What a fantastic Easter weekend - sun sun and more sun - and that always makes for a happy racer ;-)
After a gorgeous curry with the folks the night before,
Nic and I set off at 7am to
Elvington in the van (which quickly smelt of last nights curry!) Note to self - curry and nerves
don't mix!
It had been nearly 7 months since I'd raced here and I've never really like the place, so I was cautious in warm-up. Just trying to remember the lines, the bumps, the braking points and the gearing.
The
Clubmans 600 qualifying went well and I managed to eek out a gap between myself and 4
th place to ensure a front row grid.
In the Senior qualifying, I went in far too hot into the hairpin (trying to catch the two
GSXR1000 K5's in front of me) and ran straight on, loosing 4 places. I tried desperately to catch them up but started to get ragged which just lead to more mistakes and I crossed the line in 7
th place - giving me a second row start.
Before the next race my Groupies turned up! Mum and Dad, and their friend and daughter (pressure!)
I got a flying start but was swamped into the first corner and came out 4
th. I got my head down but they just seemed to start pulling away. Then the guy in front made a mistake through the chicane and suddenly I was back with him. I pressed him and pressured him and then put a block pass on him going into the last corner (this was to become my
signature move today). I crossed the line in 3rd and was pretty chuffed.
Until I saw the trophy! Anybody need a spare thimble!
Then my brother and sister-in-law arrived with my nephews - even more pressure!
I wasn't expecting much in the Senior trophy race but got a great start and was 3rd going into the first corner, ahead of Steve
Degnan on his K5 thou. He tried to go up the inside of me on the second lap but I closed the door on him and put in a few solid laps to move away from him. I even caught up with 2
nd place man and with just a few corners left, ran out of time to do much about it. I got a good run on him on to the straight, but he crossed the line half a wheel ahead of me. 3rd it was, and another thimble for the sewing kit.
The
Clubmans 600 points race was a beauty with a lot of place swapping for 3rd place. Each lap had us changing position and the adrenalin was racing through me. Again, my last corner block pass worked a treat and I brought it home for another 3rd place.
The last race of the day, the Senior, was the best of the day. I had an amazing battle with the
KTM 990SM that had just pipped me in the previous Senior race and
he could brake much deeper than I could. He took my place for one corner but I got him back straight away in my fave passing place (the last corner). He tried the move on the next lap but ran on a touch and I was able to hold my ground. We had been setting such a good pace that Mick
Goodings was now coming into my grasp. I think his tyres must have been going off as he was slow through the double right-
hander and then slow again through the chicane. I braked as late as I could for the hairpin and realised that it was going to be a
desperate lunge to get passed him, but sure enough, at the last corner, I passed him and held on to the position to get my fifth 3rd place of the day.
Today has been brilliant. Great racing, great atmosphere, great
competitive spirit and some good results. I knackered - time for a nice cold beer(s).
Not sure when the next race is as I can't afford to do Croft since its not a championship race. I'll let you know soon.
