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So I Didn’t Go To Brands Hatch But I Did Do Race Prep

So I sat at home and watched the rugby and F1 this weekend rather than trudge all the way to Kent and back. Call me a light weight but I didn’t fancy Brands Hatch Indy in the wet and cold, just like last year and the one before that. The photos posted by Kevin “Shrek” Davis of snow at the bottom of Graham Hill Bend first thing made me sure I’d made the right decision. The cost involved and timing always seems to not be worth it, it of course would be different if I was aiming for a title but I am realistic here, I am doing this for fun and a hobby, not to make a big name for myself and getting trophies and titles (though these are nice too).

That said Saturday morning I was glued to and constantly refreshing the NGRRC results page to see how people were getting on and wondering where, what and who were out in each practice session.

“So that was that? No bike related things to report?” I hear you ask, well no. I have to MOT my race van and as my bike is a Street Stock one I have to do that as well. So rather than muck around with taking the van one week and then getting the bike done later, and nearer my first race at Cadwell at the end of April I thought I’d get them done together. I mentioned this to my good mate Haydn, who is a useful bloke to know, and before I had time to think he had booked them both in for this coming Tuesday, no great dramas there, the jobs that need doing are small. For the bike it’s just a good clean, fill up the with water, pop the battery on,  fit the fairings on and it’s job done. No great shakes. I also just had to un-gaffer tape the number plate. I have been running with just the standard number plate on the Gixxer this past year, so that is an years worth of the gunk in gaffer tape being heated and binding to the plate. It took an AGE to get off and even now after attacks with WD40, turps and petrol still has residue of gaffer adhesive. I think a new number plate is on my shopping list, or at least a bit of perspex the same shape and size.


Next to the van. This is a little more of an unknown. It’s not done many miles (basically to the tracks and back and a couple of runs to track days) so there shouldn’t be much that needs doing if anything.  The worry for me is a small chip on the windscreen, it may just fall in the area that has to be chip free or it may be outside, I suppose I’ll find that out Tuesday. If it fails it’s £75 excess for a new screen to be fitted so not the end of the world but it’s adding up to be an expensive month this month (training, racing, mot’s, tax and insurance for the van…. eeek)

I go to bed happy with my day and maybe a little the worse for a bit of beer watching the 6 Nations decider. Sunday morning I was welcomed with the phrase “you don’t want to look outside” which of course has the opposite effect. Bugger, it’s snowed. How cold has it got? Has it got cold enough to damage the bike? Anyhow I need to do a run to Halfords for some antifreeze just as a safety measure, meaning I’ll have to arse about flushing it out again, still that is better than a buggered engine.  While I am there I pick up a couple of odds and bods for the van (wipers) and some touch up paint for the number boards on the Gixxer.

Bed Frame in the Back of VanWhile I was in a “well lets get it done sort” of mood, I thought it was about time I finished off a few other jobs. I put up my awning in the garden, which was a good idea as I had to figure out why one of the legs was stiff (a bit of 3 in 1, as the WD40 as recommended in the video instructions wasn’t doing the job, and world is good).  This checked over the lining and meant that I wasn’t going to be trying to make sure everything was right first time track side. While on a roll, I then made up a bed frame out of an old bed I had up in the loft so that I don’t have to take the GSXR out of the back after one of those long drives to Pembrey before getting my head down. It also will mean “Kit has a place” in sections underneath, making living out the back a bit more comfy. It’s not finished yet but it’s getting there.

On a racing front: Congrats to Shrek on his 4 new trophies (show off) and to Justin Collins on his double win on his debut in the Street Stock 700. Also to FJ Jorge on another 3rd place.

Is it time for Cadwell yet? I am itching to get started

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