One of those days...

Well, it seems like our 'test' race weekend certainly lived up to its billing! This was a cheap race weekend, near home to check bikes over and make sure we had everything prepped and sorted for next race meets.

Friday test day dawned after a long and busy week building and prepping bikes. The weather was always going to be a challenge but with wind, rain, drizzle and sunshine we knew the wheel testing skills were going to be in use.

First issue is when Ryan's bike fails noise testing at 108, despite passing at 102 at the last round. We source a baffle, hammer it to shape, drill the exhaust and try again. Now down to 97!

I had passed successfully but out on wets discovered a drying track so back in and first wheel swap.
Next challenge for Ryan is a bent front disc so lever back to the bars and another session missed. Out for final session before lunch and his clutch cable dislodges so back in again!

With wheel changes back onto wets Ryan managed about 2 sessions in the day, but at least the bike was now sorted.

Race days dawns...

NGRRC don't do qualifying but you get a 10 minute 'warm up' in the morning. Not sure why they don't use this as a qualifying session as it's timed anyway. Ryan's session ends but he doesn't return so off I go for my session returning to find he has found the damp spot at Old Hall apex and despite almost saving it has slid off at speed. Bike fixing gets underway, luckily for us Jonzy was bringing some spare rearsets for us and turned up just in time!

I go out for first race but my grid position (based on order of entry) is 16, add on a bad start and it was a challenge to do anything. I was having problems with the brakes but put it down to riding like a girl and finished the race in 16th but not impressed with my times or my 'racing'.

Finally Race 10 and Ryan is off to the grid. Starting from 14th it was going to be a case of try to make up some places to get a better grid  position for afternoon race. The flag drops for warm up lap and off he goes, no sooner is he picking up speed when, for no apparent reason, the rider in front slams the brakes on and comes to an almost stop directly in front of Ryan. With a full grid around him he has nowhere to go and grabs for the brakes to try and avoid the rapidly slowing rider. Unable to stop completely Ryan does a rolling stoppie into the back wheel of the rider and the bike flips launching him along the tarmac. Next thing the rider behind is flat out into Ryan and his bike. From the pit wall all we can hear is scraping and when we look it's not a pretty sight with most of the back end of Ryan's bike destroyed and the rider behind's forks folded under his yokes. Luckily both are 'relatively' ok but the bikes are not going anywhere now.

Ryan is understandably gutted and although the bike is probably not as bad as it looks, add in a helmet as well and it's a pretty hefty bill coming our way. We still don't know why the rider stopped so suddenly but it does highlight the possible risks of not having timed qualifying and having inexperienced riders further forward.

After some debate due to the low feelings I decide I will do my race and set off for the grid. I am supposed to be in 16th but get given 18 so even more work to do. Another bad start and I have to work at it for the full race. I can match the pace or am faster than the guys in front of me on the open sections and through the corners, but my brakes are now so bad that I am having to shut off earlier and earlier to ensure I slow enough to make the tip in. With evenly matched bikes I can't make a pass and make it stick so spend most of the race getting frustrated. I do manage a last lap pass and come in to a 12th place. Better but no quicker. I know I have 2+ seconds in me if I could just brake in usual position and make passes so I can get clean track.

But, it was a learning experience and I know the next thing to be sorted and have tested out the bodywork and brackets.

We have a big test to try and get Ryan's bike ready to race at Armoy in just over 2 weeks but fingers crossed we can make it.

Huge thanks go to everyone that came and helped or supported on the day, it meant a lot to have the encouragement and morale support on such a trying day. Huge thanks to Bongo for lending us his awning and coming along to pit crew for us, we would have struggled without him.

Finally a big thanks to Held Rider Equipment for making a great suit that stood up to two very fast slides on tarmac and still held (pun intended) together. Also thanks to Tony at JLH Racepaint  and Rich at Signs Express for getting the bikes looking so good, even if it didn't last too long in Ryan's case.

See you all again soon!