|
Anyone who is a fan of motorbikes will have seen the Superbikes and the Grand Prix on TV and possibly even gone along to watch. If they have, they will know that serious money is pumped into the teams, with hundreds of thousands of pounds spent on equipment, pit crews the size of small villages etc. Rather more down to earth and less well known is the world of club racing. By and large this is filled with people working on a tight budget, sensible, organised but out to enjoy themselves. However, there are a few people out there that really should not be let anywhere near a track. Anyone who rides a bike probably knows one, has tried to talk him out of killing himself (or someone else, more to the point) but with no success. Here is the diary of one of them: Friday Although I have known about the race for three months, I have taken the day off to finish off one or two things on the bike, like the suspension, fitting new tyres and re-welding the chassis. It makes sense to leave it until the last moment as you will be really sure that everything is in race order. All those other teams that have set the bike up weeks ago won't have any idea if anything needs sorting will they? One up on the rest before we start! Should not take long to finish everything off and be ready for the off in the morning. Go to bed at 1:30am. Just a last couple of bits to do, easy peasy. Saturday Got up at 2:30 to finish off everything that I could not get done the day before. Picking up the van at 6:00, so I need to get things sorted before then. 5:58, finish and head off to the rental place. Some of the lads are coming along to watch, so head round to their house. Get there at 6:45am. They didn’t seem very happy at me turning up. Something about not having to book in at the ‘digs’ until 8:30 that evening. Never hurts to get there early, does it? Eventually get going. Book in, drop off the bags and go to check one or two last little bits on the bike to make sure it is fine. Go to bed at 12:45. Sunday I get up at 1:45. Well the track opens at 7:00, and it is as much as five miles away from here. I mean, you want to get there nice and early don't you? The others mutter something about scrutineering not being until 10:30. I think they appreciate me getting them up and about so early so that we can be ready in good time. 10:30. Scrutineering starts. They say the front forks are bent. I don't think they know what they are on about, I mean I checked them at 1:30 on Saturday morning, and I could swear they were fine. OK I could barely see anything because it was so dark, but you don't need to be able to see to know that everything is in A1 condition. I change things to make the scrutineer happy. 1:30. First practice of the day. I am lapping at 1 min 45. The others are lapping at 1 min 05 or thereabouts. Silly idiots. They will never last the day knocking the guts out of their bikes like that. 1:45. First race. There are four bikes in my race. I get off to a steady start while the others go flying off. They are playing into my hands. At that speed they will never last the day. Somehow their bikes hold out, and I finish fourth. The later races will be mine though. Pacing yourself for the whole day has to be the way to do things. All this going mad for the first win doesn't make sense. With two more races to go it is the overall points for the day that really counts. 3:30. Second practice. Now lapping at 1 min 43. I am bound to get a top three finish this time with improved speed like that. One of the other blokes is doing some running repairs to his bike. Looks like he is lashing on his fairing with some fence wire he has just pinched with some tin-snips. No way he will get ahead of me, so reckon I am looking at second place for sure. 3:45. Second race. They go flying off again, with no consideration for the correct gears and revs for the first bend. They are bound to blow up before long. I can't believe it. Somehow the other three bikes manage to hold together. Finish fourth, but was only lapped by two other bikes this time. The last race will be mine. 4:30. Final practice. One of the other bikes pulls out. He says it is because he has stomach trouble, but I know this is just an excuse. All that flying around the track has obviously knackered his engine. 4:45. Last race of the day. Going round steadily, no-one has lapped me, and it is the third lap of the race. Here, what is all that blue smoke? I can't see where I am going now. What was that bang? Race marshall says my engine has blown up. I can't see that myself, what with all the careful preparation and racing correctly. Still, two fourths and a DNF. Not bad for a weekend. The others are in a corner muttering. They must be really pleased as well at how it all went. The next meeting is in a month’s time. I tell the lads this. Strangely they are all busy that weekend. Shame, I bet they would have loved to come along again after a cracking weekend like this one……… Back to Bob's index... |