Dirttrack National Championship - Round 2 - Coventry

Sunday morning and we head out to Coventry speedway stadium for Round 2 of the DTRA Dirttrack National Championship. Practice starts at 11 and a few years ago, arriving before 10 would have given me loads of time to get a spot in the pits, unloaded, scrootineered etc. Things have changed. I arrive to a packed-out pits, everybody already setup and busying about, so I setup in the parking behind the pits.

Thanks to Ian Roxburgh for the pic

Pits for the day...

The last time we were at Coventry was for the inaugural Dirtquake and the Shorttrack UK meeting. It rained and the track was a mudbath. A normal race meeting would have been cancelled, because of the huge effort and crowd turn-out, Dirtquake and the racing went ahead. It was so bad that guys were doing 360 spins off the line and crashing. Unlike most, I survived the day without laying down in the mud.

Start-line shenanigans at Coventry 2 years ago

Pretty soon, we're into the racing. Thunderbike heat 1 and I bag a 3rd. Good start :-) Pro heat one and I have a good battle with one of the super-fast youngsters, Aaron Sylvester. I run wide on the last turn, he tries to get up my inside and it's a drag-race for the line. I find the traction and nose in front of him to take something like 6th. As we cross the line, I brake and start to get a slide on so I don't end up in the fence. Then I feel a punt from behind... Whooooah! I control the bike and slow it down in turn 1 to see Aaron picking himself up off the dirt. We're both trying hard.

Looks like Aaron Sylvester's front spindle ripped some new tread for me - it gave me the edge!

Thunderbike heat 2, I make a good start on the front row, hold my place and get 2nd. Sweet! I'm feeling fast and not making many mistakes. The track was tricky though. Everyone was struggling. Inconsistent and patchy. When it was watered, the water wasn't sprayed evenly and you'd get stripes across the racing line - hard, dry packed dirt with loads of grip next to slick, wet mud patches. Even the smoothest riders were sometimes looking a bit on the edge.

Thanks to Ian Roxburgh for the pic

Next Pro heat and I make good progress against the DTX bikes and make up a few places from the back row. Into the last Thunderbike heat and I make a cracking start from the back row... but get boxed in by slower riders that started on the row in front into turn 1 and through turn 2. I lose my momentum. I try get back at them, but I'm ragged as hell on the just-watered track. I'm not enjoying it and back-off in the last few laps to make sure I stay on and finish the heat with points.

Check out the dark and light stripes of dirt... bad for one's health.

Thanks to Ian Roxburgh for the pic

The last Pro heat goes alright with another mid-pack finish. I come up 14th on points from the Pro heats. Always finishing 6th in the heats isn't gonna get you in the Grand Final. Disappointed with that... but I think there is a stronger top-12 this year compared with last and I take solace in out-qualifying quite a few DTX bikes. In the Thunderbikes class I qualify 7th for the Final. Happy with that.

Gettin' on the gas.

Thanks to Ian Roxburgh for the pic

Thunderbikes Final. I line up in the middle of the second row. "5 sec" board is shown. Green light and we're racin! I make a good start and slot into 4th coming out of turn 2. Super-smooth and consistent Dave Chadburn is out front with Guy Sutherland and Co-Built Geoff Cain are battling for 2nd spot. Lap 2 and on the drive out I nip up the inside of Geoff as he's off the throttle for a split second during a close battle with Guy.

Some action form one of the heats... more 'stripy' traction.

Thanks to Ian Roxburgh for the pic

It's tricky out there. Lap 3, turn 2 and I run in deep... I push the front big-time mid turn but hold it up on my foot. Shit! Losing time! I get on the gas a little too quickly to try get the time back and get her all sideeways. Bollocks! I recover and am lucky not to get passed - I could sense Geoff just off my back wheel. Take it steady... there are no heroics to be done on this track. Lap 4 and Guy over-cooks it in an attempt to get back at Dave Chadburn who, as at Leicester, is running away with it. I'm up to 2nd. Sweet! Keep it steady boy!

Thanks to Ian Roxburgh for the pic

I feel like I'm going slow... steady, smooth... but most important, not making any mistakes. Dave Chadburn was too far ahead... and too quick - I don't try and catch him. The gap is steady, so my pace is good. The guys behind are close, but I'm not challenged for the remaining laps. I cross the line in 2nd. Geoff is a close 3rd.

Whooooohoooo! Awesome! My second Thunderbike podium... the last one was 2 years ago. Feels good. Real good.

Big smiles and trophy time!

Thanks to Ian Roxburgh for the pic

The Pro 'B' final is cancelled because we were running out of time. The Paramedics were busy through the day and there were quite a few injuries. The inconsistent track preparation made it tricky and caught a lot of us out. Glad I got through without going down. Get well soon to all that did get hurt.

Thanks to friend and fellow ManxGP racer Warren and Rogan for coming along to support. I normally crash when folks come to watch me... you witnessed something special. Thanks DTRA and all that help out to make the events as good as they are.

Aftermath - despite doubling up on the seat fixings, I'm still wearing them out after a day's racing.

Not a bad thing - shows I'm moving my ass forward and backward on the seat...

I'm guessing I've bagged 2 Championship points for qualifying 14th in the Pro... and a whole bunch of points for 2nd in the Thunderbikes. Unfortunately, I'll miss the next round in Scunthorpe. Got an important wedding to attend - my own :-)

An awesome day on the clay!

Stoked!

Thanks Rogan for the pic

We're Going Dirttrackin' in the Mornin'

Tomorrow is the first round of the 2014 DTRA National Dirttrack Championships at my 'home' track - Leicester. I've been away since the Noyes Camp UK two weekends ago, so didn't have a chance to prep the bike till last night.

I made a few adjustments to the suspension and found out the new bars I had bought were pretty narrow. Then I hit the start button to check everything and nada. Hit it again. Nente. Shit. I look, check and put my multi-meter on a number of wires. Out with the wiring diagram. Check. Test. Check.

With my overly simplistic understanding of moto-sickle wiring, I narrow it down to one of the two starter relays. I removed the kick-start from the bike because it was in the way of the custom footrest I made and I had also never started the bloody thing on the kick-start despite many, many attempts. I find my closest KTM dealer online... just 1 hour drive away. Yipee.

I call them first thing - I'm in luck. They have both relays on the shelf. I pay for them on the phone and head up to Peterborough. I get the bits and pick-up a perfect set of Renthal bars as well :-) Back in the garage I fit the first relay. Still nothing. Shit. Fit the second. Hey-fuckin-presto!

With a bike that now starts, new bars, rear tyre and some suspension tweaks - she's ready. Bike, spares, tools, fuel and gear loaded. We're goin' Dirttrackin in the mornin'!!

Racing starts at 13h00 - Leicester Lions Speedway Track & Pavilion, Beaumont Sports Complex, 1 The Lions, Leicester, LE4 1DZ. Com'on down and watch the action!

Noyes Camp UK

On Sunday I was down at Rye House with 19 other riders for the inaugural Noyes Camp UK. Kenny Noyes was out in sunny UK to give us a bit of training on going sideways. An ex AMA dirttrack Pro, Moto2  rider and second place finisher to Brad Baker at the Superpresigio in January - Kenny knows a thing or two about twisting the throttle. And is a heck of a good guy.

We started off with some theory - analyzing super some slo-mo videos of AMA #1 Brad Baker showing how it's done at the Superprestigio. Really insightful... and hard to get one's head around the balance of lean angle, brake and throttle. There are so many different ways of doing it... but the Baker way is the model.

We then headed out onto the dirt for some free practice and to try some different things. The track was over-watered (normal for Rye House) and slippery as hell for the first half hour. I went down once. No damage to bike or body... just a whack on my right elbow.

We then did a training exercise focused around going into turn 1 harder and deeper, turning the bike on the power, squaring off the turn and firing it out turn 2 in a straight line. This is something I learned to do at last year's pre-season training session... but tended to only use it when I went in too hot and landed up going deep. It's hard for a road-racer to the head around going into a turn hard and hot, completely missing the apex. Neeeeeed to practice that.

We did some technique filming (thanks Olly Bindle and Alan Birtwhistle), a few race drills (the art of the start) and finished with an hour of free practice. Besides the early slippyness, the track was great and hardened up nicely. Olly and Alan were also testing their new bikes in the new and totally pro-looking Kawasaki Dirttrack Team. They're gonna be at the front this year!

For the first time, I also got to ride a dirttrack bike that wasn't mine. Been wanting to do that for a few seasons now, to feel the difference. I have no idea what one should feel like. I just built mine and learned how to ride it. Vince Hurst and I swapped bikes for a session.

Wow. Wow. Wow. His DTX dirttracker felt so light, nimble and easy to ride. After a few laps of finding where everything is I started pushing on. Man!  Just so much easier and more forgiving to ride. Uncrashable! My big old KTM feels like it's on the edge of crashing most of the time and I'm working it hard to not crash. I thoroughly enjoyed it riding his rapier. A real weapon. Vince didn't enjoy my bike at all. He said after 4 or 5 laps he was exhausted and that it was just about to chuck him off the whole time.

The experience was enlightening, but disappointing too. Disappointed at how crap my bike is as a dirttracker. Kenny Noyes spent some time looking at it after riding had finished for the day and gave me some ideas on how to improve it. We'll try a few things. Would love a DTX bike to try be competitive on.

Overall, what an awesome day in the sunshine, going round in circles on motosickles with mates and learning something. Thanks Anthony Brown and all at DTRA for getting Kenny out to the UK and putting the event on.

DTRA Flattrackin Round 3 - King's Lynn - DIRTQUAKE II

Saturday morning I drove up to King's Lynn with a couple if dirttrack bikes, my gear and a whole packet of enthusiasm.

The day started off well... I finally collected my silverware from last year's Championships :-)

I unload, unpack and get setup for a day's racing and the crazy-ass DirtQuake II. Get the bike warmed up and kit on. First up, practice. At the gate onto the track, the bloody bike doesn't want to start. I wheel it back to my pit and give it a battery-boost. She starts, but the gate is closed and practice session underway. Bollocks! At least with 2 Classes I get 2 practice sessions. I get out in my second and try get up to speed quickly in the 4 laps we have on track.  Still feeling my way around a bit.

First heat and I'm drawn on the front row. With so many riders, to qualify decently for the final, one needs to get into at least the top 3 in every heat. Especially if you're starting on the front row. I get a decent start, but get passed and land up 5th or something. Crap.

Pikes Peak and desert racing legend "747" Travis Newbold came out from the US for the party... he was super-fast on loaned bike and kit... and bagged 2nd in the final. Great ride Dood!

Next heat and I start to get into things. I think I get a 2nd and a couple of 3rds in the heats after that. Sweet! I'm feeling fast and comfortable and riding steadily to make sure I qualify well. Last heat in the Pro Class. We wait to go out on track.

When waiting I leave the bike off - with a dinky wee radiator and no fan, she boils over quickly if standing. We get ushered onto track. I hit the start button. Crrrrrrrrrrr.... hit it again... Crrrrr.... again... Crrr. She normally fires up straight away. Fuck.

Drogo Michie donning battle-gear for a heat

 

I grab the nearest person to me, hand them the bike and shout over the noise of dirttrack bikes heading out onto the track "Just hold this...". Clunk! Clunk! Clunk! Clunk! I do the steel-shoe lope-run back to the pit, grab my battery boostpack... Clunk! Clunk! Clunk! Clunk!

I plug it in and ask the guy who held my bike "Stop them closing the gate!" He can't hear me, or understand what I mean. I point at the gate and repeat. He has no clue. Shit. I try get the bike fired up... Crrrrrrrr. Crrrrrrrrr. Crrrrrrrrr. Bollocks. I check the fuel, choke off, ignition, cut-out and lanyard switch. All ok. Try again... Crrrrrr. Crrrrrrr. Brraaaaaaap! Yeah!

Foot massage, anyone?

I look up just as the heat starts. Fuuuuuuuck! They hadn't realised I wasn't on the start line and started without me. Sitting in the pits is not the way to score points to get one into the final. Poor tactics. When the bike didn't start, I should have just asked Andy at the gate to wait 1 minute. Instead, I thought I could get it all sorted in less than 1 minute. I know for next time.

The nicest battery pack I've ever seen!

As a result, I didn't get into the Grand Final. I scored enough points in my two heats to only qualify 14th. Damn! On a brighter side, I qualify 8th in the Thunderbikes. What is it with me qualifying 8th? Third race meet in a row. It's not great... you gotta be on the front row (first 4) to have a good chance of a podium.. but its ok. Frustrating because I know I have the speed to be nearer the front. I still need to sort out my slow-burning first heats.

"Sideburn" Ben Part fettling his chop for the DirtQuake II showdown. In the Chopper final he had an epic battle with "747" Travis

For the next few hours we were entertained by the antics of DirtQuake. It was brilliant. There must have been 7 or 8 photographer types buzzing around with big cameras and a 'helicopter' camera. Riders came from all over Europe and a few from the US including "747" Travis Newbold - great to see him again. There was even a celebrity - Charley Boorman was riding a Zaeta. I didn't take many pics of the event because there was so much other exposure... I'll post links to them soon.

Cool toys! An awesome hi-tech VTOL camera drone - it was buzzing around taking film all evening. Can't wait to see the footage.

Had to get kit and race face on after about 3 hours of DirtQuake shenanigans and do the business in the Thunderbike final. I started middle row, far inside. Revvs up... and we're off!

I get a decent start and am into the thick of it in turn 1. Get hooked up nicely out of turn 2 and am in 5th or so into 3. As I get into turn 4, the bike just washes out and I'm on the floor again. I didn't feel over the limit or off-line so might have been nudged from behind. With the pack so close behind it is inevitable that I'm hit by a following rider...as I hit the dirt, I brace myself for the second impact.

Checking the heat results. Guy had another great qualification... front row in Thunderbikes and second row in Pro

Clatter! Scrunch! Thud! I see a front wheel and another rider with a red helmet off their bike in the dust. The wheel slides under me and I'm sandwiched between two bikes - Gary Inman's bike under me and mine on top of me. I'm okay.. no second impact. I manage to wriggle out and push my bike off. Gary is getting to his feet and trying to get his bike up. He must be okay, so I try get mine up. But I'm snagged by his bike, by then the red flags come out.

Okay... no panic. Let's get the bike up check the damage. Mullered gear lever. Shit. It's still attached and although out of place, still does the clickety-click change. Cool. Let's get going. I hit the start button. Crrrrrrrrrrr. again. Crrrrrr... Sonnofabitch! Crr.

"Sideburn" Gary Inman raced in the Thunderbikes... got taken down by someone on the ground in the final and also managed to run the DirtQuake II event! Top man!

A photographer offers to push start me. I try... but I know with the compression it's just about impossible. I've tried many times but have never managed to bump start that flattracker. We give it a go and land up pushing the bike all the way to near the gate. Gary's bike won't start either, so is beckoning for his starter form the pits. Great idea!

I hand the bike to Andy near the gate and say "I'll be back in a minute". Clunk! Clunk! Clunk! I lope-jog to get my battery boost pack. Clunk! Clunk! Clunk! By the time I get back to the bike, there is a crowd around it checking and straightening things. Derek Brindley just finishes off sorting my gear-change. Awesome! Thanks guys! I plug in the booster and after a few tries. Braaaaaaaap!

Jason Cursley looking badd before a heat

Jason Cursley looking not so badd between heats

I hussle her back to the start line and in seconds we're off on the restart. I get an okay start and am again in the thick of it in turn 1. Turn 2 I spin her up too much and lose a place. Damn!

For the next few laps I have a close battle with Geoff Cain - he's faster into the turns. He gets alongside me on the outside going into turn 3. We're side-by-side coming out. I'm spinning up the rear too much. Too much adrenalin and haste. "Just take it easy... feeeeeel the traction. Get her hooked up and DRIVE".

Pro heat - Co-Built Geoff and I were pretty close all day/evening

We're locking elbows as we drift out of turn 4. It's close, real close. Neither of us give an inch. I get the inside through turn 1 and 2. But he's back at me into turn 3. I work on getting drive out of 4 and I get ahead of him. I'm clear.

Next lap as I get form turn 3 to 4, I feel a nudge on my outside arm. It's like someone walked up to me and gave me a tap. Weird. Surreal.

 Co-Built Geoff sporting a cool Ruby helmet

I glance over and see a flash of yellow. It's Geoff again! I dig in and push harder. I'm onto the back wheel of Guy Sutherland now. He's trying to get past Tom Clemens ahead of him. I just keep to the lines and protect my inside from Geoff... waiting for an opportunity to get by Guy. I daren't not try anything bold on Guy because Geoff will have me as soon as I'm off line. The race winds down and last lap flag is out.

Guy makes a push for the pass on Tom into turn 3. He makes it stick and is ahead of Tom as we go into turn 4. But he overcooks it and goes down in the dust cloud. I wind up taking 6th. A close, hard-fought race. AWESOME!

Disappointed to not make the Pro Grand Final... but very happy with a 6th in the Thunderbikes after coming off in the first start. Got to take the good with the bad... missing a practice, a heat and a place in the Grand Final - kinda balances out with crashing in Thunderbikes and still salvaging 6th in an great race. Think my battery is on its last legs.

A good day on the clay! Thanks "56" James Boddy for the pic

What a day! Thanks Gary Inman, Dave Arnold and all the folks involved in the DirtQuake event. It was an absolute cracker! And thanks Anthony Brown, Anna, Andy and all those making the racing happen - awesome job!

DTRA Flattrackin' - Round 2 - Rye House

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.

I think I'm just about to bite the dust here... but looks cool.

Thanks Tom Whiting for the pic

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

Thanks Tom Whiting for the pic

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!

Awesome photography from Tom Whiting - catching the off again!

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

Thanks Tom Whiting for the pic

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!