Derby Phoenix Thunderbikes Class
Round 12
Cadwell Park 19th September 2009
With Rounds 14 and 15 at Donington Park now cancelled due to the circuit F1 rebuild being brought forward a month, this was now going to be the last race meeting of the year.
We had spent the year coming to grips with the bike, getting it sorted and set up properly and learning how to ride it! And now the season was just about over!
Race 1
John Coughlan was missing from the Thunderbikes grid as he swapped his RSV Mille for a new RSV4 and made us all very jealous! Mike Moulai was a late entry and therefore was starting at the back of the grid and so Paul put his bike at the head of the second row in 4th place for the start of the weekends racing. Despite a reasonable start from Paul, Mike was soon to be using the brute force of the Ducati to get passed down the back straight moving Paul back to 6th. Charlie Wilson had not got his Yamaha R1 off the line so well and needed to pass Paul Noble to get back with the leading pack. He went up the inside of Noble’s Aprilia at Mansfield corner forcing him wide and allowing Paul to nip under as well and get into 5th place. It was then just a case of holding position and keeping a hard charging Paul Noble behind to the line.
Race 2
The top 4 were riding brilliantly (pushing lap record pace) and Paul was going to have to pull something very clever out of the hat to be able to run with them and although it felt possible for the first couple of laps the pace began to pick up and he began to fall away. Still with a good gap this time back to Paul Noble but it was a lonely race and another 5th place.
Round 13
Cadwell Park 20th September 2009
Race 1
Sunday morning brought amazing weather for the end of September and we were topping up sun tans between races! Paul had a fantastic start this time and really felt he could run with Charlie Wilson on his Yamaha R1 in the early laps. But again, the pace picked up and he struggled to stay with Wilson. Paul Noble was again just behind in 6th place with a comfortable gap. Comfortable that was until a backmarker held Paul up severely in the last few laps, reducing the gap to under 2 seconds and nearly making Paul crash at the new chicane. Paul was furious, got his head down and put in his fastest lap of the weekend to get the gap back again and crossed the line 5 seconds ahead of Noble.
Race 2
And so to the final race of the year and after reasonable starts in the previous 3 races Paul livened things up with a terrible start and was 10th into the first corner. It was hard work getting past the likes of Paul Noble, Sam Cox and Robert Campbell but eventually he did but was left with 4 laps to chase down Simon Rooms who had escaped somewhat! With a little help from another backmarker Paul was on the tail of Rooms and quickly made the pass. But the race was not over yet; Paul was in 5th but had dragged a hugely improved Paul Hedison alone for the ride on his Honda 250 GP bike. The 2 racers had vastly different bikes but very similar lap times with the little 2 stroke race bike crawling all over Pauls 750 Suzuki through the twisty sections. Just half a second separated the 2 of them over the line, Paul getting another 5th place for the weekend.
So that brings things to a close for another year and Paul is very happy to have had such an enjoyable time learning to ride the new bike; finishing in 6th place in the championship was pretty reasonable all things considered.
Many, many thanks go to Mick, Roy and Ann but especially Paul’s wife Lynn who have all helped to make the year such a success. We look forward to doing it all again next year.
Finally a big thank you also to all the local support we get at Cadwell, it makes a huge difference to see friends and supporters all the way around the track.