I did a track day a few weeks before, and all had gone well apart from the carburettor needle falling out of the slide again - after having fitted a new clip. So I put a bit of heat-shrink sleeving over the top of the needle to try to reduce the available movement, and to provide the spring clip with a bit of support - and hoped.
Checked that the crank oil feed seal hadn't moved (all OK), checked valve clearances and changed the oil. Thought about gearing, but left it at 17/44 which had seemed a little on the high side at the Cadwell at the track day.
Friday was my youngest daughter's birthday, so i couldn't leave early, even if work commitments had allowed, so it was about 9 by the time I set off for the uneventful drive west. One Singapore fried noodles and 3 and a half hours later and I'm searching for a space in the paddock. Find one way back on the right inside Honda Curve and park and unload.
The morning is grey and cool, threatening rain. Formalities completed it's time for a bacon buttie and a cup of tea before practice. Practice is ok, but there's a nasty flat spot, as I open the throttle coming out of bends. Feels like the carb needle is in the wrong position, so I lift it one notch and re-secure the clip with silicone goo.
Showers of rain dampen my mood. I HATE the wet, but on the plus side, I could always follow someone and learn.
10th on the grid. over 30min since the last shower, so it's all dry bar
from the middle out of the hairpin at the end of the s/f straight, which is fine
because there's also a damn great trail of oil round the middle of the
corner, somewhat limiting the choice of lines.
There's fewer 250 European entries than usual so we are sharing the grid with the 125 post classic GP bikes - all Hondas I think, and they will have a delayed start.
Good start, about 6th into the hairpin and scramble for one more round Dibeni bend, and another on the back straight. Flat spot is all gone and everything is working well. I'm keeping close to Alan Witt and am faster than him into Brooklands and on lap 3 I get him there, but miss a change and he takes me back on the straight.
Get swamped by a swarm of 125s on lap 4. They are eel-like creatures that seem to take no notice of lines or spaces, but create their own at will.
Chasing hard I'm still having trouble working out where the track goes and take to the grass several times - out of the hairpin, out of the Esses and out of Brooklands. Seem almost to have the hang of it by the last lap,
Results: 10th on the road, 5th in class. 43sec behind the winner. Quickest lap 1:15.798. 4 sec better than last year
The grid placing system seems not to cope well with split grids, so there's quite a bit of shuffling about before we're ready, but there's been no more rain and the track is all dry.
The start is OK, but Ron Hart gets past me on the inside going in to the hairpin. I stay close and manage to get him on the brakes going into Brooklands. Alan Witt is within reach and I get quite close by the hairpin at the start of lap 3, and manage to stick with him to the flag in spite of two of the 125's getting past us on lap 6.
Seem to have worked out where the tarmac goes as there are no more excursions onto the grass, but the back steps out a bit a couple of times round Brooklands. New tyre time?
Results: 7th on the road, 5th in class. 38.4 behind the winner and 0.6 behind Alan. Quickest lap 1.15.3
Gearing is a bit high so I go down to 17/46, and replaced the brake pads as they are well worn and getting difficult to adjust. Dead tacho seems to be just that as the drive box and cable are fine
5th on the grid but I beat Tim Oliver and Ron Hart to be 3rd into the first corner. Tim comes past when I miss 3rd after Brooklands and steadily pulls away. Rev counter has stopped working so I'm not holding it as far through the gears.
Lap 5, Chris Gregory gets past on the s/f straight and that's really not on. Rest of the race we're swapping places once or twice a lap even when four of the 125s cloud round us. On the last lap I out brake him again into Brooklands and hold him off to the flag by .2sec
Results: 8th on the road, 4th in class - best position yet! 23 sec behind the winner and 12 behind Alan in 3rd. Quickest lap 1:16.330
First trophy: an engraved wine glass !
I learn that Chris G has just had the Nigel Lacey treatment on his motor. So that would explain why he's no longer in the last third!
My sister Louise and her partner, Ian, turn up to see what mad pursuit I'm engaged in. We wander round the paddock - Ian has an idea of what's there as he used to thrash BSAs round the Welsh lanes as a lad, but Louise is a little non-plussed.
4th on the grid and Family watching. No pressure then.
Get away OK and am 3rd into the hairpin but loose a place to Alan Witt round Honda curve. Chris Gregory gets past after Brooklands when I miss 4th again and I plan to stay close and take him at Brooklands on the last lap.
The a swam of angry 125s descend and i get pushed back and loose touch with Chris, settling for a safe 5th place some 6 sec behind him
Results: 9th on the road, 5th in class.28 s behind the winner with a best lap of 1.16.4 - really should have done better!