Race Report...

Qualifying
I didn't feel particularly comfortable during qualifying. The gearing was a little high and I didn't really think I had got in a particularly good lap time. Everyone was completely in the dark too because although the timing system was working, the screen in pitlane was not so there was no way of knowing what sort of laptimes or any position anybody was in. When the sheet came back after the session though I had put it on overall pole position by nearly a full second.
Finished: 1st

Race 1

Just like last year the 450 and Open British championship is run together but this year there is no overall British Champion. The front row of the grid was pretty even across the 2 classes with myself on Pole in the open, Winstanley 450, Higgs Open and Hodgson 450. Off the line I slotted into 3rd behind Hodgson and Higgs. I managed to pass Higgs almost immediately and then passed Hodgson a few laps later. I knew I had a pace that meant I could pull a gap but I didn't push on too early as to not make a mistake. I began to pull a gap and then noticed Higgs had moved into 2nd position. Higgs was a little faster than Hodgson so I really pushed for a few laps just to get a gap and it worked out really well. By mid race I had a sizeable gap and could manage the race till the end.
Finished: 1st

Race 2

For race 2 Winstanley got out in the lead. He put in a couple of amazing first few laps right from the start. I didn't push to stay with him as I didn't feel 100% comfortable with the rear end of the bike so I bedded myself in a bit. After a few laps I felt comfortable with everything and I set off after Winstanley. We actually don't need to race each other at all because we are in seperate classes but we are both racers and we both want to cross the line first, and that was the catalyst for a great race. I put in a few fast laps once comfortable and got onto the back of Winstanley. We then went round together for a few laps before I made a pass. I initially wanted to make a break but immediately ran into lapped traffic. Backmarkers around Lydd is always a massive problem due to the one-lined nature of the circuit and rigth up the finish line Matt was pushing me all the way.

Finished: 1st

Race 3

The start of race 3 was almost a carbon copy of the 2nd with Winstanley pushing right from the start and making a gap before I pegged him back in. A few spots of rain began to fall and I made a pass on Winstanley to take the lead. A few laps later and the spots on my goggle lens became a little larger and a more frequent and the damp conditions caught me out. As I exited the off-road section I lost the rear end on the fast right due to the damp conditions. The bobble put me really wide and instead of trying to make the corner I ran off the track. There is about a metre of run off where I left the track and I honestly thought I was going down but I somehow managed to berm off the tyre wall and stay upright, perhaps more through luck than judgement. I lost 2 places in the progress and the race really should have been red-flagged at that time as it was getting dangerous and everyone was out on slicks. To my suprise the race carried on. For a few laps I found my feet in the conditions and then started to push once again. I managed to re-pass Higgs for 2nd (and to take the lead in my class) and then once again went after Winstanley. As the circuit began to dry once again I caught right up to the back of Winstanley after being a long way behind and to my utter disbelief the red flag came out with 3 laps to go. I looked around to see if anyone had crashed and caused the red flag but that wasn't the case. I really could not believe they had pulled out the red flag, just as I had caught up again and just as the circuit had begun to dry. I certainly wasn't the only one who couldn't believe they had red flagged it at that point (most were perhaps not as upset about it as me) and the question has to be asked as to why the red flag was shown at that point. The decision was very dubious. It does of course make no difference to the results in either class but it is a matter of principle. I'm not saying I would have definately won. I may not have been able to make the pass, I might even have crashed and been worse off if the race had continued but at the time I had caught right back up and was running 2 seconds a lap faster at the time. I can't really explain my dissapointment, espescially after the event had been really well managed and I have to commend the organisers for the work they did. I know we are struggling for people to help out in Supermoto in this country but perhaps there should be some form of ruling as to allowing those that could be biased to what sort of position they can be put in and the decisions they can make.

Finished 1st (2nd overall)