Mallory Park, 6th May 2001

Saturday

Left the Island on the 0700hrs "Seadog" to Liverpool on the 5th May, this time I had a few passengers.......My girlfriend Ann (Chief Time Keeper and Brolly Dolly), and two of my best buds, Terry 'let's go to the pub' Harrison and Jon 'The Wad' Wade.

For this trip the bike had been completely stripped down (see photo gallery) and re-assembled after my yee-ha at Jurby. While it was in bits I dropped the engine out and had a new clutch put in, and on inspection the steel plates were knackered, so a set of those were also required. Had the head gasket done as well, but there wasn't much wrong with that although four head bolts were found to be loose. Had the valves lapped in and shimmed up as these were found to be in pretty bad nick so I'm glad I got that done, it hasn't done it any harm that's for sure, should have a few more horses now.

Sprayed the new (second hand) tank myself, with some car park paint which covered really well, only reason for this is that I never had time to get it done properly, but will when I can, also re-furbished the bike with a few new parts, throttle grip ass'y, swingarm, clip-ons, footpeg, fairings, screen and seat unit. Sent the forks to Maxton Engineering to get repaired and these required two new chrome stantions and had to be re-worked/re-valved, etc as they were found to be standard, which I was well surprised about, but I wanted them up to spec, so this had to be done as well. Also had a few parts repaired and lashed back on, and JW Welding Ltd (07624 496314) straightened the frame where the crash protector mushroom had bent it and welded the steering damper mount. Didn't get it all back together till Friday 4th May, so I was cutting it fine.........and no mistake. All in all, the repairs and engine work have cost close on two grand..........Ouch, that hurt almost as much as when I was doing somersaults on to the concrete.

Arrived at Mallory pretty early and the pub was shut....... blagged a lift from an old geezer and his missus who took the four of us to a pub that was open, which happened to be about 3 miles away in a one horse town called Sutton Cheney. Had a few swift halves then tried to get a taxi back to Mallory..........no chance......had to walk back, which was a real shitter cos I've still got sore heels and have to walk on the balls of my feet, gives you tight calf muscles, that's for sure.

Juan and Dawnio arrived five minutes after we got there and we all helped erect the new awning that fastens on the side of their truck........it was making it's debut. Unloaded the van, put everything in the awning and went to the pub for a couple of hours. I was really starting to suffer from a heavy cold, my nose was running and I was sneezing like a Banshee. Went to bed in the van and was awake most of the night...........bugger.

Sunday

Woke up early-ish, The Wad and Terry were still in their tents, so went through scrutineering by myself and then signed on. Kev Atkins turned up and parked alongside us, he managed to get another engine fitted in his CBR FX after he blew his up a week earlier.......(he has about as much luck as me). The weather was overcast but dry, so much for the heatwave that had been forecast, those blokes get money for nothing, they're never right.

Went out in practice and did about seven laps, just using it to get my head round it, as this was the bike's first test since I'd rebuilt it........also with the different bars and double bubble screen it felt a little weird, and wondering if everything is straight does play on your mind a bit. Noticed through the Chicane that the steering was really light, which is most definitely down to the new forks and it felt better. Both Tez and Wad, picked a spot at the hairpin to watch, and they reckoned I was really good on the anchors into there, and from that spot you can see the whole track.

I was in only two races, both New ERA Superclub Formula 600 events.......a bit disappointed about only two races but this New Era Club is really popular and really competitive. Wherever you finished in the first race would reflect in your grid position in the next one.

I was hoping that I would maybe get into the top 12, then Juan told me that his best Superclub race result last year, was when he finished 12th at Pembrey...........oops. So maybe not, but I was going to give it a good go.

First race was Race 1, Juan and Kevin were in Race 2, and in the holding area stopped next to Jason Lichfield, had a natter, he had been to Mallory the week before and tipped off exiting Gerrards, but he too had fixed it and was ready to go. We were called out on to the track and on the way past Jase I knocked his brake lever with my knee, stopped turned round to see if he was OK... he gave me the thumbs up so off I went on the sighting lap........got to the grid and I had been allocated in 15th spot (4th row), had the warm up lap then waited for the flag...........When the flag dropped got an average start, the bike did feel like it pulled better off the line but I still got passed by a few before we got to Gerrards and was down to about 20th, but instead of getting trapped in the pack, I went around the outside and made up a few places and started to work my way up the field.......Hit neutral into the hairpin and lost a couple of places but made them back almost straight away and was picking off the odd rider and got into the top ten, was dicing with two geezers in front of me. On about the sixth lap into Gerrards I got my knee down and for the first time it stayed down, all the way round..........I thought to myself......Way-hay, but was also thinking....'Christ, if my knee is touching and I'm not sticking it out I must be well cranked over', and you're flat out in 5th...........and I don't like right handers. On the next lap, into Gerrards again and the two blokes are still ahead only this time I'm right up their chuffs, knee down again.......Way-Hay, and then the back end let go.....................

..........No F****** way, not again..........I immediately hauled the bike up straight, it wobbled all over the place but I managed to save it........then I was heading off the track onto the grass.......Oh Shite!.........made the decision of trying my luck at staying on the track and banked the bike over till my knee hit the track and missed the grass by inches..........Didn't fancy grass tracking while banked over at 100 odd mph, hasn't worked too well for me in the past. This party trick enabled the two in front of me to get away a bit, I had a quick look behind and had a big gap so settled for the place I was in, which turned out to be 9th.........not too shabby. Checked the bike over at the finish and it seemed to be OK, must have ridden it off the edge of the tyre, will probably have to start hanging off it a bit so the bike is not over so far. A bit of a fright that, can't really afford to jump off it again.

Went to watch Juan in race two and he had a great ride to 3rd......Kev Atkins finshed 16th......came back to the awning and there was a broken front brake lever sitting on the tank of my bike......went to see Jase, and sure enough it was his.. I had knocked it with my knee and broken it and he went out in the race holding it on with one finger...........nutter, it doesn't bear thinking about what would have happened if it had fallen off.......

My next race was Race 10, I was allocated 9th on the grid, (3rd row) Juan was 3rd (1st row) and Jase was in this one, again in 11th.... same row as me.....Kev was in Race 11.

Got a crap start.........the clutch started to slip but got round Gerrards and Jase was ahead of me, followed him round and found that he was holding me up at the Esses, but rounded the hairpin better than me.......down the straights the clutch was slipping at twelve thousand revs.....which wasn't helping, but the bike still was going OK......felt really tense the whole race and couldn't relax at all and started to struggle a bit, my throat was sore, my nose was streaming and I felt like I was breathing through my arse..........went over the start/finish straight for the last lap and Jason was still ahead, but wanted to get him at the Esses.....so dove up his inside and got through, up to the hairpin I defended my line, but he stayed wide and nearly wiped me out.........twat. Stood on the brakes even more and just missed him......he made the move stick and beat me by half a second.... .........I finished in 12th.......felt knackered.

Got changed out of my leathers and went to see him, he told me that he was just on his way to see me to apologise.......but he wasn't going to let me beat him.....but hey......that's racing! Said I would have done it to him....good fun though and we both stayed on, which was the most important thing.

Would have settled for those results before I came, so have to be happy, also knocked nearly a second off my fastest lap, which is now 54.04 know I'll do better still when I learn to relax, get back training now that I've nearly recovered and stop the clutch from slipping. Found that there was no play in the clutch lever, when it had bedded in I should have adjusted it.......and I would have done had I known you had to....but I know for the future. So I slackened it off and hoped that would cure the problem.

So, not too bad, packed the van up, had a shower (which was cold and crap) probably gave me another chill........and headed off to Donington Park which was only 45 mins up the road.....then the sun came out........... typica!. Got to Donington and had to queue outside for an hour, then set up the awning again when we eventually got in, unpacked the van and went to the pub that is there around eight-ish........then they called last orders at nine..... you're having a laugh aren't ya? Got my head down around eleven...........didn't sleep well again............ shite.

So tune in for tomorrow's, nose running episode of Tommy Clucas Racing.