Round 5 of the NG Road Racing championships took us to the undulating Cadwell Park circuit. After finishing work on the Thursday, we set off to the circuit. Everything was going swimmingly until a caravan tyre popped (quite loudly) whilst we were cruising along the M180. A quick F1-style wheel swap got us rolling again - then we setup nearby to Daniel Nurrish, Joe Connolly and Hayden Rushton.
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It had been six years since last visiting Cadwell Park, but the Friday provided us with a 5-session test day to relearn the circuit. We decided to split the day into two halves - with the morning spent on the Kawasaki Supersport machine, then the afternoon sessions on the Aprilia RS660 Trofeo. In between, Dave Snr also found time to nip into Louth to get a new caravan tyre - the cheapest tyre we've bought all year!
In session 1 we started to get into the swing of things. In certain sections the track was a lot tighter than we remembered but we concentrated on looking for appropriate lines and just trying to be in the correct gear. Things got "hairier than an 80s adult movie" (a line stolen from the weekend commentator) in session 2 when the ZX6R front caliper pins & a couple of pads fell out (presumably along the Park straight) and when we hit the brakes for Park corner at 133mph there was minimal pressure to haul the bike up. But we did manage to stop and we got away lucky there! On reflection, it turned out that human error was the cause, which actually made putting the issue to rest (in our head) much easier.
In session 1 we started to get into the swing of things. In certain sections the track was a lot tighter than we remembered but we concentrated on looking for appropriate lines and just trying to be in the correct gear. Things got "hairier than an 80s adult movie" (a line stolen from the weekend commentator) in session 2 when the ZX6R front caliper pins & a couple of pads fell out (presumably along the Park straight) and when we hit the brakes for Park corner at 133mph there was minimal pressure to haul the bike up. But we did manage to stop and we got away lucky there! On reflection, it turned out that human error was the cause, which actually made putting the issue to rest (in our head) much easier.
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In the final morning session, we got some clear track time and set a new outright Personal Best lap time of 1:40.6. The gearing of 15/48 proved to be way too short, so for the rest of the weekend we swapped to a 15/46 (which was also a little short - so if going again we'd try 15/45).
Onto the afternoon sessions and out onto the Supertwin. Our previous best lap time on the Kawasaki ER650 Supertwin was 1:44.2, so we had something to aim for. After 11 laps we had put in a new Twins Personal Best lap time of 1:42.3 and felt ready to enter qualifying, so parked up both bikes and prepared them for scrutineering. All in all, it had been a good day of testing, so we nipped to the paddock bar for a refreshing drink!
Saturday Race Day
The weather throughout the weekend was fantastically sunny and hot (and a little uncomfortable in race leathers). On the Saturday the girls arrived to join in the fun and we had a special visitor in the form of Rich McAlpin.
The practice sessions were incredibly busy and didn't provide us with any useful information except that passing people in the races would be a challenge. In the qualifying sessions we managed to scrape some clear (but not perfect) laps in each session. In the Supertwin session we had just got into some clear space when the chequered flag was shown, which was frustrating. We qualified in 16th position in the Open 600 (19th on the combined grid) with a new outright Personal Best lap time of 1:39.595 and qualified in 3rd position in Supertwins (6th on the combined grid) with a new Twins Personal Best lap time of 1:41.531.
Onto the races and first up was the Open 600 race. After a good start we settled into the race and found that very quickly the race split up into distinct chunks/battles throughout the field. In our particular battle there was a group of four riders, but we just couldn't find a way to make a move passed battle-leader Mark Walker - despite lapping a second slower than our qualifying time - and we crossed the finishing line in 12th position.
Onto the afternoon sessions and out onto the Supertwin. Our previous best lap time on the Kawasaki ER650 Supertwin was 1:44.2, so we had something to aim for. After 11 laps we had put in a new Twins Personal Best lap time of 1:42.3 and felt ready to enter qualifying, so parked up both bikes and prepared them for scrutineering. All in all, it had been a good day of testing, so we nipped to the paddock bar for a refreshing drink!
Saturday Race Day
The weather throughout the weekend was fantastically sunny and hot (and a little uncomfortable in race leathers). On the Saturday the girls arrived to join in the fun and we had a special visitor in the form of Rich McAlpin.
The practice sessions were incredibly busy and didn't provide us with any useful information except that passing people in the races would be a challenge. In the qualifying sessions we managed to scrape some clear (but not perfect) laps in each session. In the Supertwin session we had just got into some clear space when the chequered flag was shown, which was frustrating. We qualified in 16th position in the Open 600 (19th on the combined grid) with a new outright Personal Best lap time of 1:39.595 and qualified in 3rd position in Supertwins (6th on the combined grid) with a new Twins Personal Best lap time of 1:41.531.
Onto the races and first up was the Open 600 race. After a good start we settled into the race and found that very quickly the race split up into distinct chunks/battles throughout the field. In our particular battle there was a group of four riders, but we just couldn't find a way to make a move passed battle-leader Mark Walker - despite lapping a second slower than our qualifying time - and we crossed the finishing line in 12th position.
 Photo by Barry Gough |  Photo by Glyn Richardson |
The last Saturday race was Supertwin Race 1. We got a fairly poor start and then tried to make our way through the field. Unfortunately we got stuck behind some riders in the Classic Superbike class and by the time we had made our way through the other Supertwin riders had gone. Paul Williams romped away to a clear victory, Scott Larkin took second and we finished in 3rd position, just ahead of Martin Morris (who should have been the pole-man, but was made to start from the back of the grid due to late arrival to the assembly area).
Another trip to the paddock bar, playing in the park (and chasing bunnies), and visiting The Mountain capped off the evening. Then it was time to shoehorn 5 people into the caravan - "we're never doing this again" said Lorna during the middle of the night...
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Sunday Race Day
On the Sunday morning we decided to take the Aprilia out for the practice session. We headed out near the front of the group and managed to get a collection of clear laps in, which was a great change! A 1:42.7 lap showed that we were suitably warmed up for the day ahead.
Open 600 Race 2 was our first race of the day. When the race started it once again formed into a series of mini-battles. We pushed as hard as we could and finished the race in 13th position. In the race we also set a new outright Personal Best lap time of 1:39.246 (which would be our quickest lap of the weekend).
In case you were reading this report and thinking that our Open 600 results were lower than usual, it was because there were a number of BSB competitors at this meeting - getting in some practice before the British championship round takes place next month. In this particular race, the race winner Ash Barnes took a staggering 0.9 of a second from the club lap record when he set a 1:31.134 lap time - these guys really are on another level!
 Photo by Glyn Richardson |  Photo by Glyn Richardson |
In Supertwin Race 2 we got a truly appalling start, really bad, and probably one of the worst we have ever made. From our 10th position grid slot we finished the opening lap in 17th position. Throughout the race we made up some time and put in good lap of 1:41.765 to work our way up to 3rd position. Despite the awful start, we finished in the same position that we probably would have done even if we got a perfect start - as race winner Paul Williams and runner-up Martin Morris were both lapping in the 1:39s.
In the last race before lunch, Joe Connolly had a crash in the Powerbikes race and his GSXR performed a few flips before coming to a stop. He managed to borrow a Supertwin machine so that he could head out for the final Supertwin race of the weekend, but his GSXR will need some love and attention before Castle Combe.
We were coming towards the end of the (very hot) weekend now and in Open 600 Race 3 we got a fantastic start. At the first corner Scott Key got punted off track and ran onto the grass at high speed before later rejoining. As had become customary this weekend, we joined the 4-rider pack - but this time were at the rear of it. Regardless of what we tried, we couldn't work our way through. To make matters worse, on the penultimate lap, Scott Keys came passed and pushed us back another spot. When the chequered flag dropped, we were classified as the last point-scorer in 15th position.
We were coming towards the end of the (very hot) weekend now and in Open 600 Race 3 we got a fantastic start. At the first corner Scott Key got punted off track and ran onto the grass at high speed before later rejoining. As had become customary this weekend, we joined the 4-rider pack - but this time were at the rear of it. Regardless of what we tried, we couldn't work our way through. To make matters worse, on the penultimate lap, Scott Keys came passed and pushed us back another spot. When the chequered flag dropped, we were classified as the last point-scorer in 15th position.
 Photo by Glyn Richardson |  Photo by Glyn Richardson |
Our final race of the weekend was Supertwin Race 3. Using less revs and focusing on releasing the clutch as soon as possible, we finally got a good start! On the opening lap we closely followed 2nd-placed Martin Morris, who was also being held up by the PI600/Classic Superbike grid. We thought we would try to cling onto Martin for as long as possible to pick-up some hints but unfortunately he crashed at the hairpin on the opening lap and we ran into him (we spoke afterwards - fortunately he was OK) whilst others, including the seemingly luckless Joe Connolly, were caught up avoiding the stricken machine.
The carnage at the hairpin created a gap both in front and behind us, but before long we caught up with some PI600/Classic Superbike riders which we couldn't get passed. With a look behind showing that we had a gap, we took the opportunity to pull some wheelies at the mountain on the last couple of laps! During the race we set a 1:41.585 lap time, which was just outside our PB lap time. We crossed the line to take 2nd position and some much-needed championship points!
The carnage at the hairpin created a gap both in front and behind us, but before long we caught up with some PI600/Classic Superbike riders which we couldn't get passed. With a look behind showing that we had a gap, we took the opportunity to pull some wheelies at the mountain on the last couple of laps! During the race we set a 1:41.585 lap time, which was just outside our PB lap time. We crossed the line to take 2nd position and some much-needed championship points!
Following this great weekend away, we are now entering a summer break in our calendar with 5 clear weekends ahead. With our closest championship rival, Steve Moody, over at the Southern 100 we managed to secure some good points and to extend our championship lead. Edward Giles has moved into 2nd in the championship standings, 70 points behind - with a maximum of 150 points in the championship still available. The NG championship standings look as follows:
NG Supertwin Championship Standings (Top 5)
1st - David Carson 233
2nd - Edward Giles 163
3rd - Steve Moody 161
4th - Paul Williams 75
5th - Craig Neve 50
5th - Louis Dawson 50
NG Open 600 Championship Standings (Nearest)
10th - Pete Wyatt 64
11th - Bevan Plumley 53
12th - David Carson 52
13th - Aaron Silvester 45
13th - Kier Armstrong 45
13th - Mark Walker 45
NG Supertwin Championship Standings (Top 5)
1st - David Carson 233
2nd - Edward Giles 163
3rd - Steve Moody 161
4th - Paul Williams 75
5th - Craig Neve 50
5th - Louis Dawson 50
NG Open 600 Championship Standings (Nearest)
10th - Pete Wyatt 64
11th - Bevan Plumley 53
12th - David Carson 52
13th - Aaron Silvester 45
13th - Kier Armstrong 45
13th - Mark Walker 45
As a reminder, it is also past the halfway point of the season for Darley Moor (with 5 of 8 rounds completed - a maximum of 45 points in each championship are still available). The Darley Moor championship standings look as follows:
Twins Championship Standings (Top 5)
1st - David Carson 60
2nd - Patrick Lord 26
3rd - Ian Robinson 24
4th - Ben Wilkinson 23
5th - Chris Barton 22
5th - Eddy Wormald 22
Formula 600 Championship Standings (Top 5)
1st - Ben Dale 61
2nd - David Carson 40
3rd - Richard Cooper 30
4th - Albert Walker 22
5th - Jake Hopper 20
Our next race meeting will take us to Round 6 of the NG Road Racing championships at the iconic Castle Combe circuit. Before then, our AiM Solo 2 DL should have arrived - so we will provide some further details regarding the hardware installation and (hopefully) the CAN wiring integration on the Aprilia RS660 Trofeo, so that we can capture some more lovely data... :-)
Twins Championship Standings (Top 5)
1st - David Carson 60
2nd - Patrick Lord 26
3rd - Ian Robinson 24
4th - Ben Wilkinson 23
5th - Chris Barton 22
5th - Eddy Wormald 22
Formula 600 Championship Standings (Top 5)
1st - Ben Dale 61
2nd - David Carson 40
3rd - Richard Cooper 30
4th - Albert Walker 22
5th - Jake Hopper 20
Our next race meeting will take us to Round 6 of the NG Road Racing championships at the iconic Castle Combe circuit. Before then, our AiM Solo 2 DL should have arrived - so we will provide some further details regarding the hardware installation and (hopefully) the CAN wiring integration on the Aprilia RS660 Trofeo, so that we can capture some more lovely data... :-)
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