Like buses that turn up together - I dont race for over 4 months and I'm back again within 2 weeks from the previous round at Brands

The bike ran well at Brands and I didnt do a thing to her between meets other than charge the battery and transponder. Actually I did more on Mooses lump as he brought it over for a lesson on stripping it down - we discovered lots of ex-clutch  below the gearbox and also his centre selector fork (#2) was very damaged so two reasons for splitting it after a huge clutch failure he had - Of course he was replacing the crank so it had to happen.

Off to Cadwell Thursday night and a pretty poor journey it was especially after the A1M was shut at Sandy - but arrived at 11pm and the guys helped me set caravan up and unload - Had a couple of beers with Moose/Wrong 'Un, Kev, Gaz, Tony to name a few

Friday am came - weather was A-ok - at 7am Moose was already tinkering in an effort to get  his lump finished off - He eventually did it with 2 sessions to go - couple of Rookie mistakes in the build on the way but he has learnt and learnt well - To give him credit he aint afraid to have a go and he's picked up more in his short TZR career then others ever will - But then he has had expert tuition ...... from Bally of course ...

Me and Gaz ran though the sessions - he struggled with a battery issue - Denise told him to get on with it while  Me and Rangi had a good tussle and actually helping each other along the way - I made reasonable times and we upset the odd 916 rider as we shared with the track with the Thunderbikes all day. Flynno was out in the PM session but I fooked up and didnt save him a space near us so he was camped elsewhere -  - we finished off getting all the bikes ready for Saturday race day - Moose and I ate in the cafe as the girls weren't present (Out on the lash in Reading for Sharon's Birthday) . A few beers that evening - 12pm curfew - so it was Gennies off and bed

Saturday

Saturday Practice was grim - It rained like hell - major puddles and rivers typical Cadwell style - Clocked 9th fastest

Chris Pearson from Classic M/C Magasine was coming to report on the RD's and the YPM's for two sep features so look out for them in MCN and the Classics Mag. Thanks Chris for your efforts here .

He got back from a trip to Grimsby in the rain in time for race 1 called after lunch - As we were last on the program there was a lot of waiting around ..

Race 1 - Gearing 15/45 Grid 12th

So gridded 12th after my points collected at Brands and Donny and some riders ahead of me were missing - A reasonable start up to 9th by lap 1 but I struggled in the first couple of laps - Rangi had a shocker and hit neural on the line - he was past me at lap 3 up into Park - I knew I was doing somet wrong as this was a stronger part for me the day before - so I settled down and gave chase - I passed him next lap on exit of Barn and got better drive up to Park and braked much later - More like it - I stayed ahead of him for the rest of the race and with a lap to go I am convinced we would have taken and passed Andy Davies riding well on his Stinkwheels TZR. Good 6th tho and a fastest lap of 1:46.997- Only .3 a second slower than 3rd places fastest lap - So if I could run with that pack early on - maybe I could stick with them - Moose finished 16th and Gaz was 21st - Flynno struggled - Kev siezed his engine which is how I managed to get lap signals from someone who should have been getting a signature !

I offered Kev the spare bike but he was having none of it - so I ultimately dropped the convo - we had a YPM co-ords meeting and prepped a doc for riders voting - riders rider of the year and most improved rider - Thanks to Bemsee for printing that out for us - That Mike Dommett Bloody Helpful chap

Race 2 - Gearing 15/45 Grid 6th

Mmm a bad start and down to 10th by lap 1 - Mark Hardy came from the back of the grid - passed me at the left into the mountain and dispersed of Rangi and Poulter at the hairpin and gone - Amazing ride - I got by  Terrry Poulter next lap at the hairpin and chased Roy Parbury and Rangi for two laps - Roy ran straight on at Mansfield - I passed Rangi on lap 4 and we chased after Andy Davies - This time we would get him - We closed in at Mansfield and on the last lap I got by him on the exit of Barn -  I came across some back markers at the chicane - I thought it was tight as I went round the outside of Gary - Little did I know Rangi followed putting the back markers between us and Andy - so 6th again for me and a best lap of 1:46.520 but with Hardy running a 1:43.955 I'm nowhere near a podium - That's just another level - Moose grabbed a point and a PB and Gaz was 23rd - Flynno struggled again

Sharon and Jane had turned up to watch although Sharon was fit for nothing and hit the caravan immediately - she was eventually seen at about 6:30 so missed the 2nd race - That will be a hangover then !!

Katie Griggs organised the YPM curry so big up for her - it was a top affair - over £380 on a takeaway and over 40 people - brilliant

Helped Griggsy Sat night fit a new head gasket due to overheating issues had a few beers and crashed about 11:30

Sunday

So today was tyre testing - for warm up and race 1 I would slot the 209 qualifier on and the GPR70 to compare to the previous day on the BT090/209GP the preferred combo round here for sure .

3 laps was ok and blew away the cobwebs - Moose didnt do it for some reason and was soon to pay as the bike wouldnt start for race 1 - so with little time to investigate  he missed it - another lesson learnt - TZR's develop faults overnight...

Race 1 - Gearing 15/45 Grid 6th

So with my new tyre combo on I lined up in 6th again - A terrible start this time and I'm down to 10th on lap 1 - I get past Jamie Cooper up the back straight and Roy Parbury on the exit of Barn on lap  4 - I chase down Andy Davies again - This time Rangi and Pete Branton are battling it out ahead but I didnt have the early pace to stay with them - I got past Andy on lap 7 and chased them down - I caught Rangi on the last lap but I wasnt near enough to make a move had I even wanted to - so 7th in this one with a PB of 1:45.574 - better than day before - Interesting stuff Gaz got a 23rd and broke the 2minute barrier - superb and Flynno ran out of fuel but dropped over 4 seconds on his fastest lap - He was a happy bunny !! <relief>

The pack up began and we were ready to go home as best as possible straight after race 2

Race 2 - Gearing 15/45 Grid 7th

Well I dont know what happened here - I ran the alpha-10 and I dont want to put this result down to that -I just think my head was mashed and I generally struggled to get a rhythm - My start was bad again - Roy Parbury , Jamie Cooper and Terry Poulter all came through - by end of first lap I got by the latter two and that's how it stayed al race - i tried to stick with Parbury/Rangi/Davies/Branton battle but I couldn't - I struggled at turn 1, the chicane and the mountain - I dont know if it was the tyre as I say but I think I told myself it was - I knew I could run with them but as much as I tried to catch them the more mistakes I made - As I dropped the following riders and lost the leading I just rode the circuit and finished the race -  I was pretty gutted really but this can happen - 8th best time of  1:47.2 nearly 2 seconds off the PB in the morning - go figure ! Moose did well to get to 16th missing out on a point just, Gary like me struggled for some reason and Flynno redeemed himself and proved his time in race 1 was no flash in the pan with another 1:57 -

And that was the Cadwell experience - a good weekend,  great to be battling it out with Andy, Rangi and Roy , 4 dry races, some good exposure to YPM's coming, the now traditional street party and everyone home safe and sound -

Just a mention tho that Craig Jones a British world supersport rider lost his life after an off at clearways in the WSS race at Brands Hatch this weekend - A hugely talented up and coming rider at the age of 23 - I still cant quite believe he has died especially in the manner he did - RIP Jonesy - you are gonna be missed - condolences to all your family and friends.

My next meeting is now at the Brands GP meet at the end of  September - Snetterton is two weeks before and at time of writing I wont be racing !

Fish #7