Friday – Sunday, 13th – 15th April 2007
Round 1 &ndash Triumph Cup, Snetterton
Long awaited opening round
The opening round of the 2007 Triumph Triple Challenge has come and gone. AJH Racing arrived at Snetterton very early Friday morning. A few hours sleep and I was up and signed on. Thanks to the Wainwrights for helping us get the 675 out of the truck, as we didn’t have time to collect a ramp on Thursday afternoon.
We got set up in the garage and I was feeling a bit nervous. First impression of the track gave me a huge grin! I’ve never been on a piece of tarmac that was as fast and flowing as Snetterton. Hitting 6th gear on the start–finish straight, then banging down 3 gears to enter the double apex right–hander. Turn 2 was one of the most important corners on the track as it led onto the back straight. Taken in second gear then drift all the way out to the white line, sometimes crossing it if needed be, and full throttle all the way up to the top of 6th gear before you hit the first left hander, which was the start of the first chicane. Down another 3 gears before you enter and bang down one more before aiming for your apex then hard on the power trying to keep the rear in line. The “bomb hole” was the next corner and the track dips away and back up a slight hill again, which then lead you into the long, long right–hander. Hard on the brakes again into the second chicane and you find yourself back on the start–finish straight again.
My second session out in the practice day and I somehow managed to get a 1.15 but generally consistent low 1.16s. Nearly all our sessions were cut short by a red flag incident but I’d like to say well done to all the organisers and marshals. The day was run like clockwork! Very efficient and professional.
I tried to go through scrutiny on Friday evening but they wouldn’t pass my bike because of the two bullet cams mounted. After a chat with BEMSEE, who had a word with the track owners, we were forced to take them off.
Gave the bike and my gear a quick rub down, (never buy white leathers – a real bugger to keep looking clean), put a fresh set of tyres on for qualifying then got an early night.
When we were out for our first qualifying session, I seemed to find myself on my own. I could see a few guys a good bit in front of me, but too far to try getting a tow off them. Tried a few different lines in corners I knew I was weak on and was pleasantly surprised to see I put the 4th fastest time in overall and 3rd for the Michelin Young Guns with a time of 1.14.036.
I decided that I’d try different gearing for the 2nd qualifying session by going 1 tooth down on the rear sprocket. When we got back out on track, the temperature was a few degrees warmer. I thought and felt as if I was pushing a lot harder compared to the first session but when I got back to the pits afterwards, I was disappointed to see I hadn’t improved on my time. I was 0.2 of a second slower on my fastest lap, which dropped my down to 6th position overall.
Shortly after our second qualifying session, a sidecar dropped a considerable amount of oil starting on the start finish straight but going on until the very end of the back straight. Due to the delay putting cement dust down, our Superpole race was reduced from 7 laps, to 5.
I got away from the line with the front four, but as I was turning in for the first corner, someone shot up my inside causing me to run a little wide. In doing so, I crossed over the line of cement dust and then had to cross back over to get my line through turn 2. As I was exiting turn 2, the rear let loose and very nearly high sided me off. A few bikes stormed passed as I lost all drive exiting onto the back straight. For the next two laps it felt as if my rear tyre was stone cold as it was very twitchy and didn’t inspire any confidence what so ever. Again, as I exited turn 2 the rear let lose and I lost another place. I got quite annoyed with how my opening race to the series was going and rode as hard as I could for the remainder of the race. Got back past a couple of guys and on the last lap, I found myself behind James Wainwright. I got right behind him as we came onto the back straight and started slip streaming him, as I got closer. This race was fairly late in the evening with a low sun, and the sun just so happened to be behind us going down the back straight. Unfortunately for me, James could see my shadow coming up beside him so he moved over and blocked my line. I tried to move around the outside and out brake him into the chicane, but he saw my shadow move and again, blocked me. It was good, close racing and I would have done the exact same thing if I were in his position. I tried one last attempt to out brake him going into the final chicane, but he covered his line perfectly and I had to settle for 9th place overall, or 8th in the Michelin Young Guns.
MotorsTV arrived down on Sunday morning and asked me to take my bike out onto pit lane so they could get some footage of her, as the organisers had decided ours was the best–presented bike on the grid. As the cameraman was circling the bike, I got chatting to Ian from MotorsTV and told him what happened with the bullet cams and Motor Sport Vision (the circuit owners), which took him by surprise. He went off and had a chat with MSV, and requested for our cameras to be re–fitted as they could use some of the onboard footage. Low and behold, about 2 minutes later, he arrived back into the garage and told us it was fine to put them back on if there was still time before our first race. Thanks to my dad working very quickly, we got them back on just in time.
I think everyone fitted a new set of tyres for Sunday, as we are only allowed to use 2 sets of tyres over the two days (Qualifying, Superpole and the two Supersport races). I didn’t know what to do with the gearing, but in the end I decided to stay the same as Saturdays Superpole and hoped that Id made the correct decision.
Got a good start and was again in 5th position by the end of lap 1, but this was short lived as James slipped streamed me down the back straight and got passed me easily. I tried to keep him in my sights but I just couldn’t, he was too fast for me. I found myself missing my apexes and losing more time trying to keep with him. About 3/4’s way into the race, Rob Guinan divided up my inside going into turn 1, I completely misjudged my brake marker going into turn 2 and ran wide. Michael Booth then got passed me without any struggle. I tagged on to the back of them for a couple of laps, slightly catching them as they diced, but they got past a back marker down the back straight. I got him just as I entered the first chicane and the two lads pulled 15–20metres on me. Fairly disheartened, I crossed the line in 8th position overall, and 7th in the Michelin Young Guns.
For the last race of the weekend, I decided to go back to the gearing I used in the first qualifying session as I thought it was giving me better drive in second gear coming out of the two chicanes. Took my place on the grid and got away from the line cleanly – that’s until turn 1. As in Superpole, someone divided up my inside leaving me no–where to go but drift a little bit wide, but this time James was right beside me. We banged against each other and we both ended up heading straight for the grass. James didn’t get her stopped in time and ran off track, but I just about got around the first corner before carrying on with my race. Third last going into turn 2 and I couldn’t believe my luck. At this stage, all I could do was put my head down, and hope that other people made mistakes, which let me catch up with them. Got by a load of guys, and on the last lap could see two bikes in the distance, one of which was Michael Neeves from MCN who had been invited to race the press bike. I clawed my way up to behind them as we entered the last chicane, but I was still too far away to try and out brake them. At that stage I thought it was all over, but the first guy missed a gear exiting onto the home straight and both Michael and I got by him before the chequered flag. End result and again I was 9th overall and 7th in the Michelin Young Guns.
I wouldn’t say I’m happy with how the weekend went; I suppose the right word would be content. I went to Snetterton, which I’ve never seen before prior to this weekend, and I’ve come away in one piece, 26 points and standing sixth in the championship table.
Huge thanks to all my sponsors! The bike and gear looks amazing and really helps me stand out from the crowd. My dad, Jackson for all his hard work over the weekend. Driving the truck over, helping me all weekend, his pictures and the video footage. I’d also like to thank Sheila and Malc Dean for giving up there weekend to come down and help out! Feeding me between races and giving me great support. The Wainwright contingency was as good as always helping out with changing wheels, borrowing tools, pressure gauges, and being a great laugh! Also the lads from Altamura for helping us lift the bike back into the truck. Not forgetting Tania, Martin, Wally and Karin for coming along and supporting me.
Round 2 is at Cadwell Park (27th – 29th April), where I hope some of you guys will be able to come and support the team and me.
AJ