NGRR Racing at Thruxton

Anyone else going to this (minor) bike racing event at Thruxton on Saturday? Me and my dad fancied one last bit of motorsport before it all packs up for the year.

Yep I'll be racing there, passenger on sidecar 18, can't miss it it's red/blue/gold/black, 4th time at Thruxton, all being well we should go alright but I've never done well there before. Had a good season, we're second in the F2 championship but can't catch the leader, still we hope to beat him on Saturday. Thruxton is a daunting circuit, that back straight is bloody fast!!!

Oh forgot to say, come and say hello if you can find us, and don't call it a minor event, there's only 2 bike meetings a year at Thruxton, British superbikes and NGRRC, some of the regular solo riders also race at National level and are very talented, it's a good racing club.

Tough track Thruxton, good luck Ken, also, I haven't seen sidecars race for years! Not since they supported WSB years back.

apologies ken, calling it minor was really based on my ignorance about what I can expect.

What time is your race? also, do you know how many races there will be?

not sure what time my races will be but practice starts at 9

not sure what time my races will be but practice starts at 9

I thought it was quali that started at 9 with racing starting at 11?

Well what a brilliant days racing. Good racing Ken, you came in 3rd in the end I think, honestly thought the side-car racing was the best action of the day and was also a nice surprise to see a mate racing on the 250's so had double interest.

Gave you a double-thumbs up on your lap after the race, was stood at Cobb. Not sure if you saw me or not but you were eyeballing me... "what's that **** doing" probably.

Oh, and what happened on the final lap on the final chicane, sounded like a coming together of 1st and 2nd and we were hoping you would take both... but sounded like they crawled across the line?

I used to marshall the bike racing at Thruxton. Loved it. My favourite races to marshall were the vintage bikes, as they were always breaking down or spewing their fluids everywhere. More than once we had a rider pull over asking if we had a screwdriver or a 1/2" AF spanner. Great days.

Yes a good days racing. Finished 3rd and 4th on the track but that was 2 wins in the f2 class, couldn't be much better really, second race was a bit interesting, started dry on slick tyres finished on quite a wet track, don't actually realise how wet it is cos your visor is covered in water at those speeds even in a slight drizzle, soon find out when you're going sideways though:)

Where's Cobb anyway? It's all a blur to me!

hehe, yeah getting my bike out of the field where we had to park it was interesting, quite a few had dumped them on sidestands and I was surprised they hadnt toppled over.

Cobb is the first chicane of the lap, big grass bank on the left.

Ah my wife, daughter, friends were there, think I may have seen you then, there was someone else thought they were waving with both arms, sure I waved back, should have come over and said hello, always got the kettle on.

Out of interest, how the **** did you think "you know what, I really think i'd like to race, but by skooting around in a side car moving about like dog in a boot.."

Here's a video I got of you Ken from Cobb on your championship race.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=U2pvWgkon4E

Ah yes Baj, quite fancied bike racing so decided to do some track days, no matter I quite fancied myself as fast on the roads and on numpty track days I did OK, then I went on a track day where there were a few club racers, oh dear couldn't raise my game so spent a fortune on track days believing I'd get quick, turns out I was ****e all along just a dreamer. Knew a few sidecar racers so gave it a go, the driver has the job of opening the throttle and going quick I get the job of finding grip and stopping it turning over:rolleyes: Pretty good fun it is too but you never know what's going to happen so you have to keep alert. Nice video clip, looks faster than I recall, who's that all locked up smoke everywhere?

Anyone planning on going to this event this year? Its week on Saturday, weather should be awesome.

I'll be there again, it's number 170 this year mostly white. Jamie Winn stood in for me while I was at the TT and they had a couple of good results so currently lead the championship by 5 points, all to race for then nothing held back, Thruxton is a fast circuit which should favour the long bikes but we have a good engine so should be a good race. Few bumps ,bruises and aches from the IOM but it will be ok by then.

Cool mate. will be there again cheering you on!

Hope you're ok ken, just heard the announcement that it wasyou that came off the sidecar. Take it easy and hope nothing too bad is broken!

Er............ just got home from a 3 night stay at Odstock. Seems like I let go after 2 and a half laps of practice at about 100mph so they tell me, cartwheeled a fair way down the track, wasn't knocked out but all a bit sketchy. Good news only broke my little finger, bad news is removed most of flesh from the back of 2 fingers, fingernails tore off, snapped ligaments and real deep gravel rash to both palms and bad friction burns to a fore arm. Good news is Odstock is regional centre for hand injuries and also highly regarded for their plastic surgery skills. They operated on me Sunday night to stitch ligaments back together and sew flesh back on fingers, surgeon says he is pretty sure there is good enough blood supply to bits of flesh for it to heal and also he is hopeful gravel rash and friction burn are just good enough to recover on their own. If not they may do some skin grafts in 2 or 3 weeks. Will need some physio after healing process so may be some time before I can race again.

Can remember tumbling down the track for what seemed like ages and am truly surprised my injuries weren't worse, thought I was in big trouble for a bit, lucky eh? Perhaps some of that luck will rub off on Saints:)

In the meantime if you see a bloke looking poor with 2 bandaged hands it'll probably be me:rolleyes: