Race Report - Darley Moor 26/27th June 2004 (NGRRC)

Saturday Races

I've already mentioned it was raining on Saturday and although the early practice sessions were dry, by the time we got to race it was raining steadily and I was on full wets.  I was glad in many ways as at least proper rain meant that there were no difficult tyre choices.  On-off rain or damp conditions mean you have to start considering intermediate tryes and I don't have any of those!  

Before I go on, a few dramas in practice and before the races started that I should mention.....the bike was under geared for the long main straight (changing the gearing to 14/42 sorted it), but more worryingly it was losing one or more cylinders in the mid range.  It was ok flat out and on tick over/low revs, but flat between 3-8,000rpm.  I changed the plugs and this seemed to make it slightly better, but in the end I put it down to fuelling and just resigned myself to riding through it until I could have some time to get the carbs off and clean them.  Not ideal in wet!

First up was, as usual, the Open 400 qualifying race.  My 7th place standing in the 251-400cc championship wouldn't have normally got me into the top 10 of the grid (they take the top five of each class for split grids), but there were some riders not taking part for whatever reason and I was gridded 8th.  I got a good start and was up amongst the top six before the first chicane, but by the time we had done the first couple of laps I'd dropped a couple of places to the much quicker GP250 bikes.  Still, I was feeling very confident in the wet conditions and I could feel myself getting quicker all the time.  Sadly, the race was red flagged after four laps and as we were over half distance, it was called a result.  This was good news in reality as I found out my result was 9th on track, but more importantly 3rd 400cc finisher!  My best result in this class and a fantastic start to the day!

My results at the last NG round at Pembrey in May were enough to get me in the top 10 of the F400 championship and with the absence of Gary Curtis (off playing in the MRO round at Pembrey) I was placed 8th on the grid.  The rain continued to bucket down, but give my confidence in the first race I was actually looking forward to getting out there!  On the grid, the lights went out and off we went.....I got another good start and after passing a couple of riders into the chicane and Park corner, I found myself in 3rd place and keeping with the front two!  This carried on for a couple of laps with me still keeping in touch with the leaders, but they were by now starting to creep away and I was going to struggle to stay near them.  I looked behind at the Hairpin and could see that the nearest rider to me was Tim Bradley, but he was only just completing Townleys as I was off down the straight, so no immediate threat.  I got round another lap and could see that my lead on Tim was unaffected, but he was under pressure himself and that meant that who ever that was would be after me soon!  Another lap gone and as I tucked in down Pope Straight, it was Lee Aldersley that came past me going pretty bloody quick!  This dropped me to fourth and I that's exactly where I finished, comfortably 10 seconds in front of Tim.  This records my best ever finish in an NG Formula 400 race.......fantastic!

The Open 400 points race was a similar wet affair, but by now I was actually praying for rain!  I got yet another good start and was up among the front six as we completed the first lap.  I then just got my head down and kept riding as smooth as I could, but at the same time trying to build my speed.  I got passed a couple more times, but actually managed to hang onto them and could feel myself getting quicker.  I looked behind on lap 4 or 5 and could see that there was no one anywhere near me, so knowing that the two riders in front were on GP250 bikes and therefore of no relevance in the championship, I decided to settle for where I was and finished 9th on track and once again, the 3rd 400cc finisher!  Also, It was in this race that I recorded a lap time of 1:09.87, which is only just under five seconds off my fastest dry time and is under three seconds off my fastest lap in 2003in the dry!  This result and the lap times were fantastic achievements and I was well pleased!

As we waited for the F400 points race, the conditions seem to dry a little and I was getting worried I was going to have the horrible situation of it being too dry for wet tyres and my dry tyres not grippy enough to cope with damp areas.  However, as the race got nearer the weather clouds grew and it seems all that rain I was praying for earlier in the day was about to come all at once......it absolutely pissed it down!  By the time we got out the track was drenched and there was a huge amount of standing water.  As we went off on the warm up lap I literally got soaked by the bikes in front and could feel it aqua-planing through the deep standing water at the Esses!  I wasn't actually looking forward to this now and when we got underway the spray was ridiculous.  We got to the Esses and water was again thrown up at me from the bike in front and then as I took my tight line through Townleys, the bike aqua-planed and shifted across the circuit.  I stayed on, but that was a warning to watch my step and I told myself to slow down.  I did and with that gave up on chasing the front pack, who went away to leave me with at least a clear(ish) view of the track.  I stayed in 4th for a while, but Andrew Whitehead came past me after a few laps and I eventually finished 5th.  Not quite what I had hoped for, but I stayed on and a 5th place is not to be sniffed at!

Sunday Races

The weather for Sunday was a lot better and we woke up to warm sunshine.  I'd already switched over from wets the night before so the bike was ready.  I'd also cleaned out the carbs and airbox (both of which were filthy) to try and cure the problems of the day before and although at first it seemed the problem was still there, it cleared up during the first race and the bike ran perfect after that.

First up is the Open 400 qualifier and I was gridded 8th as per the programme.  A clean start and I got my head down as a couple of GP250 bikes came past me in the first couple of laps.  Around lap 3 I was passed by Russell Hynes on his TZ250 down the main straight only to get him back again on the brakes into Paddock.  I then seemed to go through a period where Russell would pass me on the straights, only for me to pass him again in corners or worse, get held up.  I say worse because Rich Bearcroft was now bearing down on the pair of us!  What followed was some great battling until I managed to get Russell between me and Rich until the last corner of the last lap when Rich came alongside me on the brakes and Russell went past trying to outbrake the pair of us!  He couldn't hold it and I had the right line to put the power down and go over the line first, with Russell behind me and Rich behind him.  I finished 10th on track and yet again 3rd placed 400cc machine!

The F400 qualifier was pretty uninteresting until the last couple of laps.  I got an ok start and was sitting in around 8th or 9th pretty much having my own race when I found myself catching James Parry (championship leader who had an engine blow on Saturday so was using a borrowed spare motor).  I closed in on him as we started the last lap and I tried to get up behind him as close as possible to pass him on the back section, but I wasn't close enough.  I tucked in down the main straight and left it right until the last minute and on the brakes to go by him, but James realised what I was doing and let off the brakes!  We both headed for Paddock bend, but I had the inside line and managed to get on the throttle quick enough to stop him from doing anything more about it.  We went over the line 12/100ths of a second between us!  I finished 8th.

The Open 400 points race was another battle between Rich Bearcroft, Russell Hynes and me, but this time Rich was on my case right from the start and managed to get in front of me and then put Russell between us.  This is exactly what I'd managed to do to him in the qualifying race and he'd said after that what a problem it was for him......now I was understanding exactly what he meant!  I battled away with Russell, but every time lost out down the straights and all this was causing me to drop off Rich.  Still, I kept at it and we did actually manage to catch Rich in the last couple of laps.  At some point on last lap I managed to get past Russell, but there was nothing I could do about Rich and I finished in 10th place (5th place 400cc machine) just 13/100ths of a second behind him.

Last race of the weekend was the F400 points race and I thoroughly enjoyed this one, even if it was a fairly lonely race in the last few laps!  My start saw me in the top six at the first chicane and I held things together well.  I had a good battle with Rich Bearcroft again for a while, but managed to pull a gap on him and was pretty much on my own.  I was starting to catch Tim Bradley, but not enough to worry him and Lee Aldersley came past me three laps before the end, only to crash on the last corner of the last lap challenging for the lead.  So that was that and I ended up with a credible 6th place and another 10 points to add to my weekend tally.  What a brilliant way to end the day! The picture opposite (courtesy of The Old Coach House Studios) is me leading Rich Bearcroft around Paddock Bend in the last F400 race of the day.  Rich won't be too pleased I've dug this one out to go in my write up!

A quick mention about the other NG 400 riders.....John Rees was on holiday, but has a busted finger so wouldn't have been racing anyway; Rich Halford had a blinding weekend and got his first points in F400 this year with some good wet weather riding (he might also mention he passed Glen on the brakes into Paddock.....in fact he hasn't shut up about it!); Glen 'Lucky' Watterson had a mixed weekend with a DNF on Saturday (a rider stalled on the grid and Glen got caught up in the mêlée) and some better results on Sunday; Andy Rochester had bad clutch slip on Sunday and limped home to complete his races, but got some much needed race experience.  The Daly brothers (Mickey and Brian) also had a mixed weekend with their usual chaos of forgetting things and crashes, but at least they're both still in one piece......well done guys!

Oh and before I forget, I should say thanks to Mick and Lee for turning up to watch in the pissing rain!  The support is much appreciated guys!

Home