posted on May 22, 2010 22:32
15th & 16 May 2010 Eastfortune North east
Well... it was East Fortune at the weekend and what a weekend it was!
Dad and me went down on Friday afternoon and got set up and scrutineered for Saturday. On Saturday morning it was practice and I felt my bikes were running fine. :) For both practices it was dry.
It was qualifying on the Aprilia first and the track was wet. I was semi-cautious about what the track would be like after it raining pretty heavy at the lunch break. I was out on the Aprilia first and I was surprised how much my wets gripped straight away. I mananged to get pole position which I was surprised with. :)
Qualifying on my GP bike went well. I ended up 2nd out of the GP's but because it was a mixed grid I was 13th, and on the 3rd row of the grid. I was chuffed as we were out with Minitwins and 400's.
The first Aprilia race was "the one to watch" I was told. I got an ok start and was second into turn one, but surprisingly my bike managed to pass the leader into turn two. I knew I wasn't going to be able to break away and so I just took every lap as it came. Almost every lap he passed me and then I passed him straight back. It came down to the last lap when the back markers came into play. I knew I had to be in front before reaching them so I took the long line going round esses1 and then I was on the inside for esses2, which allowed me to have the fast line for the hairpin. I saw the rider coming alongside me but I braked extra late into the chikane and I think it was about the length of half a bike that he was behind me crossing the line. :D I was really pleased with myself.
The first GP race was very quick. I got a really good start and was flying down the back straight. I passed a couple on the braking and I was sitting in 2nd for the GP's. It came to about four laps to go and we started to approach the back markers. I didn't realise how close I was to one of the riders and so we had a little nudge and bump, but it was all good. :) I finished in 2nd. :D
The second Aprilia race of the day my start was alright. I got an ok start and was 3rd round Paytes. I managed to pass the rider in 2nd and make my way up behind the leader. I wasn't able to pass. I had a couple of looks but had to settle for second, which I was still pleased with.
The second GP race was fun until the last lap... I think I was sitting 2nd and going into the hairpin on the last lap when my bike just went 'BUHHHh-hhhhh'. :( I was puzzled but I had a feeling it had seized. So I unfortunately had to DNF. :( The upside to that race was that my best lap time was 1'07.00. :D I was amazed!
On Saturday night we stripped my bike and got it sorted for the Sunday and hopefully it was going to be ok. I was allowed out for the 5 minute practice on the Sunday morning so I was able to see if it was going to be ok.
Sunday. The practice was wet and so I was just taking it easy and getting into it again. And thankfully my bike seemed fine.
The first GP race... I was sitting on the grid and I realised I was the only GPbike on the grid and so I was just racing the big bikes which was still a lot of fun but still a bit frustrating at some points hehe.
The first Aprilia race of the day was awsome. I got a belter of a start and was right at the front. But at the end of the straight Callum came past me. Then I passed him going round the outside at the esses which was a risk of bumping if I moved the wrong way, but I tried it and succeeded which I was chuffed with. But I knew I wasn't getting away from him. The laps passed and we were still battling. It came to the point in the race where it was the last lap and the back markers were coming into play. So I knew I had to be at the front to get through them quickly. It was at the hairpin, I lead in but Callum had the drive out so we were side by side approaching Hannahs, and there was a back marker just tipping in. I decided I would just go up the inside and block him and it WORKED... to my shock. :D:D I was really pleased as it was a hard race.
The second GP race was great. I got an alright start and got away at the front. I got stuck behind some bikes at Railway and so the leader of my class got away. So I was just racing round... not doing anything silly. So I was 2nd. I enjoyed tracking down the bigger bikes though. And I had a good race with a guy on a blue bike which was good. :)
Overall it was an up and down weekend but another memerable one.
Thanks to everyone who helped out to get me back on track. :)
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