Ducati Trioptions Cup, Round 1 - Silverstone National With the return to the paddock after the winter break it was great to be back. After having a weekend racing with No limits, the team felt good and confident for the year ahead. Practice and qualifying sessions were plagued by brake fade and clutch issues, which made getting the bike suspension set up really hard due to the inconsistency of laps. With the short amount of track time we are given we qualified 20th on the grid and only 0.2 off PB. The next 24 hours were spent trying to iron out the bike issues. We also went for big suspension and gearing change after much advice for race 1 to see if more time can be had. Race 1 - It was a long wait until 1745hrs with no warm up/practice before hand. We managed a good start held our own for first 3 laps. Then on lap 4 unfortunately locked the bike up in a braking zone and had to run the exit road. After turning around quickly and jumping the grass verge we were back in. Having lost 3 places (23rd) the fight was now on to try and gain them back. The bike was handling so much better than practice and qually and the chase was on. Within 2 laps we were back into 20th and then 19th the next lap. That’s when I could see the 2 in front but we were all running very similar pace and couldn’t close the gap. Having pushed so hard at the beginning we had nothing left in the tank. Lap 13 came and struggling to brake, a place was lost. Finishing race 1 in 20th, was not bad but felt like I had the pace, to be closer to the points, with a new PB. Some minor suspension changes for race 2 and see what happens Race 2 - Having had a not too bad Race 1, we decided to make a small adjustment to the setup to try get us a better finish. With a better start we made up 3 places into 19th on lap 1. The track temperature had also risen quite a bit from Race 1 and tyres weren’t coping, even though we thought we had adjusted them enough. The race was filled with action with numerous overtakes and battles. 15 laps flew past and to take one more position on the second to last corner we finished in an amazing 16th. Just 1.2 seconds off 15th and the points. Was an awesome race! One of the season goals ever so close in the first round, felt like a great achievement. These results in the first round are mega and puts us in a good place for the season ahead. I’m ever so grateful to all the team behind me this weekend, those that came and supported me, and to all my sponsors THANK YOU! Now less than 2 weeks before we are off to Oulton Park for round 2. So it’s bike strip, clean, check and prepare time. Cannot wait!! Let’s do this! GMR Projects Chamois Consulting Mackinnon Construction Ltd HEL Performance Eazi-Grip Tank Grips Motul UK Rst-moto Quality reflections Profibre K-Tech Suspension Conquest Racing Ltd - Motorcycle Performance Parts Sprint Filter Evotech Performance Moto Rapido Ducati / Oxford Racing Ducati , Moto Rapido Racing Photo Credits Camipix Photography
Enjoyed watching the race yesterday. Cracking result also. Absolutely loved the sound of all those twins flat out. Sounded bloody awesome.
Good racing mate, hard work from the back of the grid to get near you lot. As you say, when everyone is on the same bikes and running the same pace it's very hard to make any progress once you get with riders of the same ability. Makes for some shenanigans though, Hasler hit Pitchers right in front of me at Brooklands trying to get by. Both stayed on thankfully. See you at Oulton.
I was watching it all pal, I think my main mistake was rolling off too much for the three yellow flags. I was with you all until that point. Reckon we will be all together again at Oulton, me and Broadway are usually bar to bar. Just shows how important qualifying is along with a good start in this class.
Surely you saw them, pretty much all on the same lap. One at Becketts for Salty, Brooklands for Shoubridge and then Copse for Paul Slade. I rolled off because they came in quick succession so thought there might be something on the track. Thought I saw smoke from Stevos bike through Luffield up to Woodcote the lap before but must've just been his boot or something. I reckon that whole group will be up there, you'll get a point at least.
Ducati Trioptions Cup, Round 2 - Oulton Park Having come home from Silverstone weeks before with very high spirits, the team set to Oulton park looking to build on what already had been achieved. Having raced Oulton last season, we knew it was a physically demanding track and we struggled with arm pump previously. The weekend weather was looking very uncertain and Qualifying didn’t go as well as planned. With the riders going onto the track the rain started, drizzling in areas and rain flags all over circuit. Still having good pace in areas we qualified in 20th and was keen to save myself and stay firmly focused for the race. Where it counts... Race 1 - Had a great start from 20th was up into about 15th by turn one. I felt I was on for my first point! But pushing hard and hanging on I started to struggle again with arm pump. Then suddenly at lodge corner I had a little slide (pictures show it all) loosing valuable positions. Looking down and around the bike I couldn't see any fluids etc so continued the lap. Then had a slide again and knew it was time to leave the track ..unfortunately the legend Pete crashed and the race was red flagged finishing in 22nd. Finishing where I did I was disappointed and still unsure for the slides. Tyre pressures checked and whilst in parc ferme we looked over bike and couldn't see any evidence of any fluids. Taking the positives from the race I had smashed my PB from previous year by near a second! And also fastest through the speed traps at clay hill and over the finish line. Showing I have the speed, just need to put it together. Few hours later I was shown the pictures of the little slide, and we realised there was something wrong. The bike must have overheated and spat all its water out in one gulp. Thus causing the slide. Throughout the night, we stripped and rebuilt the bike and checked everything over in readiness for the warm up session in the morning. The next morning it was raining and we were still prepped to go test the bike, but was cancelled. So it was down to the race! Putting in a better time in race 1 allowed us to be starting 18th in the race. Race 2 - Having yet another great start, I found myself right in the mix into turn one. So far in the mix I found myself on the inside kerb with no where to go. Having to roll the throttle and loose some places. We settled into the race, battling it out with some fast riders. The first 3 laps I broke my PB again and felt good apart from lodge. Confidence there was lacking slightly and the riders were just able to gap me. Having put the fast laps in at the beginning I had a substantive lead over the riders behind, so rode the last few laps with ease. Finishing the race in 21st setting a new PB was not to be grumbled at in this paddock. Even with the bike and arm issues, still came away with a smile, new personal bests and held fastest speeds in 2 of 4 sectors (at one point over the weekend). Now look forward to Donington park on the weekend 25th May. Now to the thanks! Thank you to the 'Old Man' for the bed and help over the weekend. T, Danny, Andy Claridge and everyone in the paddock that came and helped or offered some support or advice on the bike. Hugely appreciated. Thanks also go out to all the team supporters and sponsors for making this year happen. Roll on Donington ✊✊✊✊ Photo Credits Camipix GMR Projects Chamois Consulting Mackinnon Construction Ltd British Army Army Sport Control Board Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers - REME ARMY Motorcycle Road Race Team HEL Performance Eazi-Grip Tank Grips Motul UK Rst-moto Quality reflections Profibre K-Tech Suspension Conquest Racing Ltd - Motorcycle Performance Parts Sprint Filter Fullsix carbon Evotech Performance Xlite Nolan Sublime designs Moto Rapido Ducati / Oxford Racing Ducati , Moto Rapido Racing
Very lucky mate, same thing had me off a few years back at Donny on an 899. Highsided to the moon. Glad yours didn't do it again though, hopefully bike will be ok from now on. See you at Donny in a few weeks.
https://scrawnsenior.tumblr.com/post/184740211290/deer-leap-oulton-park-2019-richard Read the words on my blog Spence, I knew someone had tried to get past. I reckon it was you when I tried to go around Lodge in 4th instead of 3rd. I've got another image similar to this but you can see by my foot I was thinking about hooking third and your shadow is on my right. My traction light was on for ages when I opened up in 4th, clearly torque tried to launch me but electronics saved my ass.
Yeah I wouldn’t recommend it but was cool for the photos Mate I was glad to be in the mix, was good to follow and learn from you guys. Roll on donny! Can’t wait!
