Mad48 #36 DD Oulton Meeting report

[mad48]

MAD48 # 36 DD RACE REPORT

Yo Peeps, here’s my meeting report for Oulton Park. And a mighty fine day it was too!

Myself and Andy (see you got a mention mate!!!) headed off from mine at 2am, oop tit north, arriving at the circuit about 5.30, showed our tickets to Borat on the gate and then quickly found a very dishevelled David #32, crawling out of his pit with tiny eyes and a voice which any sexline user would have got very excited about!. Unloaded the bike and got it under cover. The bike was a non runner since about 5pm on the Friday, Ahhhhhhh. (I had found that the starter, fuel pump and general ‘everything’ relay was totally foooked). I hoped that it was just the relay and that a replacement could be found at the meeting or some sort of solution could be found if not. I was going to blow out the meeting as was so peed off but as David said “if you can’t get it sorted here at a race meeting where else are you going to”.

Slowly but surely the paddock started to become a hive of activity, bloody hell it was cold! David had kindly arranged for Cobby’s spanner man to meet me early doors and have look at sortin the bike. At about 0630 I was approached by and introduced to Alastair. Alastair had a good look at the bike and sorted a load of wiring out which was well dodgy! It was agreed that the relay was officially foooked and so advice was to get the bike through Scruter’s, sign on etc and then go on the scrounge for a replacement.

Bike through Scruter’s successfully, kit all tickety boo, signed on, transponder sorted and with a retaining clip as well this time, which was nice! Now on a mission to find a relay, which proved to be neh on impossible, note to self, get spare relays! A few fine peeps lent me relays but unfortunately no match. Fine chap called Chaz lent me as close a match as I could find and so back to the tent to fit it. Here goes me thinks, wa hoo, come on baby. I plugged on the relay and hit the ignition and HO LEE SHEE ITE! Smoke started to fly out of the relay and I could see all the wiring melting in front of me, the bike was quickly covered in smoke, which got everyone’s attention! Quickly got the ignition off and before I could do anything else, David, who’s tent it was that would have burnt down, was like a whippet and had the relay off before you could say, get a fire extinguisher. Douglas, who had helped me out at Mallory did his usual magic and re wired everything in about 10 minutes and had the bike running by doing a loop on the relay, I was going to be able to do qualifying and race, YES!

Qualifying/ practise was interesting as I had never been round the track before and so every corner was a first for me and so my first lap was slow, to say the least, a 2.28! What I did think was, Jesus this track is pure class, so much to learn and so much to keep you busy. By the end of qualifying, only 3 laps it looks like on paper (felt more), I was at 2.18. Qualified 18th, on the back row and so not long to race one! With about 20 mins to go before the race 1 Harrie appeared in the tent looking very distressed and informed us that one of her fork seals had blown in practice, I could see the disappointment in her face and didn’t know quite what to say other than offer some help. Harrie ran off in the hope that she might get it done and get out with us, unfortunately it wasn’t to be.

Onto the track for our warm up lap for race 1, then back to grid up. Found my place and settled in position, well pumped up for it, let’s do this! Soon we are all ready and waiting, red flag is off the track, look to the lights, revving the engine, clutch at biting and then we are go go go. I see Hugh doing his impression of a sea harrier jet, trying to do vertical takeoff and we are all bombing it down to the first corner, I make sure that I am going into it on the inside as don’t want to be pushed wide, someone flies up the inside of me and has to sit up slightly pushing into Olli who then has to quickly sit up and is pushed into David who is pushed out wide and sends someone else grass tracking. I manage to remain unscathed and so we are all off down the hill. My mission was just try and stick to someone in front of me, try and go as quick as them and then try and pass anyone if and where I could. I was immediately better than I had been in practise. I ended up having a great little battle with Dan, I had no idea where we were placed but we had great fun out there, we overtook each other several times and Dan was getting in all sorts of bother in some of the corners, he was on a mission and I was sure he was off a couple times but he managed to keep on track. We were neck and neck heading in for the chequered flag and I was trying everything to try and get past him. Heading into the last right hander before heading up the hill to the finish, I knew we were going in hot and Dan started to drift out wide, I kept the power on and was overtaking him whilst watching him getting onto the rumble strips, his back end goes seriously round on him on the strip and the next thing he is flying through the air parallel with me for a short time and then down. I was gutted for him as we had had a great tussle out there and also thought, that’s gona hurt! Over the line in 15th and most importantly in one piece.

When back at the tent most people are asking about Dan and so I let them know what had happened. Thankfully, after a short time, Dan came in on his bike which was a little worse for wear and a few hero scuffs on his leathers but he was smiling and having a giggle so all was good.

As we all know there was a long wait until race 2 and by about 4 o’clock I was wasted, struggling to stay awake wherever I sat. Got to watch some great racing during the break and it was good to see a number of DD’rs mixing it in the SV races. Not being bias or anything but god our bikes sound awesome out there, especially in a group, nothing compares!

It was now time for race 2 and we are soon out on track on the warm up lap. Once around we are all positioned on the grid again, the sound, the smell just the intensity of it all is superb. The lights are out and again we are all Bombing it down for turn 1, which I think was negotiated without incident this time, I might be wrong. I had managed to take a few places and felt quicker that I had done in the first race. Overall I felt quicker but was making errors such as missed gears and wrong gear etc so any time I was making up I was quickly throwing away. I ended up being behind Steve #80 and was on a mission to get past. Steve past David #32 and then I tried everything to try and catch David, without success, although we were very close at the line which felt nice.

I was chuffed overall and had thoroughly enjoyed the track, as well as my first real taste of ducking and diving at times. My best times in both races were 2.15’s and I was happy with that after an initial 2.28 in practise. It was a great day and big respect to Olli and Hugh who did the biz in their 1st meeting, very impressive! Hugh is definitely the class B ‘Pin Up’ and how dare he have such a good looking female partner, does he not know we are easily distracted! Once again a dream was reality and I can’t wait until mixing it up again at Brands. Will miss you all at Assen, just can’t afford it as going through shee ite on the home front and thought I’d give Pembrey a miss as looks like a huge journey for me.

Take care peeps out there won’t you!

[Steve GD]

Excellent write-up Jim. The dedication to compete clearly paid off!

[955SP]

Originally Posted by mad48

It was a great day and big respect to Olli and Hugh who did the biz in their 1st meeting, very impressive! Hugh is definitely the class B ‘Pin Up’

Cheque is in the post mate!

Originally Posted by mad48

and how dare he have such a good looking female partner, does he not know we are easily distracted!

Steady on there! That "partner" is now my wife.... Seriously, though Lucia read that comment and now she is all shy, but really I think she is your biggest fan! I asked her to be my brolly dolly at the future races, but I dont think I am going to get her in hot pants just yet... Im working on it though. Possibly at one of the hotter meetings.

[harriebird]

glad it all came out in the wash, jim!

i was gutted for you when i saw you brandishing the relay, as i had problems with mine last year. i eventually came to a gliding halt on the start/finish straight at mallory in practice on race day! v embarrassing!

are you coming to assen?

[mad48]

Originally Posted by harriebird

glad it all came out in the wash, jim!

i was gutted for you when i saw you brandishing the relay, as i had problems with mine last year. i eventually came to a gliding halt on the start/finish straight at mallory in practice on race day! v embarrassing!

are you coming to assen?

Harrie, no can do, would love to be going to Assen with all of you but sadly I just can't afford it as going through loads of crap on the home front. My next outing with you guys will be Brands, don't know what the feck I'm gona do til then as have been on a come down since Oulton and just wana get back out there! Was well chuffed you got out on race 2 and back at it once again since your off last year. The bikes lookin lovely, as you know I saw it in the flesh. Take it easy and be safe in Assen ya hear!