My first taste of Racing....

Remal heard that I'd started racing and asked me to post up here about my experience so far, (only one race so far but heading to Mallory Park at the weekend for another go).

I have to admit, my blade is staying in the garage and very much road going, even it's track days have probably come to an end now, and I race my ex-Triumph Triple Challenge Daytona 675.

Anyhow, here's what I made of my first event ...... hope you enjoy, and maybe get inspired to have a go yourself?? Copy of the race report and some photos can be seen at http://www.pittys.com/pcvracing.html

Aintree – 15th September 2012

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5.00am and I’m woken up by Di, I hate early mornings it has to be said, but the nerves haven’t allowed me to sleep too well anyway so here we go, the day of my first ever race event has finally arrived.


7.00am we arrive at the circuit with Chris Van Buul (Goose) along with us and start setting up with Paul Cunvin sharing our gazebo (I ’m glad of his presence as a mentor for a track I’ve never ridden before). Before you know it, the gazebo is up, I’ve been up to sign on, leathers are on and we’re off to scrutineering.


No problems at scrutineering, with the exception of my race numbers not being permitted (I suspected that I wouldn’t get away with the ones I had on, so had brought a spare set with me). Bike, and riding gear all signed off its back to the paddock to change the numbers and try to relax before the riders briefing at 9.00am


Matty, Phil and Jacqui arrive with big smiles on their faces and we all find it a little strange to have the roles reversed, this time it’s me with the nerves and Matty chilling out laughing at me!


I’m due out for practice sessions 3&4 so we keep a listen out for the tannoy and get down to the holding area in reasonable time. I’ve only been able to see the circuit from 2 viewing points and aerial views on google maps, so the plan for the first practice session is to turn left onto the track and follow everyone else until I get back to the start line, then have another go to try to work out some lines and braking markers.

Straight away, my first impressions of the circuit are that I just can’t believe how bumpy it is! I apologise to everyone during the day as I must have said it a thousand times, but every corner has big bumps which cause the bike to move around more than I have experienced before but the Triumph handles everything I throw at it so it’s all good.


Phil kindly timed the laps for us at Village corner and returns with news of consistent lap times of 1m10 seconds in session 3 and 1m09 in session 4 so at least it’s going in the right direction. The practice sessions have mixed classes so there appear to be a lot of bikes on track so I actually look forward to the first race when I should be able to find a little more space to get my head around the track.


There are no set times for the races, so we have to keep listening to the tannoy and watching who’s heading out on track to see when we’re due out on track again.

There are a few delays with the first couple of races but Race 3 (Qualifying race for Superbikes 401-1300cc) comes around quickly and it’s time to head out to the holding area. Grid positions are by ballot but I ask to start at the back as it’s my first race and I’ve only done 10 laps of this track. This works well and takes off (a little) of the pressure of my first ever race start. A good launch sees me arriving at the first corner right on the back of the pack, but this doesn’t last too long as by turn 2 (Village) the pack are getting away so the pressure is relieved a little. I try to keep the pack in sight for as long as I can in order to try to pick up on other rider’s lines and braking points. An uneventful (thankfully) 5 lap race goes past in no time at all, and before I know it, I flash past the chequered flag to complete my first ever race! I am over the moon to have not been lapped by the front runners on the 1,000cc superbikes, I’ve finished 20th of 21. Happy days!


Lap times are now down to a best lap of 1m 07.374 so I’m getting the hang of where the circuit goes. I’m looking forward now to the Formula 600 race now, where I’m actually up against a full field of equal standard bikes.


Race 7 (qualifying race for Formula 600) comes up very quickly and again I’m back on the grid for the warm up lap. This time I’m one row further forward on the balloted grid so the pressure’s on now as there are a couple of riders out of my view that are likely to get away better than me. Warm up lap done, and the red lights are on, revs up and we’re away, only I bog my bike down and immediately make the mistake of looking over my shoulder in self defence only to see the rider alongside me high up on the back wheel! We’re away but I’m last into turn 1 again (kind of relieved in a way to be honest) but this time I’m determined to hang onto the back of the pack and learn as much as I can in this race. I tag onto the back of another rider and manage to keep him in sight for the entire race, finishing the 5 laps just 6 seconds behind him. Finishing 23rd out of 24 will do for me.


Lunch time now, and the morning has flown by, but we have a long wait now until the Superbikes final (race 18).

This is the tough one, out again with the big boys on the 1,000cc bikes. The final has been reduced to 5 laps which gives me a better chance of not seeing the leaders for a second time. I start again one row from the back so have riders around me again. Lights out and I’m away well this time, but get to turn one and am way too polite and let everyone else go first, I have some work to do here obviously. The same routine as the first superbike race as I watch the field disappear and run my own race, I find it more difficult having the track to myself, and the lap times show, not managing to get below 1m 08 this time. I finished the race 19th of 23 as others had technical problems.


It’s all down to Race 22 now, the final of the Formula 600 race. Getting comfortable time is over now, and I decide to try to see what it’s like to actually race. I get my head down off the line and get a great start, into turn 1 and I have 3 riders behind me! Result. Even more of a result is that I manage to keep them behind me for a lap as well before being taken by 2 of them in the same place on 2 consecutive laps, braking for the hairpin (I struggled here all day and it’s definitely the place to gain time next time out). Despite this I manage to hang on to the rider in front and finish just 3 seconds behind him and in 19th of 24.


Four safe finishes, a signature on my race card, and smiles all round. That’s a great first day’s racing as far as I’m concerned, and now I know what it feels like to line up on the grid with 20 odd other nutters, I mean racers. A definite achievement in my life!


Huge thanks go out to Di, Goose, Matty, Phil and Jacqui for their support in the paddock. Paul Cunvin, and Karlos Doyle for their support and advice on track, and Di’s Boss, Simon, at Secure Empty Property for his support.
And thanks to Di, we had cake too J not just any cake, but a special personalised cake, awesome Thanks Di, you’re a star xx

 

All credit to you Pitty for having the balls to do what most of us dream about. Would loved to have raced in my youth but never had the support of my parents or the funds to do it with. Ok so you came in near the back but you stayed upright and learned plenty I'm sure. Only one way to go from here mate, Good luck with the next race! Great write-up too, proper interesting.

 

quality mate! fair play to you.

mind me asking how much the weekend cost you all in? how many sets of tyres you do?

 

Good Job, Pitty!!!

Nice write up, thanks for that!!

 

there is no shame in running at the back of the pack as most of the people you were racing against will have been in that class all year and maybe longer, im sure at your next meeting you will find yourself fighting with the back of the pack instead of just following them, keep at it

 

Great write up , really interesting , good luck on your next race day ,
hope to hear how the next one goes also .

 

Cheers for all of the great feedback.

Cost wise it's hard to put a figure on it (and that's probably a good thing) but entry for Aintree is relatively cheap at £115 for entry into 2 classes. I have now done 3 events (2nd race report to be posted up on this thread in a minute, and I'm about to write up the third one, it's been a really manic last few weeks!), adding up to 14 races and have just finished off a set of dry tyres and a set of wets during that. I guess I'll get harder on tyres as my experience grows but for now I'm relatively happy with that. The biggest cost by far is getting all of the kit needed in the first place. I've been doing track days for years, but to do anything more than a single day event, the kit needed just grows.

For example, I have now bought a van that's converted to a bike transporter and motorhome with an awning. A big expense but makes a real difference to everything during a race weekend.

 

Anyhow, as promised here's the report from Thundersport GB at Mallory, hope you enjoy...

Thundersport GB - Mallory Park 19-21[SUP]st[/SUP] October 2012

After a full on couple of weeks preparing the new race van for its first outing, we finally set off after work to head for Mallory Park to join another two of the Team PCV Racing riders, Paul Cunvin and Luke Harrison.

We arrived at the circuit at around 10pm and set about finding out how the awning fitted together for the first time, this was to become a weekend full of firsts as I’d never ridden at Mallory before. With our area sorted, and the bikes safely unloaded and tucked up in the awning it was time for some much needed sleep.

Friday morning came around way too fast, but we were all keen to get out on track for the morning’s testing. Heading out for the first time, I was shocked to find that the pit lane exit feeds you straight out on the inside of Gerards, with bikes approaching flat out in 5[SUP]th[/SUP] or 6[SUP]th[/SUP] gear and turning in towards you!! My first 20 minute session went well, but I was very conscious that I was acting as a mobile chicane for the Elite class riders who were also on track at the same time. I stuck to my guns though, running as accurate and predictable a line as I could.

Chris Morley arrived in time for the second session and set about giving me advice on my lines and technique, watching from the pit wall, he seemed to be happy with my progress through sessions 2 and 3. I was feeling much more comfortable by now, and was starting to really enjoy the fast physical nature of the circuit. It’s much more demanding than I’d imagined, and the only time the bike is upright is in the braking areas, loving it!

After lunch we have a long break before a 15 minute qualifying session at 3.45pm. I was surprised at how nervous I was feeling before this session. It was my first ever proper qualifying session (at Aintree the qualifying takes the form of a random grid position race).

We headed out onto the track and I tried to settle down into a rhythm during the first lap. Just as I get comfortable, a couple of laps in, a faster rider comes past belching smoke from the left hand side of his bike, I then follow him from the hairpin all of the way around to Edwina’s and all that’s going through my head is “I’ve seen this on the TV, bike in front smokes, rider behind ends up on his backside”. Thankfully he pulls in at Edwina’s without incident and I try to regain my composure.

I’m feeling really tired now and it’s showing, I’m not making mistakes, but can certainly tell I’m not on the pace I was doing before lunch. Conscious that the 15 minutes is running out fast, I made a determined effort to get my head down and push to try to get a decent time, I manage 2 laps before the chequered flag comes out, that was hard.

We collect the timing sheets and I’m pleased with what I see, qualified 25[SUP]th[/SUP] on the Grid for Saturday’s races with a lap time of 1:04.563 more importantly my second fastest lap was 1:04.579 so it wasn’t a one off.

Saturday morning starts early, cold and foggy, but our spirits are high as we are meeting John Ingram at 7.30am for a track walk. John very kindly offered to share his knowledge and experience with us, what can I say? It was a huge privilege, Thanks John!!

Warm up was soon with us and, despite us wishing very hard, the track was still cold and damp. The wrong choice of dry tyres meant that I only did 3 laps before heading back to the paddock before I ended up causing a problem to the faster riders on wets.

The whole paddock was watching the skies throughout the morning praying for the sun to emerge for long enough to dry the tarmac, but it refused to cooperate. By now we had a very good turnout from www.tankslap.co.uk and all were treated to beans on toast from the van kitchen by Di (doing a marathon job serving just about everybody, and some twice...you know who you are!!)

Race 1

Decision made, it’s full wets for me for the race, deciding that even if the track has a dry line, I wanted the security they provided.

Starting from 25[SUP]th[/SUP] on the grid I have a pretty clear view down the outside of the track towards Gerard’s, 8k revs, the lights go out and the Triumph is off like a scalded cat, the combination of great torque and short gearing fires me straight through the row in front of me and we’re away heading towards Gerard’s with 31 other bikes, how scary is that? !!

Race 1 goes without too much drama, but on wet tyres on a dry racing line, my best lap time was only 1:08.753 good enough to get me a very satisfying 24[SUP]th[/SUP] place finish.

Race 2

The track is definitely dry but still cold so it’s back on with the dry tyres and out we go.

Another cracking start from 25[SUP]th[/SUP] on the grid again sees me heading into Gerard’s several places ahead of where I started. A lack of aggression, experience and confidence sees me lose a few of those places in the first couple of laps (another area to work on, but with John Ingram’s mantra ‘Baby Steps’ ringing in my ears, there’s time for that, it’ll come).

I settle into a rhythm and start to catch the rider in front of me, I catch him at the hairpin with a lap to go, and I decide that I want that place. I follow him through the bus stop but get a good drive onto the straight and he brakes for Gerard’s which by now I’m not, I find myself on the outside of him through the long fast corner, thinking that a hero’s move is on I drive right around the outside, right up until I find a damp patch of tarmac and the front tucks, somehow it comes back to me but by now I’m playing survival trying to keep on the tarmac.

Scare over, we made it, so head down again and I’m off after him, catching him again at the hairpin. One of the leaders squeezes past me into the bus stop chicane and I finish just 2.461 seconds behind 23[SUP]rd[/SUP] place, that one would have been mine, but surviving a big scare like that ... I’ll take 24th (did I mention that this was Race 13 on the schedule?). Best lap is now down to 1:03.170 my target time of a 1:02 by the end of the weekend is within my grasp .......

Sunday morning dawns and it’s not bright, it’s cold and damp so here comes yet another wheel change as I decide that wets are the order of the day for warm up. It’s still foggy as we head out on track, so much so that that a quick wipe of the visor was needed 3 times during the lap. Feeling better on the full wets, I stayed out for almost the whole session this time.
Once again we have a great turnout from the ‘slappers’ from www.tankslap.co.uk it feels great to have such great support and makes it all a great social occasion as well.

Race 3

Grid positions for today are based on the ‘mega-laps’ from qualifying and racing so far, this puts me back 2 places to 27[SUP]th[/SUP] on the grid, it doesn’t bother me though as I’m starting to really enjoy the starts by now.

I get a shock arriving at Gerard’s in fourth gear, again a row forward from where I started, but as I tip in the two bikes to my left collide and spear off onto the grass, it’s hard to stop my eyes following them as I’ve only ever seen that kind of sight from the on-board cameras on the TV until now.

I get my head down and try to stay with the pack for as long as I can, I feel like I’m making some real progress now, but on lap 4 (I think?), I spot smoke in Edwina’s as I exit Gerard’s. When I get there I find the Marshalls covering a bike with fire extinguishers on the outside of the track. There’s a trail of grass and mud across the racing line, along with a line of oil or fuel, it’s slippery, as I find out when the front end tucks as I pass over it, a foot off the peg but I survive it and we’re heading towards the Hairpin....

Coming out of the esses, there’s another 2 bikes leaning against the wall, does anyone want to actually finish this race?? It’s time to keep my concentration now, the line of oil or fuel stays across the racing line at Edwina’s meaning that I have to get the bike sat up as much as possible to cross it on the apex, delaying getting the power on towards the esses, but the rest of the race passes fairly quickly.

This time we’re home in 20[SUP]th[/SUP] place with a best lap of 1:02.906 mission accomplished, a 1:02 lap happy days! I guess the next target has to be the magic minute now?

Race 4

This is it, the final race of the 2012 season for the riders in this Championship. I’m just thinking, how many of these riders will go ‘all out’ in this one? Especially after the carnage of race 3!

I manage to get a great start again but as usual lack the aggression and confidence in the first lap to capitalise on it unfortunately, it’s noted, and is a big area for me to concentrate on improving.

My lap times are again consistent though with 6 of the 11 laps in the 1:03’s so it’s a good base to work with. The race went without any real incident which gave me a chance to really concentrate on my riding and trying to stay relaxed and gain confidence. This see’s me with yet another 24[SUP]th[/SUP] place finish and I end the weekend without being lapped more than once by the leaders, even in the 12 lap races. I am very happy with that.

Huge thanks go out as always to Di for keeping me fed, watered and generally looked after, also to Chris Morley for his mentoring on Friday for the test day and qualifying, Alan and his Dad for travelling down to crew for me on Saturday, and Tricky for all of his help on Sunday, especially when it came to packing everything up.

 

Thanks mate, it's nice to be able to share my racing, so I'm really pleased that you enjoy reading it. I'm no journo for sure, it's just how I felt during the weekend.

It already seems to have inspired a few other people that I know to put some plans together to have a go next year so I'm really pleased with that.

 

AWESOME WRITE UP DUDE! Really enthralling read, can only imagine what emotions you were going through at the start line.

 

Nice one Nige! I'm going to try and get to some races of yours next year! You sound as if you're loving it, and well done mate!

 

Cheers Si, it'd be great to see you at some events next year, as it would any of you guys on here. I haven't met any of you yet, but please come along and say Hi and grab a brew.

Here it is then, my last report from this year ....

Auto 66 – Cadwell Park 27-28[SUP]th[/SUP] October 2012

Wow, it’s only 5 days since we got home from Mallory Park, and the van’s re-packed, bike prepped and we’re off again, this time to Cadwell, at the end of October ..... are we mad?? Probably, but this racing thing has got under our skin and we just wanted to get in as many meeting as we could before the end of the season.

We arrive at Cadwell in the darkness at 9pm and set about looking for Tricky, who had agreed to crew for us all weekend had been there all day watching the track day action and had bagged us a great spot in the paddock. It seems that plenty of other people had wanted the spot during the afternoon but a strategically parked van, a wheelie bin, and a very persuasive Tricky kept it clear for our arrival, cheers mate, you’re a legend.

So, the three of us set about getting the bike out and the awning set up ...... and it started .... first rain, then snow!! Looking over at my race bike getting soaked, I refer back to the comment in the first paragraph, yep, it’s confirmed, we are Mad!!

None of us quite know what to think sitting in the awning, watching the snow falling outside and shivering? Would the racing even go ahead? If it did, did I want to go out even? We went to bed to get warm with all of these questions running around in our heads. The nights weather just got worse as high winds and rain tested the awning and van beyond what we expected it to survive, but it did, much to our relief.

Saturday morning, it’s early, very cold, very wet, and the paddock vehicles and awnings have a coating of snow. I will happily admit, I just didn’t feel up for it today. None the less, I am determined to get down to scrutineering and get signed on and just see what the day brings.

Tricky and I make our way down to the scrutineering bay, stopping on the way to say hello to Greg Lambert (the Pitty’s sponsored F2 sidecar driver, you’ll remember us stickering up his outfit at this years TT). Everyone’s in good spirits and ready for the challenge ahead. The bike and my gear fly through scrutineering so I go to the office to sign on and we’re ready .... well, the bike and kit are at least.

Warm up comes around really quickly and I decide that there’s only one way to decide if I’m racing and that’s to get out there and get a feel for the conditions. 1[SUP]st[/SUP] time properly on full wets on a fully wet track, I have a lot to learn. Relying on the advice I’ve had from other racers, I try to trust the tyres, and it seems to work. By the time I return to the paddock, I have to abandon the bike leaning against the van as my fingers are painful they’re so cold.

It’s been good though, and the timing sheets show me as 14[SUP]th[/SUP] fastest of the 600’s with a lap time on the club circuit of 1:32.718, I am amazed but happy.

Whilst sitting in the awning preparing for race 1, we have a surprise visit from Phil Laws (Matty’s Dad), it’s ace to see him, and a real boost to moral too.

Race 1

So, here it is, my first properly wet race, nervous? You bet! but I’m up for this now, and ready to go. At Auto 66 we get given our grid positions as we arrive at the holding area, arriving at the grid we just find painted yellow spots on the track, but no row numbers at the side of the track, it’s chaos as no-one further back from rows 1&2 have any idea where they’re supposed to line up. Towards the back of the grid we all kind of find a spot and take that, not a great start really.

Warm up lap (that’s a laugh, it’s freezing!) done, and we’re faced with a flag start as we’re starting from the bottom of Coppice. I’d been warned about flag starts as it’s difficult to know when to go, officially it’s when the Union flag is ‘dropped’ but when is that exactly? When it starts to move or when it hits the floor? It moves, so we all go anyway and it’s very surreal to be heading into Coppice with 25 other riders in the rain.

As we head down Park straight I suddenly realise just what it’s like to be in a freight train of bikes throwing up loads of spray at well over 100mph, weirdly it’s not terrifying, perhaps it’s the concentration that does it?

Race 1 goes without incident and I finish a respectable 21[SUP]st[/SUP] of 26, and 6[SUP]th[/SUP] of 7 in class. Lap time is down a little from warm up at 1:29.069 I’m cold but feeling very satisfied with that.

Race 2

As we head out on the warm up lap for race 2, we arrive at the end of Park Straight to be greeted with hailstones coming down at an angle of 45 degrees! This weather seems to follow us back around to the start line and as we sit there waiting while the guys on the front row to discuss with the start line marshalls, a film of white hailstones form on the tarmac around us. Surely they’ll delay the start? Much hand waving and gesturing is going on at the front and we get the message that we’re going around for another warm up lap and the race is being reduced to 6 laps.

I move my feet around on the tarmac and find that any hailstones under my boot do actually melt as I put pressure on them, surely then they shouldn’t affect my tyres too much ..... should they??

By the time we form up on the grid again, the hail has stopped and the tarmac is just wet, so we’re off. A tentative start makes Coppice, Charlies 1 & 2 interesting as everyone jostles for a space, but we all make it round and the race settles quite nicely. Only 3 riders fail to finish the race and I bring it home in 18 with a best lap of 1:33.064 I’m not surprised that the lap times were slower in that one, but I’m actually starting to enjoy this riding in the wet thing.

Race 3

It’s almost 4pm now and its brightened up but track conditions are still wet. I’m up for this now and can’t wait to get started. They have managed to get the row numbers out now on the grid so it’s a little easier to find our correct starting spots.

All of the races are now reduced to 6 laps from 7 due to a delay in proceedings earlier in the day. I’m finding it very weird to be accelerating up the hill through Coppice and changing up for Charlies 1, where I would normally be scrubbing off speed on the full circuit. In the brighter conditions I feel like I can start to push a little more and it shows with a best lap of 1:25.472, and all laps within 1.5 seconds of that. It only gets me 19[SUP]th[/SUP] in the race (5[SUP]th[/SUP] in class) though.

Well, what a day! It started with me really not fancying racing at all, and ended with a huge smile on my face, having made real progress in very difficult conditions.... bring on tomorrow.

After Friday night, we’re all desperate for a good night’s sleep by now and at a very unusually early hour, we all head for our beds.

Sunday Morning dawns, and we’ve benefitted from an extra hour in bed courtesy of the clocks going back, happy days. It’s a more relaxed start to the day as we don’t need to get through scrutineering and don’t have to go out for warm up either. We are scheduled to be using the full circuit today, but the Clerk of the Course has been out on track and decided that the Woodland section is too slippery for racing so we’re back on the club circuit for a 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] day.

Tricky and I check the bike over and work out what fuel we need for each race, it’s invaluable to have help like this, and is hugely appreciated. Chris ‘Hamster’ Hammond arrives early with Caitlin to give us more help and support, as always it’s great to have people come along and say hello, it really gives us all a boost so, please if you’re ever at any of our races, come and find us, you’re always welcome.

 

Race 4

So we’re out in the very first race of the day again, it’s wet, no surprises there then, oh and cold too, but it’s only 4 laps so my fingers should survive this one.

I’m determined to make more improvements today, but with the cold of the morning, lap times are down again with a best race lap for me of 1:29.12 Consistency is the key again though, with all laps within 0.4 seconds of each other. Whatever I’m doing, at least it seems to be similar every lap. I’m only 22[SUP]nd[/SUP] in this race but 4[SUP]th[/SUP] in class.

I’m finding that in every race I seem to be behind the same rider, a guy on a blue CBR600, there are parts of the track where I feel faster, but others where I just can’t get near him. I start to use him as a marker and learn what I can from where he’s faster than me.

Race 5

As we head out on the warm up lap for this one, there appears to be a slightly drier line appearing, but it’s definitely still full wets on the bikes. By now I’m feeling comfortable on the wets, even if they are starting to look a little 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] hand by now. The last few races have actually turned into battles with other riders, with lots of overtaking and being overtaken, especially at the very, very tight hairpin! The club circuit misses out the chicane, and then turns back on itself before the Mountain Bottom, passing through the crossing point. It’s ridiculously tight and, with the restrictive steering limiter fitted to the Triumph, I’ve been finding it difficult to get around all weekend.

I finish the race in 21[SUP]st[/SUP] place (4[SUP]th[/SUP] in Class again) but this time my best lap time is down to 1:21.557 A great improvement in time, but not position, I need to be more aggressive in the first lap (where have I said that before)

As I arrive back at the paddock I find that Bet and Norman (Di’s Mum & Dad) have arrived, as I’ve said before it’s great to have people coming along to support us, and cheer us on, we enjoy a nice hot brew and a chat as we all warm up after the race.

In the paddock now, the talk with Tricky and Hamster turns to tyres. The track is drying, and the skies are fairly bright. My rear wet tyre is holding up well but the front is now looking a bit worse for wear on the side tread blocks, there are no sharp edges anymore. We decide that as long as it doesn’t rain again I’ll use them for the last race and if they destroy themselves, it’s not the end of the world. If it rains again though, I have another set of scrubbed wets in the van that we could put on......

Well, that was the plan anyway, the rain holds off, until just before the last race is due to start, it’s too late to change them now so we have what we have. The rain gets harder and harder but I think, well, it’s my very last race of the season, let’s just bring it home safe in this one ....

Race 6

On the grid, the rain is heavy still, that doesn’t bother me, but that front tyre is playing on my mind during the warm up lap, is it gripping, or isn’t it? Just go with the flow Pitty, and rely on the ‘feel’ I tell myself.

The flag drops and we’re off, forgetting all about the tyre, I try to be more aggressive in the first few turns ... and it works! I come out onto Park Straight in a much better position than I’ve managed so far, the spray is incredible but somehow I’m feeling comfortable tucked in and throttle wide open.

I spy the blue CBR in front of me and start to chase it down. Over the next few laps I manage to reel him in, and tuck in behind him, matching his speed everywhere, but still no way past. That is until lap 4 when braking hard down the hill into Mansfield, I find myself on the outside and carrying the speed I need to go right around him, remembering back to Mallory I wonder if this is a good idea, but go for it anyway, it works!! I find myself driving hard down towards the stupid hairpin, expecting to see him back up the inside at any moment but no, he doesn’t appear. I’ve made it stick and I can’t quite believe it.

I’m desperate now not to let him back past and focus on the next rider ahead (who’d overtaken us both a lap earlier). My new target drags me along even more and I forget about the CBR and give all my attention to my new target. So, this is what racing is all about! It’s taken me a while to get here but I now start to understand what it’s like to race. I’ll be honest, when I started out, I didn’t actually believe that I could ever do this, and just expected to only chase lap times and personal challenges.

But this is it, the last couple of laps and I want that extra place, looking everywhere for an opportunity, it just doesn’t look like it’s going to happen, but then on the last corner of the race I get a good drive out of Mansfield, it’s only a short distance to the line and I’m on the outside again, but I just give it everything the Triumph will give me and squeeze through the tightening space between him and the edge of the tarmac, I made it, by just 0.311 seconds.

17[SUP]th[/SUP] overall and 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] in class in the final race!!

Did I just do that? What a feeling! It’s hard to describe the feeling I had on my way back to the paddock after that, but elation is probably pretty close. I have found out since that the guy on the CBR is 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] in the rookies championship for 2012 with Auto 66, that’s a good feeling.

So there we have it, probably the shortest, most hectic season I could have possibly imagined. In the space of 6 weeks, we’ve done 3 events, and taken part in 14 races. I’ve learnt more in those 14 races than I have in the last 3 years of track days, which was the main aim when deciding to go racing. I’ve also found a competitive edge that I really didn’t think I had in me.

As always, mega Thanks go to Di for supporting me in this venture, looking after me (and everyone who visits to support us) and making it all feel right xx

Huge Thanks to Tricky again for helping all weekend, in conditions that would have sent many a good man home. Also thanks to Hamster and Caitlin for turning out, helping and cheering me on.

That’s enough of me waffling on for one year, Bring on 2013 .... Can’t wait !!

 

Great write up there Pitty. Really enjoyed that

 

Great write ups mate.

Hope to see you on same track as me at some point next year!

 

I've followed this from the first post , spot on fella , enjoyed all the write ups
Glad you had a great time , I will make a point of coming to see you next year
and take some pictures for ya , once again well done .