Our sponsors from www.twattit.co.uk/Rufflander Workwear Ian and Fiona were there and together with Orla from SABD (Scottish Association of Bikers with a Disability) and Neil's wife Jenny, they had made an amazing spread for lunch.

Gordons mum Sandy, had also prepared some wonderful things for lunch, so we had a real banquet.

We didn't need to do much to the bike before this meeting, but it never ceases to amaze me just how much preparation is required. Neil had worked hard to get the new flat slide carbs off and down to Herbie, who adjusted them to try to get a cleaner pull through the 13,000rpm range. By the time we got down to East Fortune and set up, we had built up a wee area all for the Barking Spider Team. There was the mobile garage, our "new" caravan (second hand from Graeme), Graeme's caravan and Gordon's Trailer Tent.

Colin Stewart was also using the garage as it was his first time out racing and we agreed to help him a little.

Saturday went very well. Practice was Ok and I made a slight gearing change to give more acceleration.

There were 40 bikes on the start grid for the first race, including the champion from the Auto 66 series last year. So things were not going to be easy. We got 8 laps (2 more than usual) to make up for lack of practice. I prefer longer races as I can catch more people. I got an average start to the first race, from a row 1 position on the grid, this put me in about 10th. But I began improving this at the second corner. I soon passed my old rivals from last year and just kept on going until I got up to 5th position in about lap 6 and finished in 5th. This was a great finish for me, considering the full Scottish Championship grid, plus alot of good English guys were out there.

Next race, my start was little better, although I got boxed in at the first corner. I had some really good dices with some guys throughout the race and finished in 6th. Another great result for me.

In the evening, Mette came down and we went over to the beer tent where there was a band playing. The boys managed to stack enough plastic beer glasses inside each other to reach from the table top to the ceiling, by the end of the night. I knew there was a party on back at the "Barking Spider Hospitality wing" end of the paddock, as Billy and all the crowd from S4 had arrived. So as we were so close to home and Mette was down I went home for a good nights sleep. Judging from the red eyes the next morning, there had been a good bit of partying going on.

Sunday was a really weird day. Weather wise we got virtually everything.

My first race was in the dry (there was no practice for us). My starts were getting better and was in a relatively good position throughout the race. I beat my old rivals again and there was only one bike that passed me. It never ceases to amaze me how close the 400cc class is, one bad gear change and there are 3 guys past you. There was a real battle in front of me for 2nd, 3rd 4th and 5th and I just missed out getting a 5th as I was cut across at the hairpin. So my result was 6th again, but I wasn't complaining. This was another great result for me.

As soon as we got in it started to rain as hard as I have seen this year. Luckilly it was lunch, so we just got under cover.

The first races in the afternoon were in the wet and unfortunately, there were a few accidents which resulted in 3 people being taken to hospital. Apparently they are all alright.

It meant that I had to wait from 12:30 until 5pm before getting my second race. I was pretty keyed up and wanted to get out. The track appeared to be drying fast so we kept the intermediate tyres on. As soon as we got out on the warm up lap, I could see that there was not much of the track which was dry.

My start was the best of the day, getting into about 4th through the first corner and holding this into lap 2. But I began to just back off a little (it may have been as the track was more wet than I thought or that I was thinking about keeping the bike good for the TT) anyway, as I mentioned earlier, it only takes a moments hesitation and I was passed by 3 people. This happened again and by the end of the race I was back in 12th or 13th. So not many points from this race. But the main thing was that I had got 3 results which I was very pleased with and I still had the bike in 1 piece for the TT.

So a very good meeting at East Fortune despite a bad finish.

The next few weeks are now preparation for the TT. We will be concentrating on getting Nicks FZR prepared as the spare bike and sorting out all the spares we need to take with us.

My bike will still need some setting up to get the carbs to run as I want for the TT, so this will also involve a little time on the Dynamometer at Swona.

Al Cameron (R1 racer) of The Dominion Cinema in Morningside www.dominioncinemas.net has sponsored me by letting me use his tyre warmers, so I will be carrying a couple of DC (Dominion Cinema) stickers, both here and at the TT. The tyre warmers will be a great help, especially on short circuits by giving a little more confidence at that first corner. The Dominion has sponsored some very good racers, who's pictures are on the walls, and I'm proud to have the opportunity to carry the sticker.

Have you been in to have a look at www.twattit.co.uk yet?. The Barking Spider will also be getting an update on this site as well

Thanks to Grant at www.blindbeggar.co.uk for the bottle of bubbly donated to let us celebrate at the end of a hard weekends racing.