Intro
Having not long ago finished the 2018 season at Cadwell park, it seemed eerily familiar to be back walking around the soggy rolling Lincolnshire circuit in the fog on Friday night. Not much has changed since we were last here, including the damp if slightly warmer weather.What had changed was that we had brought along a new rider: Jonathan Brown who would be competing on a Yamaha XJ 600 which has been kindly loaned to the team by Spen Spencer and built (and previously raced) by Mick Rudd.
The weather forecast for Saturday consisted mostly of rain but there was hope for a dry Sunday.
Post Classic 350 Grand Prix
#51 Kirkby
After a hectic Pembrey, I was hoping for a more settled weekend at Cadwell Park. I had entered the Friday Track Day to try and get some much needed dry laps in but it wasn’t to be and a combination of poor ‘admin’ and a worn carburettor needle clip slot resulted in me just completing half a dozen or so laps before the heavens opened.Thankfully, for me, it barely stopped raining on Saturday. I hate being cold and wet but seem to have got the knack of riding in these conditions. By getting out at the front of the pack in practice I was able to follow the extremely fast and talented South African Phil Atkinson around which resulted in me qualifying in 2nd place by a mere 0.008 of a second. I felt very comfortable though and knew that there was more to come.
Race 1 - I didn’t have a bad start but lost a couple of places to faster starting four-stroke machines but I was back up to 2nd place by half way round. I then spent the next 3 laps in a dice with 4th and 5th places after Alex Sinclair came past and was able to catch up and stay with Phil Atkinson. On the last lap I decided to ‘bite the screen’ and pull away from the ever present John Warwick to take 3rd place. In doing so I managed to record the 2nd fastest lap of the race, behind Alex Sinclair but ahead of Phil Atkinson, 3.5 seconds faster than I had managed in practice.Race 2 - Again not a bad start (but room for improvement!). Fate played a hand this time though as 3 riders went down just ahead of me at Park Corner. Fortunately all were okay but that put me up to 3rd place. Phil Atkinson had ‘pulled the pin’ and was soon way ahead of everyone else. Alex Sinclair soon retired from P2 but was quickly replaced by a hard charging Mike Cooper who never seemed to have his wheels in line as he came past. A big push by me followed and on the last lap I caught him as we rounded Chris’s Curve. I opted to try to go around the outside (less lean angle=more speed) so that theoretically I would be on the inside as we exited The Gooseneck. Sadly I had to close the throttle as he drifted across in front of me (his right of way) so that was the end of my challenge and I came home in 3rd place again.
ACU Post Classic Timed Practice took part on a dry track on Sunday morning. I was now in to uncharted territory as for one reason or another I hadn’t yet managed to do any good in the dry on this bike. Despite feeling exhausted after a terrible nights sleep, I had managed to qualify 11th in this open class and had lapped 2.2 seconds quicker than ever before.
Race 3 - I knew that I would be up against it in this race. It’s a completely different race in the dry...no quarter given or taken, generally. Thanks to starting P4 on the grid I was able to get away reasonably well and try to concentrate on putting some decent laps together. I soon found that the Avon tyres could be pushed far harder than I had imagined….even at my pace. I came home in 5th place eventually with a fastest lap of 1:46.057, 1.8 seconds faster than in the earlier timed practice but still a massive 8 seconds slower than the winner, Phil Atkinson. My only real consolation being that it was on my last lap as I continue to improve.
The ACU Post Classic Race was a bit of a disaster for me in the end. After being held up by one of the larger capacity VFR750s for the first half of the race, lapping some 2 seconds per lap slower than I was capable of. Once I had finally got clear; my bike developed a misfire and I had to retire from the race.
Race 4 - After the misfire from the previous race, I decided to call it quits, miss the final race and head back home to try to sort the bike out in time for the Bob McIntyre meeting at East Fortune the following weekend.
Post Classic 500 air cooled
#157 Woodward
600 Junior Production
#45 Brown
I could not fault the unique personality of the XJ, one dirty plug that was the only issue all weekend, luckily NGK supply our plugs and out came the spare when needed. Saturday, the first race was wet so it was my only goal to finish, but much to my surprise, I was able to stick with the back group and even overtake several riders before the end. It was my goal in the next race to finish ahead of one, with a good start, my goal very quickly looked unrealistic as the riders I had caught in the previous race were more adapt to the conditions this time round. Although staying with the back group, an FZ with better drive out of Charlies comes along side me on Park straight, with the throttle absolutely pinned, he touches the white line on the right at full chat, instantly rolls along the grass at great speed. The only thing running through my mind was, he’s messed up my rhythm(he was uninjured)!
Sunday was dry and again my only goal was to finish, but get more comfortable and quicker with the bike. In the dry the first thing that got me was the confidence I could put in the Avon tyres, even though I felt I was improving, I still didn't feel the limit of the tyres. Going faster and faster there were still parts of the track my stupid brain would only let me coast, however finishing every race and not finishing last (mostly), I reached each goal and already looking forward to not coasting at Coppice next year!!
Formula 750
#45 Brown
This straight away was a completely different, much quicker, class to the production. However, I was surprised to see Guy Martin next to me on the start line. I thought, I bet the TV makes him look faster than he actually is, because he is going to get an unpleasant surprise when I go past him, he did not get that surprise!
On every race, as I was completing the first lap, the leading rider was already on the mountain on his second lap. However, I wanted to use this class as track time, getting more confident and able with the bike, which I did. Plus, I finished every race which was my main goal (Guy Martin did not) and again the XJ did not miss a beat!
Post Classic 750 SUPERSTOCK
#74 Heggs
I spent the race coaxing the bike round, making up a few places and dodging more enthusiastic riders who had already found the limits of adhesion to their cost. I was happy to just cross the line without binning the bike or being lapped.
I missed the second race of the day as it had been delayed so severely I thought it wouldn’t make the cut off of 1800 which it didn’t but the ran on till 1830 anyway. No great loss really.
I started race three second from the back of the grid, the guy behind me was Lee Hodge so there was no danger of him staying at the back, I had to get a Wriggle on to not come last!
Thankfully it was dry now and I found myself really enjoying the big VFR here. I finally figured out the horrid sharp left ‘Mansfield’ which had been a big pace looser for me and I found myself picking off a few bikes before settling in to some fairly tidy and brisk riding.
The following race had me behind Michael Judkins off the start. I overtook him on the start but he managed to dive up the inside up Coppice which messed him up for Charlie’s where I managed to go round the outside of him. He was quick to get back in front however going into Park and managed to pull away once another rider got between us. He was really on a mission!
Again the bike felt great and I just enjoyed the rest of the race scratching around picking up a couple of 14th places during the day in class and knocking a bit over a second off my best lap time from last year.
Post Classic 250 air cooled
Race 1
#14 Green
#74 Heggs
#157 Woodward
It was horrible, wet and I had brand new, “untried” Heidnehaus on front and rear. The tyres were ace and never even noticed the rain. I actually really enjoyed the race, coming in, in second behind “Fast John”, which really is becoming a habit I need to break.Race 2
#14 Green
Dry Day and not the first race on the programme to be out. Gives us a little time for the track to warm up and a chance to observe how many crashes happen in the first couple of races. None as it happens so dry track it is! Having to start from 17th on the grid as opposed to the back, showed I must have had an OK lap previously on the Saturday as I thought I would be on the back row. Race starts and I was off again making places up into the first corner. Christ it gets busy on that left, some people slowing where as its from a standing start there is no need. A little bit of a hassle but I was through the pack and getting towards the front. I managed to get to the gaggle that is the front pack and start picking them off slowly. I managed to spot team mate Woodward and proceeded to knuckle down. A slightly different line through Charlies allowed me to come along side. As Symon appeared to run a little wide, I took the shorter route leaving me just in front. I didn’t look back as there was only a couple of laps left. Turns out he retired after I passed him, blaming the bike but as his son Joe now points out, “Dad I think you’ve had your day, Can I race that bike dad?” I rolled over the line to make the bottom step on the podium.#74 Heggs
It’s funny what a dry circuit does to you. Starting from near the back I made a good start pulling myself up the field and attempted to cling onto a poor starting Richard Cheetham but that just wasn’t going to happen as he found his pace and my bike seemed a little off on power. At some point Stuart McDonald managed to get past me on his Bultaco but I still had a fair bit of corner speed on him through the faster corners of the circuit allowing me to grab the place back for the last lap. I held this with a blocked entry into the bus stop but a too fast entry into the left handed of the mountain section sent me across the circuit onto the grass where I had to take the off road line up the mountain and rejoin behind two bikes who got past for the finish. Whoops.#157 Woodward
The first few laps of the race involved myself, John Warrick, Andy Guy and Jerry Longland having a good battle until I slowly dropped off the leading pack, towards the hard chasing Andy Green and Jason Burrill, on the penultimate lap my bike gave up the ghost going around Charlies and as I drifted out Jason and Andy streamed past. First time the 250 has seized in years, not sure why yet, but disapointing.Race 3
#14 Green
Well, now having posted the 5th fastest time, meant I started 5th in the 3rd race. So from the second row of the grid I was second up the hill on the first turn. during the second lap I managed to get past Jerry on the X7. I was leading the race for half a lap when John Warwick passed me into Mansfield from memory (should put the GoPro back on) I then sat an inch behind him all the way to the bottom of the mountain. John went up the left side and I had a better run up the middle. Once the front wheel was back planted on the ground I never let up, hooked it up a gear and beat him into hall bends. I held the lead until Charlies 2 when he came around the outside along with Jerry. Who had the better line at the end of park straight. Jerry and I followed John until he retired just before the Gooseneck. It stayed like this until the end, coming home 2nd. But only just as Jason Burrell on a lovely Yamaha TD2 was just behind us. Jason’s normal bike is a TZ350 and he is using this for extra practice prior to competing at the Classic TT!#74 Heggs
Starting from a better place, I could easily catch the front pack on the start but I was now having difficulty holding much pace on the straights. Again I was back with the leading 250 four strokes but now I didn’t have the power to get by them and was basically in the way of their race. A glance at my TTO gauges revield the bike was running cold so something was clearly up. I almost lost a place to Rob Coley on his goldstar but thankfully I was able to drag him up the straight for a very close finish.Race 4
#14 Green
Very much the same as race 3, apart from no John Warwick. I was second into the first corner and first out of Charlies onto Park straight. I led for a lap or two but Jerry and the rest closed me down with Jerry getting the better of me into Mansfield. The X7 appeared more nimble through hall bends and he pulled about 10 yards. Next to pass was Andy Guy, out of Barn corner and I got him back into the first left. I was sat just behind Jerry but could hear Andy Guy a wheel length behind me. I took the tighter line into Charlies 1 and 2 trying to nip up the inside of Jerry, only to have Andy Guy try and go around the pair of us. Didn’t quite go to plan as Jerry used all of the track on the exit. Andy unfazed took to the grass, there’s a reason he has the worst looking leathers in the paddock! which happen to be green...However he stayed on and enjoyed getting into a 3 way tussle at the end of Park straight when all 3 of us had a close coming together, luckily the EBC brakes are sublime and allowed me to shorten my planned stopping distance to avoid the chance of having us all off. Jerry and Andy however were very gentlemanly about it and helped each other out. Jerry’s ability to still appear over the tarmac whilst the bike wasn’t was like something out of a rodeo show! Somehow Andy managed to ride around the outside of the pair of us at that corner but still ended up in the same place. None of us are quite sure how that happened. First into the gooseneck and Jerry was back in front out of Mansfield again! aarrrgghhh. That’s how it stayed until the end but again the TD was only a couple of 100’s behind us over the line. It was close!#74 Heggs
A jetting change between races had brought some power back to the little RD but a glance at my left carb in the holding area showed it had squeezed partially out of its inlet rubber at some point and was looking decidedly ready to pop out all together. The bike did feel better and a good start got me up to where it ought to be but again the bike didn’t feel 100% and I was making quite a few mistakes braking early like I was on the VFR. This allowed the usual suspects back past who I could at least now more easily pass but after the Second time of Nick Smith passing me at Barn and frantically waving to me to stay behind him, I chose to oblige. Rob Coley then thudded last me which I found quite rude after my recent polite gesture to Nick but I had no problem returning the gesture. This I held till the left into the mountain where I managed to fall between gears. Once I was through the corner I dropped down a gear but there was still no power to be found. Ah yes, that left carb had finally fallen out. I dragged the bike up the mountain on the grass and off the circuit. A disappointing end to the race for me but I’m sure the 250 four stroke boys were glad I was out of their way.In Closing
#14 Green
Summing up, I DON’T LIKE THE WET! not one of my favorite circuits but the results were good. Plus a PB for Cadwell. Super thank you to all the Team sponsors and personal sponsors.#51 Kirkby
Summing up, I LIKE THE WET! With PBs in both the wet and the dry I came away from Cadwell reasonably happy...despite the misfire and the fact that I need to find 8 seconds somewhere! A massive thank you as always to all of our sponsors, the rest of the team and everyone else that helps me out, without whom this wouldn’t be possible.#45 Brown
Overall, I had an excellent weekend. My goals for the weekend were to get comfortable with the bike, finish every race and not finish last in at least one race, I achieved all of these and had a lot of fun doing it. The XJ was an absolute joy to ride each session, with a splash of fuel (maybe a drop of oil) it never let me down. I was massively impressed throughout the weekend, in all conditions, how good the newly fitted EBC brake discs and pads were, so a big thank you to EBC. A massive thank you to the team (including Mick and Roy, my pit crew), for making this weekend possible, already itching for Anglesey#74 Heggs
Another frustrating weekend for me. I will not be taking the VFR to Anglesey next month to see if that will allow me to focus more on the RD. I must say I am wondering if it should be the other way round after this performance. Thanks to the team for their support and understanding as I spent the evenings ducked off doing exam revision in my van raher than socialising in the bar.#157 Woodward
I enjoyed the 250 and the wet until it died. The 500 was just a comedy of errors best forgoten. For me the highlight was my son racing the Honda MT125 in only his 2nd race meeting (first on the MT), he rode the fickle, piston-port, 2-stroke in the pooring rain through the field to finish 7th overall (4th in class) in the first race, with good results in the rest of the races. The folowing week he rode a ZXR400 at East Fortune in the Bob McIntyre Memorial Classic Races, always finishing in the top 6 and lapping 2 seconds quicker than I did the previous year on the same bike. As he, the Team and most of the Paddock keep pointing out, my days are looking numbered.You can keep catching up with our ups and downs with these race reviews which closely follow each race on our Blogger account. You can also Stay up to date with our goings on as they happen on Facebook and Twitter.
The Classic Racing Motorcycle Club (CRMC) offer live timing and have race results going back years so if you can’t make it to come watch the action you can still stay up to date with their help.
We race under the banner of the Royal Air Force Motorsports Association (RAFMSA). If you are serving and wish to get involved with motorsports you can find all the contact details you will need on the RAFMSA website.
Finally special thanks go to the companies who continue to support us:
Royal Air Force Motorsports Association, Royal Air Force Central Fund,
EBC brakes UK, NGK spark plugs UK, Stahlwille UK, Classic Racing Green,
R-Tech Welding, Ragged edge racing, Talon Engineering, Forcefield body armour,
MCA Leicester, Spencer Racing, Tony Salt Tyres, Witham group Motul, Speedsnap
and individual sponsors:
Symon Woodward: Mick Abbey tuning.
Andy Green: New Era Restorations
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