First race report

So I survived Oulton and what a great experience.

Got up there after a nightmare trip from Kent but there was plenty of space in the paddock and my friend who was also racing was not long behind me so we were soon set up and catching up over a beer.

Next morning was signing on and scrutineering and I was lucky enough to have another racer there to help show me the ropes.

Everything passed ok and we even managed to squeeze into one of the garages which was very welcome when it started raining later in the day.

I've been to Oulton before but only as a mechanic for an F3 car so getting out on track for myself was a first. What a track, in the 5 laps practice that we got I wobbled my way round, outbraked myself everywhere and said hello to the kerbs. In the end though I found some sort of rhythm and set some very slow times. But I made it round and nothing fell off the bike. Especially me.

A long wait then til the qualifying race. A twist in the tale is that due to timing issues we'd been put in with the Sound of Thunder bikes so I was expecting to get lapped whereas before I thought it might be ok.

I was last place on the grid and this would be the first time I'd ever launched the bike in anger. Needless to say a 2nd gear start was the way forward but even then I lifted the front. I still managed to make up 2 places off the line into the first corner, lost one later that lap but kept ahead of the other and finished not last when the race was red flagged as the rain started to fall. Result. Was a lot happier on the bike having seen the track before too. Oh, and I did get lapped but only by the first three.

Another long wait interspersed with cups of coffee, bacon rolls and catching up with other riders.

Then the proper rain came. I think we'd been lucky so far as the weather report I'd seen had said rain all day but it held off til about 3. It did look like it might clear up so we held off on tyre choice but in the end the wets went on.

On the grid again and this time I made up a few more places and joined the huddle at the first corner not sure of what grip the tyres would give me. In the end it turns out the tyres are much better than I am so it was on with the race. One of the guys I'd passed on the grid came by me so I latched onto him and we caught and passed another bike. My first racing overtake. I followed the other rider for a lap or two and I was braver on the brakes than him so made a move on the way into one of the chicanes and came out the other side in front. Result.

From there I just tried to keep it on the track and to enjoy it. I expected him to come past at any time but it never happened. Then the last lap flag came out and in the distance i spotted another novice rider on the way into the hairpin. There was enough time for me to get close and overtake them into the same chicane so that was another overtake under my belt and I'd lapped someone.

What a great feeling seeing the flag and having completed my first race weekend.

There were a few fallers so in the end I managed 8th of of the 10 finishers in our class and even came away with some championship points.

All in all it was an amazing experience and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I got more out of the weekend than i ever expected to and can't wait for Thruxton in 2 weeks time.

All I can say is a massive thank you to everyone who said hello and their generous advice and help.

See you on the grid.

Jody.

Cool write-up - sounds like you had a blast!

Nice one, enjoyed that!

nice read. Great to see someone setting out ! wish you all the best mate. When you go to thruxton hunt out my mate Sebastien Kelly, his doing it as a one off, we're regular MRO guys not NG. He's a smashing guy and got rid of his novice bib half way through this year so you'll have alot in common. Thruxton is awesome on the minitwin you'll need 15/44 gearing there it worked great on my bike both in and out of slipstreams, it's a massive track, make sure you cycle it Friday night.

Cheers for the replies guys.

Got to pull my finger out this weekend and go over the bike. Just got my entry back for Thruxton so its all systems go. Oil change and some new brake pads are on the cards.

Thanks for the gearing advice. I'll look up Sebastien and say hello.

Cheers.

Jody.

If you can ... try and go out in two practice sessions. Try and find steve bostock (NG club main man) on friday evening and explain your in your 2nd meeting with new brake pads so would like 2 sessions on safety grounds. they will listen to genuine requests and if you dont ask you dont get. Lots of clubs are sensible and will honour it especially if you say it's not for tracktime it's for safety. You'll definately need two sessions to bed the new pads in anyway, let alone to learn the track, the lap is so long you'll be lucky to get 4 laps practice.
My advice would be to use the first session to glaze the pads in, when you can... pull off line and run with the lever slightly pulled in for like 300 yards at a time, then release, look behind, do the same again. and repeat for the first session. you'll get to see the track and also bed the pads in. There's some heavy braking zones at thruxton and you dont want to go piling in there on lap 1 race 1 with inefficient pads.
Use session two to have some hot laps and really push on.

if you can't get two sessions, do 2 laps to bed pads in then try and do the rest of the session as normal.

Thruxton is one of the best tracks on the minitwin as it's so flowing and fast but the turns are long and gentle, the run upto the last chicane is awesome and you can brake real late in there and pass around the outside and still make the apex. People get sucked in early, turn in and brake later than your mind will tell you !

Jody, if you need a 44T rear sprocket and you have an injected SV i've got one for sale already mounted up on a carrier on eBay.
Link: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...STRK:MESELX:IT