British Championship Round 8 - Snetterton July 2005

So on to Snetterton, we knew it would be difficult to be on the pace here, the fastest straight in the country with the top 125 reaching 135mph through the speed trap (there are two speed traps; one on the start finish line and usually another on the fastest part of the circuit).

Now I know speed trap figures are not the “be all and end all” but they obviously play a part.

That said; every thing went to plan Alex again finished all his sessions posting faster times in each, apart from qualifying two where he crashed out at the chicane before the start finish straight (the mechanics Jacket is on a shaky nail) we had put in new brake pads in the front and after only 18 corners, the pads glazed over giving him no brakes on the entry to the corner.

He avoided other riders by going onto the grass, the difference in grip locked the front wheel and sent him crashing to the floor, he had taken a nasty bump to the head and was badly and shaken (thanks again to his VEMAR crash helmet; no lasting damage).

So for the fifth time in this championship his time from qualifying one stood; which had been good for P21 but was only good enough for 30 th place on the 40 strong grid after the second session.

Resting over night Alex got the all clear to race and it was out for morning warm-up he set the 15 th fastest lap of the session and on to the race.

The type of circuit Snetterton is quickly saw the racers group, using slipstreams to pull groups along Alex fell into a group of about 6 riders with all of them changing places almost every lap using the tow from the bike in front to pass at the end of the straight.

Alex timed his manoeuvres wrong on the last three laps and ended the race at the back of that pack in 15th place. A result better than we had hoped for, not as good as we wanted.