Round Five at Carnaby 2

A few technical problems left me short of a bike for the fifth round at Carnaby 2 luckily for me Dean Ashton found a bike that I could borrow for the meeting. The bike was virtually the same spec as my own R6 just fitted with White Power suspension so it would be interesting to compare the two.

I picked up the bike on Friday evening form Kev Stevens and spent Saturday swapping bodywork over, come Sunday morning for first practice I decided to use the Dunlop's on the bike as everything was set-up to work as a package. Right from the first lap I wasn't comfortable on the bike. The suspension was just to stiff for me at the rear, (probably works really well for Chris Palmer who usually rides the bike but everyone rides different and with a difference in weights) as I hit the throttle the bike would slide out straight away, where my bike will sink down and get some grip to drive out.

The next session we put my wheels in with the Michelin's on, I know what happens when these slide having rode on them for 3 years, (not the same set, I am hard up but not that bad) a few laps later I was felling much more comfortable but some how managed to go slower.

Race 1
For the first race Kev persuaded (with my arm up my back) the stop watch doesn't lie so in go the Dunlop's again all race struggling with the lack of grip trying to keep with the leader but having to take second spot.

Race 2
I went back to the Michelin's I just felt I would be off it on the Dunlop's not knowing how they work and there was a big gap back to third place behind me so I could lose a bit of time and still be second. And that's about what happened, second place. At least it was going to be a good collection of points when it looked like it was going to be a big fat zero.

Race 3, 4and 5 where about the same as before second.

 Race 6
 By now I was learning what the bike was doing and what I could get away with a good start and lead from start to the last corner when the guy behind for the second meeting in a row run into me with a attempt to pass that was never going to work. We both ended up riding through the bushes and gave the win to third place guy, leaving me back in third.

 Racing is a dangerous game at the best of times but with clowns like that around I just don't feel like racing here any more. Hopefully I am going to be up at Oliver's Mount on the 13^th& 14^th July then maybe do some MRO round until then end of the year in preparation for next year.