I decided to do the ACU Test Day on the Friday as the last time I did Snetterton was a few years back and I’d have been better off with a canoe (good old ninjafest eh) I only managed 3 sessions due to the heat but was happy I knew where the track went.
Saturday Race 1 – Started 16th, finished 9th – 2nd Novice Shocked
At 10am it was nearly 30 degrees! We sat in the holding area and grid for what seemed like an eternity, melting, the warm up lap came and everyone was going as slowly as possible so the didn’t have to sit on the grid any longer than necessary in the heat. The lights went out and off we went, I had a fairly good start but the first and second corners felt like twice as many people as normal were trying to jostle for the same space. After 2 laps the race was red flagged due to an accident and we sat on the grid for a further 15 mins – at this point I think everyone was at the passing out stage. It was announced that we’d have another warm up lap and a 4 lap race! My start again was ok-ish and from the onset I had a good tussle with a novice (who turned out to be number 2 in the championship) but on the final lap I out braked him going into the S’s at the end of the back straight and held him until the last corner where he dived up the inside, I held my line and as he didn’t have the corner speed to exit I held onto my position. I came back to the garage to everyone jumping up and down, I hadn’t realised it but I’d come in 9th (my best position to date) and 2nd novice! Plus I’d knocked off 3 seconds from my track time the previous day.
Saturday Race 2 – Started 9th, finished 11th – 3rd Novice (Silverware time)
After being chuffed to bits from the first race I wasn’t feeling over confident at being able to pull it off again. I’d been given some advice from a fellow 400 rider about the start (the friendliness of the club never ceases to amaze me) so I tried to follow what he said and stay on the inside but I think my inexperience showed as I let 3 people by because I didn’t want to get too close. The 400 rider (same one as the previous race) came past me again out of the 2nd corner and I thought ‘game on’ I outbraked him into the S’s and held him off until the back straight where he outbraked me and himself and went across the grass and to the back of the pack. I then set about getting my head down and concentrating on my race. On the last lap I started to get complacent (one thing I’ll never do again) and on the last corner an orange jacket came past me and beat me by 0.05 of a second across the line – I was furious with myself as I thought I was then back to 4th novice. Turns out I was actually 3rd but this didn’t do too much for my mood. I cheered up no end after picking up my very first trophy though Very Happy
Sunday Race 1 – Started 16th, finished 16th – 4th Novice
This was my worst race of the weekend and it came apparent that I really needed to get aggressive on the first few corners to have any chance of a result as most of the 400’s were about equal on the straights. I also think my nerves were getting too me (not something I've suffered too much with) and I was feeling sick an hour before the race - normally this only happens in the holding area Sad
Sunday Race 2 – Started 16th, finished 12th – 3rd Novice (2nd Pot Home)
After my disappointing start to my previous race I had the bit between my teeth! I had a blinding start and held my lines. This was a 12 lap race and in the heat it was a case of survival of the fittest. I held onto the front runners for the first 5 laps but I was also aware that I was leading a pack of 4 – ekkk… Several times I saw a front wheel appearing under braking but was determined to keep my place! At one point a rider tried to come past me and I remember thinking – ‘sod off, this is my line, my tarmac and I’m not moving’ which seemed to work as I had more drive out of the corner and he was off line so I took the lead again. It seems like longer races must suit me as I got into a rhythm and put in my fastest lap on lap 7. I held off the pack of 4 and came in 12 – 3rd novice again which meant I’d won my 2nd cup. To say I was happy was an understatement!
I have to comment on how helpful people were. I was talking to a couple of 400 riders and they explained that I needed to get more aggressive at overtaking and I needed to just ‘stuff it under’ people on the corners – I did exactly this to one of them in the following race rofl and I had a few of the guys leading the championship come over and shake my hand after the race… Ohh I’m welling up again
Oh and i knocked off over 10 seconds from my test day to race day
Originally Posted by rex the sprocket