Jen Crosby's Racing Blog

Monday August 21, 2006

Snetterton Race Report (stiff and sore...)

Well that was certainly a weekend of ups and downs, and I think the hardest race weekend for so far. But, overall, I'm fairly pleased. So here's what happened....

Greg and I managed to leave at a reasonable time on Thursday afternoon, only to find that there was an evening trackday on at Snetterton, meaning they were queuing people up outside the paddock until 8pm!! Luckily Rob, being the star he is, paid to get himself on the evening session, so got a garage sorted for us all – thanks Rob, that was just brilliant! We set up with Rob, Conrad, Jay, and Greville across a double garage. Everyone slowly turned up and the usual nattering went on throughout the evening – I always love the buzz on a Thursday evening when everyone arrives; people haven't seen each other for a few weeks, and everyone's excited about the weekend ahead, it's just a great atmosphere. With what felt like a pretty big day ahead, we went off for an early night.

Friday morning and I was unbelievably nervous. All that waiting and wondering over the past few weeks was now about to come to head. Would I be able to ride? I'd not even tried getting into my leathers yet! I don't think I've ever felt so sick before a practice session. To make it worse, it had been raining overnight, and the track was wet. At least we were the last session out – with three other sets out before us I was hoping the track would dry a little. With lots of help from Greg I got myself ready to head out - leathers on – that hurt  and climbing on the bike also hurt a bit, but I wobbled out of the garage tentatively down pit lane, and out onto the circuit. I took it very easy, not just because of my shoulder, but also because the track will still damp in places. So first corner, I can steer at speed reasonably ok, the counter steering seems to be ok, next corner also ok, then down the back straight and time to test whether I can brake hardish....seems to be ok – I can feel my shoulder is weak, but it's not painful. The thing most suffering is my body position, I can't really seem to hang off the bike very well, but it didn't feel too bad. I gradually wound it up, only a little each lap, testing whether my shoulder could handle it, and amazingly, it felt ok! I knew after that first session that I'd definitely be racing over the weekend, I could absolutely do it. And that was such a weight off my mind!! With the prospect of not racing off my mind I could get out and concentrate on other things. The track dried out throughout the day, and I went out for 4 sessions in total – not wanting to overdo it before the racing – and I even managed to get within a second of my previous best lap time, so I was pretty happy with my progress.

Saturday morning arrived so quickly, and yet again, the nerves had kicked in. Although funnily enough, now I knew my shoulder would be ok, I was more nervous about doing well, and getting good points to get 4^th in the championship back. I'm getting good at putting pressure on myself  The practice session went ok, and being out in race 2, it was soon time to get out there for the first time of the weekend. So there I am, sat in collecting, about to race only 3 weeks after breaking my collarbone. What the hell am I doing?? Well, it's too late, so I just have to put it out of my mind and concentrate. I think back to how desperate I was to be out this weekend, how much it meant, and how there I am sat in collecting, waiting to race. It could so easily have gone a different way, and I would have been distraught. If I'm going to go out, I need to give it my all, or there was no point in putting myself through all the anguish that I have.

Round the warm up lap I take a few deep breaths, and pull up to the grid ready. Lights on, lights off, and I made a good start and was initially mixing it with the usual guys. Round the first lap and I had James just in front of me, but then I got overtaken by a few of the SBK400 guys, and soon James seemed out of sight. I found myself battling with Dave Shannon (SBK400) who eventually got the better of me, and then on the last lap Bob Turner pulled up along side me for a drag race down the back straight. In a comedy moment we both stared at each other for a second running side by side, each willing the other to brake earlier. He got the better of me on the brakes – good effort there Bob! But I reckon I'd be ok as I was better than him out of the final chicane and I was sure I could get him for the line. Except that I missed a gear into the Esses and ended going round it in neutral!!  I kicked it back into gear and found third which locked up the back a little, losing me even more drive, and there was no catching Bob from there  I had no idea, but I'd crossed the line in 5^th, and more importantly ahead of Rob Pragnell who'd overtaken me in the championship after my mishap at Brands. It was a good race – I'd got a new PB lap, although not by as much as I'd have liked really. I got back to the garage absolutely shattered – much more tired than I've been after a single race before. Three weeks with no fitness training, and with my body trying to heal itself had clearly taken it's toll. I had no idea how I was going to manage another race!

But of course, manage I did. Race 2 was pretty cool actually. While putting my tyre warmer on after race one Nige had noticed that my back brake had been stuck on for the whole of the first race!! I turned out that I had actually bent the bolt that the foot peg had been on when I crashed at Brands, but I'd not noticed when I put the new peg on. Because it was bent the peg was putting extra pressure on the back brake lever meaning it wouldn't return when pressed. I don't use the back brake during the race, but I do use it off the start line to steady the bike, so it had been on right from the start! We found a new bolt (thanks to Paul Davies!) and refitted the peg, and it was much better. Maybe I'd get a bit better speed down the back straight now  So out for race two, and I find myself battling with Bob Turner and Dave Shannon again. I managed to overtake them both in the first two laps, and throughout the race I could hear bikes right on my tail. About half way through the race there was a yellow flag at the end of the back straight for a bike down, but Dave Shannon passed me on the brakes. I was busy thinking about that, and there was a bike down between the Esses and the Bombhole too and it put me right off my stride; Bob took advantage and flew by at the Bombhole. Dave clearly realised he'd gone by on a yellow, and he moved over to let me by at Corums, not realising that Bob had got by too, so both of us went through. At least Dave isn't fighting us in the championship, but I think he wasn't best pleased! After that little battle I got my head down, knowing they'd both be on my case, and I kept myself ahead for the remainder of the race. It was a top race – I really enjoyed it, and I managed to take another second and a half off my lap time!

Saturday evening had lots of events for a big charity thing, including the Feisty girl auction, but I was just so tired after everything that we ended going to bed early instead! I had an ok nights sleep, but it was raining on and off all night which kept waking me up. It looked like Sunday was going to be one of those nightmare days when you just can't tell whether it's going to be wet or dry. I was in two minds about whether to go out for practice as the track was still wet, although it wasn't actually raining, and I didn't want to change my wheels only to have to change them back again for the race. In the end I decided to go out on the dry wheels for practice and just get an idea of how the circuit felt. I only did a couple of laps and came back in, but it was enough to try and get my head in order. The weather was all over the place, rain, shine, rain, shine. I decided to leave the dry tyres on for the time being though. Race 1 in the program was Conrad's – and just as they went out to collecting it started to throw it down again, and they sent them back with a 10 minute gap to change to their wet tyres and run under wet conditions. I took the decision and the opportunity to change my own wheels, as my race was immediately after Conrad's. Greg was a superstar yet again, sorting the back wheel while I did the front. By the time we went out the rain had stopped, but the track was very definitely wet, and sure enough in collecting everyone had made the same tyre choice. At least if it began to dry we'd all be in the same boat.

Lights off, and I made a superb start and flew by loads of riders. By the time I got to turn 2 I had no idea who the riders around me were – it was all SBK400 guys, so I figured I must have got ahead of all of my fellow C400 racers. This was my first time racing on wets, I've only ever done a few laps on them even on track days. They felt ok though – a very different feel to the SuperCorsas and they do seem to move quite a bit, but nothing too disconcerting. I make it round the first lap, but just gave it a little too much gas on the exit of the chicane and the bike nearly, oh so nearly, highsided me! I was out of the seat, head in the screen and in my head I was off, trying to work out whether I could land on my non-bad side! But suddenly to my surprise I was back in the seat – it took me a second to realise – and I just got back on the throttle and carried on! Racing in the wet felt a bit like just trying to survive to be honest, just stay on the bike and finish! It didn't really sink in until very late in the race that I was actually leading! After what felt like an age the last lap flag came out, and I just thought, I have to stay on the bike... I got through turn one, which was starting to get pretty dry on the racing line, and into turn two, but I tipped in too early, and went wide on the exit running across the white line and the nasty tarmac, meaning I couldn't get the power on and Gary Henning came flying underneath me. Bugger!! Ok, concentrate, just keep going, it's only a few more corners, just stay steady... just at the last moment I got pipped AGAIN, this time by James Williamson, and finally crossed the line in 3^rd. Words can't describe – I was SO annoyed with myself for giving away what could have been my first win in the last lap, after leading the whole race. I was slamming my tank as we came in on the cool down lap. I got off the bike (in agony with my shoulder now for some reason) and threw my gloves off, and much swearing and anger ensued. I just couldn't believe I'd thrown it away like that – how stupid!!!

It took me quite a while to calm down, and I'm sorry to those who had to listen to me bitch about it, I realise I was a touch snappy... I'm still now really gutted, but putting it into perspective a little I'm still very pleased to have got a pot at Snetterton, as I didn't think it would be somewhere I'd do that well, let alone with a broken collarbone. But I'm still really, really gutted.

By the time race 2 came round I have to admit I was just wanting it all to be finished. I was so emotionally and physically drained after everything. Yet again there was a lot of messing about with the weather, and in the end we had to change the wheels yet again, for the dry tyres this time. Huge thanks to Greg for skinning is knuckles doing my back wheel again, and also to Rob for helping me with the front which wasn't playing ball either. Sorry for being snippy with you! Lights off for the final time, and I made a pretty rubbish start as it was, but about 30 yards past the line and I suddenly found myself on the back wheel of Tim Jones who was going very slowly! I slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting him and pulled a stoppie missing his back wheel by what must have literally been millimetres. I couldn't quite believe I hadn't hit him – it was so close! But I made it round turn one, in last place  I managed to pass about 4 bikes before the lap was up, but my head just wasn't in it. Gary Henning's bike started pouring smoke out of the back from the Esses round to Russells which really scared me too, as I figured there would be oil on the track, and between that and my incident off the start, I just couldn't get my head in gear. I pootled round, and didn't lose any more places but just couldn't gain on the riders in front. My lap times were rubbish, 5 second slower than the day before. I felt like pulling in to be honest, I wanted the race to be over that much, but I knew I'd need to stay out just for the points, so I held on. I ended up finishing 6^th, so got some reasonable points, so it was worth it in the end. I've even now managed to get my 4^th place in the championship back.

So that was it. To be honest, right now I feel utterly drained. That was by far the hardest race weekend I've had to do to date. So much went on: my collarbone, messing with wets, nearly crashing, losing the win, getting a pot, getting out at all.... On the one hand I'm really pleased with my results – who'd have thought that I'd be racing at all, let alone getting the results I did? But stupidly I can't get out of my head that I should have done better. (what is that all about??). Last night I had a terrible nights sleep, woke up really early this morning just mulling it all over in my head. I ended up getting up to write this in the hope that it might clear my head a little. It hasn't worked quite yet :-S

I owe a really big thanks to everyone for all the support and help I've had this weekend – Greg especially, but also Rob and Conrad, Loz and Nige, Greville, Toby and all the guys and girls in the LP/Raven garage, and everyone who stopped by to see how things were going. A huge well done to Greg Pearson this weekend for some superb kick-arse results, you totally deserved them and I'm chuffed to bits for you. Also a big well done to Kat and Lisa who showed just how strong they both are this weekend – top stuff girls! Also well done to Steve P, great result after a tough start, I'm so pleased for you! (and you're a cheeky git!!) And Greville – you're my hero Grev, I'm so proud of you for getting out there this weekend with a broken shoulder blade and clearly in a lot of pain. I'm *so* happy luck was with you this weekend, you did brilliantly. And finally a huge get well soon to Moosey who had a horrible crash on Friday and has broken her ankle and collarbone.

Wow, this is a long report...sorry about that, I just needed to say it all!

( Aug 21 2006, 09:40:37 AM GMT+00:00 )

Permalink Comments [3]