Cadwell Park 4th/5th/6th May 2002

 Saturday practice passed off without a hitch. We experimented with the suspension settings and hopefully found a good set up that will provide a good balance between grip and improve the wear on the rear tyre.

Just like last month at Cadwell rain throughout the night before the first race meant that practice was run on a wet track. Once again the clouds cleared and the sun started to shine so we ran the race on dry tyres. The first race was a non-championship one run over six laps. I was allocated grid 38, right at the very back. I got an average start but soon I began to work my way through the pack.  Slower riders were hampering my progress and I couldn't manage to put in a sub 1.40 lap because there was always someone in the way. I eventually finished 21^st, no too bad especially given it was only a six lap race.

I lined up on grid 19 for my next race, the championship one. I got an excellent start and I managed to gat up to 11^th by the end of the first lap.  I found myself alone with no one catching me so I set off after the next pack.  I put in a few low 1.37 laps but I wasn't gaining much on the next group.  On the last lap I came on a back marker who just slowed in the middle of the track at Goose Neck; I had no choice but to slow as well. I managed to out-brake him into Mansfield but it had allowed the following rider to catch me. I had a hard fight on my hands but I succeeded in holding him off.  Once the race was over I found out the third place rider had crashed on the last lap so I actually finished tenth and got six points to add to my championship total

Monday dawned with a heavy mist and drizzle.  The start of the races was delayed for sometime as the organisers decided to run on the 'Long Woodlands' shortened circuit.  We were given a few laps practice and I was a little concerned at the amount of mud on the track at the hairpin but everything else seemed OK.  As before for the first non-championship race I was right at the back of the grid.  Another good start and I managed to gain about ten places by the hairpin.  After five laps there was a big pile up at the hairpin and the race was red flagged.   In the restart I got a clean start and worked my way through the pack. After two laps there was another multi bike crash at the hairpin and I only just managed to avoid being take out.  I must have run through some oil or fuel and at the next corner the bike just went from under me and slid onto the grass. The bike was too damaged to repair and so we didn't make the second race.

 MY NEXT RACE IS AT PEMBREY ON 18^th/19^th May 2002