Celtic Match Races, Mondello Park, Eire - 21st to 23rd September 2001

Thursday

Met the team at the Sea Terminal at the arranged time of one o'clock, and picked up my ticket from team manager Terry Holmes, we had ten vans going this year, four for the sidecar crews that were going and six for the solos, five from the Island, as Juan and Dawnio were going from Liverpool and had already arrived there. I was using my van again this year and had Rob Sells riding shotgun as we had loaded his bike and kit in the van on Wednesday night, Phil Bell Scott, jumped in as well for a lift but his bike was going in the van that Andrew 'Wally' Kneale was taking. Had quite a few heads going this year, with the Solos Team consisting of Big H, Nigel Beattie, Juan Kinnish, Paul Dedman, Dave Madsen-Mygdal, Bruce Black, Rob Sells, Phil Bell-Scott and myself........ Milky Quayle was supposed to be going but had to withdraw after he fractured his wrist whilst testing his new Gixser thou' at Jurby. We had a few extra solo riders that had entered the support races and they were also back-up for the team, and if anything were to happen to one of us, they could take our place...... they were John Crellin, Wally Kneale and Dave Corlett, who was also passengering for Alan Langton in one of the sidecars.

Got to Naas, which is 30 odd miles south of Dublin at around half past six and drove around the town looking for the Naas Court Hotel...... whist doing so bumped into some of the other lads who had just arrived and they were driving around looking for it too. Eventually found it and booked in........ Shared a triple room with Rob and Phil. Some of the other lads stayed in a B'n'B just around the corner. Had a bite to eat, then went for a few swift halves as we were only doing a track day on the Friday afternoon, with the practising, qualifying and racing getting underway on the Saturday and Sunday.

Friday

Juan, Dawn, Phil and me were the first to leave the hotel and got to the track at around 9-30am........ I had brought my awning with me, but as Mondello had been totally re-vamped we went to Race Control to try and sort out a garage...... we were allocated garages 1 + 2 ......... they were plenty big enough to accommodate all the solos. We were well relieved as this meant that instead of packing the van up every night we could shut down the roller doors and lock up leaving everything safe inside......... brilliant! The practise day didn't get underway till after 1pm, but by that time we were all fettled ready, and had already walked the track in the sunshine (what a contrast to last year), it had been resurfaced sometime during the last twelve months and the facilities were a lot better...........

The first corner is called Toyota, which is actually a tight right hand hairpin, around that then onto a straight bit that has a left, right, left kink, then onto a right hander which has a big bump on the exit which unsettles the front and rear ends, power down the straight which bends to the right near the end of it into Parabolica, which is a right hand corner taken in 3rd or 4th gear depending on how good you are, the corner sweeps round and there is another right apex to it called Trapese, from there it's hard on the throttle up to 5th, maybe into 6th down the back straight which bends left at the end, then it's hard on the brakes into Tarzan 1 which is a right hander and straight away still really cranked over through Tarzan 2 which is another tight, right hander, if you get these right you take them in one, then there's a small straight bit that has a slight rise which lifts the front wheel, then its back a gear for Septica, this is a 90 degree right hander which immediately flicks left the other way which is called Druids, then on to Karussel, which is a long sweeping 2nd or 3rd gear left hander, which seems to go on for ages........you really get the feeling of being cranked over here, down another short straight, through another left hand 90 degree corner where the kerbs are really big, down another short straight which has a rise leading up to a blind hairpin which is called Lola, around this then back on to the start/finish straight, which has a dip at the start of it.

Got out on the track, this time on the bike, had a 14 tooth front sprocket and 48 tooth rear already fitted to the bike, but was only getting into 5th gear at the fastest part of the track, so decided on changing this to a 49 (biggest I have) but delayed doing this till the end of the day till I put my new tyres on, couldn't be arsed changing it beforehand. Had three sessions, and managed 30 laps in total. Dawnio was timing me and I was around the 1min 31 second mark for most of my laps.......... hitting 1' 30 on a few occasions, wasn't too worried as I knew where I was slow and would do better when I put one of the two sets of tyres on that Juan had brought over for me. I had managed a best lap last time here on the R1 at 1' 30.0, so I had already done that, I wanted to better the 1' 28.6 that Juan had managed (last year), although I was confident of doing it, the track doesn't really suit my non scratching style, it suits the 250's better than anything. Could have had another session, but didn't do it, instead, I whipped my wheels off to put new tyres on while the tyre fitter was still at the track...... wanted to be all ready for the racing, instead of leaving it till tomorrow. The fourth session was brought to a premature end when the red flags came out after an accident....... turns out one of our lads (Wally) had high sided and was carted off to the Hospital in the Meat Wagon, and they couldn't carry on as the only ambulance had left the track. Juan, Dawnio and me were the last to leave the track, but had the bike all ready so that I could have a lazy morning....... no rushing around for us. Went out for a bite to eat and a few shandies, Wally arrived and had the piss taken out of him as he was all bandaged up, he managed to break his left wrist and fingers and a bone in his right elbow.........had a pretty early night, didn't want to be feeling rough for the early rise in the morning.

Saturday

Got to the track at around 8.15am, again it was Juan, Dawnio, Phil and me there first.......good job I had held on to the garage key......had to sign on, which took ages, then get the bike scrutineered...... Phil and me were the only two that had no help with us...... an extra pair of hands would have made a hell of a difference, but for one reason or another it had turned out that way........

Today, I was entered in the Supersport 600 and Celtic Match Races, and had two practise sessions lined up for each, with a race for each at the end of the day........ went out for the first SS600 practise and felt my way around and scrubbed my new tyres in and had 6 laps...... Dawnio had me down for a best lap of 1' 30.0, so equalled my previous best again, was still rolling the throttle at a lot of places where I shouldn't have, but, it was only a practise. Found that the gearing was slightly better, but it was revving out on the approach to Karussel, and it wasn't worth changing up a gear to go straight back down one, all in the space of 50 yards, this was the only corner where the gearing was wrong, so as it was practise I tried a few different things, like going around it in a higher gear, but the drive out was suffering, and pulling the clutch in and free wheeling, which did make the bike go forward faster, but felt really weird doing it....... also tried braking later and smoother, didn't really decide which was best, as in the race there could be someone ahead of me and I'd have to try and do whatever would be best at the time.

Second practise session was for the Celtic Match Race, and out we went again and in this session I was clocked at 1' 29.1 so another improvement and felt pretty safe whilst doing it..... but I was suffering a bit from arm pump. Paul Dedman came past me on Mark Mann's V+M tuned R1 and tried to stay with him for the last lap, but he pulled quite a few yards on me and I was thinking that he was going really well, word on the manor was that the bike cost £25k plus, and puts out 170bhp at the rear wheel, but the big bikes are a handful around this place, but he still managed to get into the 1' 26's.... Juan had managed to get into the 1' 27's...... as had Big H on his R1, although on his CBR600 he was slower than me....... Nige had gone fastest of all of us and got into the high 1' 25's on his 250 Honda.... told you it was a 250 track!

Went out for the 2nd SS600 practise, this was supposed to be timed, we had all been given transponders and had them fitted to the bikes (first time for me), but they were having a problem in race control so it turned into an untimed session. Big H and his sponsor Kev Cringle asked Juan to have a go on his CBR600 Honda, as Big H was struggling a bit on it...... so out he went to practise on it followed by me right up his chuff, he told me as we waited to go out that 'H' has his gearbox the opposite way round to standard (as most experienced racers) and to get in behind him and follow him round to try and get my lap times down again......... had a steady lap then the pace upped a bit and was really enjoying it, as Joo wasn't as fast as he was on his own bike (the thought of binning a 14 grand bike must have had his arse making buttons)...... on the 2nd lap after Toyota Hairpin he went down a gear instead of up one and the back end stepped right out in front of me and I had to swerve out of the way........ that was a close one, after that, instead of slipstreaming him I stayed on either side, was having a great time as the last time we were this close on the track was at Jurby last year and when we got to Lola Corner I dove up his inside....... he powered back past me on the straight and again at Lola did the same move and then only had one more lap before the session ended...... was clocked this time at 1' 28.1 so another second quicker, knew that getting into the 1' 27's was well possible. although the bike was protesting a bit on the anchors, it had the back end fish tailing on most occasions, might have helped had I used the back brake, but I've got into the habit of not using it..... may have to change that soon.

Missed the 2nd Celtic Match Race practise as I had decided to save my tyres for the two races that were coming up. The racing was delayed a few times because of all the red flags that were coming out, and the six o'clock finish was looming, they decided to extend the day so that no races were going to be postponed to the Sunday. Had qualified on the 5th row for the six lap SS600 race, and had a warm up lap and settled on the grid....... the lights went green and we were off, had a pretty good start, until I was blocked a bit and had to brake early and loads shot past me, lost a few more places as it was pretty aggressive mid corner with a lot of fairing bashing going on, but got my head down and after a couple of laps had made a few places back..... the two places on the track I found that I could pass were around the outside on the fastest part of the course on the approach to Tarzan 1......... and funnily enough up the inside, heavy on the brakes at Lola Corner..... made up a couple more places as the race progressed. Dawnio was swinging my pit board out and it kept saying +0, that meant that there was someone up my chuff, and on the next lap round it said +2...... that was a relief........ the bloke ahead had a couple of seconds on me and going into the last lap I had +3, so settled for the position I was in till the finish, which turned out to be........ 10th. Was well pleased with that, had a fastest lap of 1' 28.2 and had been doing close to that time every lap........... consistency at last.

Next race up was the Celtic Match Race, 10 laps, and obviously the Irish lads were the favourites........ I was back on the 6th row, as the team Manager had picked who went where on the grid, Nige had been out in the 250 race just before the Celtic one and had slid off his bike and he couldn't get it fixed in time for this one, so he had to use the Wilson and Collins ZXR750 which he had been struggling on, it's a bit of a brute to throw around after a 250 I bet. Nige had been picked for the front row, but was now on the 3rd with Juan and H on the front two rows, Dedman on the 4th, Mygdal on the 5th, me on the 6th and I didn't see who was lined up behind me. Lights went green and there was a lot of jostling for position and by the time we got to Parabolica I had passed Mygdal then went around the outside of Nige mid corner, was in a group of about 5 with a 250 leading us and holding us all up, I was the last to get past him as I was too busy watching people diving up the inside of each other, but managed it just before the race was red flagged, so it was back to the start for another go, we were held for a while then had another warm up lap then we were off again and on the first lap of the restart as we rounded 'Druids' saw loads of dust as a bike cart-wheeled on the grass and saw that it was Big H, I was hoping that he was okay and the bloke in front stuck his hand in the air as the yellow flags were being waved, he obviously thought that the race was going to be red flagged and I must admit I thought it was going to be, but going round the next corner, the flags were not out...... had to sit behind this bloke as you're not allowed to pass under waved yellow, but managed it after the next corner, came across the line to see P14 +0, so I was in 14th position, passed a bloke half way round that lap to go 13th, Had a look for H next time round at Karussel but didn't see him thought he must be ok or they would have stopped the race (turns out he dislocated his shoulder) came across the line after another couple of laps to see P12 +3, thought someone must have dropped out cos I hadn't passed anyone (turns out it was Juan, his battery went flat while he was lying 2nd..... Doh!) Entering the last lap, I was suffering again from arm pump, but I was pleased to still have the three seconds on the guy behind, and there was two in front I wasn't going to catch until I got to the last corner to see one of them in the gravel, so nipped by and claimed 11th....... Had gone slightly faster again at 1' 28.1.... most of my laps were in the low 1' 28's. Paul Dedman was the first Manxie home in 6th, me next in 11th and Dave Madsen-Mygdal next up in 18th. Was pleased with that...... Got the bike ready for tomorrow, even had the tyre warmers on ready to flick the switch in the morning as we didn't need to re-scrutineer ........ would have been the last to leave again, except the Beattie clan were fixing Nige's 250, using any bits they needed from Wally's bike...... left them to it and headed back to the hotel at around 8-30pm..... a late one. Felt steady all day and for only the second time on a bike that I've felt like I wasn't going to fall off, (first time last Jurby meeting), and I can only put it down to keeping the wheelbase on the bike as short as possible, makes the bike steer so much better, although it's prone to more wheelies and it's a little more unstable on the straights........ but you can live with that, cos it's getting through the corners that's the hardest bit.

Sunday

Was up at around 7-30am for brekkie and headed off for the track shortly after with Phil, would have been the first there again but stopped off for supplies at a petrol station and met the Beattie clan there, so they got there before us but had to wait till I got there cos I had the key........

There was no practise today, so I was pleased to find that I had qualified for the Race of the Year....... was also a bit surprised ....... the other qualifiers from the Manx Team were, Kinnish, Dedman and Big H..... Nige would have qualified on his 250 but didn't on the 750, but as he had the 250 fixed, he took the place of the injured Big H who wouldn't be riding today. There was a timed 12 lap practise to determine the places on the grid and we were out on to the track just after 10.00am...... it was pretty hard trying to get into it and it was red flagged after 6 laps and I had only managed to get into the high 1' 29's was getting a little worried as my arms were pumping up again and was grateful for the rest, but it was not long before I was back out on the track.....had a few more laps and the best time I saw indicated on my pit board was 1' 28.2........ my arms were so pumped I was finding it difficult to brake so I pulled in, as that time would have to do me......... I knew that it was pointless staying out, I felt I was starting to go backwards. Turned out I qualified 23rd on the grid...... but decided not to go in the race and just concentrate on the SS600 and Celtic Match Race.

Deliberated for ages whether or not to put my other set of new tyres on...... the other ones had done 46 laps and were past their best, but I only had two more outings on the track that were going to be a total of 17 laps, so was wondering if it was worth it........... eventually decided to put them on as I was determined to get into the 1' 27 bracket, and having the new boots on would give me the confidence to try it.

Was allocated a place on the 5th row for a 7 lap race and had a warm up lap, Juan was two rows ahead and I was hoping I'd get a good start and get in behind and let him drag me along, but at the start, as I was on the inside line at the Hairpin, because of the sheer volume of bikes I was forced onto the kerbs all the way round the corner, lost a bit of ground cos of this but barged my way through at the 'S' bend and got my head down.......... had to stand on the pegs after this bit cos as you round the corner there is a big bump where the whole bike jumps in the air and it seemed to help keep it steady, hit this bloody bump almost every lap, so I was well ready for it every time round. Had roped Big H and Kev Cringle into swinging my pit board out and it indicated +0 for the first few laps and was quite relieved when the fourth time round it said +5....... felt like I was circulating quicker than before, whilst being totally in control all the time, even when the bike was protesting on the brakes and had the arse end fish-tailing on loads of occasions, managed to get both knees down, worried me a little as it got me thinking how far cranked over I must be, as that was a first time that had happened, but some of the other Manx boys were wearing out a set of knee sliders a day......... got to the finish line 11th, was pretty happy with that, and was surprised that Juan had got 8th, it must have been a hell of a hot pace at the front......... was told that I had managed a 1' 27.4............ yeee haaarrr, and had managed three laps in the 1' 27's.......... chuffed.

There was going to be another SS600 race, which was the last race of the day, but I just wanted to do concentrate on doing the last Match Race. This race was supposed to be a 10 lapper, but was reduced to 8 laps and this time I was promoted to the 4th row......... with Nige on the front on his 250 this time, with Wally's fairings on, Juan on the 2nd, Paul Dedman on the 3rd, again couldn't see how the lads behind were lined up ........... after the warm up lap we were off again, and as I was on the inside of the track, was forced to take the inside line again around the corner......... there were quite a few bikes ahead of me and after a couple of laps it all started to string out and going past the pits my board said P14 +0, so someone was right behind me for a change, was catching a couple in front of me and got past one of them on the brakes into Tarzan 1, and the other again on the brakes into Lola, was in a little hot this time, but blocked him on the exit........... into the last lap it was still P12 +0........ was suffering from the dreaded arm pump again, and overshot Toyota and the two riders behind nipped past, got one of them back straight away and tailed the other and was right up his chuff and he had 'Dunlop' on the back of his leathers (Derek Dunlop), thought to myself that was the geezer that I lent a brake pedal to last year......... anyway didn't get the drive out of Parabolica, cos my 'boy arms' were letting me down and the other bloke dived up my inside........ couldn't do much about it and never got them back and I finished...... 14th. Was a little disappointed that I let two places slip, but I had stayed on all weekend which I always class as a result. Kev told me that most of my laps had been in the 1' 27's with a best of 1' 27.2....... so another target reached.......... 3 seconds quicker that last year is not a bad effort. Was probably first to get my van loaded, then watched the rest of the races and had the presentation........ The Irish were the winners, with us in second, and the Welsh boys third. Another nice little trophy, hopefully next year will be a winner's one as it's going to be held on the Island, and I think we're in with a good chance.

Left the circuit at around 7pm and went for a night out with all the lads, and we all got well pissed............. plenty of hangovers followed the next morning when we all met up to drive our convoy to the boat. Got back to the Island just before 10pm on Monday night. So, all in all a good weekend, only got the two hour Jurby endurance race to do on the Honda (Juan and me are pairing up for it), then it's up for sale, (been a bloody good bike she has and its definitely brought me on some)................ as Team P.C. Racing have already acquired a new bike for next year, and she's a beauty......... pictures coming soon............ still wondering how I'm going to pay for it..........

Also entered the Final New Era Championship round at Cadwell Park on the 13th October, followed by the ACU Star Championship on the 14th............

So, tune in next time for another very exciting, knee down, hung over, bike revealing episode of............ Tommy Clucas Racing.