On Saturday I did the two practice sessions but didn't get that many laps due to red flags. Think I put in about 6 or 7 laps in the first session and 3 or 4 in the second. The bike was handling really well thanks to Eddie at ERS racing in Dunfermline. I got a set of front forks from another bike with K-tech internals and a penske 2 way rear shock. Eddie fully serviced both and set them up for me. Good Job. The handling was great but the brakes were terrible. This was down to siezed pistons in the front calipers. Think the best lap i managed was 1min 6secs acoording to the unofficial timekeeper (the wife
). Saturday night consisted of a stripping down a spare set of calipers and cleaning and rebuilding them. After I bled them up the brakes were a lot better.Woke up on Sunday and it had been raining and was a bit damp. Went out for the warm up session and the track was damp but drying. Just took it fairly easy and made sure the brakes were ok. They were miles better. After every class had had a warm up session it was time for qualifying. I didn't want to do anything daft and chuck it down the road but still wanted a decent time. The track had a good dry line now and i went out a few bike from the back of the pack. I took it steady for the first couple of laps then picked up the pace. I mangaged to pass a couple of bike and get a clear track on the last lap. Back to the pits and off to see how it went. I was chuffed with the result, 12th place out of 25 bikes with a 1m 5.3 secs and only 3.6secs behind pole.
Now it was time for the first race and i was really buzzing. I got to the holding area way too early. doh. Went out on the sighting lap and went to line up on the 3rd row in 12th but someone else had nicked my spot. He was supposed to be in 11th. There wasn't much time so i was put into 11th to start. The lights went out and i nailed it. Wow it was mad rushing into the first corner. Think i got passed by a couple of bikes going in but held off the rest to take up a position. It was a great race and i was getting a good race with a few fzrs. I was passing the getting passed and having a real good tussle with a few people. Then a guy on a yellow fzr totally lost the back end right in front of me and i lost a few positons. I got going again and then the bike went into a false neutral at macintyres and i lost a couple more. bugger. In the end I finished 16th and had an absolute blast. Best time was 1m 3.4secs but i know i had more pace but was getting held up by bikes in the corners at parts. Need to be more aggressive and get past. Not a bad first race!!
Now for the second race. I got an ok start and got a no bad first lap. I was all over the few bike in front of me and went for the overtake into clarks. I was sure i was through but then he was right there and i clipped the back of his bike. This wasn't a good idea!! i was catapulted over the bars and the bike landed on my head, ouch. The guy i clipped just kept going. I got up and made sure i had all my limbs intact which i did. The bike was ok too, due to the fact it was on top of me!!. it bounced off me and hit the soft bag head on. The front fairing is cracked but nothing major. Bugger! Anyway my helmet is knackered as it took a hard hit but apart rom that i was lucky. I was gutted not to finish though but these things happen i suppose.
So all in all a bit of a mixed weekend. I know i can ride a bike quite fast but i just need to get the experience racing because it a whole different ball game racing with 25 other nutters all hell bent on taking the chequered flag. lol!! Cant wait till the next round!! bring it on!!
most fun you can have with yer clothes on 