Last of the summer gasoline

Although there was due to be another race weekend at Lydden Hill, Brands Hatch was to be my last for this season. I don't much care for Lydden, the track is good fun but the paddock is the worst by miles of all I have been to in the uk. 99% of the paddock is on a really steep hill which is not conducive to having a good nights sleep. Brands was to be the last points scoring race so was effectively the last meeting anyway and the battle for the very hotly fought Thunderbikes champion was going down to the wire.

We decided not to do the Friday practice, which was a bit of a shame. Would have been nice to have had more time to set the bike up better than it was. The set up would have to be different from the last race, and with a lot more stress on the front end than at Snetterton and the lack of a good performing front suspension, this race would be tough and any short coming would really show here at Brands.
Steve Spencer had come down for the Saturdays racing and after each race we tweaked the front. It did get better and I went faster but from Steve's view point, he could see where I was loosing time. On the brakes was the diagnosis, and rather a lot according to Steve. Probably loosing up to 2 seconds a lap on the brakes. I was braking as late and hard, but as smooth, as I possibly could and was really struggling to hang on to the guys in front all weekend. Given a decent front, I KNOW I could go a lot faster.


Note; the pipes almost on the deck and the front forks heavily compressed

First practice on Saturday was a wet affair. Thunderbikes were out 2nd and at around 9.30. I was hoping in 2 hours time, by the time we were out for our 1st race, that the track would be dry.
As the 125cc Aprilia superteen race went out on track for their 1st race, the track was looking like it could be totally dry by the time we got out. I had anticipated this, as had everyone else , and the slicks were in place on the bike and would be suitably warmed in time.

I was feeling really up for it and as planned (if you can plan these things) I made a great start shooting from 14th on the grid to 7th by the end of the first lap. Then the front end started to show, with the suspension bottoming out badly and the pipe just millimetres from the track under heavy breaking. The Surtees corner is fast and relys on the front through there. There was no good feeling through the corner here and I was loosing time here as well as under braking.
I just slipped down through the order lap after lap. on the last couple of laps I could feel a bike closing in and on the last lap in the last corner, Gyles came along side on the Guzzler. It was very tight for the line and as we hurtled down the straight side by side, I knew he was going to do me.
There was less than 1 tenth of a second between us.


Gyles behind me! but not for long!

It was a hard race, I had rode hard and gone backwards but I had gone from a 56.8 second lap to a 55.3. A good improvement but I was hoping and reasonably confident of getting into the 53 area. Most importantly, I had thoroughly enjoyed it.
Gyles got the 13th spot and 3 points, I was 14th with 2 points, Piers Hutchins stole the last points paying position just a few tenths behind me and Tim right behind in 16th scoring no points.
Things were hotting up.
given another lap and I am sure I would have been the one with nil points. Just as well I was getting lightening starts and would have to continue to do so, to stay in the points this weekend.
I set about the front suspension, and turned everything up a couple of clicks to get the front to stay up under brakes. The next race would be telling!

The Championship at the front was hotting up with Gary Budgen on his steel framed CBR600 Honda and Martin Cooper on his SV Suzuki.Martin won the race, but was given a 10 second penalty for a yellow flag infringement. That knocked him down to 4th.

There was to be a prize giving at the end of the weekend for the Thunderbikes trophy. There was also to be a prize giving for the top three rookies, which meant we were in for some mid grid battling, with Tim currently running in top rookie spot, Gyles close behind and myself a fair way behind in 3rd. Gyles could take the top trophy if he finished ahead of Tim all weekend and of course if I got ahead of Tim and behind Gyles, that would make Gyles's task a whole lot easier. With Tim missing his much loved slipper clutch and my bike as fit and healthy as it's ever been, things were looking good for Gyles and the big black Guzzler.


Not looking so good was Gyles's shaving fund! he he he!

I was to start race 2 from the position I had finished the last race, and from 14th on the grid I got a reasonable start but found myself having to shut the throttle twice going into the first turn.There was such a melee of riders all vying for position, it got quite confusing and I didn't really know where I was or what was going on.Once finally back on the gas and down the hill, I just concentrated on getting into Druids safely and getting out the other side. By the end of lap 1, I was in 12th place. I could see Gyles giving Adam Palfreman a hard time hassling him for 10th spot. I resolved to try to hang on to the back of Gyles and hope he would tow me along.
It wasn't long before Gyles dispatched Adam, but no matter how I tried, I just couldn't get into the turns as late and therefore out the other side as fast as the guys in front. It was a couple of laps later until another rider came past me, predictably on the brakes, then on lap 5 another came past. I dug deeper and pushed a little harder but had in reality gone a tiny bit slower. I did manage to hang on for the rest of the race and maintain my position which turned out to be 15th place with Tim just behind and probably likely to overtake any time soon. Saved again by a better start than the guys around me on the start grid.
Gyles was 5 seconds ahead and in an excellent 10th place and an all important points haul, with time again, failing to score. I bet he was cursing me!
I got my lap time down a bit more to a 55.14. only a couple of tenths. More clicks on the suspension for tomorrow...a lot more!


The bike looks sooo much better with out that orange bib!

The days racing had been hard and frustrating, but it was racing and I had loved every second of it. With the last race day of the year ahead, I savoured that day and evening and the excellent friends I had made around me. There was a real sense of excitement in the air around the paddock that evening. We cooked our usual paddock fare and had a few small glasses of beer or wine. Not too much though, with racing still to be done the next day the last thing I needed was a hangover. I guess nor did anyone else and no matter how much encouragement I gave, I couldn't get my fellow competitors to drink too much. Chris made up for all of us though and managed to get totally off his trolley and drank enough for all of us!

It was nice to spend a little time in the bar with all the people I have met throughout my first year of racing. The banter between us all is so much fun and in such good spirit. The paddock at Bemsee is pretty much an asshole free zone, unlike the rest of the planet! In my experience anyway...















left to right... Chris, Gyles and Phil Read .JR All talking bollocks....ok ...I was too! Right pic: Ex-Bemsee champion Jeremy Hill on the right has been helping Garry Budgen win all season. Also given me loads of help.