DTRA Flattrackin' - Round 1 - King's Lynn

Got home from the disappointing, but ultimately successful (got a Manx GP Qualification race finish) Desmo Due racing at Oulton Park late Saturday afternoon. Swapped the Wee Monster and road race gear in the back of the van for the Flattracker and flattrack gear.

Stars 'n Bars

Thanks Steve Mann at MTS Classics for the help with the paintwork

Thanks Tom Whiting for the awesome pic

Up early on Sunday morn and cross-country to King's Lynn for the first round of the DTRA National Flattrack Championship. Winter is finally over and the sun was shining.

Flatbed race transport

More Thunderbikes than you could shake a stick at! Lots of new bikes and new blood.

Robert Williams' uber-cool Steampunk Ducati

Got setup and skrootineered (new for this year). Out for practice. I was slooooow. I'd entered the Thunderbike and National Pro classes (because I lost my 'Restricted' status last year) so had two practice sessions. Tried to pull my finger out in the second, but was still dawg slow.

Skrootineering!? Awfully organised these DTRA fellows!

 

Heat one for Thunderbikes and I'm drawn on the front row. I make a good start and get into turn one in second or third... then I start going backwards. Eventually finishing 6th. You gotta finish in the top three when you start on the front. Bugger.

Paddock neighbour Drogo Michie between heats

 

Next two heats were pretty much the same... 6th and 6th. But from the back and middle row, so improving. Carried on improving by finishing in the top 4 in my last 3 heats. That's a bit more like it! Got some useful riding tips from the current Thunderbike Champ, Neil Martin that I was trying (when I remembered)... it was working.

Battling with Co-Built Geoff Cain

Thanks Tom Whiting for the pic

 

I'm a bit of a slow burner. The same in road racing... I get faster with every lap of every session. Doesn't really play into my normal road race approach which is not to do Friday's testing/practice, rock up on Saturday morning and go straight into qualifying and then 2 short races. Not exactly helping myself. Oh well... it's the taking part they say...

Rest between heats

Dimitri Coste drove all the way from Paris for a bit of flattrack action on his classic BSA

I qualify 8th in the Thunderbikes and an unbelievable 8th in National Pro. Up until the end of last year I had only ever made one semi-final (top 24) in the Pro class. And now 8th! Well... it was a reduced field... and I think I got lucky in two of the heats. I'll take it.

I love the closeness, banter and bustle of the flattrack paddock... always someone to help, someone going out to do battle and someone coming back with war stories

 

Thunderbike Final - I got a new starting technique (top secret) that I'd been using effectively all day. I start from middle row, far inside. Revvs up, tape shoots up and we're off. I make a good getaway and make it up to the back of the front row by the time we get into turn 1. Nice.

Working on the new 'Neil Martin' technique

Thanks Tom Whiting for the pic

 

By the afternoon, it's a groove track. It's fast. But off the line it's very marbly... get onto the marbles and you're in trouble. Makes it really difficult to pass. Starts are key. I slot into 5th behind Geoff Cain and Guy Sutherland. They don't make any mistakes... I try and put pressure on Guy, but he keeps it on the groove. We do the whole race and finish in a three bike train. 5th in Thunderbikes... happy with that!

Great to see the old faces back for more dirt slidin'

 

National Pro final up next... the last race of the day... the blue ribband event. I line up in the same place as the Thunderbike final. Another good start and I'm in the thick of it in turn 1. By lap 2 things have settled into the 'groove train'. Two places ahead, George Pickering makes a mistake, goes wide and I follow Pete Boast through to 6th place. Sweet!

Keepin' it fast and efficient

 

I'm working hard and pushing to the edge to keep up with Pete. George comes back at me and shows me a wheel on turn 3 entry. We battle hard. My corner exit is strong... but I'm struggling to get into the corners fast... the big old Thunderbike just wants to head for the barrier. I hang onto 6th for another few laps, Pete only making 4 or 5 bike-lengths on me... George pressuring me on the entries... me driving hard out the turns.

On lap 5 or so, George shows me his wheel again... I hang on. As I hit the apex and start the drive out, I get a nudge from behind... just enough to push me onto the marbles. I'm down and sliding on my arse. "Fuck!"

Pushed onto the marbles... man down...

 ... sliding swish into a grating grind...

... I can still save it!

Thanks Tom Whiting for the brilliant crash sequence... first time one of my offs has ever been caught on camera!

 

Gear-lever knackerd again. "Shit! Bollocks!" I wheel the bike to the centre of the track. Pretty disappointed to be knocked out of the final. But happy that I got up to 6th.. and happy that was giving it everything :-) That race was the fastest and hardest I've ever ridden a flattracker. I learned a lot in those few laps (and thanks for the tips Neil!). Now... if only I can ride like that in every heat and every race...

Mixed results, but had a smile all the way home... bring on round 2!!

ShorttrackUK Club & GNC Round 4 - King's Lynn

I got my ass down to King's Lynn for the 4th round of the Club and Grand National Championship held at King's Lynn on Saturday. It was a combined meeting so the Thunderbike results counted for both championships. A good day to get some points!

Flattrackin' in the sunshine... AH YEAH!
Thanks James Boddy for the pic

The day didn't start too well. The zipper on my leathers failed so landed up lock-wiring them closed. I had to cut myself out and take time to stitch myself back in... so taking a leak was tricky and I landed up slowly roasting in them on a warm, sunny day. Tremendous!

Heavy showers on the way and before practice... it all dried perfectly!

Thunderbikes were on the oval, Restricted class on the TT track. Happy with two 3rds from the back and middle row in my first two Thunderbikes heats. I was keeping up with some of the quickest out there. Steady progress in the Restricted heats as I got to grips with the tight TT track that I was racing on for the first time. This TT track was about 3 times smaller and tighter than the TT track I had a hoon around on in  Hollister a few weeks ago with my friend Jim. A bit of a handful on the comparitively heavy Thunderbike.

I with the big boys in the Pro class... celebrity riders too - that's TT winner Stave Plater's elbow in my face.

Thunderbike 3rd heat. I'm drawn front row... time to make it count. Tapes go up and I stall on the line. WTF? It takes me a lap before I get the bike started... she'll only start in neutral and is sometimes a bitch to get into neutral... especially during a race! Fumble, tap, push, tap, push, tap-tap, gentle click, push... tap... shit! I finally get going to finish last. Only good enough to start 10th in the final.

Action shot - felt like a good start, looked like a good start... 

Clunk! Stalled on the line - what a muppet!

I make the Pro semi-final in 10th because Restricted is run with the Pro class. Happy with that... but there are 4 or 5 other Restricted class riders in that semi. So those are the guys I needed to get ahead of. I make a good start and get through the first hairpin scuffle unscathed and in about 6th place... ahead of all but 1 Restricted class bike... and I'm quicker than him on the next laps. I plan my move and then... stall in the hairpin despite clutching it. What a plonker! Again... nearly a lap down by the time I'm going again. Last... again. :-(



Last minute preparation... Drogo lockwiring his grips...

...then the rain comes down... time for a cup 'o tea!

Oh well... Thunderbike final to redeem things. I've been getting fantastic drive out of turn 4... sideways on full throttle down the blue-groove. A good start and a few passes is all I need.

Thunderbike final - into the thick of it from the back row.
Thanks James Boddy for the pic.

Revs rise, tapes shoot up and I make a good start from the back row. I'm in amongst the middle row through turn 1 and 2. I'm in 7th, wheel to wheel behind Co-Built Geoff Cain and Dave Chadburn. I hold station for a lap and I see the riders ahead of them starting to pull a gap. I got to make my move on Dave and know I'm strong out of turn 4. I get close going into turn 3, setting up the pass.

Trying to make up places... difficult on a blue-groove track!

Geoff goes a little wide of the blue-groove at teh apex and hits the marbles... he manages to get the bike turned back onto the groove. Chad hesitates and I clip his back wheel. Shit! I try and save it with my grinding steel-shoe but I run onto the loose stuff and my foot slide forward, under the falling front wheel. I'm skidding down the track on my left thigh in a graceful low-side. Fu...


Wilky getting a better look at the racin'

Bam! I'm nailed from behind. I feel the impact on my back, I'm spun off my bike and feel my helmet smacking that concrete-hardpack clay. I land up on my side, just being able to see the oncoming last few riders... they all manage to get past me and my stricken machine. I'm a bit dazed and it takes me what seems minutes to struggle to my feet. Holy Shit! That hurts!

Family business - Richard Mason, Derek Brindley and Oliver Brindley

My lower back hurts like fuck. But all I can think about is getting back into the race. Forget the pain, that can wait... I got racin' to do. I haul the bike up. By then the race-train comes around again. Thankfully they all dodge me standing mid turn with my bike.


Busted zipper - sew me in!

Thinking back... it's probably not the brightest thing to have done. Actually, a pretty stoopid thing to have done. When human bodies get hit by racing bikes it gets ugly. I should have just left the bike there and scrambled to safety... or just lay there. The race would have been red-flagged. I would have had a chance to start the race again. Instead, all I can think about is getting back into the race with no regard for my (or the other riders' safety). What a dumb-ass pillock!

Skidding into the first hairpin on the TT course
Thanks James Boddy for the pic

The pack passes with a few near-misses left and right. I see my kill-switch has ripped off - good job. I clutch the bike and drag it to the inside of the track. I grab the kill-switch cord around my wrist to put it back on, only to find a frayed, dangling cord... and no kill-switch end-jobbie-thing-mah-jig. Fuck!

Everyone has thier own way of remembering teh race and start order...

Stuart Lovell's gorgeous two-smoke framer

My race is over... as the determiation to get back into the race subsides, the pain seeps back into my lower back. Jeeeesus! I move my toes, feet, legs... do a full body function check. Just soaking up the pain as the race whizzes around me. I'm relieved that all the body-parts work and nothing's broken but I'm feeling pretty battered up. I look up to see who's leading, they're already filing back into the paddock. Where the hell did that time disappear to?

Guy Sutherland has his KTM DTX flattracker up for sale

Turns out I got tagged by Paul Sheldon who was behind me. He almost managed to avoid me, but hit me on the lower back, his brake lever mashing hole right through my ally-honeycombe back protector  and gauging some flesh out over my lower spine. Fuck me! That was a lucky escape. I was intitially pissed-off for not getting those double championship points.. but now I'm just thankful I didn't leave the track in an ambulance with a few bigger problems.

'Learner' - Got to start 'em young!

Today I'm a bit beat up, back is bruised up and has a hole in it but will heal quick. The kill-switch end jobbie was lost on the field of battle and the bike suffered a few scrapes and a bent seat pad. Paul's bike fared worse with a screwed brake lever. Sorry Paul - I know how much those bloody KTM things cost... I'll get one in the mail to you.

.

King's Lynn is one of the best surfaces - hard and fast and doesn't get cut up

Washout

Flattracker prepped, van packed and 2 hours across country to King's Lynn for the second round of the ShorttrackUK Club and Grand National Championships...

When we got there, the track was waterlogged... and weather threatening

By the time first prctice rolled around it was raining. A decision was delayed, but constant rain and the event was a washout. Pete giving us the news we were expecting

Indoors and an ad-hoc DirtQuake planning meeting started...

Paul and Pete with matching flat-caps



Too much rain in paradise!

Shorttrack UK - King's Lynn - Hero Pics

Got some great hero pics from Steven Baldock of the weekend's flattrackin'

Gently, gently... just a learner...

Those monstrous (for a minimalist flattracker) exhausts have to go! The white gaffer tape on the tank is to try make it look more like a framer... kinda works in the top shot.

This is the start of the 'Losers Final'. A great action shot of my front-row stall!

Doh!

Thanks for the pics Steve.

Shorttrack UK - King's Lynn

It was a beautiful day for the first round of the Shorttrack UK was at King's Lynn yesterday. A bit chilly, but the wind stayed away and the sun stayed out.

Missed the first practice session because I hot-wired the side-stand sensor wrong and the Duke just cut out as soon as the clutch was let out. I couldn't test this in the late night-before prep. Got is sorted and out and managed 3 sessions of practice. I left the SD card of my wee camera at work so had to lug the big cannon along... but it's a far better tool.

'Race Dad' Gordon and the Co-Built framer

The gorgeous Zaeta mk. 2 all the way from Italy was being campaigned by Marco Belli. More of this machine on Sideburn.

Although the Duke is strictly speaking a Thunderbike, I'd entered both Shorttrack and Thunderbike class. I'd be dog-meat against the Shorttrack boys, but I need as much track time as I can get to learn this sidey-ways racing.

Skooter Farm's John Lee and Stevie Coles have a bit of race chat before the action begins .

Jacopo Monti's old-skool number-boards. Jacopo came all the way from Italy for a play on the clay only to have his bike not start. Bummer! At least he managed to get out for a heat and 'Last Chance' on a borrowed bike.

'Cow-Tech' Jason and 'Red-Max' Steve before the racing.

Jason's immaculately prepared C&J Rotax framer...

Including a cool electric start thingy-ma-jig

Attention to detail was fantastic! Silver-leaf numbers and about 17 coats of lacquer... Jason's bike is beautiful!

As in the case of the Shorttrack class (36 riders), a series of heats are run with 12 riders at a time to determine the 24 runners for the semi-finals. In the case of the smaller Thunderbikes class (18 riders), the heats determine the 12 runners for the final.

You've got 3 heats in each class to try make the final. Being in 2 classes meant I had 6 heats to run in - good track-time. I started off slow and was lapped by the eventual Grand final winner Ade Collins in the first heat. But I'm a bit of a slow starter and soon got going. By the third heat I was starting to get the knack of it.

Rider of the day Tom Woolley was fast! 4th in Grand Final and winning the Thunderbikes on his CCM machinery.

A problem I had all day was the sound of the Duke. With road exhausts on it's was far too quiet. When other bikes with open and race pipes were close by I couldn't hear it rev. It's so smooth and with no rev-counter and sliding around on dirt, I struggled to tell if I was in the right gear. I managed to get her into 2nd or 4th a few times. 4th is ok, a bit slow but 2nd was just dangerous!

In the last Shorttrack heat, I was passed by 4 riders early on... but I managed to hang onto the back of them till the finish. It wasn't enough to get into the Semi-final, but made the 'Losers Final'. I was fast enough to be on the outside-front row of the 3 row start... right on the blue-groove. I should start like a rocket from there with plenty of grip on the race line and most of the other riders on loose stuff that they'll just spin-up on. Game on!

Front row... man with the red flag ambles off. Revs up. Jeeesus! I can't hear a thing! So just hold the Duke at about 1/3 throttle. The tape goes up and I feed out the clutch... the rear tyres grips, she lurches forward and 'clunk'. She stalls. Fuck!

I brace myself, waiting for the impact from behind... but with only 3 rows behind, everyone behind gets past in about a second. I hit the starter... 'click'... again... 'click'... again...'click'. Bollocks!

By now the field are through turn 1 and 2. If I wait any longer they'll be around again before I'm off the racing line. I pull in the clutch, quickly push the bike to the centre-track and watch the race from there. I curse my front-row jitters and think of phase II of the Duke project - a louder exhaust.

Marco Belli on the Zaeta in the 'dash for Cash'

In the last Thunderbike heat I'm passed by a flying 'Sideburn' Gary. I manage to hang onto his coat tails for 3 laps before making a mistake and running wide.

Last year with the bone-smashing Ducati I missed the final by one place. This year I make it! I start on the back row, next to 'Co-Built' Anthony Brown who crashed out of the last heat.

The tape goes up and I get away cleanly. I'm on the loose stuff so slither a wheel-spinning snake all the way to the first turn. Anthony's on the blue-groove, gets a blinder and is just a baby-blue blur in the middle of the pack. First turn mayhem and the race settles. I think I'm passed once and make a pass. I land up hanging onto the back of 'Red max' Steve on his awesome Harley XR. Man, that big VeeTwin with open pipes sounds fantastic when hard on the gas and sliding out of the turns. Yeeeeha!

I can't get closer than a few yards and soon the chequered flag is being waved.

Grand Final first turn. With beautiful sunny weather, there was a blue-groove all day... fast when you keep on it... scary when you miss it and land up on the outside shit.

2009 European, UK and UK Thunderbike champ Boastie getting it sideways out of turn 2.

Ex european and UK champ Marco Belli has to be the most stylish rider out there. I wanna ride like him!

The new Zaeta not only looks fantastic, but goes like stink too!

I'm just starting to learn how this flattrack malarkey is done. I'm ok coming out of the turns, but waaaay too slow getting in... and this is where you overtake. I also make too many unforced mistakes and on a blue-groove track like yesterday you lose 1 or 2 places everytime you miss the groove.

Brilliant to see all the guys again and be back in the thick of it... AND my first final!

A great day on the clay!