Before we could set off to Darley Moor Round 6, a few minor jobs were needed - to repair a couple of GoPro cameras and to fit some new captive wheel spacers to our Kawasaki Supertwin front wheels (due to the old ones being compressed by 0.6mm each after 4 seasons of use). For the cameras, it was just a matter of filing down the mating surfaces of the camera underside and replacement mounts before bonding them back together. This has allowed us to run onboard cameras once again!
 Broken... |  ...prepared... |  ...repaired! |
On the Saturday afternoon the "Two Daves" travelled to the circuit and took part on a track walk with some of our fellow competitors.
 Set-up and signed-on... |  ...let the track walk commence! |
The race programme showed that there would be a limited number of riders for the Mini Sound of Thunder races - with championship regulars like Ian Robinson being on holiday and Jason Wilkes moving to a 600cc machine after crashing his supertwin machine at the previous meeting.
Waking on Sunday morning, the forecasts showed a constant risk of rain showers throughout the day and during the qualifying sessions we suffered from the first of many showers that would arrive during the day.
Despite riding strong at Castle Combe, things were not flowing during the qualifying sessions and we struggled to put in decent times. Fortunately it appeared that we were not the only team struggling and we managed to qualify 2nd in the Mini Sound of Thunder class (3rd on the combined grid) and 10th in the Formula 600 class.
Waking on Sunday morning, the forecasts showed a constant risk of rain showers throughout the day and during the qualifying sessions we suffered from the first of many showers that would arrive during the day.
Despite riding strong at Castle Combe, things were not flowing during the qualifying sessions and we struggled to put in decent times. Fortunately it appeared that we were not the only team struggling and we managed to qualify 2nd in the Mini Sound of Thunder class (3rd on the combined grid) and 10th in the Formula 600 class.
 Photo by Graham Mallen |  Photo by Simon Smith |
When the races started, so did the rain. With the track being damp - and too dry for wets and too wet to safely use drys - we chose to skip the Allcomers race to allow the weather some time to decide what it was doing, and it decided to dry out.
Our first race of the day was the Peak Cup. With each passing lap, we were starting to get more and more comfortable and settled into a mini-battle with Matt Zschiesche before we finished in 9th place.
Our first race of the day was the Peak Cup. With each passing lap, we were starting to get more and more comfortable and settled into a mini-battle with Matt Zschiesche before we finished in 9th place.
 Photo by CSKnowles Photography |  Photo by Graham Mallen |  Photo by Graham Mallen |
On the sighting lap of the first Formula 600 race, a light rain shower fell. Then on the opening lap of the race, we witnessed other riders having moments at Park corner and saw fallers at the hairpin. Not feeling comfortable, we decided to retire from the race on lap 3.
 Photo by Graham Mallen |  Photo by CSKnowles Photography |
We were then straight out into the Mini Sound of Thunder race. Feeling more comfortable, we pushed as hard as we could but finished in 2nd position, just over 4 seconds behind race winner Elliot Williams.
 Photo by CSKnowles Photography |  |  Photo by Chris Swinton |
Our next race was Formula 600 race 2, where due to our earlier retirement we started from the back of the grid. We managed to find our groove and had a good ride. After an average start we made our way through pack and into 5th place (setting a fastest lap of 59.74 - only 0.01 of a second from our Personal Best lap).
On the last lap we made an attempted move on Jed Bird for 4th place into the back esses - but we didn't quite make it passed Jed so backed off, as did Jed, which cost us both a couple of seconds as we fumbled through the corner. With yellow flags being shown at Townleys and the hairpin, we never managed another attempt and crossed the line in 5th place, just 0.13 of a second behind Jed at the chequered flag.
On the last lap we made an attempted move on Jed Bird for 4th place into the back esses - but we didn't quite make it passed Jed so backed off, as did Jed, which cost us both a couple of seconds as we fumbled through the corner. With yellow flags being shown at Townleys and the hairpin, we never managed another attempt and crossed the line in 5th place, just 0.13 of a second behind Jed at the chequered flag.
 Photo by CSKnowles Photography |  Photo by Glyn Ivings |  Photo by Graham Mallen |
A quick rush around the cooling down lap and we headed straight back onto track for Mini Sound of Thunder race 2. Like earlier in the day, a rain shower started to fall on the sighting lap - but this time the rainfall got much heavier. The race start was abandoned and we returned to the paddock to swap to wet tyres. On the sighting lap, Elliot Williams had discovered some machine issues so decided not to race. This left us as the only bike in our class entering the race - meaning that after a fairly lonely 8 laps we took the win!
Photo by Chris Swinton
With the racing day over, the rain got even heavier which made packing up just that little bit more miserable! But one thing that brighten our day was the realisation that we have secured a Top 2 finish in the Mini Sound of Thunder championship.
We still have an outside chance of retaining the Mini Sound of Thunder championship - being 22 points behind Elliot Williams with 36 points available at the final round - but the odds are against us. A couple of extra points in the Formula 600 championship mean that we have moved up to 8th place in the Formula 600 championship.
FORMULA 600 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (AFTER 6 OF 7 ROUNDS) - TOP 10
Lloyd Shelley 45
Jamie Pearson 39
Rich Baker 38
Matt Zschiesche 30
Carl Booth 28
Chris Sammons 27
Stephen Parsons 18
David Carson 12
David Shallcross 12
Scott Stevens 11
MINI SOUND OF THUNDER CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (AFTER 6 OF 7 ROUNDS) - TOP 5
Elliott Williams 85
David Carson 63
Ian Robinson 21
Jason Wilkes 12
Richard Stubbs 12
Our next race meeting is the last of the season - Darley Moor Round 7 and the prestigious "Stars at Darley" event on Sunday 7th October. We have submitted an entry into the prestigious "Stars at Darley" event itself, on our Kawasaki Supersport machine, but even if our entry is accepted our participation in the races will be subject to meeting the qualifying criteria. As always, we'll let you know how we get on! :-)
We still have an outside chance of retaining the Mini Sound of Thunder championship - being 22 points behind Elliot Williams with 36 points available at the final round - but the odds are against us. A couple of extra points in the Formula 600 championship mean that we have moved up to 8th place in the Formula 600 championship.
FORMULA 600 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (AFTER 6 OF 7 ROUNDS) - TOP 10
Lloyd Shelley 45
Jamie Pearson 39
Rich Baker 38
Matt Zschiesche 30
Carl Booth 28
Chris Sammons 27
Stephen Parsons 18
David Carson 12
David Shallcross 12
Scott Stevens 11
MINI SOUND OF THUNDER CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (AFTER 6 OF 7 ROUNDS) - TOP 5
Elliott Williams 85
David Carson 63
Ian Robinson 21
Jason Wilkes 12
Richard Stubbs 12
Our next race meeting is the last of the season - Darley Moor Round 7 and the prestigious "Stars at Darley" event on Sunday 7th October. We have submitted an entry into the prestigious "Stars at Darley" event itself, on our Kawasaki Supersport machine, but even if our entry is accepted our participation in the races will be subject to meeting the qualifying criteria. As always, we'll let you know how we get on! :-)
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