www.chuffster.co.uk

[DavidH]

Well what a weekend! The weather threw everything it had at us over the three days but remarkably all 4 races were dry if a bit cold and windy. Pleased for Chuffster. Despite the prat who took him out in the first race he had a good weekend and is definitely on the pace. A bit more race craft and that extra speed from being dragged along and i reckon we will be having some good battles. A really positive start to racing.

Thursday - got to the circuit just before 10pm after a 224 mile drive from work. Fortunately Wal_aka_Kev had got there much earlier and bagged a pit garage for us along with a space for the camper. That meant shelter and power...a good start to the weekend.

Friday - up at 7.30 to sign on and get the bike sorted. I have to admit the butterflies had already kicked in and the fact it was wet didn't help much. Still, stuck the wets on and got straight out there. When the conditions are dodgy it is vital to get the track time in and build up the experience. I think the wet testing we had in France paid benefits because me and Wal managed to get up to a decent wet pace straight away and we were going quicker than we had in similar conditions last year. By lunchtime the track was pretty dry and I came in part way through the session after lunch. Laptimes were dropping to dry weather times so I called it a day before I melted the wet weather tyres. I decided to stick a new rear on the scrub in for racing. Disappointingly my first session on it was slow, way off what i wanted. Mentally kicked myself and got back out and knocked 4 seconds off, also felt like I was beginning to work. 1.24s were just fine for practice. Got the bike through scrutineering, fuelled it up for racing and cracked open a beer.

Saturday - This was to be the first time I'd had to qualify, a new skill entirely. Conditions were damp so it was a toss up between wet and dry tyres. I opted for dry and built up the lap times. Had a dodgy moment whilst cranked over in 4th gear. Front end slipped and I saved it on my knee I'd like to say it was deliberate tactics, but in actual fact I was a bit lucky! Came back into the pits to hear that the commentator had announced I'd qualified in 3rd. Front row!!

The first race went pretty well. I got a great start and was lying second down the back straight. I have to say the first corner is much less daunting when you are on the front row....fingers crossed there will be a few more of those this year. I lost a bit of concentration for a lap or so in the race and ended up 5th when we crossed the line. A lesson to be learnt there. As it turns out the first three were running laptimes 2 seconds better than the rest of us so Iwouldn't have caught them anyway. Charles Hodgson pipped me for 4th. First class ride by him.

Race 2 was a similar affair and included a few overtakes but I maintained station and ended up 5th. 5th place was a bit disappointing but not too bad. Me and Wal had the usual ding dong and apparently it was all a bit hairy watching from the chicane but bloody great fun from where i was

Shattered Saturday night - a couple of beers and I was out for the count.

Sunday - I didn't get such a good start in the first race and ended up behind Wal and a couple of other guys. I was pleased with my overtaking and despatched the back markers we were lapping well until the very end. I got badly baulked by a back marker (which is all my fault) and it allowed the guy in 6th to pip me by a tenth of a second over the line. Good exciting racing again. Sadly Charles Hodgson binned it at the chicane just after overtaking me.....we were having a good battle. He'd stuck his front wheel under me going into the Bomb Hole but I'd blocked him, he then got a bit enthusiastic at the chicane, rode over the kerbs and lost control.

The second race was a poor affair. We were held for ages before the start to allow a parade lap for a 'retiring' rider from the previous race. The tyres were stone cold so we had 2 warm up laps. I got away from the start OK but lost a couple of places, however, the race was red flagged due to a pile up at the first corner. We then had to wait for ages whilst the ambulances cleared up the injured (I beleive all OK). Another 2 laps warm up and a shortened race.....appalling start, got swamped and was about 12th from 6th on the grid. More encouragingly I dealt with the impertinent buggers who had beat me off the start and and after 2 laps was up to 7th (Chuffster...note....don't give an inch in this game...you could have followed me and with a bit more experience will do just that!!). the top 6 then had a lead on me and as it was only a 5 lapper then that was that.

Overall I'm very pleased with my results, every bit as much as I had hoped for. Was running consistent 1.22s which is an improvement on last year (achieved a 1.22 but most laps were over 1.24).

We didn't get away from the circuit until about 7pm. My wife, Jacqui, had accompanied Helen to the hospital, which is where her husband Ian had ended up after the first corner pile up. He woke up with doctors around him but was later discharged. I've spoken to him since and he should be back out for the Mallory round. Doesn't think he will be fit for the Lydden round due to dodgy hand and foot (possibly fractures). The bike only had superficial damage.

Roll on Lydden. I won't be there for practice so straight into qualifying for me...gulp!!

Good to me some other folks from this forum and look forward to seeing the photos and videos!

DavidH