Race 2  Alamo Trophy Qualifier
Entered this just to get my head into gear. This was the first time I had sat on a bike since the last meeting last year. Bike is as last year with no modifications. Got 27th and last on the grid. Massive wheel spin from the start probably due to a combination of cold track and new tyres. Had a steady ride to get my head back into race mode and finished 16th and qualified for the final!

Race  6  Earlystocks
With Mick Baillie having jumped to the 1300cc class, the new competition was in the form of past champion Karl Scott on Mick's old bike! From 6th on the grid immediately took the lead only for Karl to pass me going into Edwinas. On cold tyres I was not prepared to push too hard and latched on the back of Karl determined not to let him get away. On lap four I decided the tyres should be scrubbed in enough to push so I got a good run around Gerrards and powered past Karl into Edwinas. Put in a couple of quick laps to take the class and overall win, with Karl 4 seconds behind. Lap time 1.03.222 seconds

Race 15  Earlystocks
With Karl Scott on 5th position and me on 10th a good start was essential. Got an absolute blinding start and took the overall lead before we entered Gerrards. Put in what I thought were two very fast laps and assumed Karl wasn't close, but he was. He took me on the brakes into Edwinas. Seeing the rear of that green Kawasaki was deja-vous from last season but with a different rider. Karl was on a mission and gradually pulled away finishing 3.5 seconds ahead and also taking the overall win. So the both of us are now all level on points. Lap time 1.03.799 seconds. 

Next round is at Cadwell on Karl's home patch, so will need to be top form to beat him there.

Race  9 Earlystocks
After a wait of what seemed all day after qualifying, we finally got on the track. I had qualified in 10th place on the grid, 3rd place of the Earlystock class as we were sharing the grid with two other events. Got way well but Karl shot off up Charlies and immediately started to pull away. Still getting used to the new powerband and was in the wrong gear on most corners, with 1st being too low and 2nd being too high and off the power. By lap 3 I was aware of this booming single cylinder on my tail and it could only be Adrian Sanders on a SRX 600 Yamaha. Every time I reached the chicane he would catch me up and would stick on my tail until the start finish straight where my extra cc would allow me to pull away. We continued like this until the last lap. Knowing he was very close I kept a tight line into the hairpin but somehow, Adrian found a way through. Coming out of Barn Corner onto the finish straight I gave it everything it had but Adrian got the 2nd place by 0.13 second! He deserved this as he must have been planning this move all race and I should have closed the gap to stop him passing. The lap time improved to 1:57.58.

Race 17 Earlystocks
Weather was looking dodgy but I thought it might hold off so elected to ride the GSX. As we formed on the grid it started to rain, lightly at first but getting steadily heavier. By the time we had finished the war-up lap the track was wet and I was wishing I was sat on the Yamaha XJ and not the big GSX with little tread on the rear tyre. I've never ridden this in the rain and was a bit cautious at first. Adrian soon passed me on his SRX600  and I could see he was loads faster than I was so I just let him go in the hope he would catch and pass Karl. I just pressed on and despite a bit of a moment where the back flicked sideways just as I jumped off the mountain had a steady ride for 3rd place. Lap time was 2.12.71 but this was okay considering the weather.

Race  20 Clubman of Cadwell (Cancelled from Saturday due to bad light)
Thought I would do this one just for an extra ride and decided to have run on the Yamaha just to see how the lap times compared to the Suzuki. 10th on the grid and on the smallest and oldest bike in the race had a good ride. I love the XJ because the corner speed is much higher than you can do on the GSX but I could feel the lack of speed on the straight. Was in a safe 13th position after 5 laps but the leaders on modern 1000cc bikes were close to lapping me and the start line flag marshall was too keen and showed me the last lap flag before he should have, so I pulled off the track not realising I hadn't actually finished the race. Not to worry, it was only for fun. Lap time was 2.00.85 so slower than the Suzuki but not too far way and definitely worth riding if it rains.

Race  9 Earlystocks
I was determined to try to hang to Karl in this one and got away well with Karl not too far ahead. As the laps passed, Karl just stretched his lead and by the end of lap 6 he was almost out of sight. I felt quicker but the lap time showed the best was 1.57.95, slower than Saturday. Finished 2nd place though so some useful points in the bag.

Race 17 Earlystocks
It started to rain just before we were going out so elected to take the Yamaha out as I should be able to win on it in the rain. However, when I hit the starter the battery was flat! I had lent my spare to Pete Mabberly for his Katana so push started it. The previous race had been delayed so shot back to the van to put the battery on charge for 10 minutes in the vain hope it would last the race. By now it was raining hard and as the race started the XJ stuttered and nearly stalled. I got a terrible start and the leaders were well away before I got up and running. I rode hard and passed loads of riders to catch the front guys by the end of lap 1. Decided I would follow for a lap to see what they could do and then make my move if I knew I was quicker. That was the plan, but the bike began to misfire. Not too bad at first but by lap 4 I was struggling and was going very slow. One by one the other riders caught and passed and by lap 6 I was wondering if I could get it to the finish. I was watching the marshalls expecting to be black flagged for riding so slow. As I exited Barn corner for the last time the engine died and just managed to coast past the flag to take a finish and some points. Best lap was unsurprisingly 2.31.77. Had to wait for ages to get a van to take me back to the paddock.

This was a great weekends racing, but not so good as far as the championship is concerned. Karl took all four race wins in the 750 class and now has a good advantage. He was miles quicker than me all weekend and and thoroughly deserved the results.

Race  2 Alamo Trophy
As usual entered this to get race head in gear. Had a steady ride to see how the bike performed around Mallory with the new camshafts fitted. Gearing seems all wrong and not able to get into 5th on straights.

Race  6 Earlystocks
15th on the grid. Had to get a good start and the bike pulled well from the start. Just as I entered Gerrards had my nose chopped off by Nigel Griffiths and had to shut off to avoid a big collision. Then I got totally boxed in by slower riders and was aware of Karl Scott moving rapidly around the outside. Set off in pursuit but he had already got a healthy lead. Started to reel him in on lap four but by then it was too late and finished fourth overall and second in the 750 class.

Race 16 Earlystocks
Torrential rain in the time before this event and I elected to take the Yamaha XJ out as it is superb in the wet. However, it had stopped raining before our race and the preceding races before had made a dry line around most of the circuit. This took away any advantage for the XJ and with limited power on the straights immediately lost any ground made up in the corners. Although I was not far behind the leaders, the old XJ didn't have the legs to maintain any cornering advantage so finished 5th overall and 2nd in 750 class again.

Had entered the Open Class but being as it was wet and I can't run wet weather tyres, decided it was too dangerous to go out with the modern bikes on full wets.

Race 9  Earlystocks
Damp track and rain falling most of the time. Got a good start from 9th on the grid and tucked in behind Mick Baillie on his GPZ810 (his 1100 was playing up). Got into a race long battle with Mick who I didn't really need to race as he is not in my class this season. The GSX is going really well at the moment with the new camshafts and it showed on the main straight where my bike was actually faster than Mick's for once! Finished in 1st 750 class and 4th overall.

Race 20 Earlystocks 
Rained again just for our race! Mick was out on his 1100 so had a very lonely ride. The three 1100 bikes up front had pulled away but on the final lap I noticed I was gaining rapidly on Mick Baillie. As I rounded the final turn, Mick was pushing his 'dead' Kawasaki and I passed him when he only had a few feet to get to the finish to take 1st 750 and 3rd overall. 

Never been to this circuit before and is it tight! Elected to use the XJ550 again and maybe the GSX in the Formula Oddball races if it is dry.

Race  5 Formula Oddball 
Got 4th on the grid for this one. Had only done four laps in practice so still was unsure of the track layout. Got behind Alan Bowers on his 750 and on lap two tried to go up the inside of him into the hairpin. I was still upright but the front wheel suddenly locked, the front wheel tucked under and down I went. The bike slid almost to the opposite part of the circuit and I slid down the track on my front. Bike wasn't too bad but broke gear lever and trashed steering damper. Rushed back to pits where we all mucked in to get it repaired and re-scrutineered in time for race 9.

Race  9 Earlystocks
9th on the grid for this one. Didn't get away at all well and still hurting from the earlier crash never really got into a rhythm. Got every corner wrong on every lap and wasn't even close to challenging any of the other 750 runners. Finished 9th overall and 5th 750. Very disappointing.

Race 17 Formula Oddball 
15th on the grid for this one, but the track was damp and my confidence was not high after the previous bad ride. Tried my best but still couldn't get used to the circuit and finished in a lowly 15th position.

Race 21 Earlystocks 
9th on the grid and determined to get at least one good ride. Got a good start but was on the outside and got pushed wide by other riders. However, passed a couple and latched on the back of Shane Stocks on an RD400 Yamaha who finished 2nd in the previous race. Stuck to him like glue and after several laps was gaining rapidly on Karl Scott. Alan Bowers had stormed off in front chasing the flying Adrian Sanders so third was up for grabs. Shane is a hard guy to pass and carries so much corner speed. However, Alan made a mistake on the last corner and crashed so finished 3rd 750 behind Karl and 5th overall. A much better ride and 5 seconds quicker than the other races. Just need to learn the circuit quicker.

Stripped the engine and No. 4 piston is missing! It must have broken and dropped into the crankcase. The pieces were fired through the rear of the crankcase and destroyed the clutch. The two exhaust valve heads were missing and the combustion chamber was mangled. The skirt was also broken off the barrel and the bent conrod has mashed the bore. So apart from the Yoshi camshafts, the whole engine was destroyed.

After a frantic week, a GSX engine was bought off a really nice guy in Stoke on Trent. He said it came from a very low mileage bike with one elderly owner so I was optimistic that it would be okay. Spent all week fitting the engine and once running it sounded fine.

Race  1 Probike
Entered this one just to get some time with the engine to sort any problems. The bike ran well in qualifying and although i qualified last on the grid, when the lights went off the GSX sprinted from the line and was mid-pack before the scary Paddock Hill Bend. Inevitably I dropped back and eventually finished in last position, not surprising against Superbikes on such a fast circuit. But the GSX went well and was well pleased with my £150 Ebay engine.

Race   Earlystocks
Qualified well for the Earlystocks races and was on the 3rd row with the other 750's. Got off well, but Karl Scotts bike rockets past like I was stood still. Tucked in behind him and tried to hang on. I was quicker than him in the corners but, in a straight line I was not even close. It was like following one of the 1300cc class bikes. By two laps Karl had gone and Adrian Sanders on his fast SRX Yamaha was right on my tail. He passed me easily in the corners and he set off in pursuit of a fast disappearing Karl. Decided to go easy on the engine and settled for a safe 3rd position.

Race  Earlystocks 
Bit of a repeat of the first race really, but for added fun, Mick Baillie was out on his GPZ750 again. We both set off after Karl and hung on for nearly two laps before deciding it was too dangerous to push hard in the corners. Mick and myself got locked in an epic battle, reminicent of last season. We apparently passed each other 8 times during the race with Mick taking the honours at the flag. Adrian got 2nd in class and I got yet another 3rd position. Really pleased with the result using an unknown engine. Now got to find some speed to match Karl's GPZ but where I can get that extra performance from I really don't know. Even the old engine wasn't as fast as Karl was going and he was nearly 3 seconds a lap quicker.

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