Oulton Park DD Results and Review: 26 Apr 08

[oh_seven]

Just got back from Oulton Park and to all those who were racing (and those who were helping out) Big Respect! This was my first visit to DD racing and I'm totally hooked. Great wandering around the pits / paddock and just being nosey. I'm sure that everyone is competitive etc. but I also sensed a great camaraderie.

Loved the classic bike racing too.

[K]

How did they all get on?

[Douglas]

Just got back, had a great day out! Harries sun duly came, and stayed all day.

All finished in one piece, and as far as I know all of "our" riders bikes were running fine at the finish.

On the mechanical front David Nogaromill had a return of the fuel feed problems, now being put down to a broken alternator causing the battery to run down. James, also had electrical greminls which were sorted prior to practice. Harrie blew a fork seal in practice, and had to miss the first race, but made it to the second OK. Sarahs bike was slipping its clutch towards the end.

Ollie was impressively quick, but Zimbo was first Ducatisti home I think. Dan went off on the last lap of the first race, and had an epic dice with Harrie in the second race, which Harrie won.

Everyone had broad grins at the end. There is a lot more onm track detail which I will leave to all the variuos spin doctors to tell you all about!

[Ghost]

I've just got back to the Runcorn location, arrived at 11 ish almost respectfully dressed, but still ended up with a spanner in my hands. Good to see the old firm and meet some new faces such as Ollie, who for his maiden outing went extremely well.

Well done to Zimbo and TP#12 they were well up there,
Hope to catch you all at the next UK event who knows I may even be ready.

[Imola Duke]

Dan had a little off... he's ok
I was crap and not a fan of Oulton... roll on 2009 qualified in 17th
Ollie was outstanding... well done fella
Hugh also was a natural.... well done fella
Big to Harrie, First race back after the big cadwell off, Blown fork seal in practice,
missed race 1, beat Dan in race 2...
good to see you lovin racing again Harrie
Thanks to all who came to support and great to meet up with you
DDers again

[Beaker]

Firstly I would like to say a big thankyou to all at Oultan Park. THis was my first time at a club event and it was a great atmosphere, very welcoming and everyone was helping everyone...especially Ollie & Steve's unoffiical pit crew.

Here are a couple of snaps of the Probie giving it some..if you look real hard you can see the grin!!

Will post some more later...

Thanks again

Beaker

[nogaromill999]

Well......I think a good weekend was had by all.....of course, mine was marred firstly by my REALLY BAD man flu........Lol!

Went out in SV practice just to find my way round, then got on the pace and qualified in DD in 10th. Well chuffed.

Went out in the first race, just going round the outside of Old Hall past the chappie who qualified in 9th and he went wide and nerfed me and two others onto the grass, I then got into a massive tank slapper and rejoined the field dead last but one..........bollocks......So then got my head down and finished 14th.

Back in the pits, went to start the bike and she wouldnt, battery was flat. Steve GD and Ghost grabbed electrical wizardry and diagnosed an alternator putting out less than 8 volts....so for SV and DD practice, I had had a 4v drain on the battery, and by the time I was getting it on in the DD race the fuel pump was not running properly and she was bogging down AGAIN. I now suspect thats been the problem all along. So now I have to swap windings and recheck whether that solves the problem.

Race 2 came along at 5pm ish and tbh I was so tired I was almost asleep in the assembly area, and just couldnt get on it......so I pootled round like it was a trackday and finished a less than creditable 17th. ALL my fault, just wasnt on it...must have left my race head in the marquee. I had put a fully charged battery in so had no probs in that direction, it wasjust a mental thing. Cant wait to get rid of this man flu......

James had a totally knackered fuel pump relay, which Alistair very kindly came and made work a bit......but then James put a differnt relay in and smoke poured off his bike as the harness began to melt, so we whipped it out, hacked out the melted part of the loom and by passed the relay altogether, so at least he got out and raced.

Hugh did really well, he qualified 12th and finished in front of me in both races, and Ollie went well too..poor old Dan had a highside in Race one but was very lucky to get away with it as lightly as he did, and as Steve said, Harrie popped a fork seal, so that had to be changed and she missed race 1, but she kept her smile so all was well...the last time I saw her was at Lily's after the mtg and she was hitting the vin rouge with a vengeance !

Once again, many thanks to all who contributed to yet another good Ducatisti weekend. Roll on Assen......

[stevel]

Well this was my first visit to a DD do, and turned out to be a good day. Good atmosphere in the pits, great spirit of camaraderie and helping one another, and good to meet a few people and put names to faces. Paul (Kenoir) and I had a good ol' natter and wander through the garages / pits area, the rain stayed off and everyone got away safely. Douglas looked busy with fork overhauls.....Good to say hello, if I didn't it was cos some of you looked either busy or focused on what you were upto. Had to leave early, but cheers for a good day

[rug2210]

Sorry to hear of the man flu David its age, think you infected me as not great but good to see you again thanks for the advice I guess I,ll be asking a lot more as 'project 750' goes along.

Good to meet Dan as well as he's the reason I spend so much time pearing at this screen, not sure you were aware when you started the monster what it would turn into. Sorry to hear of the off hope your not to sore and the bike is ok

[Imola Duke]

David... lol
Man flu ........... yes i think i was suffering with the strain

It was all too late for me, I learnt the track with 3 laps to go in the second
race..... Had my usual battle with Graeme Blakey in the last 2 laps (see you at Pembrey fella)
glad to see you were ok after your practice off......

[ducbird]

another great day for me...
learning paddock duties getting much better with the paddock
stands even able to do 3 at a time spanners next
thank you to Gilps for letting me loose with his kettle
Brilliant to see you again SteveGD and you Ghost in your best bib
and tucker see that lovely white shirt you had on ended up with
the tell tale spanner marks on it... nice to meet you too Beaker.
Ollie well what can i say what a great start to your racing well done for
your effort and keep going nice bike in the flesh too....
Nogaromilla what ever happened to you and dont blame the man flu...
for goodness sakes keep those spanners packed away your stealing ghosts job.
Dan hope that elbow is ok this morning after your little off help you polish your
fairings once you got them painted...
Great to see you back on your bike Harrie nice little race you had there with Dan in
race 2
Imola Duke great to see you again great riding even though i no you werent too fussed
with the track
A big thank you to Lily and Freak for their hospitality afterwards and entertainment specially
John on his guitar.. and The Duke and Katie ( will speak to Les for ya)
And a special thank you to Zimbo for collecting me and being part of Dukes of Havoc
Great to see you all Roll on Assen

[Imola Duke]

http://theresults.co.uk/theresults/R...Era_080426.pdf

[Gizmo]

I've addeda few photos to upnorth here Trackdays/Racing - UpNorth Photo Gallery or here DesmoDue Oulton 2008 same photos but the photo gallery may get more added to it if dseered gets himself sorted
as always it was nice to see everyone , big thanks to Lil for the do on Saturday night and cakes / biccies, and great to finally meet you Dan

Lily


Dan




Harrie





Zimbo

[Steve GD]

Whilst for David (NogaromillXXX) the day was somewhat coloured by terminal man-flu (by the way, I found out that the lady version is bird-flu), in many ways this was a great day.

Offs there indeed were, but none serious enough to prevent further riding. and even the usual mechanical and electrical bugs were less numerous and less serious than my limited experience would deem average. Dan's off seemed to leave him unshaken and his bike repairable. Not his lid, though!

Satan's pet penguin is still flying with one wing low after a shoulder injury caused by an off some days ago - at Oulton in fact - but completed both races despite this.

Harriebirds anti-rain dance worked almost perfectly - I counted 8 raindrops, but they dried up quickly, seemingly embarrassed.

David's (NogarmillXXX) awning was even more than its usual welcoming hive of activity with half a dozen race bikes in various states of useability, and dozens of first-timers, well-wishers, pit-bitches, spanner-gods and racers wearing every expression from "why is there no number plate on this bike?" to the dead-eyed, accepting-no-input stare of the pre-race racer.

From the number 42 point of view, it was a great meeting. Ollie and I arrived in convoy with Jinks (Sue) about 10pm on the Friday and bagged a parking space next to Ian Cobby and Harriet Ridley's van before popping over to say hi to David et al.

Getting the bike ready in the morning involved a little light lockwiring and rear brake adjustment before scrutineering. (Big thanks to Alistair, Ian and Harriet's race engineer , for all his assistance, in particular making gearing changes during the day, btw)

Ollie qualified 9th on the grid and came in 11th in both races, which in my estimation is a very good result for a first time ever racer.I'll let Ollie describe that himself, though.
No bent or broken bits on bike or rider, which is even better!

Met up with lots of old friends as usual - including Ducbird, Ghost, Zimbo, Douglas, Kenoir, Gilps, Mad48, and plenty of new ones from here including 955SP and Jolley.

Enough people have now seen number 42 so we no longer have to put up with the ungenerous comments that the bike is
a A mock-up made of fairy liquid bottles and sticky-backed plastic built with the assistance of Konnie Huq
b A bike belonging to someone else
c An exercise in A-level Photoshop

On that basis, Dan please can you change the #42 entry in the DD sticky thread?

[ducbird]

Enough people have now seen number 42 so we no longer have to put up with the ungenerous comments that the bike is
a A mock-up made of fairy liquid bottles and sticky-backed plastic built with the assistance of Konnie Huq
b A bike belonging to someone else
c An exercise in A-level Photoshop

how could they... she is beautiful...