Been away so I'm a bit behind on this one...
Sunday before last we were out at Rye House for the second round of the DTRA National Flattrack Championship.
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I think I'm just about to bite the dust here... but looks cool.
With all my racing, I'm a bit of a slow starter. I need to get out there and do a few laps before I can get up to the pace I know I can do. Problem is... with these short races (road racing too), I leave myself too much work to do. I only really get going half-way through the heats and so don't qualify as well as I should in the final. Start slot in the final is crucial... if you're not on the front row, you're gonna struggle to get up near the front in the race. So, I decide to pull my finger out and go for it from the practice so that by the time the first heat rolls on, I'm onnit. Yeah - nice theory.
Pre-race stretchin
Thanks Ian Roxburgh for the pic
Practice - I go harder than I usually do... finding the limits as quick as I can in 2 x 5 laps. A little break, check the bike over... top up gas and ready for heat one. I'm drawn on the front row so have to finish in the top four. No problem.
A sweet lookin' Yamaha new build from Tom Clemans
I get the bike out onto the clay... practice start on the back straight... find my slot on the front row... revvs up... and we're away! I get an okay start and get out of turn 2 in third I think. From there... it goes backwards. I land up coming home in 6th. Bollocks! I chide myself.
Thanks Tom Whiting for the action shots!
Gotta pull that finger OUT! Next heat - Pro Open mixed with Restricted class. I'm drawn middle row. A decent start... I push as hard as I dare. I land up coming 6th again. No good enough.
Another well organised event - thanks Anna, Anthony and all those helping out!
Confidence, confidence, confidence. That's what I think it is. It takes me some track-time to build confidence. As the heats come, I get faster... I even bag a 1st in Thunderbikes and a 2nd in Pro Open by the end. Too little, too late.
I qualify 8th in Thunderbikes and 9th in Pro. Well, at least I make both finals :-)
Thunderbike final: My starts have been getting better all day and I make a good one in the final. Out of turn 2 in 5th. I hang onto the back of Neil Martin, Dave Chadburn and Guy Sutherland. I can't find a way past and just ride as close as I can, waiting for any of them to make an error.
Thunderbike Final
Thanks Ian Roxburgh for the pic
There are a few small mistakes - enough to keep it close and exciting, but not enough to make a pass out of. I run home in 5th. Happy with that :-)
Pro Final: Another good start from the back row. I get right up into the thick of things in turn 1 and am up to 7th. I hold it for a few laps before George Pickering and then Derek Brindley make passes on me that stick. I'm getting loads of drive out the turns, but the weight of the Thunderbike puts me at a big disadvantage against the DTX bikes when sliding into the turns. Too much momentum.
Battling with Drogo Michie
I hang on, pushing harder each lap. I'm the first Thunderbike and am 9th with a gap to Guy Sutherland in 10th. Eventually on lap 6 or 7 I push a little bit too hard going into turn 1... front and back slide a little too far and I can't get it back... I lowside in a nice, even slide. Swishhhh-grrrrrrrrrchhhhh...
We're goin' down!
Fuck! I scrabble up and out of the race line. I and try and get the bike started, but she's a dog to start on the clutch and my gear lever is knackered. My race is run. Bollocks!
Giving it sum beans in a earlier heat race
At round 1 I qualified 8th and 8th. In the final I got 5th and a crash-out. This round I qualify 8th and 9th. In the final I get 5th and a crash-out. At least I'm consistent! Leaves me 12th in the Pro and 4th in the Thunderbike Championships. Bring on Round 3 at Dirtquake II in 2 weeks!
Awesome sunny weather and long evenings... I can get home from a day in the clay, crack open a beer and take my time getting the bike all clean and sorted for the next meeting - perfect!
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