Whittys 1st race at 3 sisters 1/10/11

Had awful test sessions on Fri, hated track and it was a heatwave! It came together toward end of 2nd session but rear tyre was fryed on right. session was stopped due to a bad accident. Just what your confidence needs to see! Called it a day as arms,legs,fingers and toes were cramping badly! Decided to get a new tyre on day and scrub during practice. Sick as a dog at home, heatstroke due to forgetting to eat or drink all day. What a prat! No sleep, got there at 7am to scrutineer early incase bike failed(prepped my own roadbike). Passed ok apart from no numbers fitted. Got from net but arrived 23 days too late, found they were available on day for peanuts!!!!Always learning! My practice laps were 2nd from last but 1st race was 1st of day. Good few hours for nerves to build, hands were already shaking at 7am. Practice laps were mental compared to test day. Was gonna start from back of grid but was advised not to worry"somebody will be slower than you"...."are you sure about that?" If you pick lower than 10 put it back and repick. I drew 11 and thought just bloody get on with it! Got told practice a start an warm up lap cos others will and will get hit from behind...GULP! Warm up was a free for all, christ what is race gonna be like? Rode past grid spot, had to paddle back! Lights on....off.GO. 1st corner 5 abreast, got hit from behind on left. He went off track. Rest of lap was chaos, fell back to17th. When it calmed my arms relaxed and made a few passes, got back to 14th then it was all over. I WAS ALIVE! no tyre van there, with a bit of help turned tyre on rim. Drew 10 in pre inj, went for it more and got 6th on track(2nd in class). Next rookie race from 14th on grid got 3rd, nearly 2nd but last corner overtake failed. 2nd pre inj race got 5th on track(2nd in class again) Got a trophy for 2nd in trophy pre inj race and also picked up 'Rider Of The Day' trophy!! Still buzzing, you need to have a go before you die! never too old, I'm 42. Its brilliant(as long as you dont mind abit of 'contact') Roll on next season
Big thanks to lads I met who helped with nerves and rear tyre. Everyone really freindly.

[mister c]

Nice one mate, you did a lot better than me in my 1st race meet at the Sisters.
1st race went really well & finished 11th from start position 13, then one lad was dq'd because he was running a cut slick.
My 2nd race was a disaster. I thought that I was invincible until I came into the 1st corner on the 2nd lap about to overtake someone when my brain told me I was going way too fast. My finger touched the front brake & I went down like a sack of spuds, boy did that hurt Couple of cracked ribs & a damaged ankle.

Well done to you as there were quite a few incidents on track that weekend with a couple of my mates coming off a little worse for wear. Keep it up & have fun, that's what it's all about & no, you are never too old, I'm 48 & still thinking about racing again.

[flymo]

ha ha, brilliant.

Nothing worse than 'holding area nerves' on your first few goes. It gets easier though honestly

Yeah, that second Rookie race was red flagged twice. Doesn't do nerves any good seeing 2 riders physically trapped amongst their bikes in tyre wall at the tight L/H hairpin! Flymo, I remember we were talking at the easytrack T/day about me starting racing and I said I wasn't bothered about being near front. You were right, after the first race I just wanted to get nearer front. Its addictive!

Well done Whitty, onwards and upwards eh!

Hopefully, unless it was beginners luck. Either way I will be back next season. Need to start saving for tyres or stock up on scrubs over winter after seeing wear that happened in one meeting.

[flymo]

Originally Posted by Whitty

Hopefully, unless it was beginners luck. Either way I will be back next season. Need to start saving for tyres or stock up on scrubs over winter after seeing wear that happened in one meeting.

I probably spent more on tyres than any other aspect of racing. Also consider riding style, suspension settings, tyre pressures and of course track surface. I've seen a bike the same as mine, ridden at similar pace, same tyres on the same track destroy its tyres in one race when mine had lasted two meetings.

I got chatting to Nick Colley at previous meet who won preston/3 sisters pre inj championship by a country mile. He didn't even do last meet and still had huge points difference. He runs an R6(the bike of choice I beleive) with ohlins etc, his tyres looked sound at end of day! It was nowhere like the freaky heatwave we had last week though. He said he gets a couple of meets out of a pair. I am on stock shock and forks with k tech springs up front and stronger one on rear. I think its set up abit stiff but I haven't a clue, might try get it looked at over winter by k.a.i.s or someone like that.

[flymo]

...and so the cycle begins

Enjoyed your write up Whitty, it took me back to the days of my pre-race nerves, the apparent chaos of the first few races and then..... gradually forming some kind of plan and becoming accustomed to the environment, getting hooked and enjoying the experience.

The nerves are kind of a necessary evil, love it, but I couldn't go back, not brave enough anymore. Good luck t'yer.