Action Shots

Alan Bushell just sent me some cracking action pics from Brands Hatch two weekends ago...

Must have been from Saturday - pre SpeedTherapy logo on the flanks

Race 1 on Sunday... into the melee of Paddock Hill Bend

Andy Challis shadowed me the whole race

Looking at all my pics, I still ride old-skool style. #24 is down with the kids... 

I must try out this new fad tomorrow...

Superb! I think the tail section is in need of decorating...

Thanks Alan!

Candy's Back!

Since getting our TT entry, it's been balls to the wall. And the little item of getting 4 qualification races done before the end of April...

Saturday 7th March I was up with the sparrows for the drive down to Brands Hatch - the spiritual home of motorcycle racing in the UK. It was going to be a special weekend: my 10th anniversary of short circuit racing... same weekend... same track... same organizers (Dave and Bernadette of ThundersportGB)... and on the same bike!

Candy and the Chev-dawg back in service... old girls

Candy, the 17 year old Aprilia was being pressed back into service. I hadn't ridden her in two and a half years. In that time she was kept cosy in my conservatory... and robbed of many parts for the Ducati 888. Been spending a lot of time over the last few months getting her prepped and making some geometry changes (things I learned off my ManxGP RSV Factory - Betty). With such a long lay-off and so many changes, there were bound to be some teething problems.

Candy's last race

Out for qualifying in the 'Golden Era Superbikes'. Out of pit-lane... up n over the right-hander crest of Paddock Hill Bend. Aaaaaah - it's great to be back at one of the best, most compact motorsickle race tracks in the UK. Going down the dip at the bottom pf Paddock Hill and my visor instantly mists up. Huh? On the brakes into Druids... it's not mist. Blimey! It's fluid... spraying everywhere.

Druids - the only hairpin I have ever liked

As I squeeze the front brake, I have visions of the brake-lever pumping fluid all over me. Brakes seem to work ok... what's that smell? Ah. Petrol! As I brake harder, I get more drenched. Bollocks! "Please don't backfire Old Girl..." I grimace. I get off the racing line and tour back to the pits... getting a Saudi-soaking every time I touch the brakes.

Kade and Warren

I make it back to the pits without going up in a ball of flames. A old repair at the front of the fuel tank just didn't like being immersed in fuel fumes for two and a half years. I start looking around and asking around bemused fellow races and crew for a bar of soap (an old Classic TT trick ;-). I find some, but the fuel leak is too big. Out with the epoxy for a quick repair...

In the meantime, Clerk of the Course Dave allows me to go out in a later session for qualifying. Only 30 mins later... but just enough time for the epoxy to set and me to get out mid-session. I have to do at least 3 laps to be allowed to race. The repair is good and I roll through 3 laps just warming everything. Because I'm not in my proper qualifying session, my times won't count... but I start getting a rhythm going as the memories of the track come back to me. Faster, faster. Besides the Scottish Trials in November, I haven't ridden a bike since early Sept last year. Just limbering up.

Candy - lookin purdy.

Race 1 and i start from the back of the grid (30th). I make an appalling start... I'm so far back by the time we get into Paddock Hill Bend that I can't even make a move on anyone. "Common Paul. Wake up!". By the time we hit Druids I'm stuffing it up the inside of another bike. I start picking them off. My first time with a quickshifter and I'm struggle a bit with it - still blipping the throttle. I build the speed lap by lap and cut through the pack to finish 13th. The first (of four) of my TT Qualifiers in the bag. Good job! I really enjoyed that!

Job done!

Thanks Justine Verwey for the great pic!

The tank repair looks okay and I spend the next hour or two helping out and encouraging Kade Verwey (my friend Warren's son) and Max Lofthouse in their first ever road races. Warren was out on his trick BMW RR in the GP1 class as well.

Kade and family - his first road-race in the Aprilia Superteens

Ten years ago, my first race was delayed because of fog. The only thing I can remember about that first race was my crap start. So, nothing new there. It was bloody cold in 2005, but in 2015 it's just glorious. 15 degrees and brilliant sunshine... good track temp to keep those Pirelli slicks stuck to the tarmac. Looking at my time sheet... on lap 9 I break my Brands Hatch personal best... by half a second! On the same old bike with zero performance enhancing changes... just a few years more experience :-)

Gotta have a little Sideburn on the bike.

(drunk camera operator)

Race 2 comes up soon enough. The sun is lower and track cooled a bit. With nothing left to gain I go out and have a bit of fun. From last on the grid, I make a proper dirttrack style start and I'm in amongst the pack in turn 1. The usual Druids lap 1 traffic jam and I swoop around the outside and make up another 2 or 3 places. I pick a few more off during the race. By lap 9 of 12, I'm starting to get tired. I back off a bit, only to get passed on the second-last lap. No worries... need to save the bike, tyres and myself for Sunday.

Get thee behind me numero Seventy-five.

I get the bike ready for Sunday and then drive 30 mins down the road to my Mom's for and scrumptious post-raceday dinner and race stories. By 21h00 I can hardly keep my eyes open and crash out on the sleeper-couch shortly after. A great day :-)

The drive to see my Mom :-)

Sunday morning I get up at a decent hour. Brands hatch has a curfew until 10h00 on Sunday mornings for the local church. Church done, and I'm back out for warm-up with just one click off the rebound to try get my turned slick wearing a bit smoother. The track is a bit cooler than Saturday so I take it easy. Not worth going to high-side city on a cool track in warm-up. Warren and I both get out in the wrong session, so don't get timed.  The bike feels good and our grid positions for Sunday are determined by Saturday's fastest lap (all clubs should do this). I start 10th on the grid for Sunday :-)

One of the best corners on any short circuit - the fearsome Paddock-Hill Bend

Still gives me the heebie-jeebies driving across it.

The fear, disappointment, pain, determination, grit,  passion, joy and elation of all those that have experienced it - all is burned into the spirit of the track.

I prep the bike, only to have expanding fuel start pissing all over the place while I'm spending a penny. Another epoxy tank repair... this time it has a few hours to cure properly. Just 12 more laps needed. C'mon baby.

Race 1 and I make another good start making up a place or two. It's a lot tougher to get past other bikes at the sharper end. We're all running good pace; later on the brakes, running into the corners a lot faster and on the gas earlier than those down the order. I'm trying to find a way around a big silver Suzuki Gixxer. I show a wheel here and there. He's not gonna give it to me.

Early on the gas... watch the highside... keep it pinned... tuck... become speed.

You are pure speed!

By then I had also got used to the quickshifter... I'm on the gas as early as I dare through Clearways and keep her flat-out all the way to Paddock-Hill Bend. "Braaaaaaaapaaaaaaaarpaaaaaaaaaaaarp" the old Aprilia on full-chat with a quickshifter sounds awesome! I get alongside the Gixxer's inside into Paddock-Hill... he leaves too much space. I'm in. He runs it deeper than one should and then pulls it hard toward the apex. I see him steaming across toward me in my peripheral vision but I'm through. I half expect him to clip my back wheel, but I don't feel anything.

Old sparring partner Andy Challis on #20

Next lap, there are flags out at Paddock-Hill. He missed me, but bounced off the rider on my six and into the gravel. That rider behind was Andy Challis. Andy is also on an old Aprilia - I battled with him a few times in the Ducati Desmo Due races a few years back. He's onto me like a rash. McLean's is my weak spot at Brands. He's up my inside and outside around there for the last 4 or 5 laps. Trying as hard as I can to keep the bike from grounding out through Clearways and getting on the gas as early as I dare I manage to hold him off lap by lap. It's an intense fight but I'm in control. He has to take it from me... and I'm not giving it.

Ground clearance issues. Same issue caused me to crash at Clearways about 5 years ago.

Sorry about the scuff to your beautiful paintwork Steve.

Iconic Brands Hatch

It's a great contest and what racing is all about. In the end, I pip him by a few tenths, those Pirelli's laying down the rubber to make up for my poor ground clearance. In a very competitive class where around 140bhp is what you need to get near the front, I'm stoked to get 7th on my stock 1998 Aprilia with just 127bhp (measured 4 years ago...).

The second of my four TT Qualifiers in the bag. The clouds move in, the cold wind picks up, I'm knackered, nothing else to gain and a lot to lose - I decide to pack up and head home.

Sept 2005

March 2015

Same rider, same bike... different clothes... and faster.

Warren had a couple of good races in a super-tough GP1 class, Kade and Max pop their cherries without incident. My first objective was to get 2 qualifiers - done. My second was to finish in the top 50% - done. I head home having achieved what I set out to... and bagging my Brands Personal best. Best of all - an awesome weekend's racing with friends. It makes all the difference :-) Let's do it again in 2 weeks guys!

Max Lofthouse (far left) with his Dad, John (orange top - an ex TT and ManxGP racer) and a gaggle of supporting kids. Sharing a garage with awesome people - a big part of an awesome weekend!

Managed to get some hand-cut vinyl SpeedTherapy logos on her shapely flanks between races.

She drew quite a few admirers through the weekend, although most couldn't work out what marque she was.

I love the old gal!

Manx Qualification

Last Saturday I was down at Snetterton for a couple of races on the old Aprilia in the 'Forgotten Era Superbikes'. At my least like circuit I wasn't happy with the bikes handling and those tuned-to-the-moon 750s (including an ex factory HRC RC45) just blew me away down that long straight. I was way off the pace and qualified an embarassing 11th out of 14. Poor.

I was followed all the way to the track and back...

But, I was there to get my last qualification race done for the Manx GP. I just had to finish, I wasn't really up for racing. So I just grinned... and could hardly bear it.

The rain held off but a howling, gusty wind was blowing. Typical Snetterton. First race - I get a rubbish start and am last into the first corner. I struggle in the shitty chicane onto the back straight... compromising my speed and getting passed on most laps. But I'm pretty good on the brakes at the end of the straight and normally take back the places I lost down the straight as I trail brake all the way through the left-hander. This was the only fun I had on track all day.

It was great to be in the paddock with a mate

My friend Don Plane was out for the first time in 5 years on his minty but completely stock RSV. We raced together in 2004 and 2005 in the Supertwins class. Don is a super-fast rider and knows Aprilias backwards. He built and developed the most awesome RSV Factory over a few years that was eventually making a reliable 160bhp at the rear wheel (mine makes about 125bhp). He's also had a hand in my new Manx GP Senior weapon... more about that in a later post...

Don's won many races and a Championship before taking a break. A couple of 5th places on his stock RSV - he's no slouch! A tough class.

Don helped me between races tweak the Aprilia's suspension... but it didn't help much with my laptimes. Only 0.2s a lap faster in race 2 ... my head just wasn't into it. Again, the only fun was doing silly braking moves at the end of the straight. I finished 9th of 14. But we're now qualified for the Manx GP!! :-)

Season Opener - Brands Hatch

Been mad-busy the last few weeks - little time to post. Got some catching up to do. So, with the help of dates...

Sat 3rd March 2012

Headed out to Brands Hatch with Candy (1998 Aprilia RSV) for the road race season opener with the ThundersportGB club. Funny how things turn out...

Almost 8 years ago... on the 6th March 2004 at Brands Hatch, I popped my cherry and did my first ever race with the BMCRC (Bemsee) club. Dave and Bernadette Stewart who now run ThuundersportGB were then running Bemsee. And... I was riding the same goddamn bike!

6th March 2004 - Same bike... anyone recognise those leathers?

Then we were in the 'Supertwins' class... time has passed up both by and now we are 'Golden Era Superbikes' class.

This guy's day started badly... he lowsided on cold tyres before he even made it to qualifying... fortunately he had spares to repair and he got out to race.

I get to the circuit and it's gloomy and cold... same as it was 8 years ago. 15 minutes before practice and it starts drizzling lightly... I decide not to change wheels becasue a) I'm by myself and the job will take at least 10 minutes b) I think it'll stop drizzling and I'm too schnup to wreck a set of wets for one qualifying session. 2 minutes before we go out and it starts raining. Doh!

Normally don't mind the rain... but it sucks when you're on the wrong tyres

Turns out that I've lost a spacer from one of my wets and couldn't have changed the rear wheel anyway. Everyone else except another punter is on wets... I'm on super-slick Dunlop GP211s. Ho-hum...

I take it easy... just feeling my way around. I only need 3 laps to qualify. By lap 3 and it's pelting it down. I'm slithering all over the place... but just keeping her steady. My biggest concern is another rider flying around on wets harpooning me in to a corner. I do 2 more laps to make sure I qualify and then pull in.

Keeping her upright...and wobbling around

I qualify 18th out of 22... waaaay at the back. Sure enough it stops raining and starts drying for race one. It's still damp out there as we line up on the grid for the first time in 2012.
The guy ahead of me jumps the start by a mile... I'm thinking that they will red flag and restart. I relax. As the jump-starter is passing the start-row ahead of him, the lights go out and they're off. I'm caught napping... Doh! I'm last into Paddock Hill Bend... same as 8 years ago!

Druids action

It's slippery but the track starts to get a dry line after a few laps. I'm still on my dry-weather Dunlops and after the morning's qualifying just build my confidence lap after lap. I make up a few places before deciding to get the hammer down mid race. I make up more places but too little, too late. I finish 13th.

More Druids

It's glorious sunshine as race 2 soon rolls around. I get an okay start, the track is dry and I pile on the coals from the first turn. I gain a handful of places through Paddock Hill Bend and Druids. The rest of the race is one-way traffic. It's a busy race - catching and passing. Awesome to be racing against simmilarly matched machinery that doesn't leave you for dead down the straights.

Graham Hill Bend - in 2004. Who is # 11?

The same bend 8 years later on the same bike... at least we look faster! 

The race is over all too soon... I was really enjoying it when the chequered flag comes out and I take 5th. Eight years ago in my first two races I finished second last and last... good to see I've improved a bit after a few years racing.

Road Race Season Starts... Tomorrow!

Just a few pics from a few weekends work over the last two months. No big project, just lots of little things to get Candy (the old 1998 Aprilia RSV... the B.A.M.F.) in shape for the short circuits.

Changed the geometry a lot... setup for short circuits is very different to the TT Mountain Course

Tomorrow I'm at Brands Hatch for the inaugural round of the Golden Era Superbikes with ThundersportGB. I started my road race career with Dave and Bernadette at ThundersportGB... almost exactly eight years ago... at Brands Hatch... on the same bike!

Them rear sprockets sure do build up a bit of heat around the IOM!

I haven't short circuit raced Candy since looping her and at Cadwell in Spetember 2006. She was a write-off... but was resurrected with great cost, time and effort. I'm hoping she remembers her way around these tight tracks and doesn't hold any grudges.

She's gonna look sweeter bustin' some moves around Brands tomorrow!

Mallory Park Hero Pics

Just got some hero pics form Mallory Park the other weekend...

I normally look like I'm tootling around looking for parking!

Thanks to Racing Line Photography for the fantastic shots!

Two In the Bag

Racing at Snetterton today to get another qualifying 'meeting'.

Up at 04h30, out the door at 05h00. In the van I read the final instructions for the first time. There is a comprehensive schedule - the first time I've seen one in final instructions. My Qualifying is at 11h35. Blimey... that gives me 6 1/2 hours to drive to Snetterton, scrootineering, sign-on and to kit-up. Plenty time. I go back inside and get another hours shut-eye on the sofa.

An easy drive, scroot, sign-on and kit-up. Out on track at 11h35.

This is the first time I have raced with Thundersport GB. Thundersport GB was started 3 years ago by Dave and Bernadette Stewart. They used to run the show at Bemsee when I raced there in 2004 & 2005. They ran a tight ship and haven't raced at a club that was as well organised. The day's events followed the schedule to the minute - it was brilliant! No need to rush to the circuit and then find out you have a 2 hour wait before getting on the track. There is a nice vibe in the paddock and grids are a lot fuller than the New Era and Derby Phoenix meetings I have done this year... and everything runs like clockwork.

Anyways... to the action. Best lap in qualifying was 1:29.5. Don't know how that stacks up with other Desmo Due times, but I just took it easy - getting used to the bike. I had forgotten to change the gearing so ran out of revs two-thirds down the back straight. I had to feather the trottle so the engine wouldn't blow up!

There is a bit of aftermath happening on my scar from the wrist surgery. My body is pushing some internal stitches out. Last night I dug out two bits of foreign matter. The cuff of my leathers dug in and agravated this wound. It was pretty sore and messy after qualifying. I got the doctor at the circuit medical centre to sort it out.

I start the race at 14h20 sharp. Last on the grid. Racing out of class can sometimes not be much fun. Like at Oulton, they just left me behind. No worries... it's the finish that's important. After 2 laps my wrist is starting to hurt around Coram Corner - a very long, fast right hander. I usually love it, but today it hurts like fuck!

Hanging off the bike on the right-side for so long means holding damn tight with the left hand with the body across to the right side. Like with the trials bikes last week, the sideways movement is a killer on my new bionic wrist. I went slower and slower as it started to hurt more and hurt around Riches corner too (another right-hander).

I finished the race and my wrist was killing. I took some Ibuprofen after but it still swelled up. I took a nap as my next race was at 17h20.

When I woke my wrist was not good. As Colin Edwards said: "If you ain't riding at 110%, you're just wearing out the machinery.". With the wrong gearing, I was concerned for the health of the wee Monster for another 10 laps. Rain was on the way and I didn't feel up to racing, then driving 3 1/2 hours across country to sleep on the floor of a filthy hired van in a wet Darley Moor paddock. I thought of the steak in the fridge a hot shower and my clean, dry bed. I drove home.

My only pic of the 'meeting' - on the way out of Snetterton.

Being home by 19h00 gave me a few hours to spend on the BAMF...

Last night I hooked up the radiators and the whole cooling system. I got the oil radiator and oil system installed as well.

Tonight I put on the clutch, quick-action throttle and throttle bodies. These are the standard 50mm throttle bodies. Once the bike is running, these will be replaced with some 57mm monsters I have on the shelf!

I'm wasted now and need to be up early to be at Darley by 08h00... the Darley Moor guys aren't so organised, so I need to get there then wait around a few hours. It's a 3 hour drive.

I finished the race in last place - the next guy was lapping 4 seconds a lep quicker than me! No worries, my name is on the results sheet. Another 'meeting' in the bag.