Race Report - Croft 2nd/3rd April 2005 (Derby Phoenix)

It was a long way up the M1/A1 for this first race of the 2005 season for Derby Phoenix.  We set off just after lunchtime and drove for nearly four hours (complete with caravan) to arrive there for teatime and set ourselves up in the garage and get scrutineered.  

Having ridden quite a few circuits over the past two seasons, it's been some time since I rode on a track I've never seen before so it was with some nervousness I arrived at Croft early Friday evening.  I was also a bit miffed at not talking part in the practice session on Friday, having thought there wouldn't be one because of the circuit's restrictions on noise.  Still, the weather forecast was good for the whole weekend and a walk around the 2.127 mile circuit was at least enough to show me where all the corners were.

I was gridded on the fourth row for the first Formula 400 race and lined up for the start.  I wasn't getting off the line very well at Pembrey and it was the same for my first start this weekend as I wheelied away from the line, but I made a few places up going into the first corner, Clearvaux.  I then just tried to get my head down and go as fast as I could whilst learning the circuit at the same time!  I'd passed a few more riders on the first lap and the good thing was that I could still see the leaders after a couple of laps.  I kept them in sight virtually to the end of the race and although the front two got away, there was a bunch of us back to me in 6th right to the end of the race!  Eve better news than my finish was that my laptimes had dropped to 1:35's and that meant that I could at least be competitive.

The next race I was gridded 6th after my first race success and I was a bit more confident about the circuit.  Again, I couldn't keep the front end down off the line and lost a couple of places into the first corner, but soon got a rhythm going and made my way past the few I'd let through.  I was then stuck scrapping it out with a couple of ZXR400's ridden by Russell Bates and Paul Caisley, with them both fighting each other and me looking like I was destined to come away behind them for 7th.  However, on the last lap we were coming across back markers and as we bunched together going into the Complex, the two of them went to go either side of some poor fella and as he panicked to sit the bike up, they both went off line and I stole through past them to go 5th into the Hairpin and then just rode a textbook line around and dragged up the straight to finish!

Sunday Races

Once again I used the Allcomers race as a practice session and I went to the back of the grid for the start.  I waited for a few seconds as they went off and then just made my way around steady and picked a few people off as the laps ticked by.  That said, by the end of the race I was fired up and ready to go, with my laptimes dropped to 1:36's in the traffic so not bad.

The first Formula 400 race got underway with me 5th on the grid from my Saturday results, but I got passed at the start by three riders to be 8th after the first couple of bends and Chicane.  I decided that I had to move quickly and passed a couple of riders including Chris Gent on his RGV250 to then do battle briefly with Russell Bates, only to be taken completely by surprise by Mark Jordan on his very quick Kawasaki KR1S.  In turn he got past Russell and I needed to get a move on to make sure I didn't get left behind.  I got my way past Russell and chased Mark fiercely for a few laps, but although I'd caught him it was going to be a different story to get past.  I was stuck behind him as the last lap flag was shown and followed him wondering where, if any place, I could pass him.  Then, coming out of Tower he put the power on a bit quick and had a 'moment' crucially losing drive and giving me the advantage through the Jim Clark Esses and as we rounded Barcroft I drew alongside and hard on the brakes I had the line for Sunny In.  From there it was just a case of keep it fast and clean for Sunny Out and the Complex to finish a very good 5th!

In what was the last race of the weekend, I knew it was going to be a toughie as the competition had all upped its pace and the 1:34's were still elusive for me.  I got away to an ok start, but annoyingly dropped a place to Chris Gent on his RGV again (he certainly gets off the line well!) and had to follow him around for a few laps whilst the leaders got away.  I was all over the back of Chris for 2 laps and then eventually managed to get past him at the Hairpin.  We then dragged up the straight and I fully expected him to be hard on the brakes and he did sow me a wheel just before we turned in, but I saw no more of him.  On the same lap Michael Saunders passed me at Tower (he set the fastest lap later with a 1:33.02), but it wasn't until the next time around that I saw Chris had outbraked himself in our start/finish straight scrap and had ended up in the kitty litter.  I just put my head down and carried on, with Dan Williams in my sights for what was going to be 4th place if I could catch him.  That's exactly what I did on the last lap and using the flat out Jim Clark Esses for momentum, I took the line off him going into Barcroft and braked hard for Sunny In to get in front and carry it all the way to the line to take 4th place.  Fantastic!

So all said a fantastic weekend racing and some decent finishes have put me 5th in the Championship.  Next up is another circuit I've never seen before, Anglesey, so here's hoping I can learn that one quickly too and get some decent results out of that too!

Oh and before I sign off, usual thanks to Lesley for performing superbly her usual role of Catering & Facilities Manager, as well as all the jumping up and down and getting generally very excited over pit wall each time I went flying past!

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