MRO Rd3 Cadwell Park GP Circuit 11/5/03

Round 3 brought us up to Lincolnshire and the 2.7-mile Cadwell Park GP Circuit. I was hoping for some better luck than we got at the last round at Oulton. Cadwell is an excellent bike racing circuit but not one that I ride particularly well at, I just don't go there enough to know it as well as I would like. The other problem with Cadwell is, the bloody journey. For anyone that travels the same route that I do, would know what I'm on about, and that's without completing the journey in a slow old truck! Despite there being a club meeting on the Saturday, Brett, Michael (My Cousin) and myself made the trip up there Saturday afternoon in the sun.

On arrival, we were blessed with a parking spot deep in the hive of the paddock. This make's a change as we are normally stuck out in the second or third section of the paddock. The bike was ready for action (Thanks to Rick 'Rick Stringer') so I had the pleasure of the Cadwell Bar, then food whilst watching the final few club races of the day. A perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon.

Practice

We were greeted with yet more sun for race day. The AVS/Bridgestone Yamaha was back in yellow for this meeting, and looking fine if I may say so myself. Practice went without any major problems, although my wrist was plaguing me a little. I had some new Bridgestone Slicks fitted to enable me to scrub them in for the race, before changing them to old one's for qualifying. With practice over, I made a change to the bike to try and improve my comfort on the bike.

Qualifying

The pressure was on for qualifying. I really needed to get on the front row, and I went out with total commitment on my mind. Out on track and I was struggling, the changes I had made to the bike were not working and I was going to have to dig deep. The bike didn't feel like it was going too well either which wasn't helping matters. I wasn't getting out of shape at all, I just didn't seem to be able to go fast (stupidly enough), I was also struggling with my brakes; for once they seemed very pour. With time running down I did enough to get on the front row and fourth position, but with a less than impressive lap time. Whatever else happened, I was going to need to go a lot faster in the race.

Race

Before the race, we had made a number of changes to improve the bike including carburation, gearing and handlebar position. The changes were made just in time for the race, I really had to improve on qualifying! With our race being race2, the sun was out and all was set for an excellent race in perfect conditions, the only trouble with having qualified 4th, was that I was on the wrong side of the track for turn1.

After completing the warm-up lap I took up my front row grid position. Once upon a time the rows were not staggered like they are now, but a good launch of the line would more than overcome this deficit. When the lights went out I got a good launch, but seemed to struggle with the carburation/clutch and lost places rapidly. After negotiating 'Charlie In' 'Charlie Out' (Turn 2 & 3) the track positions were starting to sort themselves out. I'm not sure what position I was currently sitting in but it certainly wasn't in the top five. The situation only got worse when I tried to make a pass on the brakes at the end of the long back straight. I'm not sure whether it was just a bit of frustration/desperation, but as I pulled out to dive down the inside on the brakes I just couldn't get it stopped in time. I didn't mess it up bad enough to visit the grass, but it was bad enough to cost me a further couple of places after having lost all my drive out of the corner having struggled to get the bike turned.

Unfortunately, this did nothing to settle me down, and yet worse was to follow. I couldn't put my finger on what was wrong, but I was very unhappy and all over the place. After negotiating 'The Mountain' and then 'Hall Bends' I compounded my bad first lap when I tried to dive down the inside of someone (I have no idea who) at the hairpin. Yet again, I couldn't get it stopped and was lucky not to run in the tyre wall, but once again it cost me a couple of places.

I crossed the line to end a terrible first lap absolutely seething. I reckon I possibly ride my best when I'm angry, and I was going to have to be at my best to get back to a podium position, after all Lee Dickinson and Andy Sawford were running away at the front. Lap two and I started to sort myself out, I still wasn't happy with the bike, and felt it wasn't behaving consistently somehow! With the red mist down I pulled my finger out and by approximately lap five or six was back up to fifth, and trying to catch the couple in front who had a few seconds over me. A couple of laps later and I had caught and passed Tony Campbell for fourth with an out-braking manoeuvre into 'Park'.

Now I was up to fourth and sitting right on Ian Higson's Honda rear wheel. With first and second having disappeared, and having ridden my backside off for the last 6 laps I took a breather for a few laps and just sussed Ian out. After a couple more laps I decided to pull the pin, get past, and try and break away. After I messed up a move somewhere (Can't remember where, I just remember being annoyed with myself) I pulled a lovely pass into the hairpin. Back in third, with only three laps left, job done! Or not.

After pulling out a little gap over Ian, on lap 11, I really thought I had third in the bag, but apparently not. Crossing the line to start lap 12 I thought I could hear my Yamaha clutch slipping. Not wanting to panic I figured I'd back the free-play on the clutch off a little on the back straight. After exiting 'Charlie Out', sure enough I wound the adjuster in a little. Then with concentration back on the track, went for the brakes at the end of the long straight. SHIT, No brakes!!

With only a split second to make a decision, there was no time for any thoughts. After trying the lever a number of times and getting nothing, it was either bail off at practically top speed, or try and scrub some speed off with only a rear brake/gearbox, and approximately 75metres of track. Either way, not enough to cancel out approx. 145mph.

My decision was to jump on the back brake. With the bike sideways I aimed across the track as much as possible to try and gain every cm of track possible. With the tarmac gone, it was a very fast and bumpy ride across the grass. I desperately tried to get the bike turned enough to limit the speed I'd make the tyre wall with. With, what I considered to be a superb bit of hanging on, a good decision, I scrubbed off enough speed to surprise myself that I would not hit the tyre wall. Once I'd reduced the speed significantly I let the clutch out in the hope to cruise to a safer area. Typically, to pxxs me off further, no sooner had I released the clutch I was going over the highside. The fast grass trip had been violent enough to throw the chain and unfortunately it locked up and threw me off only increasing the damage. ARGHH

To be honest, I was amazed I'd got away with it as I picked myself up. I went straight over too the bike, hoping I'd be able to get back on, but knowing I'd lost the brakes, I knew it was slightly unrealistic. Once I got to the bike, the sight of the front calliper laying on top of the wheel, and not attached to the fork, said it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No Comment, other than it is a long, crap drive home across country from Cadwell Park, EVEN AFTER A GOOD DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1	Andy Sawford	Honda	1:31.62
2	Lee Dickinson	Honda	1:31.63
3	Tony Campbell	Honda	1:32.95
4	Phill Desborough	Yam	1:33.71
5	Alex Hutchinson	Yam	1:34.12
6	Lee Johnson	Honda	1:34.28

Race

1	Lee Dickinson	Honda
2	Andrew Sawford	Honda
3	Ian Higson	Honda
4	Gareth Glynn	Honda
5	Tony Campbell	Honda
6	Alex Hutchinson	Yam

Fastest Lap Andy Sawford 1:30.54