Race report: Pembrey circuit 2019 round 2

Intro
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working fine on mobile and tablets but desktop is very wide indeed. We will try to fix this soon.
Pembrey is an out of the way (for most) former airfield circuit. Somehow, once you get there,
this is a good thing. Fast and flowing with the rarity of a really good left hand corner, Pembrey
has a lot to offer in a little over a minute a lap. You may well look at the map above and think
there isn’t much to it but to really master Pembrey, it takes quite a lot of skill which is probably
why it is a calendar highlight for quite a few riders.
Post Classic 350 Grand Prix
Race 1
#51 Kirkby
Pembrey was my first meeting of the 2019 season calendar after not managing to sort
everything in time for Castle Combe. I last raced here in 1993 on an RS125 Honda but that
accounted for nothing. I had entered the Friday track day to sort out any possible issues and
try to (re-) learn the track. Unfortunately a persistent clutch problem put paid to most of the
day but I did manage to wobble round for a few laps towards the end of the day.
Timed practice was a disaster come Saturday morning. Much colder weather compared to
Friday necessitated a jetting change before going out. The engine wouldn’t run properly as
soon as I got out onto the track so two laps later I made the decision to pull in, knowing full
well that this could ruin my entire weekend as I would be required to start race 1 from the
back of the grid. A faulty clip on the l/h carburettor needle turned out to be the culprit.
Carburettor problem sorted and jetting changed, I lined up on the grid in P23 out of 24! After
an uncharacteristic good start I was soon making up places whilst continuing to re-learn the
track. My outstanding, new EBC brakes and pads made passing a whole lot easier. Lap after
lap I chipped away until I finally finished in P12.
Race 2
Race 2 was delayed until Sunday morning after running out of time on Saturday. Starting from
P12 on the grid was a boost so I was keen to make the most of it. Another good start and I
was soon making up places. By the middle of the race I had caught John Warwick and former
250cc British Champion Gary May. It was great following and learning from them both but I
soon started to continue with my progress, finally finishing in 5th place.
ACU Post-Classic Timed Practice
Unfortunately due to the previous days delays the ACU Post Classic timed practice session
was held two sessions after Race 2. With just enough time for a quick refuel for me and the
bike, I was ready to head back on track but this time as well as other TZ350s, I was up
against the big Peckett & McNab 1260cc bikes, 1000cc Suzuki XR69s, Suzuki GSXR750s
etc. Still confident after my 5th place, I made sure to be near the front as we were waved out
on track again in the hope of tagging on to someone as the faster bikes came past. Sadly my
plan didn’t quite work as no-one came past but I pushed on all the same. After 7 laps I was
starting to tire so pulled in to the paddock. Lappin faster still, I had managed to qualify in 12th
place out of 21.
Race 3
Starting from 6th place on the grid I lost a couple of places in to the first corner on lap one
after nearly outbraking myself. After a couple of laps it was deja vu as I caught up with a fast
starting Warwick and May. Once passed, again I was able to rely on the new EBC brakes and
pads to brake extra late where required and maintain my position, finishing P5 again.
ACU Post-Classic and Race 4
After the successes of the weekend and with the paddock being positioned in the middle of
Pembrey race track, I decided to miss my two last races, pack up and set off on my 10 hour
trip back to Scotland during Sunday lunch break.


600 Junior Production
#61 Williams
The FZ went well in practice and I managed to qualify 10th on the grid. Off to a good start in
race 1, I pushed from the off and found myself in a seemingly safe 7th place and looking
forward to my best result in the Production class. That is until a rider behind me ran out of
talent, crashed, and took me with him at the hairpin at the end of the main straight. A rapid
rebuild between Superstock races with the outstanding assistance of Steve, John and Roy
got me back on track for race 2. Thanks guys. Starting from the back of the grid (34th) I
worked my way through to a 13th place finish. The races on Sunday saw a few good scraps
with some of the regulars and gaining familiarity with a track I hadn’t raced at for 10 years.
Pembrey is spectacular when you get into a rhythm and overtaking around the outside on
the long left hander is a great feeling. In the end I was happy to recover from the first race
‘off’ and get some racing and results under my belt. Results; DNF, 13th, 13th and 12th.
#71 Rudd
Still getting to grips with the XJ600 saw me making steady progress over the weekend. With
an increasing lap count allowing me to become more comfortable with the interesting XJ
handling characteristics, improving my lap times,and having some good battles along the
way. The XJ predictably finished all races which is more than the 250 X7 can manage.
Post Classic 750 SUPERSTOCK
#74 Heggs
I came to Pembrey straight off the back of a fundamental electronics exam and as a result
my head was clearly not in the game. I qualified towards the back of the grid and did little to
improve my situation during race one. For race two I didn’t manage to do much better so
when the race was red flagged I was more than happy to pack the bike up to mull over what
I was going to do next.
Sunday saw me out on the RD first (which you will get to read all about later, no spoilers) and
something clearly clicked as I got a real buzz to get a wriggle on.
I dragged the Viffr round at a far more respectable pace, picking off 6 places and
embarrassing myself far less than Saturday. The final race of the day was taken at a slightly
more sedate pace as I concentrated on tidying up some lines and just enjoying riding the
circuit for the last time this season. I wasn’t going to set any lap records but at least I was
going to enjoy myself.
#61 Williams
The 4 Superstock class at Pembrey started off relatively uneventfully with lap times getting
steadily quicker dropping into 1:08s by the third race. Unfortunately, the VFR started to
develop a significant hesitation through the mid and top rev ranges resulting in a number of
exciting, but thankfully predictable, slides. Having decided to give race 4 a go and to pull in if
things got too bad, I had to settle for riding at about 90% to collect a few more championship
points. 11th in the Championship after the first two rounds. Results; 10th, 9th, 9th and 11th.
Post Classic 250 air cooled
Race 1
#14 Green
The first race had me starting from 3rd on the grid, I managed to get a good start and was
second into the hairpin behind a Suzuki X7 that started on the second row! I managed to
close the gap after the next corner and had passed him by the bottom corner of Brooklands
Hairpin. I then broke a sufficient lead, it wasn’t until crossing the line for the last lap that the
RD of Warwick passed me putting me into second. However his chain snapped on the
approach to Hatchetts Hairpin gifting me back first place. This I held onto and took the
chequered flag.
#71 Rudd
The X7 continues to test my patience. Saturday saw me fail to finish either race due to a
failing ignition system.
#74 Heggs
As mentioned on the VFR750’s review, I wasn’t really in the right place on Saturday so I
didn’t put in my best effort. This was further hampered by an overly hard rear shock making
the bike feel fragile and hesitant. Clearly my post castle combe fettling had made things worse

A lap three trip onto the grass going into the esses due to the above handling issues, poor
line and a good dose of psych out, told me to concentrate on getting round and just survive
this round which I thankfully did.
Race 2
#14 Green
Second race of the day and i again made a reasonable start. This time the X7 of Jerry and
myself both made it to the first hairpin together. With myself on the inside and gently
wheelieing the bike out of exit caused the first problem as Jerry and I were neck and neck,
when really the pair of us could have done with starting to turn right for Spitfires. I shut the
throttle to allow the bike to settle which gave Jerry the opportunity to nudge ahead into
Spitfires. He managed to pull away around the next left hander slightly, but i made it up on
the right and the approach into Brooklands hairpin. I broke late which is an option I have as
the EBC Disc’s and the sublime GPFAX pads supplied to the team. The late braking allowed
me to push Jerry deeper into the corner before i let off and turn right into the straight. This
move allowed me to get a small enough gap to take stock. However we were both neck and
neck by the time we had rounded Honda curve and approached the hairpin with the pair of us
focusing on trying out maneuver each other. However neither of us had noticed Andy Guy
creep up on the pair of us, whilst both trying to hug tight around the hairpin with the aim of
getting the upper hand. Andy Guy with a smug smile went around the outside of the pair of
us! Andy Was then away. To top it off John Warwick then passed the pair of us who were still
focused on each other. Eventually I managed to shake Jerry off and then proceeded to catch
Andy Guy who had already been passed by John! I did managed to catch Andy on the lead
upto the kink known as Woodlands, as this was the final lap i held onto second place over the
line.
#74 Heggs
After some help from former RAFMSA competitor and now infrequent support crew; Potsy, I
now had a much softer setup on my rear shock. The bike went round much better than last
time where I made up for my earlier attempt finishing in the top ten. The rear suspension was
now clearly too soft, setting the front end chattering as the bike squatted out of the corners
but it was a lot better than this morning.
Race 3
#14 Green
Third race and a glorious sunny Sunday morning, after the sunny but chilly Saturday it was a
welcome break. Although i was getting quicker as the weekend went on. This race I managed
to let the leader get away. From a good start the leader broke away as the rest of us were
fighting for second place. By the time the race had settle down I was nicely away from the
following bunch for a steady second place.
#71 Rudd
After confirming the ignition fault late Saturday i was able to loan an ignition from some fellow
competitors, Thanks Brian. The bike ran well for the first couple of laps and then suffered a
piston failure resulting in another DNF.
#74 Heggs
5mm more compression and sleep can make a big difference. From the start I was on the
tail of the front pack into corner one, hatches hairpin. I played it safe, losing a few spots but I
was able to recover a few of these during the first lap but Richard Cheetham pulled away from
me before I could find the pace to do anything productive about catching him up
Race 4
#14 Green
This time it was my turn to get the good start and away from the bunch, I was riding
comfortably and was really in the swing of it. Everything seemed to come together with
some smooth unhindered riding. This allowed me to get a good lead from the guys behind.
With a couple of checks over my shoulder I could see I had gapped them enough, or what I
thought was enough. On the penultimate lap a could see that John Warwick had closed the
gap to about 30 yards. However on the last lap a final check over my shoulder prior to the
kink on the straight had the RD250 of John Warwick about 2 foot behind me. Head down and
1 more corner to go I was focused on crossing that line, banking on the fact that gong around
the outside on Honda curve is not really an option I ensured he wasn’t going up the inside and
using the full width of the track on the exit I never lift out of the tuck all the way through the
corner. I crossed the line in first but only just as I made it over the line with only by 0.190
seconds between us for my second win of the weekend and my best weekend racing to date.
Not only a win but 0.7 off the lap record for the class, that success was short lived as i found
out John Warwick had also bettered it in chasing me down and had beaten the lap record by
over a second. Oh well, nearly…


#71 Rudd
Due to the engine requiring a rebuild i did not take part in race 4.
#74 Heggs
No changes for the last race bar a big bump up to the fourth row on the start.
I made a very good start giving me the option to pass John Warwick into the first corner which
I, somewhat sensibly, chose not to do as there was no way I could hold such a position and
the following overtake might not be pretty as he fought for first again. This meant that on the
exit of the first hairpin I had Graham Acott in front of me. This was a good thing. He is my next
guy in class to beat. I soon found that I wasn’t just following him but I was quite substantially
faster than him through the sections of the course that I am more confident at, the tow was
helpful so when the next lap came and he pulled a gap at Hatches hairpin, I was able to close
him through the double left of Dibini bend and the first corner of the esses. sadly I entered
the right hander too tight and too fast, I may have made it round but I wasn’t willing to bin the
bike trying so went grass tracking for the second time this weekend all the way to the second
hairpin allowing a fair few bikes through.
I was able to get back into the groove once I had convinced myself I hadn’t got half a field
stuck to my tyres I managed to get a few of those lost places back. I didn’t know it at the time
but I had succeeded in finishing 9th again and knocked just shy of 3 seconds off my best lap
time which is pretty good after my little sight seeing trip.
In Closing
#14 Green
Not sure where the confidence or results are coming from but 2 wins and 2 seconds along
with some good racing has been my best results so far in one weekend. My win on the first
race was rewarded with my trophy being presented to me by Steve Parish. I do spend the
time prior to the meetings i the garage making sure the bikes are prepared and good to go. I
have a bike that generally never misses a beat. Two strokes are known to occasionally foul
the odd plug or two, not a problem I have suffered since NGK supplied Iridium spark plugs to
me to try.
#51 Kirkby
After such an atrocious start to the weekend, realistically I don’t think that I could have
achieved much more (safely) in the time given. With bike niggles, not getting any time on the
bike and and the small matter of it being 26 years since I had last ridden there, I was happy
enough with two 5th places and to lap within 1.4 seconds of the 3rd placed man. Next stop,
Cadwell Park!
#61 Williams
The bad news is I will miss the next round at the fantastic Cadwell Park due to another
commitment. The upside is it will give me more time to get the VFR teething problems sorted
and perhaps a new exhaust system to pep it up a bit.
#71 Rudd
Overall a disappointing weekend. the XJ ran predictably but the 250 X7 still provides me with
issues to deal with. The weekend was summed up by the fact i even managed to break the
hire Van on the way home.
#74 Heggs
I may need to review whether running two bikes is a good idea for me. I was fairly convinced
of this on Saturday but by Sunday I was really enjoying both machines. I now look forward to
Cadwell park hoping I can get it together nice and quickly this time so I can really contend for
a good position at the hardest circuit on our calendar.
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will need on the RAFMSA website.




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