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26/05/03 Wirral 100 - Round 2 - 2003 Race 1. Started from pole postition and was second into the first turn. Around radar I managed to get into the lead and stayed there till the flag. Race 2. Started from pole again as was the winner of the qualifier, again second into the first turn but this time it was Dave Bath on his very quick FZR. Tried to keep with Dave for a couple of laps but then messed up going into the Hairpin, this allowed Tim Kermode to get with me and we then had a fight over second, this let Dave pull away even more. I managed to get the upper hand on the last lap with the help of backmarkers and secured second place. 27/04/03 Cheshire Championship - Round 3 - 2003 Report to follow. 06/04/03 Wirral 100 - Round 1 - 2003 Report to follow. 19-20/10/02 Anglesey Grand. Final Round Wirral 100 Championship. The weather forcast for this weekend is really bad, stong winds, heavy rain and flooding. Great! To get off to a good start I was stuck in traffic for 2 hours on the way and the usual 2 2 hour trip actually took 4 1/2 hours and I arrived at the circuit at gone midnight. This is not going to plan!!! Race 1 - Formula 400 Qualifier. As if things had not gone smoothly so far I got drawn 26th on the grid, back row! As the light changed I got a good start and rode around a big grow in turn 1. At the end of the first lap I was up to 5th place and was flying. By the end of lap 2 I was third but the lead pair of Tim Kermode and Ashley Holt had done one and cleared off. Then the red flags came out and I would have to do it all again. The reds came out because Steve Roberts had come off at the Hairpin and Dave Carbutt had run over his bike, snapping the frame!. It was Steve's last race before selling the bike and retiring, dooh! On the re-start I got held up a bit more this time and had to really figth through the feild and did get up to 3rd again but it was a lot harder, but good fun all the same, and the weather had stayed dry which was a bonus. Race 2 - Formula 400 Club Trophy Race. Front row start this time, got a good start and was into the first corner level with Peter Newall, a Irish rider who had qualified second, I had the inside line but he tried to shut the door. This did not work and we nearly both went down, he had to take to the grass I stayed on track but lost out to Tim. I fought back at Tim but never realy got chance to pass him again and that was the story of the race really. Tim 1st and me 2nd. And it had stayed dry!! Race 3 (Sunday) - Formula 400 Championship Final. All I had to do was score 1 point to secure the title if Tim or Mark won the race. By the way it is now raining cat and dogs. As we go on the warm-up lap Tim just disappered and I thought to my self well that 1st place gone then. As the lights changed Tim got away in the lead and I think Nigel Howard second and me third. Second corner and Tim lobbed it, dooh! So only Mark to worry about now. I sat behind Nigel for a lap then took a look around and there was a massive line of riders all stacked up behind and leading them was Wayne Bevan, sorry wayne but I did not want you behind me, and got in front of Nigel quick. Then just rode as fast and defencivly as I could for the next couple of laps. Starting the last lap I had a big slide coming on to the start-finsh straight and Allan Greenwood came past. I thought I would sit behind him and pass him at the Hairpin, but fair play to him I could not get close enough and he set the fastest lap of the race on the last lap. So Allan first, me second and my mate Mark Castle third. A 1-2-3 for RLR motorsport and Honda. And the 2002 Formula 400 Championship to me and the team, well me! Race 4 - Anglesey Grand Trophy Race. Due to the weather I did not race in the final race as I was not sure if the meeting would run to the end and also I decided to beat the traffic and leave early. Plus it kept my record of not finishing out of the top 3 all season in the Chechire Championship and the Wirral 100 Championship at both Tonfanau and Anglesey. Quite pleased with that! Thanks to all at the Wirral 100 club and Anglesey Circuit for a great season. A special thanks to 3 riders who made the Formula 400 Championship one of the best to watch all year. Tim Kermode. Mark Adams. Ashley Holt. Take a bow lads and look I forward to next season!!! You never know I might even get a ride in the Grand next year on the R1, probably be slower than the RVF but that rules for you. Click here for Grand results 08/09/02 Cheshire Championship Final Round. It was another of those days when we left home at 6am it was bright sun shine, as we got closer to Anglesey the weather got worse. As we reached the track the heavens opened and for about half an hour it lashed it down, then stopped and thw sun came out??? Practice was half wet/half dry. Front wet and inter rear and passed with no great drama's. Race 1 - SuperSport 400. Both races today are drawn by ballot. For this one I drew 7th on the grid, row 2, OK.The track had by this time mainly dried out apart from the run into the hairpin! As the lights turned green I got a good start but the front started to lift and had to back of slightly, this cost a bit and was 5th into turn one. At turn 2 I rode around the outside of the wild riding Steve Roberts and was upto 3rd, as we hit the back straight I managed to get better drive onto it and passed Tye Kinton and was upto second. For the next few laps I got me head down and was chasing race leader Steve Keune and close up on lap 4 but the into the hairpin a selected 1st not second gear and locked up the rear and ran wide, taking a look back I had a big lead and decided to back of a bit and settle for second in the race which afterall was a class win. so 1st place and that was me taking it easy. Race 2 - SuperSport 400 Championship Race. This was the big one, all I needed to do was finish in the top 6 if Tim Kermode was to win the race. If Tim did not win the race the Championship was mine even if I no-scored. So Tim and I knew what needed to be done and we both had very different game plans for this race. I had drawn 12th on the grid and Tim and Ashley Holt were both on the front row. The lights change and got a fligher, into 4th at the first corner, Geoff Martin lead from Ashley and Tim. The later two passing Geoff into the hairpin, I was not quite close enough and had to wait till the start/finish staight and this gave Ash and Tim a little lead. I closed them down a bit in the next couple of laps as Tim was struggling to get passed Ash but did in the end and then started to pull clear. I was in a very clear 3rd and that was enough to give me the championship by 4 points so decided to just sit tight and take the money. To be totally honest I think it would have been a hard task to catch Tim as he rode a very good race and has been good competion all year. 3rd was enough and I will take it thank you very much. There we are Cheshire and North Wales SuperSport 400 Champion 2002. Thanks to all who have helped me achive all this this season, special thanks to Ricky @ RLR for giving me the motor that was able to run with the Yamaha's this year. 21/7/02 Wirral 100 Club Championship Rd4. Race 1 - Formula 400 Qualiication Race. For a change I was drawn on the second row not my usual back row start position. Practice in the morning had gone fine but as we flagged away from the dummy grid for the warm up lap the bike pulled a massive wheelie in first and second gear. I had forgotten that the bike is running a standard gearbox and is putting out 12bhp more than last time at this track. So as the lights changed I was over causious and bogged the start. Into the first corner I was about 8th, into the second 4th. That a bit better but was stuck behind Ashley Holt and Wayne Bevan. I decided to sit there for a couple of laps to settle down, but then Ashley barged through on Wayne at the top of Radar on Lap 3 and I had to go through to but as I got on the power the rear end stepped out big time and I nearly collected wayne with my exhaust cans,but I think it frightened him more than me and I still got better drive onto the straight and was now in third. That would do for the final as I did not want to risk anything before that, but on the last lap Mark Adams came passed but then bogged down out of the hairpin and I crossed the line third. Race 2 - Formula 400 Championship Race. With a four piont lead i real terms going into this race I had to use my head but that does not always work. From the flag I took the lead and apart from a couple of mistakes going into the hairpin all was under control with about 3 second lead on lap 3. Then the bloody red flag comes out, all that work for nowt. In betwwen races we had changed the gearing and the bike was miles better. So on the restart I got the holeshot again but had to work a bit harder this time as the others knew I was going for it from the start, Tim Kermode tried hard to go around the outside at the first corner but could not make it, so again it was me at the front, cant tell you much more as it was all going of behind me. Unfortunatly for him and the championship fight Mark Adams broke down in the final laps and so no-scored, Tim Kermode finished second and is now level on points with Mark with 16 eack, I crossed the line first and now have 24 points and can only be levelled on point so have one hand ion the championship. Race 3 - Formula 400 Trophy Race. Much like championship race as I took the lead from the lights and started to pull away but Tim Kermode was coming with me. On lap 3 exiting Abbotts Tim was highsided and that left me on my own ,but I had no idea of this till after the race had finished. So a nice big trophy to add to the collection. Today was a good day! Click here for July Results. 12/05/02 Wirral 100 Club Championship Rd3. Race 1 - Formula 400 Qualification Race. My jinks with the grid numbers goes on as this week a picked 15th ouy of the bag, thats fouth row. As the lights turned green I got a fairly good start and was about 8th by the second turn. It all goes so quickly on the first lap I can't remember that much. By the end of the first lap I was up to second and right behind Mark Adams. The bike was moving around a lot but I was going quicker than Mark so decided to just sit behind for a few laps, that plan was out the window when on lap 4 mark messed up the hairpin and I slipped through on the inside. I knew it was time to get my head down if was going to stay in front so did just that. By lap 8 I had pulled out a 2 second lead and on lap 9 the red flags came out as a rider had crashed heavily at the hair pin. So the second race win of the year was mine. Race 2 - Championship Race. My first in the earlier race had given me pole position in this race. But on the warm-up lap it became clear that I had a problem, the clutch was slipping like mad. As the grid formed I was feverishly slackening of the cable to give me as much bite as possible. The lights changed( a couple did not wait that long, no names) and I got away fairly cleanly and slotted into 3rd behind Tim Kermode and Mark Adams, the fight was on, but cut short for Tim as he lost the front as we exited Radar on the first lap. It was then a case of following Mark, he was taking a lot of care at some point on the circuit and I was fairly sure I could make a move. The first time I made a move it resulted in a bit of Fairing bashing and thought I would leave it another couple of laps. I knewI needed to get passed so I could smooth things down to look after the clutch, so I made my move out of the Hairpin on lap 5 and this time made it stick. As in the first race I got me head down and again managed to pull out a couple of second lead to the flag. This give me the joint Championship lead and if you drop the worst result a clear Championship lead. Nice one! For May Results Click Here. 21/04/02 Wirral 100 Club Championship + Cheshire Championship. Race 1 - Formula 400 Qualification Race. First race at Anglesey this year and it chucked it down all the way there. For practice I put on full wets but about ten mins before I was due to go out the sunny came through and with the wind as strong as it was dry patches were showing through so opted for wet front and dry rear. This proved to be a inspired choice as I was flying if I do say so myself. As for the race I picked 20th on the, grid second to back row. As the lights changed to green the bike picked up well and I made a way through to about 10th at the first corner, a bit of bumping and barging got me through to 4th by the second corner and by the end of the back straight was 2nd. And there I stayed for the next 10 laps. Mark Adams had a 3 second ish lead by the time I got through to 2nd and it stayed more or less at that till the end, but he did start of the front row. Tim Kermode was third and with me at half distance but a gap had opened up at the flag. Race 2 - Formula 400 Championship Race. 2nd in the first race gave me second on the grid this time out. The bike again got a good start but was 3rd going into the first corner. Ashley Holt was leading at this piont but I think both me and Tim Kermode passed him on the back straight. So Tim is now in the lead with me second. Tim opened up about a second or two lead in the first couple of laps but I was happy with the pace as I could see that he was quicker in some parts and I was quicker in others. A quick look round on lap five showed me that Mark Adams was in 3rd and I had a sneaky feeling that he may be with us by the end, sure enough on lap 8 Mark came passed going into the quick first corner. This was going to be fun! Mark was trying very hard to pass Tim but could not quite get close enough as I had already found out it was not going to be a easy task. On the last lap we passed the start finish nose to tails and Mark had a real run into the second corner, from a bit to far back for a clean pass and made Tim lift up and Mark himself run a bit wide. I could see this coming and had set myself up for a tight exit which paid of big time as I got past them both. I expected to just follow Mark through on Tim but to get both was a big bonus. Onto the back straight and Tim blasted past me I was not sure if I could get back on the brakes put I took a chance and left my braking just a bit later than Tim and made the apex to the hairpin first, it was then just a case of getting the drive out and keeping the line through to the flag and what I calll my first proper race win.Not a qualifier and not a novice race . Chuffed, you bet! Click here for April Results. |