Cadwell Park Trackday Report

[Silver]

Had the trackday with Focused Events at Cadwell on Saturday. Now, as I live near Oxford (180 miles from the track) and my brother lives in Boston (30 miles from the track) I decided to head over to his on Friday night. I haven't bought a trailer yet so I had to ride, and since I haven't had a good chance to test the GSXR750 since I bought it I thought I'd take that, even though I bought a GSXR600 with the purpose of using it on the track. Just had to be careful not to smash the 750 up!

Well, it started badly when I got held up in a meeting in London and didn't get home until 7pm on Friday By the time I'd packed everything into the car that Jeanette was driving up (tools, wet tyres etc) it was 8pm. And raining. It rained the entire 150 miles to my brother's house and only seemed to stop when I arrived at 10:30pm. Needless to say my sparklingly clean bike was now filthy.

Got up at 6am on Saturday and headed to the track for sign-on at 07:30. It was still drizzling which was becoming worrying as the roads were drenched... which caused me to wheelspin at 60mph By the time we got to the track it had stopped. It was still extremely windy which I was happy about as I hoped it might dry the track.

Anyway, the first session was wet and consisted of my wobbling round trying to learn the corners and avoid the biggest puddles. Since Cadwell is a very undulating track it means that nice rivers of water were crossing the track in places. Nice.

The second session was damp with a distinct dry line appearing The only problem was the wind, which on the far side of the circuit attempted to blow you into the fields everytime you rose the hill leading to it. Third, fourth and fifth sessons? Completely dry track! Learnt the track a lot more, got some good wheelies over the mountain (whoever designed that is a genius!) and had a lot of fun. It started drizzling again on the sixth and final session but I really didn't care. Great day out!

I also felt vindicated in my adherance to my "no racing / no red mist" attitude. On one lap as I came out of Mansfield (the horrible downhill tight left hander) and towards the chicane a Fireblade came past me. Now as I had the racing line he was completely off it, on the opposite side of the track. I gave him space and let him go (as I do anyone who passes me). Because he was off-line he had to cut really tight into the right-hander of the chicane. As he tried to pull the bike left he clipped the apex with his front wheel and the bike went down. The Blade slid off the track on its side and he slid up the track on his arse, with me bearing down on him. Luckily I had room and time to stop, which I did. I waited until he came to a stop (hoping no-one would rear end me) and then went round him. If I had given chase into the chicane after he passed me I have little doubt that I would have hit him, his bike or crashed trying to avoid them.

Another point of note was three KR1S bikes in my group. And true to form... two of them blew up before the end of the day!

Went back to my borther's last night and then rode back home this morning. 450 miles in a weekend on a GSXR makes you ache, I've learnt that today.

Jeanette somehow managed to take 275 pictures with her new Canon EOS 300D, so I'll put them on the web once I've finished sorting them. I've resized some of them below (the wheelie one is from Picman).

Now all I need is a trailer for a return visit in the Summer

(Sorry for the long post )

https://www.damons.dsl.pipex.com/images/misc/cadwell1.jpg

https://www.damons.dsl.pipex.com/images/misc/cadwell2.jpg

https://www.damons.dsl.pipex.com/images/misc/cadwell3.jpg

https://www.damons.dsl.pipex.com/images/misc/cadwell4.jpg

https://www.damons.dsl.pipex.com/images/misc/cadwell5.jpg

[mchaggis]

Sounds like good fun. Nice photos too!
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I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[Andy99]

You're a braver man than me,booking a cadwell track day in Feb and riding up there from round here. Sounds like a really good day,how busy was the track?
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Nothing gets the point across quite like a raised middle digit.

Just call me General Crazypaws.

[Silver]

Well, it was a gamble weather wise, but it paid off

There were about 25-30 bikes out on track in each session, which was fine.

[Silver]

Website update. More higher res pictures here if anyone's interested.

[EuropeanNC30R...]

Nice one, like the photos too.

[jonboy]

What was the temperature like silver? Have any problems with hands going numb at all?

[BLOFLY 636]

thats some really nice photos there and nice selection of gear I have exactly the same jacket gloves and boots! the pants are almost identicle! I am going to my second trackday on the 7th of march here in Australia with a new pair of Pilot Power tyres fitted! woohoo! I have to pay $175 for 6 hours of shared track use but only will be 60 users all up
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Those bloody footpegs......they ought to do away with em!

[Silver]

[BLOFLY 636]