ShorttrackUK Club and GNC Round 6 - Rye House

I woke on Sunday morning feeling pretty sore and bashed up, not really up for a race. My left shoulder ached, both elbows were bruised, both thumbs were in pain and swollen, I struggled to lift my left leg to get my socks on with a pain in my joint. Nevrmind, we got racin' to do. A bowl of oats, strong cawfee and Ibuprofen for the road down to Rye House. Rye House is where I first put on a hot-shoe and swung my leg over one of these cool-ass, no-brake flattrack bikes a few years ago.

 Race-face on and Ready to rock 'n roll!

Thanks to James Boddy for the pic

After practice the day before, and then a Speedway meeting after that, the track needed a bit of extra care. As a result it was a bit over-watered. The practice session and first heats were a slimy mudfest. But the track improved with every heat, eventually getting a nice blue groove by the time we got to the finals.

Rider's Briefing

 

I was struggling with poor starts all day. My first few heats were pretty mediocre. But as the track improved, I loosened up and most of the pain from yesterday's shenanigan's receded. I was still gripping the bars like a monkey becasue both my thumbs were sprained. But I was racing smooth and consistent... besided crap starts, I hardly made a mistake all day.

The pits was crammed, so I setup in the paddock...

 

By the time we got to the last few heats, I was still making crap starts but then moving up through the field and finishing strong. I did enough to qualify 8th in the Thunderbikes and 9th in the first semi-final (the Restricted class was being run with the Pro/Open GNC class). Game on!

Slipin' and a slidin' around

Thanks to James Boddy for the pic

Restricted/Pro Semi-final - I make an okay start from the back row. I have a rare old battle with Mick Trapmore as I struggle to get past him. I try the inside, the outside... everywhere. But he sticks to his line and is consistent. I eventually make the pass coming out of turn 2. I get 6th and just miss getting into the final... still got the 'last chance'.

In the thick of it...

Thanks to James Boddy for the pic

Thunderbike Final - Middle of the grid and I make another crap start. Guy Sutherland goes down into turn 1 in front of me. I steer the bike past his head sliding along the ground and just glimpse mayhem unfolding around him out the corner of my eye. Red-flag. 4 bikes down. It's a pretty big shunt... turn 1 Thunderbike Final at Rye House... just like the carnage I got cought up in last year. Mabe having crap starts all day was a good thing after all.

Restart. I make a better job of it this time. It's good close racing. No-one gives an inch and you have to earn it. Awesome fun! I land up bagging 5th. Whooo-hooo! Good job!

Back from injury, Tim Neave picks up where he left off on the two-smoke Thunderbike... blowing everyone away!

Thanks to James Boddy for the pic

No chance to celebrate - I have 1 race rest and then I'm out in the 'Last Chance' where the first two riders get through to the Grand Final. I have never reached a Grand Final, this is why I still have an 'R' plate. But this 'R' plate allows me to compete in the Restricted class - where I am competitive... so it's not a bad thing. I'm starting on pole for the 'Last Chace'. The thought of purposely coming third in the Last Chance so that I retain my Restricted status comes into my mind...

What. a. load. of. BULLSHIT!
I'm here to do the best I can... and if that means not being able to compete in the Restricted class again (the only class where I have got a podium in flattrackin)... then so be it. I want to win this!

 

Last Chance - Another awful start from pole and I'm level 5th going into turn 1... but I keep it tight and get on the gas as early as I can and land up 3rd on the exit. Yeah! Trappy is ahead of me. A replay of the semi-final and we battle for 3 or 4 laps. Inside, outside, on the loose stuff... over the marbles. Eventually I make the pass stick coming out of turn 4. By this time Vince Hurst in first place has gapped the rest of us. I finish 2nd and make my first Grand Final! Yeeeeeee-ha!

Battling with Trappy - I try the inside...

 

...and the outside.

Thanks to James Boddy for the pic

 

I have time to get my breath back, spash a litre of fuel in the bike and it's time for the Grand Final. Time slows down. It's ceremonious. Aaron Silvester (winner of the days Junior and Youth classes) wheels my bike out for me. Wow! Now THAT feels special. I'm last on the grid, but that doesn't matter. This is the GRAND FINAL and I'm in it with my beat-up Thunderbike :-) I just soak it all up...


Grand Final - starting from the back, on the inside (in the muck), I was never going to get a rocket start. But I get off the line ok and trundle into turn one in 12th place (not last... there are a whole lot of riders that didn't make the final...). It's a 12 lapper... which is great for me, because as with road racing, I lap faster as the race goes on.

Paul Scott (Scotty) got a great second on his home-made mini-framer in the mini-bike class

Thanks to James Boddy for the pic

 

After a few laps choking on others' dust I make my move... I pass Vince Hurst and then David Homan (who normally beats me in the Restricted class). Guy Sutherland is half a straight length ahead of me. After two or so laps of pushing to make up the gap, I'm steaming into turn 1...

Young guns Tom Wolley and Tim Neave stylin' it up

Thanks to James Boddy for the pic

Flashback two months earlier: I popped into my local bikeshop. "What are the cheapest rear brake pads you have for a '05 KTM Duke 2?".
"We got these for 18 quid."
I have a look at them. Never heard of teh brand. Nicely packaged. Too nice.
"Have you got any cheaper?"
"Hmmmmm." The shop-guy looks at me suspiciously...
"We have these for 9 quid?"
I have a look. Chinese-cheap-n-nasty with Chinglish operating instluchins on the back. Perfect.
"I'll take 'em."
This is the quest for a softer feel on the rear brake - standard pads in the Brembo calliper lock up the rear too easily on the dirt. I tested these Chinese wonders at Buxton and during practice the day before. After about 12 or so laps they would overheat and you'd have no brake at all. I figured all would be well seeing as heats are 6 laps and the Thunderbike/Restricted finals are 8 laps each. What , is that I didn't figure I would do the 8 lap Semi, 8 lap Thunderbike final, 8 lap Last Chance and then a 12 lap Grand Final... all in quick sucession.

Great pic of Co-Built's Geoff Cain from  James Boddy

 

Fastforward to turn 1... I squeeze the brake pedal. Nothing. I tramp on it hard. The bike scrubs off a tiny bit of speed and then I'm overshooting the turn. As I leave the blue groove and into the marbles and thick muck, I can crank the bike over and get it sliding, losing speed while heading to the barrier... shiiiiiiit! I get her turned in time and fire her out. Next turn I roll off early... try the brake again. This time there is nothing... I two wheel around the turn on the blue groove. Bugger!

Classic stylin' from Dave 'Skooter Farm' Arnold

Thanks to James Boddy for the pic

I do this for 2 or 3 laps. Just two wheeling around, not touching the brake in the hope that it will cool for the last few laps... expecting another bike up my inside on every turn. I stick to the blue-groove, trying desparately to make up the time on the turn exits. Down the back straight I see the last lap flag out for the leaders. "Just 3 braking turns left... brake should be cool enough to finish the race."

Smokin' brakes! The old steed did well against the Pro/Open DTX bikes

I use the brake into turn 3. It works! Whooo-hoo! I'm not going to give up this position. Into turn 1 for the last time... beautiful! Turn 3 for the last time... shiiiiiiiit....no more brakes! I know I'm going to run very deep, so I hug the inside as much as I can to foil a pass. I run though the turn out into the rough, thick outside where I can get the bike sideways and scrub some speed (and avoid going into the barrier!). I try square the corner off as much as I can, but I'm already through it so just get the bike turned on the power and drive out the turn as hard as I dare through the loose stuff.

Somehow, I hold the position to the line. 2 riders went down in that final... so I land up taking 8th overall. That gives me 2nd in the Restricted class behind Guy Sutherland (also on a Thunderbike!). Ah-yeah! Now THAT's what I'm talkin' about!

Podium!

Thanks RedMax Steve for the pic

2 crashes the day before, bike and bodily damage, 10 heats and races, crap starts, no brakes, a 5th in Thunderbikes, a 2nd in Restricted and an 8th in my first Grand Final... what a way to end the season! A great day on the clay... and a great antidote to the Manx disappointment. I'm still smiling!

:-)

Scunny Mud

Some great muddy pics from Jon Pym on Sunday...

Dodging an errant hot-shoe, tear-off only half torn-off...

Twas a wee bit muddy out there on turn one

Flattrackin - Club Championship at Scunthorpe

Sunday morning we hauled the flattracker up to Scunthorpe for the last flattrack races of the season in the Shorttrack UK Club Championship. Due to the torrential rain the night before, the track owner cancelled the event. Pete Boast eventually convinced him to pump the foot of water off the track and run the event. We got started with the heats an hour or so late - Thanks Pete!

Thanks Steve Baldock for the great photography!

It was muddy, slippy and slidey. Getting off the line was a problem... stone last into turn 1 in the first 2 heats. Despite trying hard to just roll the bike forward, the power of the LC4 just spun the rear up and I was standing still. Once off the line, I made good progress through the field to finish mid-pack.

Waterlogged track

Before the races, Guy Southerland told me he was trying a new strategy. The 'No Crashes' strategy. With my visits to the floor almost in double figures for the season, I agreed this would be a great strategy and adopted it.

Guy 'Bionic Man' Sutherland sporting knee braces

Through the heats for the 'Restricted' and 'Thunderbike' classes, I just took it steady. I didn't touch my rear brake and kept it as smooth as possible - one false move on this muck and you'd be on your arse.

Led by Co-Built Anthony Brown, followed by Wayne 'Snakeman' Drake on his last flattrack race in the UK
Thanks Steve Baldock for the pic

The track dried out nicely and by the time the heats were through, it was mostly fast and grippy with a wide line around the turns - good for passing. I made a lot of passes and bagged a couple of thirds with most of my finishes in the top 5.

Start 'em young! There was a pee-wee speedway track next door

Smooth and steady with no crashes... it pays off. I gathered enough points to get a 7th place start in the Thunderbikes final and a 3rd place start in the Restricted final :-)

We make both finals

Thunderbike final: I make as decent a start as I can from the still mucky inside of the track. Turn one and I get a face-full of muddy water from a cheeky inside move by Les Collins through a big puddle on the apex. I have work to do. Turn one is still slippy as hell with the water from the puddle... turn three and four are beautiful... wide open on the throttle!

Just about to drink the dirt from Les Collins (No 94)

I keep it pinned when I can and make a few passes on the outside of turn four where there's loads of grip. Turn one and into turn two, I just take it easy and two-wheel it through. I reach the chequered flag in 5th with Wayne Drake on my six... on a borrowed bike :-)

Wayne 'Snakeman' Drake was flying on a borrowed Co-Built Thunderbike. After a few offs, he finished 6th in the Thunderbike and 7th in the Pro Class Grand Final - well done mate! Wayne is off to New Zealand soon. We're gonna miss you!

Restricted final: A good start out of the rut in start gate 3 and I'm third into turn 1. A lap or so later and Steve Baldock gets me with a great inside move. Next turn he pulls another great move and is up to second. I'm hungry for a podium and start pushing Anthony Sutton in third.

It was filthy out there!
Thanks Steve Baldock for the pic

Anthony is good out of turn four so no outside moves there. A few laps sussing him out and I make my move. Turn three - with no brakes I run up his inside and lay the bike down hard... I feel the edge of the tyre scraping the grippy clay and I hold the bike up on my left leg... steel shoe earning it's keep all the way... I slip up his inside. Now that's the way to do it!

We finish both finals!

I finish 3rd in the Restricted final. Whooohooo!

I'm all gee'd up to collect a trophy. The final standings are a cumulation of points from all the heats and the final for that class. After the tally, Anthony Sutton pips me by one point and I get 4th for the day. Disappointed to not come home with some silverware... but well done to Anthony, Steve and Andy Riley who beat me to it.

Spy pic - Gary's project taking shape nicely!

The 'No Crash' strategy certainly worked with my best flattrack results to date. 5th in Thunderbikes and 4th in Restricted. Thanks Guy! (also thanks to Steve Coles with words of wisdom).

A great day 'in' the clay!

(now to clean all this shit off the bike and gear... )

ShorttrackUK Club Championship - Amman Valley

The trip down

Up at 5a.m. for a 4 hour drive...

I cocked up my alarm setting and woke an hour later than intended on Saturday morning. Rush, rush, rush... in the van and on my way to Amman Valley in Wales for the next round of the SHorttrackUK Club Chapionship.

Stevie left for Wales on Friday... the forecast was sunny and hot... so he brought his beachwear...

It was raining when I woke and raining all the way there. It was supposed to clear mid-morning... but it didn't. At 14h00 it was still drizzling - racing on the track would have just chewed it up. A decision was made to cancel the meeting. :-(

Waterlogged

Factory Team Suzuki

But, we were lucky... and the World Cup Speedway Grand Prix was on at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff... just an hour's drive away. Guy, Karina, myself and a few other competitors headed to Cardiff for some speedway action.

It was all wetsuits on Saturday...

Action at SpeedwayGP - Millenium Stadium, Cardiff

The atmosphere in the stadium was awesome and the racing a spectacle. 41 year-old Greg Hancock (USA) showed the young one's how to do it by winning the Grand Final in convincing style. A great end to a washed-out day.

Here are the highlights (thanks Tom Neave for the link...):

Flattrackin - Club Champs - Rye House

Last Sunday was the ShorttrackUK Club championship at Rye House...

There was a bumper turn out and the paddock was rammed, so I landed up setting up just off the entry road to the paddock

Great to see all the flattrackin guys after the winter hibernation

The Co-Built garage is growing bigger with cool (and competitive) bikes...

Pre-briefing - a great day to get out on the clay

A couple of bikes I haven't see before were out there... like this 600 KTM based on a 525 EXC

Some wicked graphics on Jamie Croyden's flattracker

Scene from my lunch break

The flattracker is lookin' damn fine... just a couple of things still to do to finish her off

After a slow start in the heats I started to get things going and picked up a second and a couple of fifths

(thanks to Steve Baldock and Kimmy for the pic)

I even managed to hold Boastie off for a lap or two on his vintage 70s Suzuki

(thanks to Steve Baldock and Kimmy for the pic)

Check out those new boots!
(thanks to Steve Baldock and Kimmy for the pic)

Still not as fast as I know I can be but didn't make many mistakes and had good fun out there
(thanks to Steve Baldock and Kimmy for the pic)

Unfortunately due to a few incidents we ran out of time for the finals so a result was called from the points scoring heats. My objective for the day was to make the Thunderbike and Restricted finals. My points tally after the heats left me 11th in the Thundarbikes and 6th in the Restricted class. Whooo-hoo!

Brilliant results for the Co-Built stable with Geoff bagging a 2nd and a 3rd, Anthony a 4th and a 5th and Guy a 2nd and a 7th. RedMax Steve was on his new Norton (I'll post that soon) but was in the wars again and broke his collarbone - get well soon dood!

A great day on the clay!