Andreas Racing Association: 11th of April

The second ARA meeting nicely scheduled to coincide with my Birthday on the 11th of April soon came round. My Brother made the trip over from Newcastle to help out, he arrived on the Thursday evening, in plenty of time to help out with the final preparations, and we even managed a curry and pub crawl in Ramsey on the Friday night with my pals from Ballaugh, well it was my Birthday weekend!!
Sunday morning (race day) soon came round with an early start. The weather couldn’t of been any better, with clear blue skies, and the temperature forecast to be 18c degrees, better still there was no breeze to speak of!!
We arrived at the airfield for 8.30am, and got a decent spot to set up our camp. I went to sign on while Simon took the bike to be scrutineered. I could see the Scruts looking over my bike from the portacabin, and could tell they weren’t happy with a couple of things. Turned out the steering damper was fouling the steering lock, and they had a moan about my race numbers not being to the regs, apparently they should be on a matt background, not a shiny one. I have to sort the number boards before the next meeting, and had to sort the steering damper issue out before they would let me out on track. We made the adjustments and were eventually given the go-ahead!
It was to be a busy day up Jurby, with oversubscribed classes, we had 43 entry’s in the 600cc race, according to the program. I wasn’t sure that I’d even qualify for this one with a maximum of 32 bikes allowed in each race. The Clubman’s had 21 entries so I was guaranteed at least one pair of races today.
My first session got under way with the first lap led out by the course car, one of the corners had been reprofiled due to the track surface braking up, it just pushed us out a little wider onto the back straight and didn’t cause me a problem. The course car pulled off and our first 10 minute session got underway, led by Dan Kneen, it was a busy session and I hung back a little to allow myself to get a good run and not bunched up with other riders. The session was soon over and it was time to take on some fluids (tea) before the next session that was due to start shortly after.
Before I knew it both sessions were over and it was time to break for lunch, I went to check out my grid positions and times while the kettle boiled. I had qualified for both classes, 28th place in the 600 race, and 12th in the Clubmans open class, running about 3 seconds a lap quicker than the last meeting in March, not bad for a standard motor, I was chuffed with my times!

The first 600cc race got under way soon after lunch, I got a good start making 2 places on the first corner holding 26th position for the first lap, the second lap I made another 2 places and was in 24th place running wide in lap 3 and loosing a position. While starting lap 4 I hit a false neutral and ran off the track, balls! I ended up finishing 27th.

The Clubmans race got under way soon after, starting in 12th position. By the first lap I was in 9th place, making a good start, losing one place in lap 2 I held 10th until lap 4, loosing another place into 11th. After a bit of a dice with a group of riders towards the end of the race, I got battered down the back straight and finished lap 6 in 14th. It was getting hot on track.
The second 600 race kicked off at about 4pm, I put in a good performance all be it a bit of a lonely one, don’t remember much about it but held 20th for the full 6 laps.
I had one more race to go, the Clubmans. I was starting to suffer with the old arm pump. I got off the line and hit a false neutral shifting from 1st to 2nd, getting beaten up before the first corner, there was a near off in the first corner with bikes banging fairings all over the shop, I had to nearly stop to avoid getting taken out, by the time I got going I was in 15th, holding this position until lap 4 and finishing the next couple of laps in 16th, absolutely knackered!

A good result looking back, my best to date for sure. I made some mistakes but I also pushed the bike harder than ever, decking out the engine case cover and scraping the fairings while cornering, shaving 4 tenths off my best lap time so far. It was time to head home for some well deserved Birthday celebration beers, and a tasty madras to soak it all up!!!!

Next meeting on the 2nd of May!!

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