Jurby Airfield , 8th September 2001

Anti-Clockwise

Before this meeting, tried to get my HRC big radiator repaired, but unfortunately, the old geezer who tried to repair it in Ireland, made it ten times worse, as he used too much heat and melted it pretty badly.........borrowed a standard rad from Rob Sells and lashed that on, just hoped that it would keep the temperature down enough, but at this time of year thought that it would be okay.

Changed the gearing back to what I use for Jurby, but this time kept the smaller sized chain on to shorten the wheel base and hopefully quicken up the steering, took the exhaust system off and re-sealed the exhaust ports on the cylinder head as I was sure one of them was blowing. Also changed the oil and filter and fitted another set of Pirelli Supercorsa's, then loaded the van up ready to go..........

Saturday

Picked up Geller on the way and arrived at Jurby just after half nine in the morning, it was pretty windy , but dry (so far), wasn't really bothered what the weather was going to do, just hoped that if it was dry it would stay dry, and if it rained, it would keep raining...... it gets a bit of a pain in the arse when you have to keep changing wheels all day. As it was quite sunny, didn't know if it was worth putting the awning up, but as we had plenty of time and its a great wind break, did it anyway, even though it's not easy when it's blowing as hard as it was.

Queued up to sign on and it started to rain..........but there was a strong breeze blowing and in the distance there was blue skies........so I was pretty confident it would clear up before I got out to practise.......was glad we had decided on putting the awning up.

Both practise sessions faired okay, and it was going my favourite way today (Anti-clockwise) but the bike felt really different ........... it felt so light it was like somebody else's, it just dropped into the corners, it was also really lively down the back straight, and it unsettled itself over every bump, but you have to take the rough with the smooth I suppose.......funnily enough I preferred it like this so I'll have to try and keep the wheel base similar for the next event. Felt a bit tense and was struggling a bit to get the power on early enough out of the crossover chicane onto the start/finish straight, although I was well happy about how the bike could hold a tight line at the 'hairpin' after the Perimeter section onto the Long Runway section......nearly caught myself out a couple of times, it dived it that quick I nearly hit the kerbs. Hoped this would improve come race time. The temperature, when I remembered to look was running at normal, so that was a load off my mind. The wind was really gusting and it was pretty difficult tipping it into the fast right hander at the first crossover chicane, the wind was trying to blow you back upright and I found I couldn't take it as fast as I normally can, but it was the same for everybody, there would be no records broken today that was for sure. My target for the day was to try and beat Nigel Beattie, in the dry, on his 250 Honda, as there is no doubt he's a quick boy on that, and he's won the 600 class three years running, I've passed him before in the dry before, but the race was red flagged and I didn't get his 'scalp'........Juan had managed to beat Nige about this time last year, so what he achieved I was wanting to.

Was only in four races today, two 1300 Open Solo Centre Championship, and two Formula 600 events........not doing the Clubman races anymore and the Champion Of Champions wasn't in the programme. Was aiming for a top 6 finish in the Open races, and was hoping to run right at the front in the 600 races. First one up was the first Open race...... 10 laps, again allocated a place on the front row of the grid, no Milky Quayle today as he injured himself while testing in the week....... so I reckoned it was going to be between Big 'H' and Nige, the wind had dried the track completely and after two warm up laps waited on the grid for the start........... Got an absolute peach of a start, until the front wheel started to lift and I had to roll the throttle to get it back down and when it did I got it crossed up......... shite ........ lost loads of places cos of this and must have been about tenth into the first corner, passed a couple around the outside, then dove up the inside of another just before the Bus Stop Chicane...... had to filter through there and could see the blokes in front getting away, was cursing myself for messing up the start, but managed to pick off somebody into the Perimeter section on the brakes, could see that it was Phil Kneen and Phil Bell-Scott in front of me and got them both at the same place on the next lap to go 5th.... caught up with Dave Madsen Mygdal on his R71 and went around the outside of him at Snuffies, the bike was jumping all over the place on the bumpy bits there and as soon as he got into his stride he pulled away from me, managed to reel him in on the brakes, but again, on the straight he pulled a few yards, on about the fifth lap, slipstreamed him down the back straight, he still pulled a few yards, but out braked him into the Perimeter section......... could see the next rider in the distance and I thought it was Chris Dowling on the sister bike to mine (Simpson's' Motorcycle City CBR600), was thinking he must have had a bloody good start, was catching him round the corners and couldn't understand how he was pulling them all back again on the straights......... his bike is the same as mine, so couldn't get my head round it, a few laps went by and it was clear that I wasn't going to make up the gap, so had a look behind me and Mygdal was a couple of seconds back, so maintained the gap till the end and finished 4th................ on the cool down lap I had a look to see who had won and it was Big 'H', followed by Nige Beattie and it was Chris Palmer that was ahead of me on his R1, not Dowling, who have got similar leathers.... was pretty chuffed after that, didn't think I was as high as fourth..... I was still holding on too tight and couldn't really get a rhythm going, so was pretty pleased.

Was looking forward to the Formula 600 race, Nige wasn't doing this one although I told him to pull his finger out and get in it, so he said he'd do the last one. There was a good chance of a result in this one, as everyone that was in it I had beaten before, so was really hoping for a win.......... I was on the second row for this eight lapper, but wasn't too bothered about that, until I missed a gear and lost a few yards when the flag dropped.......... shite again. was down in about eighth place after the first corner but made up a couple, could see ahead that it was Dowling leading followed by Palmer, Sells then 'H'........ dove up the inside of Big 'H' at Snuffies and made him sit up......... got good drive and managed to get past Rob, then 'H' got me on the brakes into the Perimeter section, was pretty surprised at that, cos I'm usually pretty good through there. Stuck on his tail for another lap and we both got past Palmer on his 250.......
could still see Dowling a fair bit ahead, and he was riding really well, and I was wondering if we were both going to catch him, a couple of laps later we were beginning to close the gap, H had a few looks behind and saw me right up his chuff and I was thinking 'yeah, I'm still here ya big bastard' and 'hurry up and catch him will ya, and drag me along'...... into the Bus Stop I made an error.....was on his back wheel and to avoid running into it had to straighten up and go on the grass for a couple of yards........ lost a bit of time cos of this and tried hard to make it back, by this time 'H' had caught Chris but was having trouble getting past him....... thought that this was looking good for me and was closing the gap until I had a huge slide while cranked over at Nan's on the last lap, trying to get the power on too early........it nearly had me off, but I saved it and I knew the chance had gone...... lost at least a second because of it (doesn't sound much, but a second must be 50 yards)..... knew 'H' was going to make a move on the last couple of corners, and if there were any mistakes I was hoping that I might slip through, 'H' made his move at the 'Hairpin' but Dowling stuffed him straight back onto the start/finish straight and won by a length........ I finished 3rd a second or so back.......... was pretty disappointed.......... knew I was trying too hard, but taking nothing away from the other two, they rode better than me........ was even more determined for the next one. Went to see Chris and asked him did he have a rocket up his arse.............?

Next race was the last Centre Championship race of the year ....reduced to 6 laps, and was hoping that I could get at least 4th again, although its always hard against the bigger bikes, so wanted to be the first 600 home more than anything else. Was on the front row again and got a better start than I had in the other two and after we all got through Sniffies on the first lap, I had Palmer in my sights, could see that it was Beattie on the ZXR750 ahead and Big 'H' on his R1 leading.......... stuck on Palmer's tail, but the same again happened on the straights, and I made them back up again at Nan's, had a few bites at him around the outside at Snuffies, but couldn't get past, and at the Perimeter section don't know why, but I made a move and came alongside of him on the outside at the 'hairpin'......probably letting him know I was there, he took the corner pretty wide and because I was on the wrong side of him I had to go wider and lost the drive I could have had on him, it wasn't worth making a dodgy move, cos I knew he would just blast back past me on the straight.......was starting to enjoy it more than the other two races and really started to get to grips with the way the bike was handling........ I felt a lot smoother than before and it seemed to be taking a lot less effort..... although I still ground the fairing down a couple of times on the left hander at Nan's....... we both reduced the gap on Nige, with Palmer right up his chuff on the last lap, with me just a few yards back, had a look behind and saw that we had a huge gap...... so was pretty pleased to finish 4th again. It certainly makes a difference when you relax a bit.

Last race of the day for me was the second Formula 600 race...... Nige was in this one... I was on the second row again, so lined myself up in between him and Dowling (both really good at the start) and when the flag dropped got to the corner 3rd behind Dowling leading and Palmer........ got past Palmer before the Bus Stop and chased after Dowling..... got great drive out of Snuffies and passed Dowling going down the back straight to hit the front........ was really starting to enjoy myself and was taking big breaths to try and relax myself on the easy bits, made a couple of mistakes and there was times when I knew I could have taken a corner faster than had........... had a look behind me and noticed that I was starting to pull a gap........ I was wondering where Nige was and a couple of laps later had another look and saw that it was Nige that had got up to 2nd about 50 yards back....... going into the last lap I was still leading and was trying to concentrate hard on not making any mistakes, I still had about a 30 yard gap and knew he was going to be snapping at my heels in the last couple of corners............. going around Snuffies for the last time I was flat out in fifth and when I went to change to sixth.........I missed it...... the bike went pop pop pop pop pop pop........ as it bounced off the rev limiter and as soon as I had snicked it back up, Nige came past me on the outside........... I didn't think he was that close and was surprised at the speed he came by me...... chased him into the Perimeter section and was going to out brake him, but he went through there damn quick so still had to sit on his tail.......... was going to make a move into the 'hairpin', but there was a back marker...... Nige went one side and I went the other....... into the crossover chicane Nige had the racing line but I could see another back marker ahead, so got the best drive out of the corner as I could, Nige went on the outside of the back marker and as I was slipstreaming him I followed............ the bloody back marker went really wide and both me and Nige were flat out on the edge of the grass.................... going up to the line Nige had a look and I was pulling alongside him and his visor lifted up and it looked like I was going to get to the line first, but as I wasn't concentrating the bike went pop pop pop pop pop............ shite, hit the limiter again and lost the drive I had and he pipped me on the line........... was bloody gutted........... but I really enjoyed it..... wished every race could be like that. Any other day two 4ths, a 3rd and a 2nd would have been great, but was wishing I had done better............. although I always count it as a result if I stay on the bastard. Packed up the van with the help of Geller and My bro-in-law, Mike............ top help.

Next up for me is the Celtic Match Races at Mondello Park in Ireland, where I hope we have a much more successful time than we all had last year................

So, tune in next time for another very exciting, line pipping episode of.............. Tommy Clucas Racing.