Race Report - Pembrey 4th/5th September 2004 (NGRRC)

After the disaster of the last NG meeting at Keevil and my dismal weekend at Cadwell in the MRO round, I was looking forward to getting back to a track I at least knew fairly well and could possibly get some good results at again.  Having said that, it was with a little nervousness that we went down the seemingly never ending M4 on the Friday night because Pembrey isn't my favourite circuit......don't know why, but I seem to be unable to greatly improve there, particularly around Brooklands and Honda Curve.

Going into this meeting I was ranked 6th in the Open 400 and 7th in the Formula 400 championships, having dropped a place in the latter because of my DNF at Keevil.  I'd also left myself in a position to get caught by both Rich Bearcroft and Dave Ashman in the F400, so a good finish in front of both was essential if I was to stay ahead of them and build a bit more of a points barrier.  Also, as Tim Bradley wasn't going to be there and Gary Curtis is out for the rest of the season with a dodgy back, I could actually come away from this meeting 5th place in both championships.

Despite having set off at just after 5pm we didn't get there until after 9pm on Friday, so we were having to erect the awning in the dark and it rained as well just to make the job doubly difficult!  Lesley had flown in earlier in the day from a business trip in Atlanta and was understandably knackered.  She'd had a couple of hours sleep to try and combat the jet lag, but was very tired by the time we got to the circuit and the prospect of putting the awning up in the rain didn't appeal for some reason!  Glen had got there on Thursday night for the Friday practice day, so he and the rest of the lads were over on the hard standing, while we were left with the grass over by Honda Curve.  That said, I actually prefer it over there now as it's generally less packed and you can see the racing from the back of the awning.  Anyway, we eventually got set up just after 10pm and Andy Rochester and his dad came along shortly after to join us, so we weren't entirely left on our own.  We had a few beers and a natter, then went to bed just after midnight.

It rained more during the night and Saturday morning was still damp, with the threat of rain in the air.  I pushed the bike down for scrutineering, then signed on and got my practice pass.  It was then back to the awning to change the wheels for the intermediates I'd bought a couple of weeks back as these were the obvious choice for the damp, but drying track conditions.  We were all then called for a riders briefing to do with riding standards and yellow flag rules (half the paddock have ignored them and the club is rightly clamping down).  Half an hour later and the first practice was called, so I rode through the paddock carefully and went to pull up next to the marshal to have my number signed off, when I realised that one of the discs I'd bought for the intermediate wheels was so badly warped that the brake lever squeezed all the way back to the bar and I nearly ran him over!  I then had to go out and do 4 or 5 laps having to pump the brake at each corner!!

Pembrey Circuit

Saturday Races

First up with NGRRC is as usual is the Open 400 Qualifier.  The track was still quite damp in many places so I kept the intermediates on and lined up for the start in the 8th place allocated from the programme.  I got off to a flyer of a start and went through Hatchets Hairpin in 4th place behind Rich Bearcroft.  I got challenged a couple of times as we went through Spitfires and Dibeni, but I held them off and was tucked up right behind Rich as we completed the first lap.  I could have actually passed him quite easily in the first four laps and just showed him a wheel occasionally to let him know, but this was just a qualifier and Rich wanted the points more than I did for the Open 400 so I'd said to him before the race that I wouldn't trouble him if we were on track together.....especially after Keevil!  I looked round as we went down the start/finish straight on lap 4 and could see nobody anywhere near us, so I backed off and did the remaining laps at a comfortable pace to finish 4th (4th placed 400cc machine also).  At the end of the race there was still a nine second gap to 5th!

Second race was the  F400 Qualifier and I was placed 5th on the grid, based on my championship standing less the 'no shows' Gary and Tim.  I'd left the intermediates on as the weather was still looking a bit dodgy and I thought the track was still a bit damp.  As I got out onto the grid and did the warm up lap, I realised it was actually quite dry and so should have gone for dry tyres.  Still, Dunlop KR364 inters grip quite well whatever the conditions, so I just thought try as best you can and see where I end up.....after all it's only the qualifier.  I got a decent start and held my grid position for a while.  However, I was not entirely comfortable on the intermediates and I didn't feel as though I could push it as much as with dry tyres on, so was holding back.  Not surprisingly, I let quite a few riders past including Rich and Dave Ashman and had to settle for a lowly 9th place.  Still, it was only the qualifier!

The Open 400 points race was a front row start and I didn't get away too badly, but dropped a couple of places by the time we got to the first corner.  Rich Bearcroft was out in front of me and Dave was behind and likely to be pushing, so as Rich went through Dibeni at bit slower than I would have liked, I decided to go up the inside of him into Paddock and passed safely.  I held my position in front of him for a while and knowing he was stronger then me around Honda, on lap two I took a wider line and let him through, but making sure I didn't let Dave go as well.  I carried on tagging onto the back of Rich (albeit I couldn't have got past him) when Dave came past me around Paddock on about lap four.  I could keep with him and we were both in touch with Rich and even catching the guys in 3rd and 4th, but there was nothing I could do to get back past Dave and I finished 7th (6th placed 400cc machine).  My laptimes were 1:06.88 fastest, so more effort needed!

Last race of the day was the F400 points race and I was disappointed to be third row, but I got off the line well and was up among the top eight.  Rich Bearcroft had held his position in front of me off the line and Dave Ashman was right up behind me so I needed to concentrate to get these two behind me and improve my points standing in the championship.  Rich was riding very well and I couldn't get near him so he disappeared off, but I was stuck battling with Dave and I was also getting some close attention from Rich Evans (ZXR400).  On about lap 3 they both came past me (one either side!) on the brakes going into Hatchets and I knew then I had to pull my finger out.  A lap later and I managed to get past Dave again and set about catching Rich Evans, who had pulled half a second lead.  I'd got to within sniffing distance at the end of the next lap and was looking for a way past for a couple more laps, but sadly the race was coming to an end.  I crossed the line in 8th place with 3/10ths of a second between us (it seemed less than that!), but with a comfortable lead on Dave of nearly 2 seconds.  My laptimes were slightly better with a 1:06.73 fastest, but still not good.

Sunday Races

Sunday was a much better day for weather and we woke up to glorious sunshine.  I went out for the first race (Open 400 Qualifier) in the
8th grid position per the programme and got a good start to be up into the top 7 throughout the first lap and tucked up behind Rich Bearcroft again.  We carried on for a while and my only concern was to get a reasonably good finish for the points race later in the day.  I got passed by Nick Brown on a TZ250, but I was still in the first eight so a second row start beckoned.  I looked behind on lap 5 and had a good lead, so relaxed and I finished in 8th on track and the 4th placed 400cc machine.

My F400 Qualifier grid place was 5th, the same as Saturday.  I lined up and got away ok to be amongst the top 6 into the first corner.  Good news was I was ahead of both Rich Bearcroft and Dave Ashman, but from what I can remember in this race Dave passed me on the first or second lap and I couldn't go with him.  I kept Rich behind me and chased Dave as hard as I could, but he pulled away and I couldn't catch him.  I finished the race in 6th place to give me a second row start for the points race and improved my laptimes slightly over Saturday to record a 1:06.13 fastest, which was to be my best of the weekend.

In the Open 400 points race, I got away in the first lap with Rich Bearcroft in front and Dave behind.  He had tried to get around me at Hatchets on the first lap, but was on the outside of me so I just drifted wide slightly to close the door.  A few laps later and I was settled in behind Rich Bearcroft with about a second or so between us and me having a comfortable lead in 7th place and thought that would be that until the end of the race.  However, on about lap 5 going towards Woodlands I suddenly saw smoke bellowing out of Rich's bike.  I could see it was coming out of the belly pan rather than the exhaust so I suspected it had blown an oil pipe or something, but whatever it was there was a likelihood of oil on the track and I was flat out committed to the bend.  I just tipped it in and hoped, but all was ok and the surface was obviously alright.  Rich went off the circuit as soon as he could and must have been gutted at having missed out on the points, but there's nothing you can do when this happens.  I carried on a pretty lonely race for the remaining laps and finished 6th on track and the 3rd placed 400cc machine.  Good result!

The F400 points race was a nervous start for me as I knew I had to finish ahead of Dave to increase the overall points gap.  Rich's blow up in the previous race meant he was on his spare bike, but this had problems in the holding area (flat battery) and sadly he didn't make the grid.  I got off to a flyer of a start and muscled my way around Hatchets to come out the other side in 5th place, but with Dave right behind me.  This race was now all about getting my head down and being defensive, but also being quick if I was to hang onto 5th.  I kept in touch with the leaders for a while, but they were getting away more by each lap.  On about lap four I looked behind and I had about half a second lead, which was enough not to have to be so defensive.  I pushed on and checked behind every now and again to see I was pulling away and I finished the race in 5th with just over a second gap on Dave.  A useful result!

In all a good weekend for me and I came away from the circuit with a hat full of points and having raised my championship standings to 5th in both the 251-400cc class and Formula 400.  Not so good was that I only slightly improved on my official laptime, which was disappointing.  However, I go into the last round of these championships with a 10 point lead in both classes, so let's hope I can beat that top six finish I had ambitions of at the start of the season, even if the podium finish is eluding me! 

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