Final DD report, Cadwell Park

Zimbo · 10-10-2006, 07:39 PM

Last round of the year.
Van packed with bike (Monica) plus tools, spares, fuel, clothing etc, up to Phoenix's friday night to collect caravan, and on to Cadwell. I've booked in for both days racing, Sat and Sun, though Sat is non points scoring, just a bit of fun / practice!
Sat morning, we're out for timed practice 9.30 am and it's damp. I fell off at Cadwell in the wet earlier in the year, and resolve to be slow but safe - don't want to fall off and damage myself or the bike before proper race day, do I??? I tiptoe round, trying to stay on the very narrow dry-ish line through Barn and avoiding the spilt oil at the Hairpin, and sure enough qualify dead last with a very slow 2.13.50. Sigh.

By mid day it's dry and we collect for race 1, having added a splash of fuel and adjusted tyre pressures to 30 / 30. line up on the start and we get away clean, I'm still last but settle in and after a couple of laps pick up the pace. I pass David Pratt on his 620 early, he tries to come back on the start finish straight the next couple of laps but I hold him off into Coppice and eventually he falls away and disappears. I can see Grib (Lucie) ahead getting to grips with her new 620 ride and with Phil Harris (620) Doug and Bones on their 583s all lined up behind her. I close up fairly quickly and pass Bones, then settle in to watch Doug trying to pass Phil H, who is trying to pass Lucie. Eventually I mug Doug and Phil gets Lucie, I manage to pass Lucie as well , and then in a do - or - die move I drive hard through Hall bends and get inside Phil at the hairpin, get out in front and concentrate on a fast exit to barn onto the start finish straight. His superior power carries him past me again before Coppice but the last lap flag is out, i follow him round and repeat the move at the hairpin, get out in front again, through Barn and hope he can't catch me before the flag. He doesn't, passes me after the flag is waved but I got him and the results show him just a third of a second behind. An exciting and very close race, Senna 3 has gone down out of Mansfield, too much power too early and lost the back end, he's unhurt though and the bike is easily fixed, no other fallers, I finish 13th from a 19th start, 4th 583 out of 8. I am seriously pleased with a fastest lap of 1.55.99, my best ever

The actual race has lasted 16 minutes all at maximum effort and my legs are shaking when I get off, but I'm really chuffed and don't care about the tiredness. this is what it's all about and I'm on a massive high!

Race 2, this time I don't do quite so well, starting from the back again but the others are all faster second time out, especially Bones and Lucie, both have picked their corner speeds up! I have one moment, am distracted into Park corner by a faller, trying to see who it is and nearly run myself off the track as a result. Race pace has really picked up over the whole series over the year, and our corner speeds are way higher than when we started off, so just a moment's loss of concentration can be catastrophic! Anyway, I grit my teeth and drive harder and lean harder, and somehow get round without leaving the tarmac! I manage to get David and Bones but Lucie is too fast and finishes a second ahead, Doug has had a good race and finishes 4 seconds and 4 places ahead. Oh well, on to tomorrow, at least I'm home safe!

10-10-2006, 07:39 PM	#1
Zimbo Too much time on my hands member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Stonehouse, Glos Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 2,079	Final DD report, Cadwell Park Last round of the year. Van packed with bike (Monica) plus tools, spares, fuel, clothing etc, up to Phoenix's friday night to collect caravan, and on to Cadwell. I've booked in for both days racing, Sat and Sun, though Sat is non points scoring, just a bit of fun / practice! Sat morning, we're out for timed practice 9.30 am and it's damp. I fell off at Cadwell in the wet earlier in the year, and resolve to be slow but safe - don't want to fall off and damage myself or the bike before proper race day, do I??? I tiptoe round, trying to stay on the very narrow dry-ish line through Barn and avoiding the spilt oil at the Hairpin, and sure enough qualify dead last with a very slow 2.13.50. Sigh. By mid day it's dry and we collect for race 1, having added a splash of fuel and adjusted tyre pressures to 30 / 30. line up on the start and we get away clean, I'm still last but settle in and after a couple of laps pick up the pace. I pass David Pratt on his 620 early, he tries to come back on the start finish straight the next couple of laps but I hold him off into Coppice and eventually he falls away and disappears. I can see Grib (Lucie) ahead getting to grips with her new 620 ride and with Phil Harris (620) Doug and Bones on their 583s all lined up behind her. I close up fairly quickly and pass Bones, then settle in to watch Doug trying to pass Phil H, who is trying to pass Lucie. Eventually I mug Doug and Phil gets Lucie, I manage to pass Lucie as well , and then in a do - or - die move I drive hard through Hall bends and get inside Phil at the hairpin, get out in front and concentrate on a fast exit to barn onto the start finish straight. His superior power carries him past me again before Coppice but the last lap flag is out, i follow him round and repeat the move at the hairpin, get out in front again, through Barn and hope he can't catch me before the flag. He doesn't, passes me after the flag is waved but I got him and the results show him just a third of a second behind. An exciting and very close race, Senna 3 has gone down out of Mansfield, too much power too early and lost the back end, he's unhurt though and the bike is easily fixed, no other fallers, I finish 13th from a 19th start, 4th 583 out of 8. I am seriously pleased with a fastest lap of 1.55.99, my best ever The actual race has lasted 16 minutes all at maximum effort and my legs are shaking when I get off, but I'm really chuffed and don't care about the tiredness. this is what it's all about and I'm on a massive high! Race 2, this time I don't do quite so well, starting from the back again but the others are all faster second time out, especially Bones and Lucie, both have picked their corner speeds up! I have one moment, am distracted into Park corner by a faller, trying to see who it is and nearly run myself off the track as a result. Race pace has really picked up over the whole series over the year, and our corner speeds are way higher than when we started off, so just a moment's loss of concentration can be catastrophic! Anyway, I grit my teeth and drive harder and lean harder, and somehow get round without leaving the tarmac! I manage to get David and Bones but Lucie is too fast and finishes a second ahead, Doug has had a good race and finishes 4 seconds and 4 places ahead. Oh well, on to tomorrow, at least I'm home safe! Last edited by Zimbo; 10-10-2006 at 08:08 PM..