EMRA Mallory Park 11th July 2004


I had high hopes for this meeting. Having regularly just about managing to finish in top half for the last 3 race meets when my engine ran properly and having just had a week of sleepless nights preparing my bike before this meet, I was well up for it.
I had done a trackday at Oulton Park 10 days before and gone round the outside of everyone on my lovely new Michelin Wets supplied by Phil at Buckley Tyres, and now running on the correct sized rims since updating my spare wheels. Even in the dry, I was embarrassing R1s in the fast group. It seemed my suspension problems had been sorted having cranked up the compression on the back, and I had new tyres which I had lightly scrubbed at above trackday. Clearly, after leaving huge darkies round the corners at Anglesey everywhere, I was getting to the stage now when I needed new tyres when they started "going off" and not when the tread had simply worn out :-)

Also, it had been a full 9 months since my last crash.. WOW!

Practise saw me easing round gently. Scrutineering had been late and there had been no time for tyre warmers. Also, this was my 3rd attempt at rebuilding the engine. I was slowly easing up the revs to 10K, then 11K, and 12K on the final lap before I came in and just generally going easy. The engine rebuild had produced a smooth (relatively) progressive engine with loads of top end. I felt quietly confident that I would improve on my best time set here at my last visit of 61.9 secs.
I figured I would use the Open1300 race as a continuation of this warm up (as I never really stand much chance against GSXR6s, R6s and thous) although I hadn't realised that I was running 5th in the "250 championship" on the stregth of results from just one round out of 3 so far this year.
I drew second on the grid (!) which is ALWAYS a pain as, despite a reasonable start, I was swamped before the first turn into Gerards by bigger machinary. Took it easy round and only picked off 1 rider (usually I claw back a few places here) but was pacing myself for the whole day.
I was keeping behimd a guy on a CBR600 from this point and paced myself accordingly. Round Gerards for a second time I worked the tyres much harder and threw it onto my knee, reeling him in after he inevitably had gotten away from me on the straight.
As we all hammered into Edwinas for the second time, I focussed on him. We had bunched right up behind the mid pack of riders going in and, but for the density of the pack I would have attempted an heroic outbraking manouvre, but "no no" I thought, "another 4 laps to do that yet". I tucked in tight behind him and the pack around Edwina's... bang.. sharp left, knee just skims tarmac for a split second.. bang..sharp right, knee whacks floor.. and I throttle through, getting power on as early as I dare carrying enough speed to keep it in 3rd..

SUDDENLY I notice pack go left and right... I look up SHHHIIIITTT! All I can see is a blue, white and red GSXR lying a few feet in front of me, tank and seat on. I am aiming for the tank/seat junction and have absolutely NO time to do anything, even slow down. BANG! The RS makes contact and I am instantly thrown like a rag doll over the fornt of the bke at speed, feeling completely winded and like my arse had travelled into my throat.
I brace for impact expecting the worst.. "this is going to bloody hurt!"... and it did!! I come crashing down onto the track in a heap, rolling enough to catch a glimpse of my ruined battered bike following me and noticing there was no fairing on it anymore.
I come to a stop on my back. ARRRGHH!!! My god that hurts.. I scream and cry like a good un, feeling VERY scared and in pain. All I can think is after that impact I MUST have broken some limbs or done some spinal damage. I hurt all over.
Funny how quickly everyone came running to me, crying so much. Martin the Doc helped talk me down from what was, I guess, a panic attack as I became very conscious of my hyperventilation and pain in my R hip, back and L knee. After some reasurring words and a puff on some O2 I was rolled onto a spinal board and carted off to the med centre.
In the ambulance I could wiggle my toes and move my arms a bit (I was still strapped down) and it beacme apparent that I had somehow gotten away with it again !

A good check out by Doc Dan confirmed what I could never have imagined as I flew through the air.. a bit of an abrasion on the hip and a few twists and sprains but otherwise OK !! Funnily enough, this had been the first time I had ever worn a proper back protector (made by Knox). I walked from the med centre back to the Team Purple awning and then, somewhat dazed and overwrought, had my photo taken by BikeSport News who were running a feature on gurlie racers at Mallory.

I wandered over with Chris to see my beloved baby in the Scrutineering bay. Alas, my bike had done a lot worse. The fairing was completely trashed, the front wheel had shattered and my exhaust sytem was somehow totally trashed :-(

As I lay in bed that night, aching all over with the prospect of work the next day, I would shut my eyes and all I could see was that Gixer coming towards me.

Thus endeth my racing season for 2004.






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