Jurby Airfield, Isle of Man - 23rd June 2002

ARA Championship Rounds 7 & 8 - Jurby Airfield - Anti-Clockwise

Had the Van all loaded up on the Saturday, with the help of Jon 'The Wad' Wade and he was also my help for the day, although unfortunately he'd be going early to do a spot of fishing on the old Vicky Pier in Douglas……… not just me that competes it seems……… have to return all the favours he's done me, by going and baiting his hooks or sommat……

Haven't done any racing (or even been on a bike) since I was at the British Superbike Round at Oulton Park on May 4th-6th……… as my troublesome little finger on my right hand was getting worse, So I went to the Hossie to get it x-rayed, cos I thought I must have broken it…… never being that lucky, as soon as I was seen, they sent me to see the orthopaedic surgeon…… it was decided that I had 'Butonniere Deformity' (Tendon Damage of the finger) and it needed operating on………… bollocks!! Was wheeled in to theatre the next morning (emergency apparently!) to get the damaged fixed and a pin inserted…… ouch…… so that was that, able to do bugger all, as being right handed anyway, and the hand being splinted, I was struggling even to scratch my right arse cheek…… Bollocks again. Apparently it's a long healing process, with physiotherapy etc etc……… so nothing new there……… a Major disappointment though, as it meant I had to cancel my entries for the Steam Packet races and the Dundrod 150…… the only positive thing it did do (apart from fix it hopefully)…… is save the money I would have spent, my flexible friend put its white flag away for this month……

So here I was, competing at Jurby, nearly six weeks later, minus the pin (not the pain) and splint, (although I still sleep with the splint on)……… Have started training again, for the first time since mid March, as falling off at Mallory took a long time to heal…… its amazing how hard it is to get back into it, feels like all the good work I did over the winter was for nowt……

Arrived with The Wad at about 0920 hrs, and all the good spots on the edge of the paddock had gone….. Jesus, the boys are keen!…… so had to go in the middle, which I had not done before……… not that I'm that superstitious or owt, but it had me wondering…… mmmmmm. Was hoping me little finger wasn't going to interfere too much as I can't bend it yet, so it was going to be resting on top of the brake lever……… well, we'll see how that goes……… It was handy though that the sun was shining and as always there was a stiff breeze blowing, but at least it was warm. (and dry). Got the Awning set up (thanks to Stu Bainborough for his help) and the bikes scrutineered in what was probably record time, doesn't half make a difference when the weather is better. Nearly forgot to sign on and get my kit checked………… oops……… was debuting my new Arai helmet today as well…… The Arai blokes brought one over for me when they came to the TT…… looks pretty good with all the three legs of man emblems on it…… even if I do say so meself.

Had put a new clutch into No 2 bike and hoped I'd cured the oil leak on it as well, so, Reg, who's in charge of the holding area, let me go out with the odd numbers in their practise to test it…… only did two laps at a slow speed to test both and take the sheen off my new intermediate tyres I had fitted, so was happy to find that everything on it was okay… Finger was not too bad either. Dave Sells of Trikbitz (and Rob and Carolyn's Dad) came over with a set of bike stands he had promised me…… a man of his word, cheers Dave…… Top Man.

I had entered both 1300 Open Centre Championship races and both Formula 600 events……… wasn't planning on doing the former, but decided that if I didn't feel too bad, I would do them, but the 600cc races were going to be my priority……… looked like it was going to be interesting, cos Nigel Beattie had tipped up with his 250 Honda and he's the boy on that thing, especially when he's running on slicks… and I've yet to beat him on it (in the dry)…… so I was looking forward to that.

Had two practise sessions on the Team P.C.Racing No 1 bike…… I had changed the front left hand brake disc as I was sure it was warped, fixed up the fairings etc…… after some numpty had crashed into me at my last outing at Oulton Park…… did my usual-ish times in practise…… I never seem to set the world alight when it comes to practising, but it's just a test at the end of the day…… if it was qualifying…… then it would be a different matter…… and no mistake. Anyway, went by with no mishaps, apart from I felt that the brakes could be a bit better. I still had the same tyres on that I had used at Oulton Park for the BSB round, but as they had only done 18 laps, I thought I'd get away with them. There was a time delay for some reason, and the first race didn't get underway till 1-45pm………… Booooo!

Was called for Round 7 of the 1300 Open Centre Championship, 10 laps, and after two warm up laps, settled on my place on the front row of the grid, 'Pole' if you like (cos I was first there!), with Dedman, Heath and Carswell……… the latter two coming off the back of their best ever TT results…… I don't look forward to these races, as it's hard to compete against R1's and Gixer Thou's on a 600 with the long straights at Jurby (I reckon they should put another chicane in halfway down each straight, that would sort it.)…… but when the flag went down, surprisingly!!! I got a blinding start…… although the front wheel pawed the air in the first three gears…… I was still at the front until it was fourth gear time, and the big bikes flew past, but the whole front row got to the corner pretty much together, until Dedman, went into the corner faster than all of us…… thought he wasn't going to make it…… but he did…… pretty impressive. Tailed the front three (Dedman, Heath and Carswell) for the first lap, but at race pace my brakes were absolutely wank again, and on the anchors into the fastest two parts of the track I had to pump them like hell to get a solid lever…… the front wheel was wobbling all the way down the start/finish straight……shit! As I had changed the disc, I was thinking that it must be the front wheel that was the problem… it had to be. They were pulling away from me on the straights, but I pulled some back on the corners, until I hit a false neutral out of the chicane onto the start/finish straight and had to run off the track and lost loads of ground……took me a few seconds to get it back in gear……… cruuuunnchh…… that put me off loads, and after that made one schoolboy error after another…… was in the wrong gear nearly every corner, nearly overshot a couple more times and even knocked a cone onto the track with my elbow…… had a look behind and I was being caught…… was trying to think who No 24 was, and it dawned on me it was Greg Broughton when he pulled along side me around Snuffies on the 9th lap…… he got me on the brakes into the Perimeter section…… even though I was riding like a f**king old woman and my brakes were crap, not making excuses, he went in there loads faster than me and buggered off…… he was flying…… was worried that I was going to be caught by someone else and was praying for the finish, and eventually got home in 5th……… only just. Hadn't enjoyed that one bit. First thing to do was change the front wheel…… so did that with The Wad with the spare one I had which also had a brand new tyre on it, was hoping to save that, but had to try it, cos if it was still giving me handling problems, it must be something else, but you've got to try one thing at a time…… I reckon the front wheel must be buckled, so I'm going to send it to a bloke I know who straightens them…… I hope! Checked my lap timer and had managed a best lap of 1 '00.82 with the rest of the laps being high 1 '01's and low 1 '02's, so, was probably lucky to get 5th with times like that. Heath won again, with Dedman 2nd Carswell 3rd and Broughton 4th.

Was called out to my next race, which was Round 7 of the Formula 600cc Championship, and I wasn't overly confident, especially the way Greg had gone past me in the previous one, I also had to contend with Beattie, Kneen and Sells…… who would all be there or thereabouts…… was really hoping I had the problem cured, even though beforehand I had decided that this meeting would be a damage limitation exercise and just to get as many points as I could for the championship, but I still really wanted to win……

Sellsy indicated to me in the holding area that he was on row 3 and he was not a happy chappy…… who could blame him when he's sitting 2nd in the championship…… but he told me he put his entries in late…… bet he doesn't do that again…… Had two warm up laps again and on the second one went faster than I normally would to test the brakes…… and Yeee Haaarrr I had a solid lever! It was almost a novelty to grab the brakes and I didn't have to pump them…… now I could forget about that…… and got ready for the start of this 8 lapper……

Flag went down and I got another blinding start, so did Norman, but I was first into the corner and got my head down and started to pull a small gap on those behind, waited a couple of laps before I had a look and didn't really know who I was expecting to see, but it was Nige…… we had both pulled a good gap on the third place man, but couldn't make out if it was Norman or Greg…… every lap up towards the line just checked on where he was and he was close behind…… this was more fun, but I would have preferred to be tailing him, as I knew he was going to try and 'mug' me somewhere……… fortunately for me he did it a lap earlier that he should have done at the Hairpin on the 7th lap…… I went in a bit too hot and went wide, and he nipped up my inside……… fair play…… got good drive out of the chicane onto the start/finish straight and past him back going over the line to start the last lap, knew I had to try a bit harder to keep him at bay, and was doing so…… went round Snuffies and saw two back markers ahead…… was hoping to use them to my advantage, but they were all over the place and I had to be cautious, was wanting to go up the inside of them so as to defend the corner, but there was no room (although I usually make some!) had to go round them, was a little worried one of them was going to drift wide and have me on the edge of the grass, but I got through cleanly, and as Nige never tried to 'do' me at the hairpin, I knew I had it in the bag……… got to the line half a second ahead, doesn't sound like a lot, but it's enough…… Greg was a fair way behind in 3rd, so that didn't do my Championship hopes any harm with Sellsy 4th and Norman 5th …… nice one…… (for me). The old lap timer had indicated that I had gone faster, although only slightly, the main thing was that I had been more consistent…… Know I can go quicker though, if I have to…… but was hoping I didn't.

Decided on sitting out Round 8 of the 1300 Open Centre Championship, give myself an extra break and keep the mileage on the bike to a minimum…… Didn't feel like chasing the shadows of the 1000cc bikes, so saved myself for the last 600 race. Although the way the race went, I might have bagged 3rd as Dedman seemed to be struggling for some reason…… Heath won again with this time Carswell in 2nd…… that Bog standard Suzuki thou' of his really is a missile…… I know, I've seen it up close!……… and I want one. The Wad had to go, but other help had arrived so would be okay to pack all the stuff back up……… good job, me little finger would have gone on strike..

My last race of the day was Round 8 of the 600cc Championship and was reduced to 6 laps, after the sidecar race was red flagged two or three times…… was again on 'Pole' and after the usual two warm up laps waited for the start………… and for the third time today got a great start and was leading by the first corner…… got my head down and did a couple of laps before I had a look to see who was behind…… knew it wouldn't be Greg, as he had crashed coming on to the start/finish straight, saw his bike in the grass, but didn't see him or any yellow flags……… had a quick look behind, and it was Nige tailing me again, knew I could be going faster than I was in some places, so upped my pace a little bit more and the gap stretched that extra few yards, but I knew it was always going to come down to the last lap…… it's always easier to chase than to lead, that's what I reckon anyway……… so going into the last lap, it was still the same position wise, and I knew I'd have to try a bit harder to keep him behind, the bike hit the rev limiter on the approach to the Bus Stop Chicane, and I couldn't be arsed to change up a gear just to change straight back down again, this put Nige right up my chuff, and he must have thought of having a go at me there, but he never managed it, knew he'd be having another look at the Perimeter Section, and as we approached it there was another back marker, knew I wasn't going to get past him even at the Hairpin, and it would have been an extremely dodgy manoeuvre going into the chicane ahead of him, if we had blue flags he would have known to move over maybe…… to be safe, bided my time, all the while wondering when Nige was going to try and 'do' me…… Decided to go up the inside of this dude instead of driving round him and maybe being forced again on the edge of the grass, left that for Beattie to try and rung the bikes neck up to the line and got there ahead…… again with Nige half a second behind…… was surprised he wasn't alongside me going to the flag…… but still, I wasn't bothered, another win will do me…… that's 7 wins out of 8 rounds and one 2nd place, I think that's enough to win the Championship with two rounds to go (unless the re-instate Jurby Road Club round)……… I think I'm 31 points or so ahead with only 30 on the table, so that'll friggin well do me!!!!…… Isle of Man Formula 600 Champ!!! It also means that I don't have to do the meeting on the 10th August if I don't want to, it's only a week away from the Manx Grand Prix, and I'd be absolutely gutted if I fell off and had to miss it…… so we'll see nearer the time………

Packed the van up and headed back to Peel to unload the bastard again, and was starting to ache all over, especially me poor finger…… probably done too much on it today, but I have been wary about it…… it's let me know when it's not been happy!

Next up for me is the Southern 100 Road Races which are in two weeks time (8th - 11th July) where I'm having a go for the first time, followed by the Jurby Road National event two days after the S100, then the Manx GP a few weeks later. Had at least another one pencilled in on the mainland, but I don't think I'll bother…… for more reasons than one……

Got to say a big Thank You to the local Yamaha dealers, Sean Skillicorn and Allan Lund at Road & Track Motorcycles in Douglas, IOM, for lending me an R6 Yamaha to learn all three tracks on……… Top Banana's!! Now to get out there and get some miles in……… Knowing my luck, it'll probably piss down for the next two months!……

So, tune in next time for another very exciting, road racing, Championship Winning (if me sums are right) episode of…………………… Tommy Clucas Racing.