Donington Park: Superteens

(22-23 March)

Welcome to a freezing Donnington! Hail and snow was the order of the weekend. With the wind gusting at 25 mph, it felt like it never got above freezing.

We arrived Friday evening About 6pm and got set up in the paddock. Putting the awning up in gusting winds was a feat of engineering but by 9pm we were settled. I then found out that we had to run black numbers on a white background for MRO, so it was off to A&R to buy some numbers. My nice paint job was then taped over with white duct tape. Sorted. By 10pm I was supping a nice pint of Guinness in Redgate Lodge.

Saturday.
We were up nice and early (like 06:30!), got scruted and signed in, with Row gleaming like a new pin in his brand new Scott leathers.

Practice.
40-odd Superteen riders lined up in the collecting area for their practice/qualifying, which lasted all of a lap because about 10 of 'em fell off! Row wasn't among them and they set them off again after 10 mins but they halted the session after the boys had completed 3 laps. Row said that the track had no grip. The bike was running well though, with Row qualifying in 13th position, so we were happy with that.

Race 1.
I think I get the nerves for both of us as Row said he wasn't nervous before going. I, however, was wound up like a spring. They go around for their warm-up lap and come back to form the grid. Row takes his place, revs rise and

GO! They belt off to Redgate. I crane my neck but cannot see where he is. A couple of riders go down and we wait on the pit wall for what seems like ages, then they come through. Row has had a blinding 1st lap and is in 10th place (mind you 4 have crashed on this lap). We wait again.

They come around for the second lap. Row has picked up another two places and is in 7th. Apparently the guy just in front of Row fell off! Row has dropped a place back to 8th on the 3rd lap but he gets the place back. By lap 5 Row comes through in 6th and it starts hail/snowing. Lap 6 - no Row.....

The race finishes but there's still no sign of Row. We walk down to the Scrute's bay and he is being brought back in the recovery van. Five minutes later they turn up and Row give me the thumbs up.

"I lost the front at Coppice Dad. I saw the track; it was like a snow storm. I slowed down but the front went sort of slowly. I couldn't catch it though; it just slid out."

I'm just glad he is OK. His nice new leathers have a few marks on them but nothing to speak of and the bike just needs a new footrest so she is soon fixed (with some of the obligatory duct tape over the fairing and seat).

Row says the clutch was slipping after the second lap so I whip off the fairing and check the adjustment. All seems fine but, when I undo the sump plug, a load of grey oil runs out. It looks like the water pump oil seal has gone, so I strip the clutch out and clean it up. Luckily, I have a spare housing with brand new seals in so that goes on. So, now we are all ready for.....

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Race 2.
Row knows that this is his only chance to get a signature on his licence so he needs a race finish. The riders take their positions on the grid.

GO! Row is slow away; they disappear into Redgate with Row at the back of the bunch. They come round at the end of the lap and Row is in 19th place, not going very fast. They come around again and Row is in 20th place. Still not going very well.

As they come around for lap 4, Row has made up another two places and is visibly going quicker. He's chasing 16th as they come around again. Row has made up the gap and, by the next lap Row has leapfrogged into 15th place chasing the next two. By the last lap Row is chasing hard. They come around to take the flag and Row has passed the pair of them into 13th place. Good run. As I walk back towards him in the paddock, he shakes his head.

"What's up, Row?"
"The bike wouldn't pull at all for the first three laps, Dad. Then it cleared and started flying."

It would appear that the crash and subsequent laying on its side had flooded the engine and it had taken a while to clear. I had run the bike before he rode it but I suppose where he is giving it so much throttle it showed the problem up.

"Is it all right now?"
"Yeah; it was fine by the end."

That's the end of racing for us today so we have a clean up and get ourselves over to the bar for the prize giving and some nosh.

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Sunday.
I get up at about 7:30 and its freezing. I poke my head outside the awning and there is at least an inch of snow over everything. By 9:00 it's thawed but the track is awash and it's still freezing cold. Row gets ready for his first race.

Race 1.
They get two sighting laps, then line up on the grid.

GO! Row gets a reasonable start and seemed to be in the front of the pack as they go around Redgate. They come past at the end of the lap; Row is in 12th place. On the 2nd lap, Row is still in 12th. Although he got past one he has been passed by a hard-charging Jason Douglas (on another MK80). By lap 3, Row has cleared the two riders to get to 10th, where he stayed, not really being bothered by those behind and quite a gap to the next group. He takes the chequered flag and, back at the van he said he knew he had an easy 10th place so he didn't push because he wanted to get the signature.

Race 2.
Last race of the weekend and Row takes his place on the grid.

GO! He gets his best start of the weekend and comes through at the end of the lap in 7th place. He then has a race long battle with Stephanie Waddlow for 7th; they both get promoted to 6th and 7th after Jason Douglas falls at Goddards whilst challenging for the lead. Row ends up 7th. He managed to pass Stephanie round the outside at Craner but she takes the place back going through Schwantz curve. It was a good race between them, though. Row arrives back at the van and gives me the thumbs up.

And that's it; the end of Rowan's first "proper" race meet. Mission accomplished really; he has got his two signatures, had his first crash and we all survived in one piece! Next weekend its over to Pembrey for the first round of their F125 series. It should be interesting to see how he goes there.

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