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TRIPLE MMM RACING, BACK ON TRACK IN 2007.

After what seemed like a lifetime, the team were back out again at Castle Combe. We had not been racing since September last year, so we were not expecting too much from this meeting. It was being treated more like a practice weekend than a full blown race meeting.

We had spent Friday on the Dyno at Dave Cooper Racing in Kettering. We seemed to be struggling for power at the meetings last year, so had a few changes to try. Various settings were changed, and at the end of the day we went away with substantially more power than we came with. A Massive thank you to Matt and Jamie for their help during the day, and of course to Dave for letting us have as much Dyno time as we needed.

SATURDAY.

20 MINUTES FREE PRACTICE.

Andy spent the session reacquainting himself with the bike. Lap times were OK, but as expected, nothing to set the world alight. All went well. The new found power came as a bit of a surprise to Andy, when he nearly looped the bike exiting the last chicane on the track on lap 3. As they say, you can never have too much power....

QUALIFYING - 10 MINUTES.

We knew in the 10 minutes Andy needed to get in a reasonable lap time. His previous best lap time was around 1 minute 15.5 seconds from last year, so anything near there would be great considering the long lay off.

Andy did a best of 1 min 16.73 seconds, which put him 7th on the grid for the races on Saturday and Sunday. Not too bad at all. We were bound to get faster and faster as the weekend went along.

Race1 - 15 Laps.

Andy made a brilliant start and finished lap 1 in 4th position. Up with the current championship front runners. After about 6 laps, Andy was getting tired due to a lack of track fitness, and began to slow down. He was caught and passed by a group of 4 riders.

The race was red flagged on lap 13 when Darrell Higgins crashed and sustained some leg injuries. This meant that Andy had finished 7th.

We have since heard that Darrell has had an operation on his leg to correct his injuries. All at Triple MMM Racing wish him a speedy recovery.

Andy managed to equal his previous best lap time in the race, so the signs were looking good for tomorrow's race.

 

Photo Courtesy of Wayne Williams - www.race-images.co.uk

SUNDAY.

Overnight on Saturday, the bike received it's usual thorough strip, inspect and rebuild. The gearing was changed, as the new found power was making the bike rev out too much in top gear.

MORNING WARM UP.

All went well. The revised gearing seemed to be a success, and we felt confident of a better result in the weekend second race.

RACE 2 - 15 LAPS.

Again Andy made a superb start, this time ending lap one in 2nd position behind Lee Dickinson. Andy Sawford and race one winner Alex Kenchington were close behind.

Again our lack of track time this season began to show, as both Alex and Andy Sawford came by. Slowly leaving Andy in a lonely 4th position. On lap 10 Andy's lap times started to dip a little, allowing Alex Symon to catch and pass him. Even so, by the end of the race, he had comfortably kept hold of 5th position.

Andy had also managed to improve his personal best lap at the circuit to 1minute 14.66 seconds. Only a second behind the best of the race.

CONCLUSIONS.

Considering all aspects of the weekend, it was an awesome performance from Andy, we were not expecting to get back on the pace so quickly after such a long time out of the saddle. To better a previous best lap time by a second after such a long lay off, shows that we still have a class rider in the saddle of the Triple MMM Racing Honda.

The rest of the season should be very interesting......
Watch this space.

 

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Click the blue titles below to read our previous news updates.

2006 - Brands Hatch MRO Race report.
2006 - Mid Season Report.
2006 - New Era Superclub Round 4 - Pembrey.
2006 - New Era Superclub Round 3 - Oulton Park.
2006 New Era Superclub Round 1&2 - Snetterton.
2006 Testing Sessions News.
2006 Pre-season News.
MRO 2005 Round 8 - Brands Hatch News.
MRO 2005 Round 7 - Pembrey News.
MRO 2005 Round 6 - Cadwell Park News.
MRO 2005 Round 5 - Knockhill News.
MRO 2005 Round 4 - Snetterton News.
MRO 2005 Round 3 - Silverstone News.
MRO 2005 Round 2 - Croft News.
MRO 2005 Round 1 - Brands Hatch News.
Pre Season News Update 2005.