Returning to Pembrey
Returning to Pembrey is a little daunting for me. I had my first proper, weekend-ending, red-flagged, ‘off’ there last time. The scooter was having some issues and as I was finding that I could take corners flat out, I was also finding that the scooter would splutter and cut out whilst flat out. Those two things happening together was far from ideal and resulted in me hitting the grass at speed and being chucked off, destroying the scooter’s headset and damaging the ligaments in my right hand. With that said, the last time I was at Pembrey was also the first time I got a podium finish, something just clicked with this track and for that reason I am excited to give it another go.
Stock qualifying
The night’s monsoons might have hinted at wet tyres, but a few hours before, the sun came out and the track began to dry. Sticking with drys and hoping for the best. I just did what I could, trying not to think too much about last year’s events. I did however remember how much I enjoy this track, the long sweeping left is definitely my favourite, hanging off getting past a few people, making me feel like a hero. That is until I later see the photos of that corner and realise it still just looks like I’m popping to the shops. Finished with a best of 1.31.5, 8th in production, just half a second slower than Damon
Supers qualifying
Once again, despite the rain trying to ruin our fun, we had an almost completely dry track. Just out there again, this time knowing I’m not too worried about the qualifying time, I just try to think about my body position and chosen lines. Improving my time to 1.26.7
First Stock race
A pretty good grid position was immediately lost to a not-very-good start, leaving me quite a few positions to claw back. Never mind, just keep relaxed and continue to improve my own progress.
A little group of us formed, headed up by John Balcomb, then Jon Holt, then myself and finally Harry. A bit of back and forth finishing with me finding my way to the front, the gap grew, and my distance from Gary up ahead was shrinking. A few laps of me pushing harder and harder, closing the gap, but just not quite enough to finish in front of Gary. Current lap time of 1.23.1
First Supers race
A much smaller starting grid, but a much better start kept me in touch with those I’d normally battle. Once again Gary and John Balcomb were in front of me, and my job was to get them back. Pushing and pushing, but they’re obviously doing the same. I got past John but then almost immediately Shane got past me. Right, now Gary and Shane to battle. A few laps past and some tight racing. A butt-chenching pass onto the rumble strip got me by Shane, but then he got straight back as I narrowly avoided the grass. Gary and Shane were back ahead of me again, but I’m still pushing, this time trying not to be too stressed and desperate. Shane managed to pass Gary, and I push harder than I ever have before around the last corner to just catch and pass Gary across the line.
Second Stock
The weather forecast finally caught up with us. The heavens started to open and we didn’t have enough time to change tyres (I also really couldn’t be bothered to). The rain calmed a bit but it was still a wet track. Wet racing is something I definitely need to work on so I took this as that opportunity.
I’m getting on well with this track, it’s not complicated so I could just feel the difference in the wet track. Even our dry tyres are pretty good in the wet. I was just trying to ignore the visor rain and maybe just give 80% of what I’d do in the dry. I had Harry ahead so he was the target. A little in-team battle and I managed to get past using my Lammies extra power on the straight. The whole rest of the race I could almost feel Harry breathing down my neck. I’d check at every opportunity and he’d still be there. I’d pull away on the straights and he’d claw back in the corners. Maybe if there was a few more laps then he might have got ahead but not this time, and I think I feel a bit more confident in the rain. Not a bad result.
Second Supers race
What a brilliant race to end the day. An impressive start got me into a good position. Sean had a better start so he was the first target, a few corners and I get past him through a corner. Then a trio of us start to battle. Myself, Harry and Gary. All pushing, all very aware of the wet conditions, probably Harry more aware than myself and Gary, as he’s running a fair amount more horses than us. A few times myself and Gary would trade places, then we both managed to get past Harry, but he’d get us both back on the straights. A lot of back and forth with some close calls in the wet. Harry taking the win from our battle and myself and Gary in yet another photo finish, with Gary just 0.04 seconds ahead of me. I think more importantly, that was just a good, fun race. I think I tend to do better and enjoy it more in the Supers races as I don’t feel the same pressure to do well in them.
Nikita is unstoppable this season, with a 100% win rate so far!
Third Stock race
Waking up to the beaming sunshine after a mixed bag of a day on the Saturday, really upped my mood for the racing ahead. I had been speaking to Nikita about race starts, she says to put both feet on the ground, and sit as far forward as possible when starting. That and some previous advice from Graham Tatton about the clutch control on the starting grid, had allowed me to really improve my starts. This race start being possibly my best to date. The start sling-shotted me down the straight and allowed me to to get the jump on a few people going into the first corner. Gaining those positions so early on allowed me to concentrate on gaining the final places. A battle with Gary, with the usual suspects right on our tail, trading places for the entire race. John Balcomb had some brake issues and managed to get in the way of Gary, closing the gap and allowing me to make a move to get past them both. A big swarm racing five abreast down the straight right on my tail, but those battling behind me, allowed me to create a big gap and take that 2nd place finish.
Third Supers race
At the beginning of the race I was battling to get in front of John Balcomb. Trying to find an opportunity to get past but not finding one. Every line I want to take, John also seems to want. While struggling to get past, the group ahead create a large gap, still one I’d have a go at closing if I could ever get past John. I finally find the opportunity and slip past. I take a peek back to see Shane had also slipped past. The battle is on now, I can feel Shane on my tail. Shane has really taken to this track, getting through some of the corners much faster than me and on his first ever time here. Us both trading places, I’d take him on my favourite sweeping left corner, then he’d get me back on the final right corner. Back and forth, with a few close encounters and some very brief visits to the grass, but Shane just manages to steal the position from me on the very last corner. Well done Shane.
Fourth Stock race
As the track was running ahead of schedule, to offer us some extra value for money and to give the audience some more viewing time they upped our lap count to 10 laps instead of the normal 7. I know how exhausted I am after pushing as hard as I can for 7 laps, so I was dreading how much effort it was going to take to push to the 10 laps. I might be the youngest racing this weekend, but I’d put money on me not being the fittest.
The usual midfield battle was taking place, this time with Gary leading, then Shane, then Damon and Jon, then myself and Harry. Sometimes three abreast down the straights, all hoping to outbrake each other and take the lead through the following corner. I managed to work through the group and fight with Gary and Shane to lead our group again. A few times trading places, using the whole track to get past. If the race was the usual seven laps, then I would have secured another 2nd place finish. However, those extra three laps were just too much, my arms were so tired, and my fingers just wouldn’t move as I wanted them to. As Shane managed to sneak past me I can feel my pace dropping off, I’m still pushing as hard as I can but just not enough, Jon Holt right on us too, he manages to sneak past me and take the position from me. Nikita, then Shane, Jon, then myself. 10 laps is definitely too many!
Fourth Supers race
The previous races were all before lunch, meaning a long time to wait between races. By the time we were out for this last race, the heat of the sun and the food from lunch had completely taken my mind from racing and put a halt on my pace. As I am less worried about the result of a Supers race, I didn’t put the stress on myself to get a result. My task this race was to just go out and enjoy it, as too often I forget to do so. Just running through the lines with myself, taking note of my body position, considering what I could improve the next time I am here, and also considering that this is a bloody brilliant thing to be doing on a Sunday afternoon. Why sit at home and watch telly when you could hang off a Lambretta around a corner at over 80mph on a sunny Welsh evening? Absolute bliss. I might have lost sight of the current race a little too much, as I only noticed when both Gary and Shane had passed me. Bollocks, that means I’m in last place. I tried to get it back together and gain at least one position back but no, too little too late. A last-place finish for me.
Reflection
I definitely feel I have improved this weekend. I faced my fear of this track due to last year’s off, still slowing slightly on that specific corner, but every time pushing harder and harder. I also faced my fear of the rain, just trying my best to put it to the back of my mind and putting my faith into the quality tyres. I also massively improved my race starts, taking the advice given by those much faster than myself and putting it into practice to give me a new edge.
Although I definitely would have preferred not to have outright lost the last race, it did open my eyes a little bit to some of the problems I have been having so far this year. Taking it all a little bit too seriously. For that split second around that sweeping left, I remembered the alternatives of what I could have been doing at that moment. I am so glad to not have been doing any of those alternatives, even being dead last is still incredible when it’s throwing an old shopping moped around a sunny race track.
Ben Readings #65
Images, Kevin Gunstone
Next round: Darley Moor 6th-7th July
This coming weekend sees the BSSO heading to Darley Moor. Discounted tickets are available online for £13 a day, or you can pay on the gate.
Ben and our SLUK Rookie, George Fielder will be on track so go along and cheer them on.
Keep up the great racing Ben