Weekend Review, Brands Hatch GP.
Well what a weekend. Last year I booked onto a Brands GP track day just before the BEMSEE meet at the same circuit and was convinced I would do well. I spent all weekend chasing tails, I couldn’t get comfy on the bike and my lap times were in the 1:48’s. It was a truly depressing weekend. This year could not be more opposite. The bike felt great, planted and although my forks were bottoming out, very stable for the most part. Qualifying was on a damp track. It seemed as though no one really wanted to push past the limits. I booked my Thunderbike start slot in 17th with a time of 1:47 which was already quicker than I went last year. In the Minitwins qualifying the track was looking better and I pushed a little more obtaining the 22nd grid slot for my own. My time, a 1:45.
The first race, Thunderbike Sport was a wet affair. It stopped raining but the track was wet. I went out with full wets on and as the last time I raced a wet track was at Silverstone, and I fell off, I took it easy. I finished the race in 11th with a time of 2:01. The second Thunderbike race saw me chasing down Stew May, who was on only his second ever race meet. I would catch him around the back section and he would pull a gap on the indy section. Every lap was faster and on lap 4 Stew made a mistake at Surtees. That allowed me to close right up on him and when he made the same mistake again on lap 5 I had to make the move. I managed to put in a 1:44 on that last lap and pull a .6 gap finishing 14th .095 off of 13th. It was a great race and I recommend watching it on my you tube or Facebook page. Great racing Stew. Race 3 was on Sunday morning and the weather was perfect. I went from 14th to finish 14th in a fairly uneventful race but still great fun. My best lap was a 1:44. Race 4 was another great race, I managed to convert my 14th position start into a 12th place finish with a best time of 1:44. The Thuderbike sport class has provided some great racing this season.
The first Minitwin race was pretty uneventful I had an awful first couple of corners and went straight back to 26th. I managed to make my way back into 25th but that is how it ended. My best time was a 1:47. In the second race I managed to make my way from 25th to 22nd. I had a few scraps, had to chase down Dom Veasey and pass him then was Patrick Willis and Carl Mitchell. Unfortunately I passed Carl and ran off the track at Graham Hill bend allowing him back past and on the final lap I managed to close the gap across the line to .1 seconds but had to settle for 22nd. My fastest lap time in race 2 was a 1:44. Race three saw me start and finish in 22nd. The race was red flagged after only 3 laps and the result called. My fastest time was a 1:43.9. Race four was probably my best ever race on the SV. Everything just clicked and the bike felt great. I lined up in 22nd and battled my way up to 18th with a fastest and new PB time of 1:43.360. Before this race I was concerned that my bike was playing up but it ran fine, I couldn’t fault it. Not quite in the points but a spirited ride.
Congratulations to Daniel Sales who scored his first MRO Minitwin point.
TB Race 1. I qualified 17th with a time of 1:47.684 and finished in 11th with a fastest laptime of 2:01.606.
MT Race 1. I qualified 22nd with a time of 1:45.423 and finished in 25th with a fastest time of 1:47.284.
TB Race 2. I started 11th and finished 14th with a fastest time of 1:44.861
MT Race 2. I started 25th and finished in 22nd with a fastest time was 1:44.753.
TB Race 3. I started 14th and finished 14th with a fastest time of 1:44.369
MT Race 3. I started 22nd and finished in 22nd with a fastest time was 1:43.921.
TB Race 4. I started 14th and finished 12th with a fastest time of 1:44.236
MT Race 4. I started 22nd and finished in 18th with a fastest time was 1:43.360.
Thunderbike Sport
TB Qualifying Time: 1:47.684
TB Race 1 Fastest Time: 1:2:01.606(wet)
TB Race 2 Fastest Time: 1:44.861
TB Race 3 Fastest Time: 1:44.369
TB Race 4 Fastest Time: 1:44.236
Fastest TB time this weekend: 1:38.317 Official timing
MRO Minitwins
MT Qualifying Time: 1:45.423
MT Race 1 Fastest Time: 1:47.284
MT Race 2 Fastest Time: 1:44.753
MT Race 3 Fastest Time: 1:43.921
MT Race 4 Fastest Time: 1:43.360
Fastest Minitwin time this weekend: 1:37.294 Official timing
