Round 5: Cadwell Park Part 1

Conquering Cadwell. Part 1

The problem with Cadwell Park is that its beauty belies its vicious ability to ride you ragged, chew you up and spit you back out again. All over the track if you’re not careful.

Friday practice was proving difficult. By the time the rest of the team arrived around lunchtime, Keith and Ben had ridden a couple of practice sessions and already it was obvious that neither were particularly buzzing. Friday practice days are also track days, and that brings with it a wide range of rider experience and ability. Our race group was packed and it was difficult to get settled into a rhythm.

The lack of clear track space really didn’t help to boost confidence. Ben had a slight advantage having raced at Cadwell this year already in the MRO championship, but for Keith, this was a track he has very few race miles onafter we DNF’d last year.

By the end of the session we’d accepted that we’d got the best out of the day we could, and that tomorrow would bring a different set of circumstances, and as it always does on race day, a different feeling.

Friday early evenings are essential prep time for the mechanics and when that’s done we all have a bit of a relax and catch up. So, when, after undertaking a routine oil change we discovered that we needed a new sump, there was a bit of a tumbleweed moment.  Investigations were done, phone calls were made and favours were reeled in. We located a new sump and gaskets, which we could pick up. Only problem was, they were at Crescent Suzuki in…Dorset. About 5 hours away.

Qualifying was at 9am Saturday morning. It was now 7pm. We had about 12 hours to get to Bournmouth, pick up a part, get it back and get it fitted. Doable, but no room for contingency and someone was going to be up all night.

Decision made, Jim and Stacey jumped in the car, pointed it vaguely in the direction of South and sped off. About 35 minutes into the journey a text came through ‘You’re being redirected, stand by for further information’.  A few Anneka Rice jokes later it turned out that Russ, one of the guys in Bournemouth had offered to jump in the car and meet us at South Mimms service station, cutting 5 hours off the trip.  Never has a trip to South Mimms been so welcomed! Anyway, to cut a long journey short – Oil Sump on board they turned the car round and headed back to Cadwell Park, where the boys fitted it to the bike at 1am.

We were ready to race.