Cork Race Report

Hi all

Well back safe and sound from Cork, well Glan Mire really.

Arrived there ok and had a lap in the van Friday evening, then spent the evening in the pub wondering what I'd let myself in for.

The course was really tight and bumpy out the back and all the corners were dead stop.

On top of this the 1st corner dropped away at the apex.

So after eating we went for another lap, which confirmed my suspicions.

This extra lap gave me concerns about the paddock as a lorry had to be dragged out as it had sunk into the mud at the entrance to the paddock, and it had grounded out.

Woke up Saturday and it was wet. So wet in fact they set up a temporary paddock on the road. When we looked into the paddock there was a transit van sideways on buried upto its bodywork in mud. Still this did mean we had a great hard standing to put the bikes on.

Initially we were told there was a newcomers coach but as it was a new circuit, we'd all have to go out, so it was decided that we'd get extra untimed sighting laps, on top of qualifying.

Practice went well and the circuit was great fun. My concerns about the 1st corner were wasted as they put a bale where the road dropped so that was a great help. I found the best way to deal with the bumps was to stand on the pegs and just let the bike bounce around.

I had a good dice with a couple of 650 twins and even rode around the outside of a 400 on one of the fast corners so was looking forward to race day.

When we arrived we were told we couldn't use the road as a paddock today as they needed to keep it clear for emergency vehicles.

So it was on with the cling film to keep mud off the tyres whilst the bikes were wheeled down to be checked.

The inspection car went out before the first race and the report was that it was wet but no standing water, so I decided to keep intermediates on.

By the time my race started, second race, this had changed and there was standing water on the circuit. With no time for to change tyres I went out on what I had.

Start went ok and was keeping up with the group, then on the second lap my front wheel tucked.

This happened on a fast sweeping corner and was doing about 130mph, needless to say this focuses the mind.

Next lap, same place, happened again, then again on another part of the circuit, so decided enough was enough and pulled in at the end of the lap.

As I came in the red flags came out as someone had come off.

Turns out they came off where my front tucked and they had to cut the hedges down to get to either the bike or the rider, not sure which, so think I made the right choice.

Whilst waiting we fitted wets to the 400 as I was out in the next race.

After doing this we were told there was a delay to see what the weather was doing.

After an hour the riders were called to a briefing and it was decided that it was not safe to continue, so the meeting was abandoned.

This was a shame as was really looking forward to the racing but with Skerries only two weeks away I didn't want to have to repair a bike should the worst of happened.

It's sadly just one of those things with anything outdoors, you can organise everything but not the weather.

Most of qualifying was untimed, but I have had a look on the Cork Web Site for times but none have been posted, still there is a picture of me on their home page, which was nice to see.

I was also shown a picture of me in Road Racing Ireland Magazine, which is a nice feeling, albeit a small picture of me on the grid, but shows I was there.

On Saturday I met a photographer who has put some pictures on the facebook page Steve started, so hope he will send them to me, he said he would, so I can post up here.

Right well I better get started on getting ready for the next one, which is Skerries, 5th July.

As always I'll be in the garage if you want me.

Cheers
Stuart