The Wednesday before Brands we took Ming to Robbie Silvester’s dyno to try and eliminate the carburetion problems. Robbie has a wealth of experience when it comes to set up and it was obvious from the start Ming was unwell.

The dyno curve had a huge hole in the mid range (which I could feel out on track) but also the top end was far from being correct, the power peaked at 10,500 rpm at 55.1 bhp! Not a good start.

Quickly the midrange hole was sorted out but it took some time to eliminate the top end problem that turned out to be a combination of carburetion and plug failure.
We ended up with a good shape to the curve but a disappointing 64.6bhp. I think that's some 10bhp down on what's needed to win.

I hope you've both got a vest on!

Saturday morning was freezing cold, windy and damp, just what you need to raise your sprits for the first round.
Thankfully Steve and Sarah Jordan had saved us some room in their garage so we had at least somewhere to work that was warm and dry!

The EDIasia Formula 400 was second race in the day, so I hoped the combine practice and qualifying first thing would be uneventful; it was.

Lots of machines on the circuit so finding a clear lap to get a good time was tricky but with only one 15 minute session to play with I did some crafty passing and popped in a quick lap to take pole with a 52.42, not bad for a first attempt.

Before I knew it the first race was called, realising at that moment that I'd not yet practiced a start. No time for worrying now - just get on with it!

Warm up lap over, red lights out and we were off. Ming is a RRSP with a close ratio gearbox fitted, great out on track but with first gear being very tall I made a very poor (read rubbish) start and was mid pack entering Paddock for the first time. With only 7 race laps I had my work cut out to make any impression.
A bit of danger braking and overtaking I was on the back of the lead group by lap 3.
It was only at this point did I realise how much down on power the bike was against these top flight 400 machines.
Even right in the wheel tracks of the leading machines I couldn’t even pull alongside, never mind pass them.
Right then I knew I had my work cut out.

More danger braking and pushing hard through the corners I slowly worked my way up behind Phil Polden in third place, but no matter how hard I pushed through the corners Phil would pull away on the straight, lap after lap I tried until we caught some back markers on the last lap.

Action photo: www.racing-line-photography.com

Into Graham Hill bend and Phil slowed up behind a slower rider, this was going to be my only chance so I dropped under both him and the slow rider then forced them out wide to the kerb.

This gave me the opportunity to gap him before the run to the line, I had to be leading him exiting Clearways to stand any chance of beating him.

It worked and with a bit of bad luck for the leader running out of fuel on the last lap, Ming and I secured second place.

I put in my fastest lap on the last lap with a 51.67 only 2 thousands of a second off the quickest lap of the race.

With a little time before the second race Steve McNichol,  my mechanic for the year, and I checked over Ming and refuelled him ready.
The weather started to turn and with the odd shower I decided to run a wet front tyre and a intermediate rear, a bit of a gamble with the weather being so changeable.
As before warm up lap over, red lights out and off again, this time I had an idea of how to get Ming off the line, simple, 14,000 rpm and feather the clutch to keep the revs up, it worked and I was right up with the leaders entering Paddock.
Following the first race and now in the second I was very impressed with the ability of the field, brave or fearless - I’m not sure, but we were all right on the edge.
With the treacherous conditions everyone was tip-toeing around on lap one getting a feel of how much grip there was.

The Smith Sisters called in to say hello.

Starting lap two I was right up behind Steve Palmer leading, up into the hairpin and the yellow flags were out, someone had gone down on lap one, no passing so I followed Steve down to Graham Hill where the fallen rider was.

Action photo: www.racing-line-photography.com

Then with no warning down I went, both wheels from under me and no chance of saving it. Before I stopped sliding another rider had gone down, then another and another.
The first guy's bike had put oil down and we all had hit it; altogether 9 riders went down but no red flags.
As it turned out there was not much damage but enough to keep Steve and me up late into the cold, cold night fettling Ming back to life.
As per regulations we had to take Ming through technical inspection Sunday morning again and have my clothing looked; but with a 10am start there was no big rush. Once on track morning warm up proved that Ming was OK posting the third quickest time.
Due to falling in the second race I had to start the third race of the weekend from row 8, place 29 on the grid!

Not a good place to start and then press on to try and catch the leading group but I had no option.
It was dry and warmer than day one so I was determined to go for it and see what I could do.
Lights out and off again but this time I had row after row of slower riders to pass before I could try to reel in the leading group, I must have passed 15 or so riders before the hairpin and by the end of lap one I was up to 15^th position, lap 3 up to 9^th, lap 6 I was up to 6^th place but my progress was now much slower as I got closer to the leaders.
With only 8 race laps I simply ran out of time ending up in 4^th place but lapping in 51.87 seconds again only 3 thousands of a second from the quickest lap!
We'd made a carburettor alteration which seemed to help Ming out of the slower corners but with the time restrictions I didn’t want to risk any more changes; turned out to be the right decision as just before our race it poured down with rain. No options here wet tyres all round.

Now that I was back on the front row for the start I was hopeful of a better result, but these guys are dammed good and after a few laps in the very wet conditions with poor visibility I settled for a safe third place or so I thought.
But on the last lap going into the hairpin a large group of slower riders were in front of me and with a yellow flag being waved.
I had no option but to follow them round the next couple of turns, I must have lost over a 2 seconds waiting to pass.

Now exiting Clearways Max Exton was breathing down my neck, his Kawasaki simply out dragged me on the run to the line so I had ended up with another 4^th place.

All in all a good first outing for Ming and me, now we have a much clearer idea of what we have to deal with and what Ming is capable of.

Uncle Peter had some suggestions but the upshot is we simply need ‘more speed captain’, and it can only come from more engine work, some flat slide carbs and a forced airbox system.
All of which have yet to be sourced, and of course financed. It goes without saying, any offers of support at this point will be gratefully received.