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Racer series 1/5th scale bike national round 7 Mendip Mark's meeting Due to other commitments I was unable to make this meeting so I watched Michael Schumacher win the Belgium GP and Colin Edwards win both rounds of the World Super Bike in Germany, lovely day. Ian's meeting Its Sunday morning, bright and crisp and mighty chilly Today is going to be a little different from the normal race day. To start with I’m not prepared. The only reason I’ve unpacked the gear from the Derby round two weeks ago is so that it can be packed into my motorcycle tank bag and rucksack ready for the bike ride to Mendip. Which brings me to the second point. Mark’s not going so it’s just me…. hence the bike. Still 200 miles later and I’m thawing out at a beautifully prepared, sunny Mendip track. It’s the same as I remember it, although it’s been 8 years since I was here last. It’s been resurfaced and got an extension but looks basically the same. Fortunately it drives much the same, and it doesn’t take long to get in the groove. The bike basically has my same setup from Derby which is working well. I loosened the steering and decreased the rake but other than that it’s the same. Once the tyres are scrubbed in and warmed up there is loads of grip and I’m quickly down to low 36’s and the occasional 35. Round 1 and I’ve got terrible glitches but the bike looks good. I sort it for round 2 and Steve and I push each other hard to set a slow 9 lapper, with Steve having the advantage by ¾ second. Unfortunately by the end of qualifying although Steve and I are now getting down into the 34’s neither of us can improve although 3 of my 4 heats are all within 3/10 th of a second!!!!! (that’s heats not laps) So Steve’s pole and I’m second but looking good. I beat Steve in the last 2 rounds and his bike looks a handful compared to mine. However the final was all mine. After starting second I took my time to close in on Steve but by lap 3 I’m starting to apply some real pressure. I’m not in a hurry, Colin Mac who qualified just 4 seconds off of my time has had a problem, so it’s a straight two-way battle and then Steve slings it up the road. No real reason just one of those things. I immediately go into cruise mode but because the bike is so well dialled in now I’m still doing 35’s and Steve has no chance of closing in. So that’s it. A couple of months ago after Steve had won the first 3 and only needed one more to clinch the championship all looked lost but with 3 straight wins I’ve now drawn dead level…. (we both have 3 wins and 2 seconds) So role on the final round. |