Bike troubles really get me down and detract from my enjoyment of biking. I'm not a guy that likes fettling or fixing bikes much... I prefer to just ride them (Wee Suzuki style... just put gas and ride the thing). But still enjoyed the day in the end... glad my Dad was there to be part of it all. And many, many thanks to Mark, Steve, Anthony, Pete my Dad and all who helped... it's much appreciated!