MALLORY RACE DAY, EASTER MONDAY 2010

Finally found the time to write up the blog on our first race of the 2010 season. What a strange but non the less eventful day it was. I took the outfit up on Sunday evening minus a working mag. Tony Bannister lent me his bth mag but unfortunately it wouldn't fit with my engine plates but the evening was saved by John Lorrimar who lent me his spare Lucas mag which I fitted in the scrutineering bay that evening. Chris Wickett, our new team member, came along for his first outing on my Rudge, and Phil was there on his original air cooled Bantam, Josie. Trevor turned up with Lenny but he wasn't too well, still suffering from food poisoning. Vernon turned up on his bike and we also had six friends turn up from the West Country so our bit of the paddock was quite full!
Morning practice saw me and Phil out on the outfit which managed a few laps before missing so we came in. I have spent many evenings over the last few weeks trying to get the outfit running after the full winter rebuild and I am beginning to have serious doubts about using a mag. I might well convert to points. Chris had a good practice session on my Rudge while I took my other on out for a couple of laps and Phil went out on the Bantam.
During the day Chris had four races on the Rudge and was going really well, with his lap times creeping down throughout the day. Phil had his two Bantam races although the Bantam was missing at the start of the second race but seemed to clear as the race progressed. Trevor overcame his carb and fuel problems to also have a couple of races.
During the morning I once again took the mag off the outfit while Lenny stripped my two mags and managed to make one good one ( legend ) which I put on, but this meant we missed the first race. We were on the line for the second and last race when we were pulled off and not allowed to race due to the fact that a rocker cover inspection cap had come off! I was gutted. Apparently there was a comedy mud moment when poor Gerry Daine told me to move to the other side of the track once the grid had left and I caught him with a full frontal mud spin on the way! Sorry about that Gerry, but then again you did tell me to pull off onto the mud in the first place. At the end of the race we had to push the outfit back to the paddock in a hurry before the next race started and Trevor came out to help. Another comedy moment ensued when I fell over and was dragged along the start/finish straight after a failed bump start. We pushed and freewheeled the outfit back to the pits but thinking back I think Trevor was still pushing when I thought we were freewheeling! Sorry about that mate, what a slacker. Trevor had managed to blag the outfit to go out in the next race, a three wheeler race but not our class, so at last we actually got out in a race! The outfit ran well for the first few laps, all be it a bit lack lustre, but it started oiling up towards the end of the race and we only just managed to finish, not last I might add. A close inspection when I got home confirmed the need for a rebore and new pistons and rings, which is in hand as we speak.
Unfortunately I missed my last pre 34 race due to being out on the outfit so that was the end of a strange but very interesting day at the races. Roll on Three Sisters.