KRR Team Assen race report

[CK & AK]

Having just returned from Assen in the early hours this morning (2am) we thought we’d just drop you a few words to let you know how it went.

Having left at stupid o’clock on Thursday morning, with our 2 bikes in the van, accompanied by Senna 3 (Kev) with Paul (Bones) as his co-pilot, we caught the ferry across to Calais. A rather hot day greeted us as we set off on the long drive north.
6 hours later we pulled into the magnificent TT circuit at Assen.

Blimey! – the paddock was huge, completely block paved and marked into sections for easy parking. Facilities 2nd to none in the UK at a race track and the track left the lads speechless due to its long straights, fantastic curves and tight hairpins.

The weather stayed a hot sunny consistent 72+ for the whole time we were there and many of our mates (including us) were seen with rather red complexions!!!

Had a good 2 sessions practice on the Friday afternoon (which both our lads found ‘educating’) as none of the brits had ridden this track before.
A few items were confirmed with our Dutch hosts – one main one being that almost half the grid were to race under a different number for this race only, as they had been done like this for the programme! – Kaz shot off to collect the number 1’s (no jokes!!) that Andy was required to change to for this meeting, rather than his usual number 36, tho Paul was to race on his usual number of 39.

A good chat & dinner on Friday night, set us up for the qualifying on Saturday.
Little did we know that the Dutch use a different system to us, and that it wasn’t an untimed practice in the morning – but they took the best time of both sessions to produce the grid places. Andy J on our 620 was in 3rd – and Paul (Bones) on the 583 was 28th on the grid in row 6 out of the 7 filled from the combined class grid of 31 starters.

After qualifying saw us back into the same routine as the previous night, with quite a few others joining us for an evening talking ‘rubbish about racing & trackdays’ over some beers etc. The awning filled rather quickly, and as Mike & Lizzie along with Butch’s mob had gone out for an Indian, our guests all ‘borrowed’ their chairs from across the gangway.

Alan was still ‘on call’ for his assistance that evening for bits to fix a bike with, as he was for the whole weekend in one way or another. Dr AK stickers are appearing all over the paddock………………………