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Brands Hatch Indy 13th and 14th May 2006

I had decided to get some confidence back after my personal disasters of Mallory Park, and, having spoken to a few people I decided to go and have a bit of fun by entering the Thunderbike Class at Brands Hatch. Not only did I decide on this, but, I also decided to enter the shoot-out for 400cc bikes all the way through to the 1000cc bikes.

So on Thursday night I set up camp at Brands Hatch. Nice quiet location out in the paddock area. Checked the bike over, all fine and had a good nights sleep.

I signed on for the test day at 07:30 and ventured out onto the track soon after 9. Session one, I just went through the motions, the bike felt fine and seemed to be running ok. As the sessions went in the morning, I speeded up the pace a bit and was having a good old time out on the track with a mix of Thunderbikes, 400’s and 600’s. The day was really hot and I was dripping by lunch. I was wearing my road kit in order to keep the race gear nice and fresh for Saturday’s racing proper. During the lunch interval I repaired the footpeg that I had damaged at Mallory, it may have passed scrutineering but I wasn’t going to take the chance. After lunch I had three more sessions to run. The tyres decided to start sliding around badly and I called it a day after two sessions. I was quite happy with the days running and it was not worth pushing it any more.

I took the bike through the scrutineering process, no problems. Back to base and the wheels were removed and passed over for new rubber to be installed. In the meantime I sorted the caravan out and other stuff as I was having my boy stay for the weekend.

I collected the wheels and set off to collect my son. He was very excited to start with and I had to tell him how dangerous it could be and not to touch anything unless instructed etc. We picked up some shopping and headed back to the track where he helped me put the wheels back in the bike, pump the brakes up etc.

Saturday morning came around after I had a restless nights sleep, boy does my son fidget around during the night. I was up at 06:00, way too early really but never mind. I checked over the bike, making sure nothing had been tampered with over night.

Ready I made myself, we were second warm up group, about 09:15 start. The race kit went on and I contemplated the day ahead, four races and I was still tired from Friday!

Warm up went quite well, I didn’t push it but was feeling good out there. Completed nine laps and without pushing posted up a 58.160. Not particularly quick but ok.

Due to the number of entrants in Thunderbikes, we now had our own race. We were supposed to be running with the clubman 400’s but landed up in a race on our own. Not having ridden in Thunderbikes before, I had no points in the championship and was gridded 27 of 28. Lots to do but the aim was to enjoy it and get the experience. We had the sighting lap and lined up on the grid proper. The lights changed and off we went. I got to paddock hill bend last, but that was the plan. I moved past a few people and with a few crashes things were going ok. One of my fellow mini twinners crashed out at Clearways on Lap 5 and the race was stopped. Poor chap had still been on the bike at clearways when it hit the tire wall and had been knocked out cold. Having met him later that day there appeared nothing else wrong with him other than a bruised and battered face. Glad he was relatively ok, shame about the crash but I suppose its part of racing. I finished 16th with a best of 57.115. Not a great lap time but I had been in traffic and the race had been curtailed as I was finding my way.

My second race of the day was the Shootout. I was gridded 32 out of 32 as again I had never entered this before. This time I decided to try and have a go at the start, well it worked, I got past a few and started to get on with the racing. I finished 20th and I got lapped! Only got lapped by one and he was on a Gixxer thou. Posted a best time in the race of 56.580. There were a fair few crashes in the race, nothing serious enough to stop the race but not good to see.

The third race of the day for me was back to the Thunderbike class. I had another good start, I think I may have sussed how to get this SV off the line now. Another enjoyable race, not a brilliant performance but confidence inspiring all the same. The Buell shed itself yet again, this time at Surtees. I believe that it lost its rubber band this time and had no drive. The debris was through the bend and was a tad disconcerting to say the least. Well I came home 17th this time, best lap time was 55.386. Getting faster every time, good news for the progress.

My fourth race of the day was back to the Shootout. I made a reasonable start but landed up getting stuck behind a 600 that I just couldn’t work a way out to get past. Clearways was the going to be my chance to go under and shut the door but when I went for it I had the door shut in my face and never got another opportunity. I had a right hum dinger with a 400 and we kept swapping places behind the 600. I crossed the line ahead and I appreciated the battle I had with whoever it was. I also appreciated the fact that he shook my hand on the cool down lap, even though we were near the back he obviously had enjoyed our own little battle as well. Good clean overtaking, none if this bashing you seem to get in mini twins. My best lap was 55.754, a bit slower but I was being baulked by the guy in front who was slower at 55.905. Never mind, it was all good experience.

That night I cooked up a curry, nothing flash but I made so much that when my friend Garry Henning (Clubman 400 rider) and his dad came to visit I fed them as well. We had a pleasant evening and finally hit the sack at 23:30. The boy had another fidgety night unfortunately for me. So I woke on Sunday, tired already but it was only two races to do. I felt terrible as well, hot and cold, stomach churning, feeling sick. Not good news.

I completed the quick warm up ok, and dashed back to base. Yet another visit to the toilet required, this was not good. Still going hot and cold and feeling terrible the first race was called. I nearly threw up as I put the lid on but fortunately that moment passed and I went out to the collecting area.

Off we set, I got another pretty good start but after a couple of laps started to lag, I felt terrible and was not exactly on 100% concentration. I was dropping away from the pack in front but there didn’t seem to be a lot I could do about it, I just didn’t have the energy. I came out of clearways and saw a wheel come down the inside of me, NO, I was going to get overtaken. Wake up call that was, I was not going to let anyone past if I could help it. Off down the start finish straight, through Paddock, then druids, then Graham Hill and no sign of the other bike but it must be there somewhere. Through Surtees and into McLarens, still no sign, maybe I had done enough. Holding 5th gear round clearways seems to cause you to drift wide, I had been told to hold fifth so that’s what I had been doing. Well my counterpart went through underneath me, lots of expletives in the lid but I went straight back past on the start finish. All the way to Clearways again, this time I hooked fourth and kept a tighter line, no way were they going down the inside. Well we did that for two more laps before the flag came out, I went across the line first, job done. Best lap of 56.132, not good but I had a good run with a fellow rookie from the same class. Close racing between us but perfectly sporting.

By the time I lined up for the second race I was feeling a tad better but was still exhausted. Last race of a hectic weekend for me. Survive it, try and enjoy it and go home in one piece was what was in my head. Another pretty good start for me, perhaps I have got this starting malarky rumbled, time will tell. Off we go again. Just like the previous race, after a couple of laps the exhaustion was creeping in, the Buell tried to kill me at Paddock Hill bend, how we missed I don’t know, how he stayed on the track I don’t know either. Well I followed him round for the remainder of the race, slowly dropping back. I had no idea what was happening behind but for the last few laps I kept a nice tight line around clearways. This turned out to be a good move as my friend was right behind me again waiting for his chance to get through. I finished 17th again, best lap of 55.942.

So that was that, I packed up and said my goodbyes to many people that I know in the paddock. Absolutely exhausted I returned the caravan to base and took my son and Chief Wobbler out to dinner. Chief Wobbler had been a star looking after my boy all weekend while I was racing. Well I had something to eat, felt fine but then the exhaustion set in. How I actually managed to stay awake during the meal I don’t know, I really was struggling now. So we dropped my boy home and set off for a well deserved and required nights sleep before going to work at silly o’clock on Monday.

I achieved what I set out to do, the bike was working fine, I got my confidence up a bit and I enjoyed my racing. Roll on the next round in France, I am quite looking forward to it now.

There was lots of good racing, I did manage to see some of the other races. The sidecars were great, the world champs were out, demonstrating their skills. Huge congrats to Lime Green Racing sidecar, improvement made over the weekend and once that new clutch was put in, watch them go. Will be looking forward to seeing them perform in France. Big congrats to Michael Thompson, number 94 in the open 1300 class. Great victory and bril lap in the last Shootout race of the day, you deserved that one. Huge, Huge well done to Garry Henning, won all four clubman 400 races again, despite some dodgy moments! A nice lead in the championship now, confidence must be high but there is a long way to go yet. I look forward to seeing him progress when he’s next racing.

The best thing for me at the weekend though, was to see James Caswell-Cox and his family at the circuit. For those of you that don’t know, James is a Supersport 400 rider and did really well last season. He was destined to go well again this one but had a very unfortunate accident while passengering for his dad in an F2 sidecar at the first race this year. He was left in hospital with a broken pelvis in three places, a broken coxic, a crushed vertebrae and spleen damage. His dad died at the track but was resuscitated by the great medics and marshals that are there to help run the club racing. Without the medics and marshals we would not be able to race, their skill is great and I really appreciate these unsung heroes.

So James, if you are reading this, best of luck in getting yourself back to fitness and I for one will relish seeing you back out there doing your stuff on the track.