Race Report East Fortune 18/19 August 2007

Supermoto….ah…no problem !!! I’ve raced one for a whole season!!....except the KTM 525 mxc Al Cameron of Dominion Cinemas let me ride, was so high, I needed a step just to get on it.

I was speaking to Al a few weeks before and he very graciously offered to let me race the KTM at this East Fortune meeting. The idea was, we would share the bike throughout the weekend, but as it turned out I had more racing than I expected on it.

Al had his GSXR 1000 freshly prepped together with the KTM and we set up on Saturday morning, with the wee green fold out garage (which saved us from the elements). Saturday was very wet, damp, drying, wet, wet, damp, so there were a few times we “nearly” changed to dry tyres, but then it rained again.
On my first practice out on the KTM it was teeming down, with a lot of standing water on the circuit. I even had my full waterproof suit on, it was so wet.
It was great fun though, the bike handled really well through the puddles and I got a good feel for it and its slight peculiarities, such as the artistic weave that it set up on each straight, the very effective brakes and the 20 inches of travel on the front suspension !!

Al took the bike out for second (timed) practice and qualified on the third row in the Formula Melville Class (that includes several 1,000cc bikes, 750’s, a superduke, TZ 250’s and of course one KTM), so it was quite an achievement for him to qualify so far up.

When it came to my race on Saturday, I was denied however. After the warm up lap, the grid marshalls discovered an oil leak and I had to retire without starting. Although we had it fixed very quickly.

Sunday
There was a change of strategy for the Sunday. Al had changed class and was now riding the GSXR in the same class as me (Formula Melville). Al maintained his row three grid position.
This meant I could race the KTM all day.
The meeting was postponed due to the torrential rain and started t 12:00. the track was full of standing water when I went out for the first race and after a good start from the back of the grid, where I made up some places, we got onto the Linton straight in what looked like a thick fog of spray !
I made a couple of places throughout the race and had a dice or two with a couple of 750’s (who, on each straight, blasted past me like I was standing still).
I really had to use the KTMs late braking and cornering ability to get past them and it paid off.
I came in with a ninth position and big smile on my face at the end. Its so much fun riding a bike like that !

In the second race it was slightly less wet. I got another good start and managed to get past a couple of bikes into the first corner, only for them to power past me along the straight. I kept at it though and past some of the 750’s, creating some room for me to put in some good laps and try to get my lap times down.
My knee only just touched down at Railway bend and I was a little disappointed as I normally use this a guide to my cornering precision.
I thought “I needed to try harder”, but had forgotten just how high the bike was and each time I tried a little higher corner speeds on following laps, I could feel the rear tyre sliding out.
It was only when I saw the pictures afterwards, I realised that I almost had to be horizontal to touch anything down…….he…he
I came in a very pleasing 10th position and couldn’t have asked for more fun. It was great.

I owe a very big THANK YOU to Al Cameron for allowing me to ride the KTM and taking care of so much throughout the weekend.

Thanks to all the sponsors and everyone who supports the team.