Irish Classic Racing Association Short Circuit Championship 2001

Nutts Corner 7th April

The run up to this event was hectic to say the least. After rebuilding the bike, new engine parts and a complete strip and repaint of the frame it seemed that, right up to the last minute, we were not going to get a race due to the Foot & Mouth crisis. Meanwhile I was still trying to get the thing to fire up and after countless attempts and some impressive three foot long flames from the exhaust we were still nowhere near ready. This was inbetween nappy changing duties as my wife, Sheila, had baby Amy on the 14th March.

Anyway , we turned up on race day with a bike that wasn't running but my Team Cairnduff team mate Billy Lyle had promised to either fix mine or failing that lend me the other Cairnduff 500 Honda as he was had a 350 he was going to use also.

 We finally admitted defeat and I wheeled out the Drixton Honda for first practice. I thought it would take ages to blow away the cobwebs but four laps later the grin had appeared and I was really getting into it.

Race 1

Normally when I'm racing I ride tactically and as long as I'm well placed in the 500 class I don't bother with the overall standings too much. ( In Ireland the 500 & 1000 classes run together with results being given for class and overall). But the red mist descended and I got involved in a great scrap with a Rob North Triumph 750cc Triple. He had lots of straight line speed and I had more corner speed so it made for a very interesting scrap. We were never more than half a second apart the whole race with me getting more and more frustrated with him pulling away out of corners but slowing me up at the entrance to corners. It was good fun though! In the end I made a do or die move up the inside at the hairpin and managed to steal the place. It was then a case of hang on for a lap and try to stay in front. I did it, just! and finsihed first in the 500cc class and 4th overall.

Race 2

Was much the same as Race 1 only this time I got in front of the howling triple at the start and managed to keep him behind for most of the race. With a lap to go it was his turn to make do or die move on the brakes and it worked for him. So he finished in front of me by a small margin but I was still the winner of the 500 class so I didn't mind too much.

 I'm now leading the championship by 10 points and with my own bike now sorted, it was a faulty coil on the stator plate, it should be good fun the rest of the season trying to keep my short circuit title. Next race is again at Nutts Corner on Saturday 21st April. Watch This Space