Preview 2005

5 days to go until the first race meeting at East Fortune !

I was over in Ireland last month to work on the JML bikes, with Billy McKinstry and the bikes are almost ready. Just a couple of things to be finished off before the 16th and 17th of April.

This year I will be riding both the GSXR 600 and ZXR 400 and after 4 months of no racing, I can’t wait to get going.

The idea of taking the bikes to East Fortune is twofold;

Firstly to give the bikes a ”shake down” (iron out any suspension glitches and make sure everything is bolted) before they get onto the Irish Roads. The road circuits in Ireland not being smooth like short circuits will shake anything loose that can come loose, so its best to ”try” the bikes out on a short circuit before the Roads.

Secondly, I haven’t been on a race bike for 4 months (excluding the mini moto, I rode and fell off, at the Belfast Show in November), so I need to get some race experience before the Championships start in Ireland.

But even although this is my home circuit, I shouldn’t expect too much as both bikes are completely standard and will be up against Supersport tuned machines. Even still, I am really looking forward to it and who knows, I might get some good results. I certainly won’t be ”taking it easy”!

After East Fortune, my first Road race is the Cookstown 100 on the 30th of April. Billy and I drove round the circuit last weekend and it was quite an eye opener !

Maybe it was because the roads were open and there seemed to be potholes and grit on all the corners, or maybe it was the blind jumps and corners with dry stone walls as run-off.

I’m sure it was good to see it, when I come across at the end of next month, I will at least know which way to go and the road will have been swept and prepared.

The racing at East Fortune looks like it will be good, with the 3rd & 4th rounds of the Scottish Championship taking place and full grids for each class. Those that can, come down and take a look, It promisses to be a great weekend.

Tickets £8, racing starts 1pm Sat, 11.30am sun (until . 6pm)