SNETTERTON 30TH & 31ST AUGUST 2003, BMRC NATIONAL ROUND 16 & 17
Go Star racers in attendance: were:
- Ian Porter – GSXR 1000 – power bikes
- Gavin Wheeler –Yam R6 _ Rookie 600
- Chris Martin – CBR 600 – Supersport 600
- Franklyn Carter – Yam R6 – Rookie 600
Go Star supporters in attendance:
- Mike S
- Chris M family
- Franklyn C Family
- Chris M friend John T
- Ben H
Friday – Test day
Gavin, Franklyn and Ian were booked for the test day
but Ian’s car breaking down meant he missed the whole day and only
managed to get to the track late into the evening. Gavin (Del boy as he
has been called) and Franklyn spent the day testing, spending most of
the time fitting the very strong blustery winds, winds that were
physically pushing the bikes sideways down the back straight and through
Coram’s, just what you want at 150mph !!
The evening was spent in the bar (where else) which
saw Gavin upsetting the bar maid when he turned the beer glasses into
ashtrays, he then said his name was Ian Porter when asked as they
considered baring him from the place! 1.00am saw the evening come to a
close.
Saturday – Race day 1
Scrutineering passed without a hitch for anyone, Ian
put in some new tyres for the practice session, keen to go and try out
his new toys, the slipper clutch, quick shifter and quick action
throttle. Practice came and went with the unfortunate Franklyn C falling
down. He was ok, only his spirits dampened, the bike suffered minor
damage and he decided to pull out of the rest of the meeting. First out
to race was Ian P. We all watched from the pit wall. Lap three the race
was red flagged and we all waited for Ian to re-take his place on the
grid for the restart but he did not come back.
We could see someone down at Coram’s Curves and word
soon reached us that it was Ian. If you have stood at a race circuit and
seen a rider down at the side of the track being attended by medical
staff you know what it feels like, we were all shocked as he was taken
off to hospital. Gavin W was next out in the Rookie 600 race followed by
Chris M in the Supersport 600 race but both agreed after, racing bikes
were not on there minds.
The afternoon saw the heavens open, floods and the
whole paddock mood dropping, not helped by one of the riders in the
rookie 600 race dumping oil around the whole circuit on the racing line,
just what you want in a wet race !! We shut the garage doors and voted
it was safer to go up the hospital and visit Ian P. Found him a brand
new hospital with his own TV, phone, Internet connection and a warm bed
(something you don’t find at the Snetterton camp site) suffering from a
sore head and no broken bones. We took him down to the restaurant mainly
so we could eat, he promptly got a telling off when we took him back to
the ward as they thought he had escaped !! We sneaked off happy he was
ok to find some beer.
Sunday – Race day 2
The mood was better knowing Ian was ok so we got back
into racing. The weather had improved and the sun was shining. We were
lucky to get some more practice passes so Gavin W and Chris M set off to
see were the oil had been dumped the day before. There was some cement
dust on some of the racing lines but in general the marshals had done a
great job off clearing it all up. Gavin W went out in the rookie 600
races improving his time and enjoying the racing until the bikes clutch
was not disengaging properly, making down shifts a problem so he pulled
out of the last race. Chris M went out on the ageing Honda with the
suspension problems sorted from the Brands meeting earlier in the month,
made a few minor tweaks and achieved his target goal of doing a 1:18 min
lap in the last race. Ian P joined us after they let him out of hospital
for the afternoons racing. After the initial shock of seeing his bike, a
few minutes passed and he was all ready planning how to rebuild the bike
and make it better for the next time he races. A true racer!! (who we
have named "Professor Potty")
Ian’s own account of the
race:
1st power bike race of the weekend and I was on the one but last row on
the grid. Made a reasonable start and took about 4 riders into the first
bend. Kept running into the bomb hole and Coram’s too fast each lap
having to back of mid corner to correct speed. This was caused by not
being used to having the throttle on the stop and just tapping the next
gear which means I now need to role the throttle off going into some
corners more instead of previously rolling the throttle on when I used
to use the clutch for up shifts. It's a bit like swapping the gear
linking over to a reverse race shift pattern (you need to adjust your
thinking).
Anyway on lap 2 or 3 I went in Coram about 10mph
faster than before and had to run wide that pushed me onto the dirty
part of the track. If the track was clean I would have kept it but
unfortunately the front folded at around 120mph flat out in 5th gear.
The rear then came round and I was still on the bike at this stage
sliding with it. The bike then came of the track hit the dirt at the
edge and picked itself up. Low side to high side flick. I got tossed in
the air landed on my head and cart wheeled into the tyre wall. The bike
went up, according to the marshals about 8 feet in the air and cart
wheeled to destruction.
Frame is bent (hope it can be fixed), tank written
off, subframe, clocks, rear sets, exhaust...etc etc. I was also slightly
concussed and was taken to hospital because of head injuries, ex-rayed
and kept in the neurosurgical ward overnight on constant hourly
observation each hour for 10 hours. I was released yesterday from
hospital still with a big lump on the back of my head that is still numb
with pins & needles and no feeling.
NEXT MEETING : BMCRC – KING OF CLUBS – SILVERSTONE
– 13TH SEPTEMBER |
