Rider Updates
Oct 8 2008
Well, its a few days after Blaxhall and I have to be honest, the Motorhome and bike aren't gleaming yet! It was wet. Really wet. The kind of wet that takes days to get rid of! Working a regular job in the week means i get so little time to clean up after the weekend, but it will be done tomorrow, i swear!
Anyway, back to the racing. The day started out with free practice and after heavy rain since around 5am the track was already pretty terrible.
I made sure i put plenty of effort into preparing my gate for the opener, it paid off and i got a great jump, 4th into turn one, avoiding most of the slop! I made my way quickly to 2nd by turn 4 and set about chasing the leader down who had an astonishing lead after such a short time, i guess he hadn't had any spray at all! So coming to the end of the first lap I had closed to a few bike lengths of the leader when he made a mistake and went down. I moved into the lead and pulled a comfortable gap, the track rode pretty well considering, there was one good line and the rest was mush! I cruised home with around a 20 second lead.
Race 2...well, after winning the first race, I was bumped up into the expert class! This is great, but i didnt have any goggles prepped with tear offs so grabbed some roll offs. I was sitting in 9th around half distance when the roll offs jammed and I couldnt see! I missed a rut and stalled the bike, it seemed to take an eternity to fire and I was down in 20th. I had no goggles but was mad! I rode hard for the rest of the moto, passing anyone I could. I brought it home in 14th, rueing what could have been a top ten in my first expert race. Oh well!
Sep 14 2008
Racing at Wakes Colne in Essex, England. The Allcomers races consist of 20 Expert graded riders and 20 junior riders (like me-to become expert grade you must get sufficient points within the year to qualify, this is my goal next year)
Race 1 started well, I had a good gate pick and lined up on the inside gate facing the steep start straight before the long 180 degree first turn. I made a good jump from the off and into the first turn was around 10th. I held my line around the turn and powered to the outside of the 2nd turn looking to sweep around the berm and collect a few places in the long drag uphill to the step up to tabletop combo. I was running well inside the top 10 for the first part of the race when I started to make some bad line choices battling with another rider. The track was dry but had wet spots going into the turns and had rutted badly. I was trying not to follow the guy in front and found some sloppy ruts on the outside of one turn which allowed other riders to close in. I held my nerve, regrouped and charged onto the back tyre of the guy in 7th, unfortunately I ran out of real estate as the flag fell I was just seconds away from moving past, but I was happy with 8th and 2nd Junior home.
Race 2 was a copy of the first from the start, the inside gate got me out to a good start, my tyres hooked up well and I was around tenth again for the first lap. I got shuffled wide on the 3rd and 4th turns however, and lost a handful of places. Sitting back in 15th I was taking a lot of roost, the dust made passing tricky and with the big air at this track there were some close moments as I worked through to 10th at the finish, again 2nd Junior.
Race 3 I had a poor start. I hadnt secured the inside gate and was around 6 in from the left and I got pinched off around halfway up the steep hill start. Well out of the top ten, only just in the top twenty I put my h
Aug 18 2008
Well, a mixed day weather and racing wise! The track looked perfect when we arrived sunday morning, I only live a few miles from the circuit so I didnt stay over. Then it rained and rained! The track was pretty good still in practice but it kept raining and got very sloppy. In my qualifying heat I got a great start (nice new Michelin rubber!) and ran in 6th for most of the heat. Toward the end I felt good and pushed on picking up two places on the last lap for a 4th and straight into the A finals!
Race 1 A Final. The start was hectic and with the sun now shining the track was ace! I was around 8th on the first lap and had to contend with some serious pressure whilst trying to pass the guys infront. After the leader broke away there where 6 of us all running the same pace, I wanted to pass and get towards the front but stalled in a turn and took a couple of moments to restart. I was down in 18th and only had a couple of laps to go. I felt strong tho and charged hard for those laps passing fallen guys, lappers and ended up 13th at the flag.
In Race 2 I got a poor start, I didnt prep my gate well enough and span up a little! Rookie mistake! I rounded the first turn 22nd and knew I had it all to do. I rode hard and aggressive for the whole moto, picking off riders every lap, experts as well! I grabbed 11th on the final lap, I was beat with roost and had run out of tear offs but man, it felt good to finish the moto going forward!
Aug 15 2008
Hey All,
Heading to my local track this weekend, Cadders Hill, Lyng. I will be racing the Motocross Class against some real stiff opposition, current and former Centre champions will be there so I am looking for some good starts and hard racing! I have put some new rubber on the wheels in order to get those starts, fingers crossed!