zedhead

I'll be there ;-)

And a pic from way back at Donington...

50... so you have some years yet to go fella!

It was kind of my target for the weekend, so proper pleased to have acheived that, and not just one lap either... however, still 14 seconds per lap slower than the quick guys!

A rather tardy update from the last round of the year, which was last month... Anyways, as Cadwell is within commuting distance, I didn't say overnight at the track, taking the Bandit up in the van on Friday evening, getting it scrutineered and leaving it and the van there and going home on the GSX-8S. I had hoped that I might sneak in a track evening or two before the last round, but that didnt happen (too busy), so yet again I was playing catch-up with track knowledge compared to fellow racers, especially those who'd done the Friday test day. Saturday's free practice and quali both went okay, well, okay enough so as I didn't qualify at the back of the grid (just very close to the back of the grid. Very close indeed). Then popped back home to let dog out for a pee and back trackside just in time to get kitted up and ready for the race. Usual great start in Race 1, passed half a dozen, all of whom had come past again within half a lap.... but I did enjoy it, mos of the race by myself, and not lapped! Home overnight, but back in time for Sunday's free practice, which saw me actually starting to find the right lines and braking points (ish). Passed 7 or 8 off the start, and managed to hold some of them off for over a lap! A crash and oil spill saw a red flag and wait before a restart, followed by another ace start (the best to date, passed about 8), and staying ahead of those a little longer again. Eventually got passed by most though. But definitely improving with more track time, all showing that if I could have had some evenings at Cadwell, or the Friday test day, I would have been more consistent and competitive. Still, not last and not lapped. And a sub 2 minute lap attained. Then a blast home for dog duties again, back with half an hour spare. The stor clouds were looming, but we went out in the dry, with a reasonable start and staying ahead of more this time, actually chasing a couple, right until big rain drops made an appearance, and the front three skittled off and the race was red flagged. All in all, while I was chasing rather than staying in front, I felt like I was riding my best of the year, which was good for confidence and gave the "When does next year's season start" questions... Final standing for the year was 5th in the Bandit Rookies and, astoundingly, 2nd in the Bandit Seniors! Given that, before Cadwell, I was thinking of retiring the Bandit, maybe selling it, maybe keeping it for track days, maybe returning it to the road, when the weekend finished I was already planning which rounds to do in 2024.... it'll not be a full season, but I will be out again.

In better news, Ive just had an email from the ACU telling me that my licence has been upgraded and I no longer need to wear the orange bib! Yay!

Last weekend was at the epic Trac Mons circuit on Anglesey. Work commtments meant that, once again, I wasn't able to attend the test day on the Friday, and after the 5 hour journey (that took 8 hours...) I arrived at 8pm just as the weather started to break... consequently, I ddn't bother taking anything ou of the van, erecting the gazebo etc, just dossed down nect to the bike. Bloody glad I did too, it got really windy, and heavy rain too, being in the van felt like being on a bumpy aeroplane flight, the first time that I've felt travel sick in a van that was stationary... Getting up at 7am on Saturday showed the extent of the devastation - tents, gazebos and awnings scattered everywhere, folk looking like they'd had zero sleep (because they hadn't) stumbling around in a daze, and still a gale force wind blasting the island. No great surprise that racing was cancelled, with no track action until free practice for all at 4pm. It was dry, but still horribly windy, and I can't say that I really enjoyed it. The weather settled somewhat overnight, so I added entry into the Newcomers race to get some extra track time after Sunday's free practice. This meant I sort of knew where I was going, but the pace was still slow and I had no idea where I was supposed to be going through the Corkscrew. A decent enough start for Bandit race 1 was wasted within 3 turns as everyone came past, soon losing any tow to flounder my own way around for seven laps, although I was only lapped by one bloke on a 400... Race 2 I got a great start, passing at least 8 before the first corner, all of whom had got back past before half a lap was covered... starting to think that maybe drag racing would be better?.... But I did really enjoy that last race, and finished without getting lapped by anyone, but I must bear in mind that it had been a shortened race (in order to get everything completed on the day) and that the overall winner was just a few feet behind me as he claimed the chequered flag... One round left to go...

Oh, and I had to turn the fuel onto reserve in that last wet race, same as I had to back at Pembrey.... i need to pay more attention to how much fuel I'm ptting in... And Daz, I seem to be losing places on the way into corners mostly (sometimes coming out) - corner speed isn't an issue as that's the one time that i seem to catch up a few (unless it's Quarry, ahem)... I've been speaking to other riders about brake pads, and a change is due...

So, Round 5 was back to Castle Combe. Too busy (and skint) to book the Friday test day, I arrived late on Friday evening in the rain, to struggle to find pit space - it's the big King of Combe meeting, so a lot of attendees - managing to just squeeze my van in a space, but no room to erect my gazebo. This would be relevant later... Early morning track walk to try and reacquaint myself with where the track went, didn't really help much... Saturday free practice, one and a half laps in, throttle cable came adrift, so parked. Sorted for qualifying but with no track time I was struggling to remember the way around, so qualified crap (albeit not last, not quite). So signed up for the Newcomers race as the last of the day to get more track time... First race Saturday afternoon, good start and past about half a dozen, losing a couple of those places into Quarry on second lap and, keen to try and grab them back, too much throttle at too great a lean angle saw a lowside onto the grass and game over. Not too much damge so swift spanner twilring to get sorted for Newcomers race (albeit after a stern talk to myself after considering packing up and going home to do my laundry) - new bars, new RH peg, duct tape over cracks in seat unit (yes, the freshly-painted seat unit by Havoc...), back to scrutineering (all good, very helpful chaps), then to medical centre for blood pressure / eye checks etc, then with my bit of paper to organisers office and the all clear to go back out again... Steady bimble round in Newcomers race - back on the horse etc etc... and two laps walked around in the evening to try and remember where I go... Sunday morning, another track walk, with a stop to thanks the marshalls at Quarry who were so nice the previous afternoon. Race 2... rode shit, ended race with a loaf and a pint of mlk on the seat... (but third Senior) A long gap before the third and final race of the weekend so a walk around the outside of the track to watch other races and try and instill some memory for braking points / lines / apexes etc, with an eye on the looming clouds. Got back to my van as the heavens opened and a decision to fit the wets for the afternoon's race. Remember that I couldn't put up my gazebo?... trying to lever oneself back into dry keathers when soaked to the skin is fun. Not. Anyways, all done with time for a breather before last race, in the pissing rain. Quarter of a lap into sighting lap and left foot was soaking, and cold rain running down my back. Urgh. Why do we do this? Lights out and away, grabbing half a dozen or so places again and the wet is forgotten about. However, it seems that the start is the only place where I can actually make a pass, and several places were lost before the red flag came out, but only after a couple of laps so we had a restart. Chance to gain a few places again then! If races were all about the starts I'd be fine... Another great start, passed about 8, but had lost at least 5 by the time the 6 laps of the restart were done, getting lapped by winner (fellow rookie and proper fast lad, Dan Turpin) and last year's champion Chris Edwards, but getting Senior 2nd place. Pitifully poor weekend, as regards my riding (more track time definitely required, getting lapped in just 6 laps is dire) but a couple of trophies, and head was in a better place as I drove home than when it was on Saturday afternoon (I kept saying "Gettin lapped is better than not racing at all"). Next stop, Anglesey.

Another late race report, but better late than never I guess. With bodywork (tank, tail unit and bellypan) repainted after Donington crash by our own Havoc, it was a Frday dash down to Pembrey - a slog of 7 hours to get there albeit on some epic roads through Shropshire & Wales. Due to work commitment I didn't do the Friday test day, and an early Saturday moring track walk wasn't enough to make me know exactly where the track was going... It's ultra-grippy, so even through there'd been drizzle, and the track was a little damp, I didn;t bother with wets, really no need at all. Lomg story short, kept getting lost around the track, and a rear caliper near to seizing saw boiling brake fluid (literally, steam coming out when I cracked the bleed nipple!) meant that I qualified poorly (no change there then) and thre three races didn't really see much improvement! I got lost in the first race, once I'd been left to my own devices with some empty track ahead of me with apexes passing like monthly deadlines (whooosh! there goes another!)... so much so that a fellow rookie, who was actually some distance behind, caught me quickly and passed - at the end of the race he said "What happened? You sddenly went slow?".... "I got lost, again..." But third in the Seniors. Second race was average, not helped by having to go onto reserve after about 6 laps, and another Seniors third. Last race, with an excursion onto the grass when getting lost again (!), resulted in a head shake and some cncentration at last, with a feeling that, for the last 4 or 5 laps, I was actually racing rather than cruising around, and felt like I was riding my best of the weekend. Just need to get that concentration dialled in from Saturday morning and to last all weekend...

All was good in prep for Donington, with an eye on the forecast which was steadily improving as the week progressed, with only the apparent potential for rain on Sunday pm. My only previous experience at Donington was a (very) wet track day with Triumph about 4 years ago, with no more than 8 laps undertaken. So, the first Friday session was a lesson in remembering just how big Donington is, how wide the track is, how much run off there is etc. Second session saw me realise that what folk say about Donington being "all about the flow" is exactly true. Smooth, fast, flowing lies. Not that I was either smooth, fast or flowing. Anyway, still good fun and only curtailed with time taken out to pull the wheels out for a new set of Dunlop Sportsmart TTs. At which point I notced that the leading edge of the exhaust can was showing some signs of decking out in right handers... hmmm, thought I, muct keep an eye on that... Saturday warm-up, feeling more confident in where I was going, and maybe qualifying could be okay? It was just that - okay - neither brilliant nor crap, but it was very enjoyable, which I guess is the main thing. A hot Race 1 saw an ace battle with two of my rookie compadres, albeit being red-flagged one lap early which meant that I finished in the middle of the 3, rather than at the front as I had been when I crossed the line on that red-flagged lap. The guy behind me did mention that there were trails of sparks coming from the can through McLeans and Coppice, so I just thought I'll remember to hang off there a little more... Result of 3rd in the Seniors. Race 2 on Sunday morning saw a clean start getting past a few fellow rookies and a couple of more experienced guys too, and happily following a couple of guys who seemed to be dragging me a long a bit. I was then overtaken on the last lap, at the top of Craner by a Senior who I know is a little quicker than me, but I knew if I could just stay on his back wheel I could outbrake him into the final chicance and pip him to the line. I just needed to stay with him... Into Mcleans, with him, just, get a bit harder on the gas.... oh yeah that exhaust can, it's decking out isn't it? Hard. Oh, is that the back wheel off the floor? Hello kitty litter.... Disgraced can knackered, bars bent, thottle tube disappeared, lever guard lost, dignity smashed. After encouragement from fellow racers, the spares box released bars and lever guard, the chap I was chasing lent me his spare exhaust can, and I blagged a thottle tube from another Bandit racer. Paperwork checked and signed by doc and scrutineer, releasing me from the naughty corner and I was back out for the final race. Albeit at a sedate pace. But I was back on the horse. Next round, Pembrey.

That makes perfect sense Bluedog, thanks! I'll do exactly that, it's Donington next meeting in less than 3 weeks...

Round 2 Castle Combe As I wasn't quick enough to get onto the Friday test day (limited spaces at the Wiltshire circuit), I had to rely on the Friday evening track walk to get an idea of where it went... and yes, I had frgoten most of he advice y Saturday morning, so had aother coupe of laps on foot to try and remember. Free practice was all about trying to learn where it went, and CC is fast! Fast and bumpy... Qualifying, I was still getting lost, qualified 19th. 1st race was an epic battle with fellow rookie Arthur Moore, pipping him to the post for, 19th overall and 3rd Senior. Sunday I was procrastinating and having 'head issues' (me, not the bike), and missed free practice... Race 2 was crap, riding like a chimpanzee and making mistakes everywhere, finished 22nd, but 3rd Senior again. After giving myself a stern talking to, and keeping finger crossed that the forecast rain stayed away (it did) I made a much better start to race 3, albeit ending up spening mch of the race by myself, but starting to get (some) correct lines, although the wee Bandit wasn't revving through to 12k like it had been, just pulling over 11,000rpm on the ultra-fast run through to Quarry... although this time I did finish 2nd Senior!

No headlight now - all lights must be removed in race regs. It was working fine, but I noticed at the start of race 3 that it'd stopped working... thanks for the info regards wire colours etc though, I can test when I'm home next week...

Oh, and I just remembered, in the last race my rev counter stoped working, so I've got that to investigate as well.