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………………………

[CK & AK]

Sunday dawned as hot as the previous 3 days and racers were seen in various stages of contemplation from sitting quietly to nattering and others were just looking plain worried. Before long we got the call that we were to go down a bit earlier than the programmed time so everyone hurriedly got into gear and made their way to the holding paddock. After a very long long 15 minute wait whilst Paul Smart did a lap of the track then drew the raffle prize winner (for a new 749) the riders then were let down the pit lane for their siting lap before lining up on the grid.

As they lined up, the 8 riders on the front 2 rows were met by their own personal brolly dolly, with the rest lining up with the girls at the side holding their row marker.
All too soon the red lights went out and the race began……….

Andy got a terrible start but made up for time in quickly gaining all the places he had lost and hurtled back into 3rd place. Paul made a blinding start finding himself catapulted from the 6th row right into the lads on the 4th row. Unfortunately this wasn’t to last, as the mighty little 583 wasn’t up to staying with the higher horse powered 620’s amongst him. But Paul did maintain his pace and kept in front of all bar 3 x 583’s. Andy started catching the 2 front runners of Domski & Kyle but then the red flags came out as Dominic Clegg had taken a nasty looking tumble into the kitty litter.

This 2nd start was not of help at all to Paul, who had made such a distance in front of his usual rival Doug, and he now couldn’t force the pace a 2nd time to keep in front after he tangled with the astro turf and kitty litter – tho managed to blast his way out again!!!, so Paul & Senna 3 (Kev) had their own battle for the 7th & 8th 583 places, with Senna crossing the line just ahead of Paul.

Back to Andy, who got a much better start on this restarted race. He managed to edge past Kyle (Hawk) on the number 5 bike but whilst battling with Kyle, this allowed Domski to draw away and he wasn’t able to catch him before the chequered flags came out. 2nd was a fantastic placing tho at such a celebrated event as this! Amazingly, all the marshals round the track came to the edges of the track and were flag waving and clapping ALL the riders as they did their slow down lap back to the pit lane & paddock

The lads who were in the first 3 in each class were guided to the high steps to go up to the podium over the pit lane (just as on the telly!!!)for the presentation by Pierre Terblanche of Ducati design fame.

Not only did they get their trophy for their class section 1st – 3rd place, but the 3 first over the finishing line got a trophy from the Dutch club, along with a bunch of flowers and the customary bottle of champers! – This was all accompanied by the English national anthem so all felt & looked like top GP heroes.

Soon after, although on a complete high we packed up all our equipment and within 2 hours of the red flag coming down, we were mostly all heading home for the long drive back.

Suffice it to say, that apart from stopping (along with some other UK riders) to help a fellow club member get his bike going again, after it had decided to conk out close to Breda (funny sight 3 white vans, a car & an espace (with a bike in) all parked round the back of a petrol station). Luckily the mobile phone was invented to relay all the info to peeps on their way past who went into help.
We still made our ferry in good time, and eventually opened our front door at 2 am this morning!

Huge thanks to the following, (in NO particular order) who for without one reason or another we wouldn’t have got there!

Andy & Kaz – and Dave Johnson
Paul Martin
Senna 3 (how did you cope with Paul all that way??)
Intrall Consultancy Ltd
Mad Marion
Tyreman of Wraysbury Tyres

Looking forwards to Castle Coombe of the weekend 10th & 11th June.

Alan & Charlotte - KRR Team

[CK & AK]

Pics hopefully will be sorted tonight

[Paranoid Dave]

ah piccies, now your talking my language