Zimbo's Brands Desmodue report

[Zimbo]

This was my second visit to Brands Hatch, once committed to racing at Brands I thought I’d better learn the circuit in advance and did a Trackday in mid March. I’d had a good day, getting my lap times down to a best of 59.97 seconds, and was reasonably confident of a reasonable performance come race day. A few of the top riders from 2006 have moved up to the 620cc class A series and I felt a top five place should be possible. Final bike prep had been carried out a week in advance at Mallory Park, which included scrubbing in a new set of tyres, and an oil change and carb balance were carried out before race day.
I loaded the bike plus spares, fuel, paddock stand, mattress and sleeping bag, leathers and kit etc into the van and picked up mate Andy who was racing with us for the first time on a borrowed 600SS, and we set off to Brands Saturday lunchtime. We met up with Gilps on route, his freshly sprayed 600SS in JCB yellow looking good on his trailer, and descended on the circuit to the space kept open for us by Bob. Harriebird arrived minutes later and was manouvered into position. Unload vans, set up Gazebo, open beer, walk round paddock catching up with fellow racers and families, got the bikes scrutineered. Circuit walk before the light faded, cook dinner, another beer, bed.

[Zimbo]

Up nice and early Sunday, weather perfect, going to be a hot one, 26 degrees forecast. We’re out for practice / qualifying at ten so got our kit scrutineered, signed on, fitted transponders, fuelled up, checked tyre pressures, final check over the bikes, and off to the holding area in good time.
Circuit open, we’re let out in stages to the track and I start to circulate, warming the tyres and reminding myself of turn in points and braking markers and building up speed. Turn one is Paddock Hill bend, a fast and completely blind downhill right hander where you can’t see the apex from the turn in point so I was concentrating on getting the brake point and turn point right. A large dust cloud on approach indicated a bike in the gravel as I came around, registered a bike on it’s side, carry on. I’m in a lot of traffic, take a look behind to find a long section of empty track, slow right down and allow a large gap to build, then attack the circuit for a fast qualifying time. As I round Druids I see a familiar JCB yellow bike down on the exit, fairing mostly detatched, Gilps is up and walking though, I keep pushing. Another dust cloud at Paddock Hill, another bike off, and the session ends soon after.
Back to paddock, change, wander up to the circuit office to see if Gilps is OK (crashed bikes are delivered next door to the scrutineering shed) and pick up the timing sheets and grid positions. Gilps arrives back in the circuit van, he’s unhurt and the bike isn’t too bad, can be rebuilt for the race. Time sheets show me 11th overall in the mixed 620cc / 583cc field of 60 odd, and 2nd on the 32 strong 583 grid, the lap time is a new personal best of 59.55, 0.25 seconds off Griff on pole. I’m a very happy chap!!!

[Zimbo]

Race one is just after midday, tyre pressures are checked again as the temperature builds, refuelled and checked over, Gilps’s bike is fixed just in time, and back to the holding area. We line up on the grid, I’m not used to empty track in front of me! Practice start on the sighting lap to see what speed I’m going to be up to where I need to turn for Paddock Hill and decide whether I need to brake or not before turning in (not!) and back to the grid, this time for real. Lights go on and out, we launch, Bones on my right gets a good start from 3rd, Griff on my left is away with me from 1st, I let him go into Paddock in front of me, Bones leads down the hill and I’m a very close 3rd. Decide on the wide, fast line into Druids, this proves to be a big mistake as bikes pile up my inside and block pass me in Druids, I’m forced wide and lose four places in a second. Unsettled, I make a similar error at the next corner and lose three more as I have to decide to let them through or get forced onto the grass. Great, half a lap and thirty seconds and I’m down in tenth, this is not going according to plan! I force myself to settle down and concentrate on smooth progress, in front is Senna3, I pull him in and pass him after a couple of laps, Tonio is ahead with a small gap, I close him down gradually but he’s fast this year and it isn’t easy. Lock up the front wheel on the brakes into Druids, tyre howls, ease off and get through safely, lost ten yards, close up again, I get alongside a couple of times but am forced wide and have to let him through, last lap flag is out, this time I need to make it stick! I pass him round the outside on the brakes into Druids and come out ahead, the rest of the field is closely bunched just ahead but no way I’ll catch up, cross the line in 8th. The timing sheets show my best lap to be 58.96, another personal best, Griff and Jon have both set a new 583 lap record at 58.76, just 0.2 seconds faster. Gilps has had to pull out mid race due to a sticking rear brake, Harrie has come through and maintained 24th place, mate Andy is last. Harrie’s grin when her helmet comes off says it all, she’s totally pumped up, nice to see.

[Zimbo]

Race 2, a change in strategy is required! The start is an exact repeat of the first, we tip into Paddock with Bones in first, then Griff, then me, this time I take a defensive inside line down the hill. Bones brakes a fraction early for Druids and Griff is held up just a tiny bit behind him, as I’m inside them I sieze my chance and roll the bike through on the brakes to block pass them both, out the other side and I’m in the lead, clear track ahead!!! I know they’ll be microseconds behind and looking for any opening, Griff is a very fast rider and highly competent at passing and I’m under no illusions! No idea what’s happening behind me, I concentrate on being smooth and accurate, making sure I’m hitting my brake markers, turn in points and apexes, hard on the power as early as I dare, tucking in like a 250 rider on every small straight, knee down through every corner, through the finish line still in the lead, another lap and another, this feels fantastic, I’m totally relaxed and it feels smooth and fast, lap timer shows consistant 59 second lap after 59 second lap. After five laps in the lead Griff suddenly appears up my inside into Graham Hill, bugger. I tuck in behind and chase hard, front sliding a little into clearways, he pulls out a few yards after a lap and I realise I’m not going to catch him unless he makes a mistake. A red flag appears, race stopped due to another off in Paddock Hill, it’s Jon again, this time he’s cartwheeled his bike through the gravel all the way down the hill in a spectacular off just behind me and needs an ambulance. The race is declared over as it’s over 70% distance and my second position stands, with Bones in 3rd. Harrie has come in 22nd, Andy second from last, Gilps has settled for a safe race and last place to get home in one piece and collect his signature.
I collect my trophy, it feels great, I hope I get a few more this year! Get my eighth signature, two more and I lose my novice jacket. Pack up the Van, trophy on dashboard, time to go home. Next stop Mallory Park on 20th May and I can’t wait!

That trophy is richly deserved. You did good matey. You continue to inspire me to bigger and better things. I can see some 1st places coming this year and the championship is well within your grasp.

[Zimbo]

Not quite so sure about that Gilps but thanks for the encouragement there's some fast lads out there, Griff will take some beating and I'm expecting Andy Shepherd and Dom Clegg to make a strong comeback, Harriet Ridley was worryingly fast as well!
Anyway, a few photos.


Action shot





Collecting my trophy

[Headhunter]

Fantastic read, Zimbo. Am definitely going to come along to watch one day - if us novices are allowed in of course.

p.s. Love the scrape marks on the bike - I'm going to imagine they were done whilst gettin' your hip down.

[Albie]

Hi Zimbo. First time I ve spoken too you yesterday although I kinda know you by your posts. Me and Caroline were thrilled you was doing so well and gutted when you dropped that place to second but hey, So what !.

Hope to come to another meeting a bit further.

Ps last year we saw Psychlist throw Monica in the gravel at paddock. So glad you didnt.Glad shes bought you success

Some of your fans.

Andy

Well done Zimbo, it was a great day out and you deserve your trophy!!

Absolutely brilliant m8 - huge well done again...

Well done Zimbo

Hey, I wasn't there but I wish I was from reading your account. It's different hearing it from an "insider", and very exciting. Congratulations on your results ,Zimbo and well done to all the contenders.

Well done fella, can't wait to see you race at Mallory.

[Zimbo]

Originally Posted by Mand

Well done fella, can't wait to see you race at Mallory.

Me neither did a 1.03.78 there last trackday on the DD bike, so looking reasonably OK for race day, as long as it's dry!!!

Excellent result indeed. I missed dicing with you, but I thought you said you were going to keep out of my way by being slower this year
Never mind, I'll just have to try harder at mallory