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 |
 |
| 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 |
Good report. Like you said, it could've been a lot worse. Paul hit you and somehow I missed him. G
ReplyDeletePS Please don't consider laying down for the red flag. That's not cool.
Hi Paul, my name is Daren. I'm in the middle of flat tracking a duke ii and have been down to red max speed shop and Steve has pointed me in your direction. I've got a few questions if you don't mind helping me out a bit. First one is the smaller rads, are they of any specific model of bike or just a size that worked out ok. Secondly how did you lower the rear shock. All help would be greatly received. Thanks Daren
ReplyDelete