Venue: Nutts Corner, Co. Antrim
Date: Sunday 30th April 2000

This was the John Hall Memorial Races, an event I was heavily involved in organising and I have never been as nervous before a race in my life but to the combination of wanting to do well as John was a friend (who got me into classic racing) and hoping every thing ran smoothly on the day. As it happened I needn't have worried on both accounts.

Practice:
Grid position was being allocated by the MCUI so I didn't have to worry about setting a quick time… just concentrate on getting my race face on! It did give me a quick chance to see how quick the overseas visitors were and some of them were very quick indeed. Time to work hard!

Race 1 500cc Classic
Due to the extreme heat (yes the sun did shine) the bike started to fluff up while sitting in the warm up area and it wouldn't clear itself on the sighting lap. As I was on the second row I reckoned I was going to get gobbled up at the start…I was right! After dropping back a bit the bike coughed, spluttered and cleared itself so it was a case of head down, arse up and get stuck in!! I had a great scrap with Scotland's Bill Wark and just pipped him for fifth by one second.

Race 2 500cc Classic
I got a better start this time and although I had no chance of staying with the leaders I wanted to at least keep them in view! My plan must have worked as I finished fourth! Ye Ha!

 Race 3 500cc Classic
I knew Bill Wark would be out for my scalp this time and he got it! He clocked his fastest lap on lap six, so did I but his was one second quicker and that made all the difference. He got fourth and I had to settle for fifth!

Race 4 Grand Final
The first three races had been for 500cc Classics but the final was for the top four from each class 250cc, 350cc, 500cc, 1000cc with£250 to the first across the line. Prize money was to the twelfth place and my target was the top ten. Considering some of the best Classic riders in Britain and Ireland were on the grid I knew I was going to have to ride harder than ever to make the top ten. I had qualified for the final on the fourth row so it was going to be hectic! I was 13^th coming out of the first corner but managed to make up three places in two laps and was dicing hard for ninth place when disaster struck. There is a left hander which is taken virtually flat in top followed by hard braking and down two gears for a knee on the deck right hander. I almost got the front wheel taken out from me by someone ""slamming the door" just as I was changing down. I hit false neutral and knew I was not going to make the corner so all I could do was pick the bike up and run onto the grass!!! Luckily I managed to keep it upright, which gained me the congratulations of the marshals but my race was over! Looking at the results and comparing the times to previous races I would have just managed the top ten! Maybe next time