Mid Antrim 150 Road Race
The Mid Antrim 150 was my next road race and again I was a newcomer here. The weather was fairly bad on practice day and the track was damp and slippery under the trees. I had been given a few tips about the track and was told that it can be very tricky so I was set up to ease into it.
I went out for newcomers practice on the 650, and just took it easy. Alexanders jump was tricky and the twisty back section was also a little bit tricky, but other than that I found the track ok.
I took the 650 out for qualifying, again not pushing too hard, just learning the track. The session went fairly well and I finished the session in 7th place on the grid, which I was really pleased with! On the same bike I went for qualifying in the Supertwin class, putting the bike 11th on the grid. The 400 was next and I was quite happy with the track and confidence was growing. I put my head down and got a few good laps in on the little bike and to my delight I qualified 3rd on the grid behind 2 really good riders Andy Farrell and Gavin Lupton.
Race day came and my first race of the day was the 400 race. Disaster struck on the start line when just before the warm up lap the bike stalled and wouldn't fire above 2000 revs!! Everyone started the warm up lap and I was left behind, I pushed the bike off the road but I didn't give up. I kept turning the bike over, trying and trying to start it. I looked to the sky and gave it one more try and it fired. I hopped back on the bike and shot back out on track as fast as I could go, I was in a race against time now to get back to the grid before the race started. I just caught the field as they lined up on the grid, rode into my place and the flag was raised! We were racing!! I got a terrible start and was back in 6th place. On the first lap I passed Derek Wilkie, Derek Scuffil, passed Darren Gilpin on the 450 and got by Andy Farrell who was having machine trouble, I was up to 3rd! I could see Mark Sheilds ahead of me in 2nd place but I decided not to risk throwing away the 3rd place in an effort to catch him. I kept smooth but didn't ease off the throttle until i got the chequered flag. I was over the moon, my first road race podium. I took my spot on the podium with race winner Gavin Lupton and runner up Mark Sheilds.
The celebrations were short lived however, I got off the podium and jumped straight on the 650 for the Junior Support race. I got away in 7th place here and didn't make any in roads into the riders ahead, it was a lonely race and I came home in 7th place.
The Supertwin race again on the 650 was a similar race. I got away in 11th place and passed 1 rider during the race finishing up in 10th place.
I came away from Mid Antrim a happy man, having learned the track, loved every bit of it and scored my first ever road race podium.
I was up to 3rd in the Irish 400 championship too which was a nice bonus!
Next stop was the Ulster Grand Prix, the biggest race of the year!
Thanks for reading!
Wayne #40
I went out for newcomers practice on the 650, and just took it easy. Alexanders jump was tricky and the twisty back section was also a little bit tricky, but other than that I found the track ok.
I took the 650 out for qualifying, again not pushing too hard, just learning the track. The session went fairly well and I finished the session in 7th place on the grid, which I was really pleased with! On the same bike I went for qualifying in the Supertwin class, putting the bike 11th on the grid. The 400 was next and I was quite happy with the track and confidence was growing. I put my head down and got a few good laps in on the little bike and to my delight I qualified 3rd on the grid behind 2 really good riders Andy Farrell and Gavin Lupton.
Race day came and my first race of the day was the 400 race. Disaster struck on the start line when just before the warm up lap the bike stalled and wouldn't fire above 2000 revs!! Everyone started the warm up lap and I was left behind, I pushed the bike off the road but I didn't give up. I kept turning the bike over, trying and trying to start it. I looked to the sky and gave it one more try and it fired. I hopped back on the bike and shot back out on track as fast as I could go, I was in a race against time now to get back to the grid before the race started. I just caught the field as they lined up on the grid, rode into my place and the flag was raised! We were racing!! I got a terrible start and was back in 6th place. On the first lap I passed Derek Wilkie, Derek Scuffil, passed Darren Gilpin on the 450 and got by Andy Farrell who was having machine trouble, I was up to 3rd! I could see Mark Sheilds ahead of me in 2nd place but I decided not to risk throwing away the 3rd place in an effort to catch him. I kept smooth but didn't ease off the throttle until i got the chequered flag. I was over the moon, my first road race podium. I took my spot on the podium with race winner Gavin Lupton and runner up Mark Sheilds.
The celebrations were short lived however, I got off the podium and jumped straight on the 650 for the Junior Support race. I got away in 7th place here and didn't make any in roads into the riders ahead, it was a lonely race and I came home in 7th place.
The Supertwin race again on the 650 was a similar race. I got away in 11th place and passed 1 rider during the race finishing up in 10th place.
I came away from Mid Antrim a happy man, having learned the track, loved every bit of it and scored my first ever road race podium.
I was up to 3rd in the Irish 400 championship too which was a nice bonus!
Next stop was the Ulster Grand Prix, the biggest race of the year!
Thanks for reading!
Wayne #40
