Cock o' the North Oliver's Mount

 This was our second visit to Oliver's Mount at Scarborough this season and as the weather was much better than the meeting in May.

I had entered the National 600 race, National Superbike Race as well as getting an entry into the main race of the weekend the Cock o' the North.

Practice went ok, matching times I set at the only other visit I had made here still trying to find the braking points, as you cannot see the corners on most of the approaches. There is no room for errors with very little run off, on the side of the Mount there is a near sheer drop off the circuit.

Race 1 A 4 lap qualifying heat to the superbike race I was really hoping that I would get straight through to the main race as last year I only made it though as a reserve. There were nineteen riders in each heat, with 22 places on the grid so a top 11 was needed. As I crossed the line I had no idea where I was with not using a pit board (enough things to try and look at) luckily as I returned I was told ninth so good enough.

Race 2 National 600 for some reason I had been placed eighth on the grid which was a daunting thought for the drag to the hairpin. A bad start (probably nerves) off the line but seeing a gap on the inside I took it. As we approached the first turn I got cut up and almost stopped loosing everyplace I had made and more, by the time I had got to the esses the first time I was last. This was going to be hard as of the difficulty in passing here because none of the straights are straight so as you run along side another bike he will move across to keep the straightest line. I managed to pass loads of bikes every where i dare and some how finished 12^th out of 22.

Race 3 National Superbike. A back row start but probably the best place for me another good race apart from nearly at the end over the jumps on the bottom straight I made a complete mess of things and got a major tank slapper in 6^th gear. Then after I had sorted that out found out I had lost the brakes going into farm bends luckily I was early enough to be able to give them 2 or 3 pumps to get them to work (just shows I must still be too early on the brakes). I finished 13^th out of the 22 starters but struggling with straight line stability after speaking to Dean Ashton it was suggested maybe trying some metz Rennsport's. A friend of mine said he had some in his garage at home just down the road so the where acquired ready for Sunday (cheers Ben).

Sunday Morning Practice I thought I would go out and get the feel of the metzlers with in half a lap I knew these where much better. Feeling similar to the Michelin's through the turns and 100% stable allowing me to go a second a lap faster in practice than I managed on Saturday during the racing. My main objective was to lap in less than two minutes.

Race 1 Superbike second leg, a rather uneventful race seeming to be in no mans land finishing 12^th place but closed down on the guy in front over the last few laps.

Race 2 National 600 second leg, I was really starting to enjoy racing here now improving my lap times into the high 1; 58's which was much better than I was really hoping for. A reasonable start from 12^th on the grid finally ending up in 10^th place with a few mistakes in there (maybe I was starting to try to hard for my experience here).

Race 3 Cock o' the North This was going to be a 10-lap race, which in the heat was going to be draining. Last place on the grid was fair enough after passing a few on the first lap I had tagged onto the back of Gavin Bell on his nimble Honda RS 250 and Dave Bell on his CBR. I could hold them in sight but that was about all finishing in a pleasing 11^th place, against the likes of Ian Lougher, Dean Ashton, Jason Griffiths and Chris Palmer. My lap times was even faster and smooth which is what I was looking for @ 1:57.2 compared to Lougher's 600 fastest lap @ 1:53.2.

I would like to thank Dean Ashton, Magsport and Auto 66.