The Biker Place

Well we always planned to have a break around the middle of the year so after Cadwell we had no races planned for 3 weeks . The bike was stripped and re-freshed, Rowan got bored! a new barrel, piston and head design was tried on the dyno, it seized !! (not enough running in) Row got bored! I tried a different front brake set up, it wasn’t as good as we already had so it had to come off again, Row was really bored by now!

So after all this fiddling around it was time to run up to Mallory park to shake down the bike and for Row to get his eye in again. This is the first meeting with this club which runs both a F125 and 80cc championship, so Row will be up against other 80cc machines although he is firmly set on giving the F125 boys a hard time!

I tell Row that this meeting has no significance all we need is one signature towards his national licence, he does not feature in their championship having not attended the previous two rounds so there is no point in making any rash moves, Row nods his head, he knows the score.

Practice goes fine, Row is running in a new set of pads and we have put the rear ride height up to help Row at the start of the turn. Its raining and blowing a bit so Row is on wets.

Long wait now, it keeps raining hard then bright sunshine. 10 mins before the boys go out we have a hard downpour so that saves me having to change the wheels over

Race 1

Row qualified 15th overall and 4th in the F125’s (1st 80cc bike) so its grid No 15. Its raining again.
they fly off the line, I am standing on the far side so have to wait until Row comes through, He’s 5th F125 through and as each lap goes by the gap to 4th is gradually growing but Row is extending his lead on the rest, he runs out in 5th place, so an easy National signature is in order, Row says “just took it easy Dad, no slides” He goes off to get his siggy and comes back with a trophy for first 80cc bike home nice!

We relax and keep an eye on the weather which continues to be hot and dry one minute and raining cats n dogs the next, 10 mins before his second race the rain hammers down again…

Race 2

They line up in the same positions - go - I wait over by edwina’s, Row comes past 5th, next lap Row is hounding 4th place, the front 3 have gone, I can see Row putting a pass on 4th place out of edwina’s, when they come past again row is back in 5th just behind 4th, he puts the same move on again this time holding it until they exit Gerrards when the Aprillia’s superior power tells, Row pulls the move again exiting Edwinas and this time manages to make a sufficient gap to hold 4th place to the finish!
“That felt a bit better Dad, starting to get back into the groove again”
Row goes and gets changed then off to the race office to collect his second trophy of the day!, he won the 80cc class by over half a lap.

So all in all its mission accomplished.

Its a quick rush home then away again on Monday night and off to Rockingham raceway for a days tuition from The California Superbike school. Some months ago I had contacted Andy Ibbot (the school boss) to see if it would be O.K for Row to attend the school and after some talking to their insurance company we got the green light.

Row joined the level1 group being the youngest member there! and spent the day going through the drills with the instructors, Row was very impressed and managed to pick up TWO key points that he feels will improve his riding significantly, he now has some specific things to work on as well so all in all it was well worth the outlay to attend. We had a constant stream of visitors to the garage enquiring about both the bike and rider which was nice. At the end of the day Both Row and Sam had some pubicity photo’s done with Andy for the school.

we are now getting ready for this weekends two day’s at Doningont Park, then next Thursday its off to Brands for one days practice on friday then Two days with the MRO - nice

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