Tandragee 100 - May 2005

Tandragee has always been a circuit which I have been in awe of, I have heard of people who have raved about it before and I’ve always wanted to race here (this probably goes for all the road circuits in Ireland).

There is an amazing difference in surfaces with some very technical jumps and dips, where the suspension bottoms right out. No wonder people call it a mini TT.

It was beginning to become a habit; we arrive, the weather is fine, then it rains for practice or race.

I’m becoming a good wet weather racer if nothing else (which is no bad thing).

Friday began with the newcomers bus ( which scared me and all the other newcomers) then as we got ready for newcomers practice, it started to rain…a lot !

We went out, but there was not much possibility to go at race speed as the visibility was so poor, the visor was becoming coated in road dirt after only 2 laps ! At least it showed us round.

The weather did not improve, and it was decided to run controlled qualifying (no overtaking an experienced rider who is in front).

The conditions did not improve, but I still felt I could feel my way round after the 15 laps I got.

Then I had the lovely job of washing the bike afterwards !??….again…

The next morning, the sun was up and it was looking good, so we changed the tyres to dry types…….mistake!

Shortly before the first race it began to rain…and hail…and blow…

It all stopped before the race and I thought ”it will be oK with dry tyres….then I saw the big cloud coming…………I rushed back to the garage and Marty Lennon and I changed the tyres to full wets, quicker than I have ever done it before !

As we sat on the grid, ready for the warm up for the 750 race, it pelted it down with rain.
Then it started to dry…how do you chose tyres in these conditions ?

As it happened some parts of the circuit were dry some damp and some very wet. I suppose ideal tyres were intermediate back and front.

I was in the first wave of bike sent away and I got in behind the first five or six.

It stayed like this for 2-3 laps and then I was held up whilst passing a Kawasaki, which let the lead bikes get a little ahead.

I felt I was actually faster in the corners than many bikes but was being left on the straights. It was difficult to pass in the conditions, but I capitalised on people’s mistakes and gained some places.

It was a very good race with not too many scary moments in the wet, although the wet tyres were getting very hot and were sliding around a lot.

Towards the end of the race I got some clear space and even rode round the outside of some riders on the smoother corners.

I didn’t know how I had finished, although I had a very good race (for my first time here).

I later found out that I was 7th (4th 600 home). This was an excellent result and I was very happy as I wanted to improve my result of Cookstown (even although I was happy with it).

There was no 400 race as both classes were run concurrently.

There is now a short break until Athea (Tralee, Co. Kerry) on the 18th & 19th of June.

Hopefully we will have the website up by then.