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Sunday, 20th August 2000 - Cadwell Park Didn't have to go through scrutineering as it was a two day event. Found out I wouldn't be getting a signature today, as although it was two different race events, it was held by the same club on the same permit number....... news to me, but apparently it's in the ACU rules.... bit of a pisser, I was hoping to get signature number 15..... not a bad effort in 4 months. Mind you, this effort has cost me a bloody fortune..... good old Barclaycard to the rescue. So today was all about getting points in the ACU Star Championship, which they have me in 8th equal place, which is a load of bollocks cos they haven't given me any points for the last 4 races. I reckon I should be about 3rd, so a couple of good results today could put me into 2nd which is the best I could have hoped for.... probably the best anyone in the championship could have the way Juan is going. My arm was still sore - as, this morning, was my ankle, which had swollen up nicely thank you very much. Looks like my football debut for this season has taken another couple of steps in the wrong direction. So I decided to concentrate on the two ACU Star Championship races and if I felt up to it, I'd do the last race of the day. My first race now was Race 28, the ACU Star Championship open solo, and I was on the 4th row......... bugger!! Got the best start I could in the circumstances, made up a few places to see a massive crash at the hairpin...... some arse lost control on the fast left kink approaching the hairpin and his bike went like a missile down the track and skittled Tony Shaw, just missing Juan who had been leading. Some riders made it around the carnage including myself, this put me up to 4th place, but I thought they would have to red flag the race, which they did, so we went back to the grid and waited for ages...... that was the worst crash I've seen so far..... both riders were bruised but lucky. Tony Shaw didn't know anything about it, he never even saw it coming...... that's something I don't want to see again in a hurry. The race re-started and I was about 5th into the hairpin, my shoulder was giving me loads of jip, especially into Park Corner, where I was hard on the brakes and had the arse-end fish-tailing on loads of occasions. Lost 2 places on the last lap and finished 7th (which was 4th in the ACU * class). Juan finished 2nd (which was 1st in class), so 13 points gained. Had some fast boys out there on fast bikes. I noticed a young lad called Tony Waistnage who I had read about in Bikesport News. He was also on a really quick Manton CBR Honda (but he still had to ride it), he's really neat and stylish and this boy is going to go far..... he's only 15 and he's obviously been a motocrosser, I don't know for sure, but if he hasn't I'll eat my hat. He finished 0.2 seconds behind Juan. So that's a name I'm going to watch out for. In the next few years, he'll be in British Supercup.... I'll bet money on it. I missed the next two races (both 600/1300 Yellow Cab events) to give my shoulder extra rest and was next out in Race 39 - the ACU * again. This time I was on the 3rd row. Got a great start and was 3rd into the hairpin (every start I was hoping not to get skittled there again). Got around safely and passed someone around Coppice to go 2nd..... noticed Ady in front of me, passed him going up Park Straight, yippee I was leading..... going into Park Corner I held a tighter line than normal, as this is a favourite late braking point, going round the corner I knew I was going to hit the painted rumble strip (kerb), didn't know how much grip there would be on it. I went for the safe option of straightening the bike and hit the strip, then the grass for a couple of yards, then back on the track. Lost 3 places cos of this, shit, hammer down, got outbraked into Mansfield by Juan, stayed behind him for nearly a lap until I had another 'moment' going around Chris Curve, had a huge slide which, unsettled the bike, put me off the seat and wrenched my shoulder.... again. Christ that was sore. So ended up 5th (which was 4th ACU* class). Juan finished 3rd (which was 2nd in class). So another 13 points, had hoped for more. Decided to do the last race, Juan had to miss this one as his radiator had sprung a leak.... this was 600/1300 Yellow Cab event. I was on the front row again. Yippee.... my favourite, got to the corner in 2nd.... bloke in front made a mistake, so I went into the lead..... got passed by Ady, so stuck behind him for most of the race. The bike was sliding around a lot in this one, thought it might be my tyres, but they were new yesterday. Might have been the rear shock getting hot also, so not wanting to get into any bother, had to roll off a little and got passed by young Waistnage on the penultimate lap, and I held onto 3rd. So, a good weekend...... a 2nd, two 3rds, two 4ths, a 7th and a 10th. But only one signature..... I also won £10 prize money..... whoopee doo! - that'll just about keep me in biscuits..... still, better than nothing. Packed up the van and headed for the boat..... knackered and sore...... wonder why you do this racing lark. It brings me out in bruises. That Juan Kinnish had copied me again and got his own website..... www.juankinnish.co.uk. I'm going to copy him soon.... and win a few races ..... it's on the cards (I hope!). So, have to fettle me bike again ready for the next round of the ACU Star Championship which is at Pembrey on 9th/10th September. Fix up the fairings and another service, clean, check, etc. etc.... ....so tune in next time for another very exciting, eventful episode of Tommy Clucas
Racing! Race 1 - 4th place |
Copyright © 2000, 2001 Tommy Clucas Racing.
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