Olivers Mount Spring National

 Having never raced at Scarborough the only thing that I had to go on was going there to watch as a kid. I never thought it looked so bad (but u don't see the danger when you are young)
 Them first laps where a real eye opener blasting past trees and café at speeds up to 150mph where enough to scare me. The travelling Marshall was there to show us newcomers around the circuit at a pace that I thought would be quite leisurely WRONG I couldn't even keep up with the marshal I couldn't believe it. So after about 4 steady laps at my pace scrubbing in the new tyres in it was the end of our first session. After compering notes with Pete Wilson also his first time I had decided maybe I should pretend there is a fault with the bike and go home. But that would be been a coward, after the next two sessions things were looking up I had knocked over 30seconds of my lap time and was finding that I could focus on where I was going instead of all the things I could hit if I were to crash. I knew I would struggle here as been a newcomer and having the true road racers over like Archibald, Griffiths, Lougher and plenty more.

Race 1 qualifying heat for the Superbike race.
There was two qualifying heats with the top 10 and 2 selected riders been chosen for the two legs. With a bunch up at the first hairpin I was lucky to ride around the almost parked bikes up to about 7th or 8th and my lack of experience was starting to show. With bikes nipping past every lap I eventually finished 12th place out of the 19 starters so not too bad. I thought that I might have qualified with that but just missed out for some reason, they went down to 11th place and picked some one else from further down the order anyway at least there was a consolation race for all the none qualifiers.

Race 2 national 600
Having been just about last in to the first corner I had some time to chase the others and as each lap went by I found myself slowly catching up and making the odd pass where I dare. As I was catching up 11th place at a fair rate of knots I didn't realise how hard it would be to get by. So I finished up in 12th place been a bit frustrated not been able to get any higher but maybe with time and experience the results will come.

Race 3, second leg of the Superbike race
Having blagged my way into the race as a reserve I had decided that my lap times are more likely to improve tagging on to the rear of the field rather than possibly leading the none qualifiers race. I was told not to try and pass everyone into the first turn. So a very careful first lap, I thought that I was starting to drop back and decided I really needed to stay in touch. With in a lap I had reeled the guys in front in, next lap passed the R1 at the rear and again catching the next guy within 4 laps I had passes as many bikes. I had managed to catch up to 16th place but with only tenths between our lap times I couldn't find a way past. I was just pleased with myself not to finish last and had improved my time down to 2; 01 when the fastest lap in the 600 was only 1; 55 only six seconds a lap down on my first meeting on such a demanding circuit. Maybe I shall have another go there given the opportunity.

My next meeting is back at Elvington Park on the 20th May, hopefully I might be winning there.