Zimbo
21-05-2007, 05:08 AM
My biggest ever crash, plus ride of my life!
The day started well, Gilps and I had an enjoyable evening and a good night's sleep, got the bikes scrutineered, Slob turned up on his very tidy "refreshed" 620 (very nice Rob), went out for untimed practice on a dry track, I registered fourth fastest out of 30 odd with a 1.05.6, a second slower than fastest. not too worried at this stage as I did 1.03.7 there last track day I did. A good qualifying should put me on the front row.
Qualifying - made a classic error. Mallory has the fastest corner on the british club race scene (thruxton excluded) Gerrards is a long long 100+mph constant radius right hander as many UKMOC members will know, and that's about how fast i tipped in on my first hot lap, before the tyres had got properly warm. Result - high speed lowside, tarmac interface then tumbling through the gravel to an eventual stop, luckilly I was totally uninjured and the bike only superficially damaged - screen plus sticky-out bits (bar, brake lever, footrest). Recovered back to paddock at the end of the session, leathers are trashed, shredded at the forearm where the stitching all burst open and a big hole in the shoulder, nothing else damaged kit wise luckilly.
Slob set to work immediately with Mand's Alex whilst official event brolly dolly Mand looked on in shock, they did an absolutely stirling job repairing the bike, missed race 1 whilst it was sorted and watched a scrappy race with several red flags and restarts, a couple of injuries picked up by fallen riders.
Saw the Clerk of the Course and got permission to start at the back of the grid for race 2, as I hadn't posted a qualifying time. Borrowed a set of leathers, lined up on the back of the grid for race 2 in 27th position. 10 lap race, sighting lap, lights out, made a good start and passed two rows before Gerrards, round the outside of a few more round Gerrards and up the inside of more on the brakes into Edwinas and the Hairpin, race was red flagged after three laps due to another faller and injury, by which time I was up to 6th. Sent back to grid in original positions for the restart, so back to 27th for me, shame, race now reduced to 8 laps. Sighting lap, lights, another good start, repeat of start 1, made up a load of places but red flagged again after a lap, another faller. Back to grid, back on 27th yet again! Still eight laps to run, another sighting lap, lights, repeat first start perfomance, this time the race runs it's distance, three laps in and positions start to become harder to pick up, trying to drive hard round the outside of two people round Gerrards but they weren't letting me go that easy, side by side at full throttle 100mph knee dragging, hard and late on the brakes into Edwinas, no way through, managed to get past one round the outside of Gerrards eventually and the second very very late and hard on the brakes into Edwinas, he tried hard to outbrake me and left it too late, ran wide so I nipped up the inside and made it stick on the last lap, at the flag I was up to third and got a trophy to take home at least! Ended 5 seconds behind second place and 11 behind the leader.
So, a mixed weekend, I should be upset about the off and lack of qualifying as I should have got two second places today I reckon which would have put me second in the championship instead of my current fifth, but I got off so lightly after a near 100mph crash I reckon I should just settle for that, shame to miss out on race 1 but getting from 27th to 3rd in race 2 was a reasonable achievement so overall I'm happy. Thanks to Slob and Alex for all the team help, would have been so much harder without you guys, and to Mand for the encouragement!
Few pics to follow, next outing is next Saturday at Donington Bikefest followed by a brief appearance at the Mill for Sat night / Sun morning, then one weekend off and then Assen. Bike is now looking very gravel rashed, which is how it'll stay for a bit I fear!!!
The day started well, Gilps and I had an enjoyable evening and a good night's sleep, got the bikes scrutineered, Slob turned up on his very tidy "refreshed" 620 (very nice Rob), went out for untimed practice on a dry track, I registered fourth fastest out of 30 odd with a 1.05.6, a second slower than fastest. not too worried at this stage as I did 1.03.7 there last track day I did. A good qualifying should put me on the front row.
Qualifying - made a classic error. Mallory has the fastest corner on the british club race scene (thruxton excluded) Gerrards is a long long 100+mph constant radius right hander as many UKMOC members will know, and that's about how fast i tipped in on my first hot lap, before the tyres had got properly warm. Result - high speed lowside, tarmac interface then tumbling through the gravel to an eventual stop, luckilly I was totally uninjured and the bike only superficially damaged - screen plus sticky-out bits (bar, brake lever, footrest). Recovered back to paddock at the end of the session, leathers are trashed, shredded at the forearm where the stitching all burst open and a big hole in the shoulder, nothing else damaged kit wise luckilly.
Slob set to work immediately with Mand's Alex whilst official event brolly dolly Mand looked on in shock, they did an absolutely stirling job repairing the bike, missed race 1 whilst it was sorted and watched a scrappy race with several red flags and restarts, a couple of injuries picked up by fallen riders.
Saw the Clerk of the Course and got permission to start at the back of the grid for race 2, as I hadn't posted a qualifying time. Borrowed a set of leathers, lined up on the back of the grid for race 2 in 27th position. 10 lap race, sighting lap, lights out, made a good start and passed two rows before Gerrards, round the outside of a few more round Gerrards and up the inside of more on the brakes into Edwinas and the Hairpin, race was red flagged after three laps due to another faller and injury, by which time I was up to 6th. Sent back to grid in original positions for the restart, so back to 27th for me, shame, race now reduced to 8 laps. Sighting lap, lights, another good start, repeat of start 1, made up a load of places but red flagged again after a lap, another faller. Back to grid, back on 27th yet again! Still eight laps to run, another sighting lap, lights, repeat first start perfomance, this time the race runs it's distance, three laps in and positions start to become harder to pick up, trying to drive hard round the outside of two people round Gerrards but they weren't letting me go that easy, side by side at full throttle 100mph knee dragging, hard and late on the brakes into Edwinas, no way through, managed to get past one round the outside of Gerrards eventually and the second very very late and hard on the brakes into Edwinas, he tried hard to outbrake me and left it too late, ran wide so I nipped up the inside and made it stick on the last lap, at the flag I was up to third and got a trophy to take home at least! Ended 5 seconds behind second place and 11 behind the leader.
So, a mixed weekend, I should be upset about the off and lack of qualifying as I should have got two second places today I reckon which would have put me second in the championship instead of my current fifth, but I got off so lightly after a near 100mph crash I reckon I should just settle for that, shame to miss out on race 1 but getting from 27th to 3rd in race 2 was a reasonable achievement so overall I'm happy. Thanks to Slob and Alex for all the team help, would have been so much harder without you guys, and to Mand for the encouragement!
Few pics to follow, next outing is next Saturday at Donington Bikefest followed by a brief appearance at the Mill for Sat night / Sun morning, then one weekend off and then Assen. Bike is now looking very gravel rashed, which is how it'll stay for a bit I fear!!!