Round 2 – Cadwell Park

11.04.09
I knew that this weekend was going to be one of the hardest for me this year, mentally as well as racing. Cadwell Park is a tough old circuit and concentration is a must when riding here. The test day all Saturday was damp and miserable, I love Cadwell Park but when it’s raining and you’re on intermediate tyres the side of enjoyment does go away a little. Half way through the day a dry line cleared up and I decided to go for a blast seeing as I’d waited long enough! But coming out of ‘Barn’ the last corner I drifted wide off the line and lost the front. It was a fast crash but it hadn’t disheartened me. All day I progressively got better but I had my work cut out for Sunday and Monday’s racing.

12.04.09
The morning’s qualifier wasn’t what I planned. We only had 10 minutes to get dialed into a dry line as well as put a fast lap in. I could never get relaxed on the bike and I qualified a slightly disappointing 10th. Not bad but if I wanted to be in the top 4 I had a lot of ground to make up from the start. Race 1 saw a lot of thrills and close moments for me. The first moment I had was coming out of the exit of ‘Charlie’s’ when I was 6th, I ran wide and ended up bouncing round on the grass trying to keep it on two wheels whilst bikes are flying past me. I re-joined and went on the pursuit of making as many places up as I could. The next moment I had was battling my way through when coming down the ‘Gooseneck’ I had no feeling in the handling and I ran terribly wide down the hill on the sandy, bumpy surface and somehow managed to stay on and come back on the track at ‘Mansfield’. I finished 14th. Very disappointing but at least I’d finished and bought the bike back in one piece. I realize that Cadwell is a track you treat with respect and every corner you need to be 100% confident when riding through it. This factor I was hoping to master in Race 2. The race only lasted 2 laps for me as I was chasing the front bunch and was right on the back of them, literally. I came into the ‘Old Hairpin’ where a rider missed his gearing and broke really hard and late resulting in me smashing into the back of him and sending me over the handle bars! I wasn’t happy to say the least but it had happened and gave me determination for Monday’s racing.

13.04.09
The sky was looking clear in the morning and I felt a little more relaxed than I had done for the past few days on my bike in the mornings warm up. When the Sun was out before race 1 I knew that it was going to be a good day. I pinned my bike off the start line and found myself 6th into the first corner. At the top of the back straight I was still 6th then passed two people round the outside of ‘Park’ corner. This now put me into 4th and down the straight I slip streamed Danny Murphy with ease and passed him. That lap he passed me again but I got back at him straight away and caught up with him over the mountain and through ‘Hall Bends’. I passed him that lap and then I heard a lot of scraping marks along the floor down the ‘gooseneck’ and it was Danny. I now had some breathing room and carried on consistent lap times for the rest of the race finishing 3rd! My first time on the podium in the Aprilia superteens in a major round just a year after I’d first raced a bike. An incredible achievement for me and I was full of excitement after the race. Race 2 of the day was late afternoon and my first 3 laps were not consistent enough and stayed 10th for the majority of the race until I picked it up, passed 2 riders which put me 8th and caught up with 3 riders in front of me but the race was over. If I had one more lap I’d of taken them but the race was over and I still put in a convincing ride proving that I can ride up the front and finish on the podium.
In the end the weekend once again proved to be successful and I’d love to return to the circuit and race it again as I did start to like it and I feel I can get more out the circuit if I visit it again. All this wouldn’t of happened for me without Les Blake (Grandad) he puts so much effort and money into my racing and sometimes I don’t know how to repay him or tell him how much it’s appreciated so cheers Les! The team mechanic also proved to be on form throughout the weekend and without him I’d of been stuck trying to fix bikes! Thanks also to Fletchers Solicitors and Aspire Rail Consultants for their input in my bike racing.