Jun
17
Apex Racing: Who Stole the Last 3 Weeks???
I can’t believe it, tomorrow we set off for Snetterton and I haven’t managed to get over Anglesey, is it really 3 weeks or has someone stolen some of my days?
Anglesey was a good weekend, having circulated the1.55 mile costal circuit something like 200 times in the 3 day visit, you would think I could find my way around and being Endurance fit it was not surprising to post my fastest lap of the weekend a 1.16.4 on my final lap at around 17.00hrs on Sunday evening.
This is just my third round in Sprint Racing and the time and effort invested is already paying off. Sunday morning was windy, taking my position on the 3rd row for the first race of the day I wanted to improve on my 10th place on Saturday. The lights go off and the wheel lifts, almost floating the length of the straight I’m not only away with the pack I’ve passed 1, 2 maybe 3. The first two corners are manic, bikes everywhere bustling for the limited space, as we exit the banked corner Lund slides underneath me; it’s not personal however yesterday we battled for almost the whole race before Lund lost it in Peel, 3 corners from the flag. I plan to take him back up the hill but he’s too strong, I have to pass and not get held again, onto the start finish straight I pull it tight and blast underneath him into turn one, I wasn’t confident it would stick but it did and I was through. I chased down the guys in front, 2 laps left I exit church on his back wheel down the back straight I go to move as we catch a back marker and am forced to abort, its tight now last lap, I lunge underneath at the Corkscrew and block pass into the right. I take the flag in 7th place, my personal best finish, fantastic.
Next up is the Endurance race with my partner Woby, we are confident after some good sprint racing and as this is our first run in the endurance this year, having been plagued with mechanical problems we are keen for a podium finish. Woby makes a traditional Apex start and within only a couple of laps we are running 1st in class but its close those pesky Brand Boys are on our tail. 30 mins in and it’s time for a change and we pit in second, I’m out and in my first stint can better a 1.19 this isn’t good enough and by the time I come in were P4, a short break and I’m out again this time I’m consistently hitting the 16s and 17s, that’s better, 2 hours in and were still P4. Woby’s out and in his stint so is the pace car. Confusion reigns and were lost, are we a lap down? all 4 places are within yards on track. Finally Woby is in and I’m out in P5 for my last stint, I can see Dalgarno ahead and chase him down circulating around 3 seconds a lap quicker. With 11 minutes to the flag we are forced to make a last change, Woby is out but Dilks is closing us down. After 3 hours racing we end up P5 two seconds off P4 and only 11 seconds off P3, 11 seconds off the podium after 3 hours! How close is this racing?
It’s been a long weekend and the last race of the day falls to the MG600′s. Lights out and another good start, I pitch into turn one to find Lund underneath me, we pass together and set off in the 17s it’s become a race between the two of us, I’m on his wheel in every corner but can’t make a pass stick, Lund is using every inch of the track cutting off my passage past, up the hill I press hard and Lund runs deep into the Hairpin trying to keep me at bay, a chance and I’m through into Rocket only to lose it straight back into Peel (remember that move Woby?), we have run 10 Laps wheel to wheel and my time is running out. I push on and see an opportunity into the Banked Corner, Lund slices my nose off and I run deep only to be passed by Slater, where did he come from? I take the flag in tenth 1 second ahead of P11, phew I was so busy with the battle in front I didn’t realise there was another threat from the rear.
Anglesey over and the focus turns to Snetterton, 2 track days done to learn the new 300 circuit and what seems like too many late nights prepping the bike and of course no help from whoever stole my valuable time, a cheeky day off for the MOTO GP at Silverstone and tomorrow we start all over.
Hottrax Racing, it’s in our blood.
See you there