4th May 2003 - Snetterton

After all the crashing on Friday I was very tentative in practice on Saturday morning and despite my best efforts was lapping in the 1:29s/1:30s bracket whilst being passed by just about everyone out there down the straights. The last time I was here in the dry I managed a 1:19s lap but that was on a CBR600 with 115 bhp.

Race 1 - Mini Twins

Made a reasonable start but was boxed in going in to the first corner as most of my usual competition disappeared round the outside. Despite running 15/45 gearing I was revving out about half way down the back straight and the clutch appeared to be slipping every time I changed gear. Doh! Being a bit tentative heading in to Sears (can't think why) Roger Wallace barged me out of the way after I'd already tipped in. A bit of avoiding action meant I ran wide and a couple of other guys came past as well.

Doing my best head on the tank impression down the straight showed that I was still losing out although I could catch them a bit on the brakes. I was better round Coram's and rode round the outside of the guy at the back and cut his nose off going in to Russell's Chicane. He came by down the straight but I went in to Riches a bit hot and got by again. I set about chasing the other guys and for the next few laps got left on the straights and rode like a nutter in the bends to get by them (usually around Coram's).

Had a lonely couple of laps having caught a guy on a very rapid 996. What is it with these SuperTwins? I managed to get round him at Coram's (anyone noticing a pattern here?) and led in to Russell's Chicane on the last lap only to have him come by and pull out a 20 yard gap by the time we got to the finish line.

Ended up 10th in the Mini Twins with a best of 1:27.00 lap. Not happy but still upright!

Race 2 - Mini Twins

Adjusted the clutch during the break to try and stop it slipping. Managed another poor start and got left behind by the rest of my row on the grid. I had also changed my gearing to 15/44 which meant I was topping out a hundred yards later which had to help. Well, I still couldn't keep up down the back straight but if people made a mistake into Sears I could at least stay with them for some of the straight.

Again the guys that I'd been fighting with over the past couple of rounds all disappeared and I was in survival mode to try and salvage some points. Had another wake up call round Sears when Roger Wallace barged through again but this time I wasn't going to let him keep it so spent a couple of laps losing out down the straights and making it up in the corners. Despite some erratic lines through Riches I was never close enough to take advantage them so did my usual pass round Corams again and never saw him after that.

I managed to keep my head and get in front of matey on the rapid (in a straight line only) 996 with a bit of a close overtake going in to Riches only to have him come past down the straight. He messed up the Bomb Hole so I managed to get alongside going in to Corams and went underneath him half way round. I was surprised that he didn't come past down the next straight but I never saw him or anyone else again until the leaders came through.

Getting a bit more confident after another 10th place and had improve my best time to 1:26.06!

Am now trailing Gary Nicholas in the Championship by a couple of points which is frustrating but a coupld of guys didn't make it out today so I should still be in tenth place if my maths is correct. Better not count on it though :-)