Pembrey Rds 6 & 7
Well the rain dance didn't work, it was lovely and hot all weekend.
Saturday's qualifying was pretty good despite turning up late and having to pick my way through the supermoto's which had been thrown in with us for this meeting. I qualified 2nd on the grid once I managed to find some clear track.
Race 1 I got a pretty good start and was 3rd into the first corner but then Joey Reding came past on the Honda and pushed me down to 4th. I seemed to be riding out of my socks but the lead three were still pulling away from me. Realising I was not going to catch them I settled down and brought it home 4th. Looking at the time sheets after the race I had gone slower than testing and qualifying. I had a word with myself and waited for race 2.
Race 2 I got a good start again and this time held 3rd spot for the first lap but Joey came past again on lap 2 and proceeded to pull away, again I could not keep pace and finished in 4th. This is not what I came here for.
Warm up Sunday morning, I put a new rear tyre on and immediately went faster than I had in qualifying Saturday morning. Now i've just had do that in the race.
Race 1 I got a blinding start and was 2nd into the first corner which I held over the line for the first lap then John Simpson on the Triumph came past and relegated me to 3rd behind Marcus Wade on the other Triumph. I passed Marcus after a few laps and into 2nd again, for a while I was reeling in the leader but made a few small mistakes so the gap stayed pretty much constant. So that's how we finished. After Saturdays performance I was more than happy to be up the front mixing it and I had got the lap times down to 1 min dead. We had lapped the field right up to 5th place. Thats more like it!
Race 2 I got another cracking start and was 2nd behind Simpson. I was stuck to the back of him like glue but couldn't find an Aprilia shaped hole to get past. I could pull him in down the straights but it was a different story trying to outbrake him at the end, then to scupper all my plans Marcus came past into the hairpin and knocked me back to 3rd. I got a back marker at the wrong place on the penultimate lap and that was that.
Two 4th's a 3rd and a 2nd on a circuit I don't really care much for wasn't too bad I guess, although it means i've dropped to 3rd in the points again and marcus has extended his lead at the top.
MUST TRY HARDER!
Brands Hatch Indy next on July 5th & 6th.
Russ #45
