Cadwell Park - Round 2 - March 24th

We were late setting off so after 4 hours at the wheel without stopping, it was a dark Cadwell Park that greeted us on Friday evening. We put up our marquee (instant pop-up my arse!) and heated up our spag bol that we'd brought with us. Washed down with a cold San Miguel and it was soon time for bed (in the van).

We awoke to the sound of the tannoy system and started to prepare for the day. Bike out, genny on, fuel in bike, tyre warmers on, check oil and water levels, check chain tension, charge battery...The it was scrutineering and the bike sailed through (phew). Sign on and pretty quickly it was morning practice.

The track had been wet but had totally dried out. I started to up the pace and hit my braking points and racing lines. At the end of the lap, at the hairpin, I clipped the white line and soon found out that, unlike the tarmac, it was still very wet. The back and slid out and gripped again. This could have easily been a lowside or even a highside but luckily the bike stabilised and I carried on. Phew, didn't want to crash on the practice!

Which is exactly what Matty Handley did! And he broke his knee! He's gonna be out for 6 weeks. What a pisser.

It started to drizzle, nothing serious, but persistent. I thought that it wasn't wet enough for wets so I stayed on my standard tyres. Just as I was about to go out for qualifying, it got heavier and it was soon far to wet for my tyres. I frantically tried to get my tyres changed but it was too late - I missed qualifying.

We waited for the Senior cup qualifying to come round. At the last moment we started to take the tyre warmers off but the back tyre wouldn't move! I thought that the brake might have seized on (it had happened at Teesside), so I let out a touch of brake fluid - with no effect. As it turns out, in my mad rush to change tyres, I had left off a spacer. That was both qualifying races missed. Not a good start to the weekend.

The day progressed really slowly and it wasn't until 3pm that I actually got out in the Clubmans 600 trophy race. Starting on the back I had my work cut out for me but I fought hard and managed to get passed a few guys. I was messing up my gears though and didn't feel that comfortable on the bike. Also my damper wasn't wound up enough so I would get tankslappers every time I got hard on the throttle. I finally caught up with a guy from the I.O.M. We had a real dice and there were some desperate moves going on. I managed to get him back going into Park in a late braking move and held it for the rest of the lap to take 4th. I even got a 4th place egg cup trophy for my efforts. That was too much like hard work!

The next race was better. It was the Senior cup with bikes up to 1300cc. Again, I was starting near the back but I got a great start and was getting my gear right. I flew passed a few guys and caught Steve Degnan (a mate from last year). I followed him around the back of the circuit and got right up to him coming into the mountain. I timed it just right, got on the gas and nipped in front as we went into Hall Bends. With a 1000cc, I thought he'd pass me on the straight but he never came passed. I held on to take 2nd place.

That was it for day one. Races had taken an age to get through so they were postponed until tomorrow.

Instead of eating from the burger van, Nic and I headed off to a gorgeous country pub and had Jumbo Grimsby Fish and Chips with mushy peas and a pint of beer - what a great way to finish a race day. Let's hope we have better weather for tomorrows racing though.