Mallory Park 6th July 2003, Derby Phoenix
Go Star racers in attendance: were:
Mallory Park, 6th July 2003 – Is That the Sound of
Silverware I Hear ?
Top day on Sunday.
Finished 12th in my first Allcomers heat which saw me qualify mid pack
in the B final - a first for me at Mallory because due to the number of
entries they have an A, B, C, and D final. Normally I'm in the D final.
So that was a good sign of my lap times coming down - 1 min 1sec to be
precise, which was a second better than previously.
First steel frame race and I got a good start but was pushed wide at
Gerrarrds, although got a few back arround the outside and was in 11th
on the 1st lap. Took a while to get past 10th place and by that time the
9th and 8th placed guys had got a good 60 yards on me. Still, got my
head down and was starting to catch them but ran out of laps. Another 2
or 3 laps and I'd have been on them.
So finished 10th (started in 17th out of a field of about 30) but more
importantly got down to 59 sec lap times. Anything below a minute is a
seriously quick time arround Mallory so well chuffed, especially as the
fast guys were doing high 57's/mid 58's. I reckon I should be able to
get down to that as there are still 3 or 4 parts of the circuit that I
can get on the gas harder and earlier, and brake slightly less. Should
see another 2 secs in total come off and that'll be me down to 57's.
Next was my steel frame final. 10th on the grid, got a good start but
again got held up at Gerrards and a few came past. Was chasing the lead
pack when on the 2nd lap a guy 3 bikes in front of me came off and was
hit by the rider following. The guy right behind him also had to swerve
to avoid the debris which allowed me to sneak through and take both
their positions.
Coming arround to the start finish line the race was stopped, which I
was well gutted with because I had been promoted to 3rd novice but felt
sure they wouldn't call that a result.
Anyway the race was called as run and nobody knew where they'd finished.
On to the B final straight after my steel frame race and I was
knackered. Big wheelie off the line saw me drop a few places and then
going into Gerrards I just went backwards. Basically I was tired and my
head wasn't in it for racing. Never mind.
Good news though - the Steel frame final had been declared a result
after the accident which meant I was 10th and 3rd novice, so I got a
nice little novice championship trophy!!!
So less than a year after starting I'm a gnats tadger off the pace of
the leading guys, consistently running arround the top 10, and I've got
my first trophy.
Cadwell park next (I loikes Cadwell I do) so time to reset my goals
'because I've done them all and we're only half way through the season.
I reckon over the next couple of meets I can get 7/8th, or second novice
and then by the end of the year hopefully 5th and 1st novice. I think
it'll be difficult to get further than the top 5 because of my poor grid
position and the fact the races are so short, but never say never.
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