Jen Crosby's Racing Blog

Monday August 01, 2005

Snetterton – July 30^th 2005

Me, Greg, Loz, Nige, Conrad and Martyn

Pictures are online here

Friday night rush hour traffic on the M25, as expected, wasoutrageously slow, and it took us in the region of 3.5 hours to getto our hotel, about 5 minutes drive from the circuit. We'd given Nige a lift in the van, and we were the last to arrive, so we went straight to the restaurant to meet the others on arrival, where wetucked into a very welcome meal. Fed, watered and chattered out, wefound our way to our very small, but adequate rooms (or is that“bijou” ) and set the alarm for an early start.

Greg and I made it to the track for around 7am, and managed to bag a double garage for us all, unloaded the van and put the kettle on for a cuppa. Signed on, briefed, and just my luck, the inters group,which I'm in, is first out. Focused Events have started running 3 sighting laps for each group, so 3 laps out behind the instructor,and then back into the pits for the next group to do the same. I can sort of see why they do this, but for me, it meant that I had 3 laps out, then only maybe 10 minutes before I was out for my first session proper, meaning there was little point in putting the tyre warmers back on, and I went out on the session with cold tyres. I guess that probably wasn't the end of the world, given that I couldn't really remember a great deal about the circuit, and the sighting laps were too slow to get an idea of what gear to be in, and where to brake etc. So I spent the session finding my feet, trying to work it all out again. I overtook a few bikes, a few overtook me (only on the straights I might add , generally a pretty good outing. I found out that Martyn had been timing me on that session – but he wouldn't tell me my laptimes! I asked him whether I'd managed to beatmy times from last year – a best of 1:44...he justlaughed...that would be a yes then! Turns out I'd also already managed to hit my target for the day of 1:35. I found out later that I'd got a 1:33 – not bad for my first session, I was well pleased! I had to come up with a new target, so I plumped for 1:30s...

It was a big day for Loz too – she was trying out her new ZXR for the first time!  It's the orange older sibling of my ZXR, having both been bought from the same guy who used to race in the NG Road Racing Club.  It was great to see another bike just like mine whizzing round   I must admit, it looks fab, and very very fast out there!  Nice one Loz!  Conrad was also out for the first time since having the frame on the R6 straightened – that all seems to be a lot better with no complaints on the lefts now.  All good!

Being in the inters group turned out to be a bit of a nightmare. Ifound myself struggling to find space on the track – there were far too many straight line warriors who were ridiculously slow into the corners who would constantly be holding me up. If  I managed to overtake it became very difficult to make it stick as they'd just flypast on the power down the back straight. It's so frustrating!! I kept having to back off to let the guys holding me upget further ahead so I wouldn't keep running into them in the corners. That just made my laptimes slower and slower...it was rare to get a clear enough lap to put a proper flyer in. I had 2 sessions like that – in one of which I even managed my first ever stoppie due to people being so crap on brakes! I was getting seriously annoyed though, and was beginning to wonder if Ishould even bother going out. I made the decision to move up into the fast group, figuring that although I wasn't as fast as most of the riders, at least when they overtook me they'd do it and then be gone,rather than getting me on the straight and then just get in my way at the next corner.

Before my first session out in the fast group, in a very unfortunate turn of events, Nige managed to come off his bike after it started spewing out oil.  Thankfully the engine appears to be ok – or at least, it didn't blow up –but it's leaking from somewhere, and managed to spit him off after getting on the rear tyre.  Luckily he crashed at the slowest corner on the circuit, and he's fine, and the bike doesn't look too bad, cosmetically at least.  Greg and Martyn seemed to both be having a good day – Greg managed to get some great clear track in his group as it started to thin out in the afternoon, and he put in someblinding times in the low 1:30s!  Nice one Greg!  I did attempt to get some laptimes for Martyn, but my phone died – sorry mate :oS  

As well as finally giving me some clear track to work in, moving into the fast group gave me the chance to go out on track with Conrad, who kindly offered to follow me and give some instruction. He followed me for the first couple of laps, which I managed to carry out very raggedly ...! (not feeling the pressure at all then He then overtook me, and I followed his lines round for a few laps, then he waved me by to follow me....before he overtook again...and so on till the end of the session.  It was a great session!  I felt much more consistent, and Conrad managed to point out some areas I was going wrong actually while we were out on circuit, giving me a chance to try new lines out straight away.  When we came back in, we sat down and went through each corner in turn, and he pointed out places where I needed to improve and helped me understand how to achieve that.  My weakest spot, with most room for improvement was the Bombhole, where my line was well off, and, as Loz has pointed out to me before, I'm just notusing the whole track.  A few missed apexes on various corners round the track was also hindering me.  So, armed with some new info to take back out, I went out for my final session.  It would appear that I did in fact listen to what he was saying (I was certainly trying toget it right!), as Loz followed me for a lap or so, and said my line looked much better!  When I got home I wrote a load of stuff down to try and remember it for next time...I had so much good advice, I don't want to forget it!

So, laptimes then.  Thanks to everyone who timed me – I really appreciate it, and I'm sorry I wasn't better at returning the favour.  In the end I was putting in consistent 1:30s with a few 1:29s in as well.  So, I managed to hit my target!    Those laptimes put me in reasonably good stead for racing I think – looking at this year's rookie times I would have been top 10 in all 4 races (having said that the race there wasin March, was bloomin' freezing, and it was the first race of the year, but it gives me a rough idea).  If I can finish in the points I'd be absolutely ecstatic, so I'm certainly not disappointed in my performance.  It's only my second time on the circuit ever, and first on the ZXR, so there's loads of room and time for further improvement.

So as usual, thanks everyone for your help, especially Conrad for all your patience   Aside from anything else I had a great time – it's so cool being on a trackday with loads of mates.  Let's hope we can do it again soon!

( Aug 01 2005, 09:04:20 AM GMT+00:00 )

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