The Donington round of the CRMC Championship was a big event in the calendar, as there were not only Club and National classes, but also an IHRO meeting as well.

This meant that there would be extra races, more pressure to boot, not just on me and the team, but also Andy would have ‘customer’ machines to look after.

For once the weather looked like it was going to be good for a change as every single meeting this year it’s rained!

Practice was uneventful, I used it mainly to help Vanni learn the track, showing him the lines; we had walked the track the night before but there is no substitute like actually being on the bike.

Ron Williams from Maxton Engineering had kindly agreed to come along to help me with the suspension; Ron knows his stuff and came up with a game plan for the weekends ‘testing’.

He re-valved the rear units and fitted softer springs for the first race.

The Saturday race program started off with a run out for Buster; as he had seized at Lyden Andy had rebuilt the motor and run it in on the dyno.

Off the line and things looked good, I was right up behind Lea on the run down to the old hairpin for the first time.

However, as we started lap two, the engine started to vibrate coming out of the old hairpin, although it was revving, some of the power had definitely gone, and as I went under the bridge up towards McLeans the motor locked solid!

I managed to roll up to McLeans and pull off the track.

Not a great start to the weekend…..

Race two was Betty’s turn, as a result of bogging off the line, I was back in the pack into Redgate for the first time.

By the time I was clear of the group, Lea was away in the distance.

Try as I might I couldn’t catch him, most laps, I equalled his lap times, and gradually managed to reduce his lead to 0.384 over the line. 2nd was better than the previous result.

With Buster’s engine seized Andy kindly lent me his own 500 to use for the remainder of the weekend.

Once scrutineered it was out for the second 500 race.

Grid position is based on your last race result, so I was starting from row 10!

Being so far back, I could hardly see the start flag - but when it fell I barged my way through the traffic to end lap one in 9th place.

I was riding the bike like I had stolen it - but once again Lea was way out in front, so I battled on up the to the finish, ultimately managing a 3rd place behind Mike Smith.

Next race up was one of the highlights of the weekend, the first of the IHRO races.

These are open to a much wider range of machinery, and hotly contested. Lea was on one of the works Patton 500 twins, known for their speed.

It would be a real test for me to keep with him, particularly as was on Andy’s borrowed machine.

To add further spice to the mix it was a push start. Interesting I thought, being on the front row if I didn’t get it started I stood a good chance of getting mowed over by the rest of the field.

I needn’t worry, 4 steps forward the bike burst into life and we were off. You could tell the blokes who had done this before - they were away like fireworks leaving the ground, gone.

Lea’s Patton blasted past before I hit the brakes at Redgate and we both quickly worked our way to the front by the end of lap one.

It was 10 lap race so there was time to let things warm up before we got too serious. It took me a few laps to get on to the back of Lea before I could have a go at out braking him; but the first chance I got I took it.

Deep on the brakes into Redgate I lunged under him, then I tried to build a gap but with Lea anyway that isn’t easy - and on the Patton next to impossible.

Before the drop into McLeans he blasted past and rode the wheels off his bike. I tried hard, but not having had the time to set Andy’s bike up how I like Buster - I just could not match his pace.

Slowly but surely he pulled away, a quick glance back showed we had a huge lead on the rest of the field, so I settled for a 2nd place 9.5 seconds back from Lea but 28 seconds ahead of the chasing pack.

Next was the second 350 race, we had jetted Betty down to see if we could eek some more power from her but after just one lap I knew things weren’t right.

Lea was leading (nothing new there eh?) but every machine around me just drove by and I couldn’t even hold their tow!

I stayed out for one more lap to see if could hold on to them but coming down the back straight Betty was holding back, that familiar feeling, like the motor was going to seize.

I didn’t give it the chance and rolled back the throttle and pulled into the pits - again.

It looked like nothing was going right for me this weekend but as the say “that’s racing”.

Andy pulled the head and barrel off Betty to see if the piston had picked up on the barrel, seized, but thankfully found no damage thus jetted back up for Sunday’s races.

Being such a high profile event there were loads of top riders, with a parade scheduled for the Sunday afternoon with riders like Charlie Williams, John Cronshaw, Eddie Roberts, Steve Parish, Roger Marshall, Neil Tuxworth, Stan Woods and many others.

Most of them I know either professionally or personally so it was great opportunity to have a catch up.

Sunday’s weather was good but colder than Saturday and there was the chance of showers later in the day, so we were optimistic that our luck had changed….

 The first race was the 500, however right from the drop of the flag the bike didn’t feel right, it was revving but seemed to lack power, I was struggling to keep up with the field let alone catch or pass anyone.

I battled on but I simply was out paced, finishing back in 7th place. Back in the awning Andy was under pressure, nothing was going right for us, he looked over the bike, and found the cause, the ignition timing had jumped a tooth.

Next the 350 race, and like before, as I had DNF’d the previous race, I had to start from the back row, not good.

We had altered the rear suspension, changed the gearing and fitted a new rear Avon tyre I was determined to give it all I had in this race.

Off the line and I bagged most of the field into Redgate exiting in about 10th place on the drop down Craner for the first time.

I battled hard with Mike Cooper and Nigel Palmer for most of the race and set the fastest lap but once again it was that bloke Lea Gourlay who took the win.

It was the second IHRO race of the weekend next, Andy had given me a top tip to get the bike off the line quicker for the push start, however it failed. I had to get the bike back on compression again then push for a second time and then finally got away.

Last now by miles, I roared off the line but the leaders had already exited Redgate, “I love a challenge”, said through gritted teeth, and pushed hard passing the rear of the field.

Steve and Harry were signalling my progress, and I had 10 laps to repair the damage done at the start.

I pressed on, and by lap 8 crossed the line in 3rd place, but out came the red flags bringing the race to an early conclusion; bizarrely at exactly the same time the engine seized.

Taking the result from the lap previous, thankfully I was credited with 3rd place even though we now had a dead motor.

Action shot: Russell Lee www.sport-pics.co.uk

With no 500’s left in the awning I had to resort to running Betty in the 500 National race; I knew I couldn’t win - but I was determined to at least try and salvage some points.

Off the line we went and I was swamped going into Redgate; there had just been a very light shower, consequently the track was like a skating rink, a few riders went down and out came the red flags again.

Quickly reforming on the grid we started off again; I was being passed by lots of 500 riders on the straights - then it started again to rain lightly, and a few riders fell off in rapid succession.

It was looking good for me I was in 5th position and had a gap over Vanni who was the 6th placed guy when the gear linkage broke, I was in 3rd gear with 4 laps to go so there was no option for me, but to pit again!

The last race of the day was the 350 National and just before the start it poured down, a real cloud burst.

Quickly the track was under water so the organisers, thankfully, stopped proceedings until the hard rain stopped.

When we lined up for the start it was sunny but extremely wet with water running across the track in several places.

Normally I love theses conditions, but as I discovered the previous weekend, crashing out of one of the GP support races on full wets - just how slippery it is here – and now we were on cold intermediates, sweet joy…

Action shot: Russell Lee www.sport-pics.co.uk

Flag down and off for the last time of the weekend.
I thought nothing else could go wrong, but in these conditions it was going to be extremely tricky to stay upright - never mind win.

My plan was to get into a groove, find a speed I was comfortable with and stick to it.

To my amazement I was pulling away from the field, “don’t blow it” I was muttering under my breath and focused on the job in hand.

I have never been so glad to see the chequered flag, crossing the line, I was quietly chuffed.

Not a weekend for excellent results but a memorable one never the less.