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Most people arrived for Friday practice, the weather not fairing well. Setting up camp, getting ready for the weekend. Phil Hogan sporting his new RC30, that he got from Denmark, a lovely piece of kit, which he bought for a very reasonable price, sadly the cost of beer over there, turned what was a cheap bike, into an extortionately expensive item. How will he do this weekend? This was a superclub meeting, where the competition is a lot tougher, there were some serious bits of kit out there, it would be difficult particularly as this is Snetterton, where horse power is king. A first for us, was the use of transponders and qualification for grid positions. what a difference, starting off in the race from a grid position earned by merit, not by some ad hock method where mysteriously we always seem to be at the back. Gone are the days of a jolly morning ride during practice. It was head down go for it stuff, 12 minutes to get that vital start for the race. Mind you all the super stockers done well with Pete Gisbourne getting 2nd place on the front row. Although Mark Ess unfortunately blew his gear box up in the qualifying session.
Saturday 5th July Race 7 Saturday started with a lovely warm morning, but sadly not sunny! With the grid positions set it was an exciting race............! Heads down waiting for the lights. Everybody was off to a fantastic start, Pete Gisbourne fighting with the big Ducati's Steve close on his tail. Neil and Gary having a good tussle. It was all close stuff in first few laps, Jeremy, Malcolm and Nick all fighting for a better position than each other. Paul Roberts was a tad unlucky and had to pull in on his third lap as he had engine problems. Peter Young on the other hand was totally flying, having a good fight with a Buell and a Ducati. Fantastic. Malcolm, while in his top form, lost the front end in his final lap and had a bit of a accident but only escaping with a few fairing scratches and no harm done to himself. He shall go on!! The tremendous power of these Ducati's was truly shown to Pete Gisbourne as there was no way would he be able to pass the leaders while pushing himself and the bike to the limit. It was a race to the line on all accounts with literally seconds between the Super Stockers. Peter Gisbourne in 1st, Steve Spencer in 2nd, Neil Robinson 3rd, Gary Skellett 4th, Jeremy Haywood 5th, Phil Hogan 6th, Nick Webb 7th and Peter Young 8th.
Peter Gisbourne and Neil Robinson on their warm up lap at Russells Race 14 Two non starters Mark Ess who wouldn't be able to race for the whole weekend and Paul Roberts who also would not be riding. As they all pulled up to the grid for the sighting lap, raring themselves up, one by one. But wait where was Neil??? They went off row by row, still no Neil. Ah, here he is very late and told to start in the pit lane, his chain fell off moments before the crucial points race, phew! Heads down again, lights please, red....... green! Go! All off to good start but not for Steve, his starts are terrible, oh dear which put Gary in front for the first lap. Peter Gisbourne was on the ball right up there with the big boys. Neil was very quickly making his way up the field after starting virtually last. Jeremy and Phil were having a great battle for the first half of the race and the next lap Jeremy had got the lead over Phil. As Jeremy was quickly pulling away chasing his next target, which happened to be Gary, Nick was lap by lap getting closer to Phil and Malcolm was even faster on closing in on Nick. Lap five came round and at Russels Jeremy decided it would be a good idea to go on the inside of Gary, he wants those points!! Steve by now had worked his way to 2nd after having a giant slide out at Sears on oil, it took the edge of him, thinking it was his tyres gone off, Peter Young was noticeably a lot faster and really gunning the FZ down the straights like there was no tomorrow, blimey! As it came round to the last lap it was all or no points. With Pete Gisbourne having to do a tad of grass tracking as the Ducati in front decide he'd virtually stop at Russels! Nick practically threw himself underneath Phil at Russels to beat Phil to the line. It all seems to happen at the esses! The race ended again with only a split second between them! Pete Gisbourne 1st, Steve Spencer 2nd, Jeremy Haywood 3rd, Gary Skellett 4th, Neil Robison 5th, Phil Hogan 6th, Nick Webb 7th, Malcolm Bate 8th and Peter Young 9th.
Steve Spencer Preparing himself for the almighty points race!
Sunday 6th July
Oh what a fantastic morning, the sun is shining, the birds are singing and the riders are all groaning with head aches and lurching stomachs from the night before. Lovely! So lets get down to it! Steve took Peter Young's bike out for an 'emergency' practice first thing. You know just for a ride you understand! Race 7 Phil generously lent Paul Roberts his Spondon for the day as he did have his RC30. Warm up lap and Neil's breather pipe fell off his bike and so he had to sit this race out. So to the grid........... they go green and there off, all the super stockers are much faster all on the pace. After a mass tyre turning and changing the night before, Snetterton eats tyres. Peter Gisbourne again up at the front with all the Ducati's. Steve chasing hard in 2nd, Gary having a huge battle with a Ducati further back the field. Whereas Peter Young was really going for it with the Buell one second it was Peter in the lead and the next it was the Buell. Real nail biting stuff! Jeremy, Paul, Nick and Malcolm were all in a group all going for one position, in front of each other! But oh my Peter Gisbourne made yet another fantastic, yet graceful, save as he nearly hi sided coming out onto the Start Finish straight. The race ended with great anticipation with Peter Young and the Buell who was going to get the line first? FZ or the Buell, FZ or the Buell its going to be........... its it?......... is it?......... YES he got it, flew past the Buell like a rocket on Nos! Pete Gisbourne 1st (again!!!) Steve Spencer, 2nd Gary Skellett 3rd, Jeremy Haywood 4th, Nick Webb 5th, Phil Hogan 6th, Malcolm Bate 7th, Peter Young 8th and Paul Roberts 9th.
The Boys get ready to rumble in the warm area, are they ready??!
Race 14 And oh my God would you look at the line up! Super Stock heaven. This is it the last points race its all hell and leather and fabulous machinery. Lights camera and action there off! Pete Gisbourne has gone with the big boys leaving the rest of the Super stocks to battle it out for the points in which they desire. Steve and Neil are really going for it to get second spot, well it is worth a 20 points! Gary Skellett is away with the Ducati again but with Jeremy, who didn't qualify as well as he proving to ride this weekend, right up on Gary's tail. By the third lap Steve had passed Neil and was pulling away faster by the second. Nick and Phil were gunning it trying to get the position they want! But it was bigger than before! Malcolm was really sticking to Nick like hot tires on even hotter tarmac! Peter Young had the boys in his sights and was keeping up with pace superbly. Then the next lap and things were heating up between Phil and Nick as he overtook him on the inside at Russell's. Steve had to pull out off the race due to an earth lead breaking on the battery , bugger! shame he was going so well, it's the best he's ridden for years. Paul Roberts at this point was being caught up by the leaders and felt it was safer to pull off the track rather than be punted off by the Ducati's. (Seeing as it wasn't his bike) Phil and Nick were again at it again, as Phil passed him at Russell's, which unwittingly put Nick towards the grass and dirt. Who was going to get to the line first? On to the last lap with Jeremy tucking himself under Gary at Russell's. But between Nick and Phil who was going to get there first? Here they come to Russell's Nick is trying, is he going to get passed? No! What a shame but they had a good race! Pete Gisbourne 1st, Neil Robinson 2nd, Jeremy Haywood 3rd, Gary Skellett 4th, Phil Hogan 5th, Nick Webb 6th, Malcolm Bate 7th, Peter Young 8th.
Steve Spencer and Gary Skellett battle it out for the all important points! A message to Phil from Paul." Many thanks for the loan of your Spondon, it gave me some much needed track time. See you at Oulton." Many thanks. Paul,. Every rider had put in consistent PB's, from the early practice sessions, through to the last race, you can't ask for more than that. Championship Standings after Snetterton
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