|
SPONSORS
Lionheart International
| |
Racing in Germany - 2002
Because I had not finished my 500cc bikes in time. I purchased Larry Swans
Lightweight Seeley G50 Mk 2 that he had built for himself to use in the INCA series.
The bike weighs only 110 Kilogram ( 240 LB) and is supposed to have about 3 bhp
more. It certainly revs higher than the other machines. Goes up to 8,000 rpm. I used it
in all the German events but at Hockenheim it started to "Slow". Probably a main
bearing going.
Oschersleben 21st. July - Schotten 18th. August. - Hockenheim 26th. August
Oschersleben Raining all the time. Crashes, oil on the track, terrible ! New lightweight
bike played up all the time, misfiring. Lead the 350cc for most of the race but two fast
new young Germans on Aermacchis passed me, riding like "Stink". I thought "I'm too
old for this". But after a couple of slides in the rain, they backed off. I passed them
both and was "1st". over the line, and finished in 2nd. Position in the German
"regularity" results. (decided on the most consistent lap times). Received nice Trophy.
The Swiss guy "Willi" always leaves me behind on his super quick 500cc Matchless
in the 500cc class but there is another quick new young German in the 500cc class. He
rides a very fast single cylinder Gilera Saturno. (Bike also 35 years old.) He was also
riding like a demon. I lead for most of the race (in the wet again) and wondered where
Willi was. Eventually the young German on the Gilera passed me going into the left
corner after the start and finish and nearly lost it. I followed him for another lap, he was
hanging off modern style. Knees on the floor everything. I just kept up the pace and
didn't make any mistakes or take any risks. (My Dunlop tyres are super in the wet).
On the next lap, he came out of the right hand before the start and finish line and
went off the track. (he didn't fall off but had scared himself) I went back into the lead
(he dropped back). Nearly towards the end, Willi passed me at the end of the straight
(10mph quicker). but he also went into the left hand bend after the start and finish on
the wrong line. I "pulled" him back a little . Then we got to the hairpin (left) During the
race I had stayed "Off line" and rode in the middle of the track all the way round
because I knew there was some oil there from the 350cc race. Willi was about 3 bike
lengths ahead of me. As he crossed from the outside of the bend to the apex at the
hairpin(The normal racing line) he "highsided" but hung onto the machine, but I was up
his backside again. The slide had unnerved him. He was very careful on each corner
after that and due to my experience and my Dunlop tyres, I was able to make up on the
corners nearly all what I lost out to him on the straights. I knew the race was coming to
an end soon.
I followed him up the back straight losing a couple of machine lengths. As we
approached the 3rd gear right hand bend of the fast left and right "s" bends, there was
a slower rider in front of him. For a second he hesitated, in that split second, I could see
he was thinking, "which side shall I go". With the weather conditions there was no
room for error. I was far enough back (About 5 machine lengths) to appraise the
situation. In that spilt second I had calculated, I thought, "Go right Willi, go right" he
did. I went into the corner a little later & went around the outside of the pair of them.
Then as we turned for the left hand bend (It really is a fast flip right and left) I had the
line on the left hand bend, The slow guy was in the middle and Willi was on the outside,
the wrong side of the track for the left hand bend. I had closed the door ! I expected
him to use his speed to come past me. I kept my head down and kept going. As I came
out of the right hand bend onto the start and finish straight I could see the flag. I went
over the line 1st. Willi blamed his tyres (Avon) I think the Avon's are a little bit faster
in the dry. They are a little wider and have very little tread on them almost "slicks".
(Minimum tread required) But my Dunlop's are unbeatable in the wet) I am sponsored
by Dunlop and do not have to pay for my tyres.
A good end to what I thought was going to be a bad weekend. But the bike misfired
the whole time. (Eventually changed the transistor unit)
Schotten Road Circuit August 18 / 19
We fixed the misfire for Schotten. I was fastest in Practice for the 350cc and my usual
second fastest in the 500cc. When it came to the first 350cc race. The bike started to
slow up and overheat by the end of the 1st. lap. I had to pull off. We investigated the
matter and decided the ignition timing had "slipped". The bike has a new type ignition
that I don't know anything about. A transistorised (No points) self generating magneto.
It's a huge heavy thing that is continually trying to shake itself out of its "Holding
Down Strap". I tried it again in the 500cc race and it did the same thing again. I pulled
off again. I did not bother to go out in the 2nd. 350cc and 500cc races. (In Schotten you
get 2 rides in each class). Miserable weekend but weather was good
Hockenheim August 24 / 25
During the following week, we found the problem. The timing gear was slipping on
it's taper. We lapped it in and re-timed it O.K. (I will take off this ignition in the winter
and fit my own Boyer one like all the other machines).
So we moved onto Hockenheim. They had changed the circuit. We only use "The
short circuit" But they had changed the old Formula One Long Circuit. They had
changed the our short circuit where we used to join the old long circuit it and where
we left it. It is different now. The changes include a "Pyloned" hairpin and a "Chicane"
plus they have changed the fast right hand bend after the start and finish. There are 2ft
square "Wobbly stones" on the apex that the F1 let their tyres run over. We dare not
risk getting near the apex in case we "misjudge" it slightly. Everyone was unhappy. I
was fastest in the 350cc and my usual 2nd. fastest in the 500cc.
The 350cc race was easy, boring. The new circuit had put the 2 new young German
drivers on their fast Aermacchis off completely. They had no form whatsoever. I had
asked my German friends if they thought I should "Slow up" a little and "make a
race" of it. They said "It will make it more interesting" After thinking about it
I decided not to. I have found in the past, when I have tried such a thing one usually
ends up making lots of mistakes. If one goes out of ones own rhythm one usually finds
one comes out of the corners at the wrong point and makes all sorts
of misjudgements.
I tried to ride "Regularly" under the German rules. Changing gear every time at
the same place at the same revs. To see if I could win a "Regularity" Trophy again. In
doing this it's usually the tail enders that cause problems with consistent lap times. I
had no problems with tailenders at all (Unusual). Might be in with a chance to win a
"regularity trophy" again I thought. NO! 13th. in the regularity results. The Germans
always say, "If you try for it, you wont get it". I think it's true.
The 500cc Race. On the grid, Willi on my left (Pole) and the new young German on
the 500cc Gilera on my right. I thought I was going to have en easy
2nd. Place. Now I'm going to have to work hard. The easy 350cc race had made me
lazy. I thought to myself, take deep breaths which I did. (Calm me down). I went into
the lead on the first bend. (I usually do). My strategy is to get my head down and go
hell for leather for the 1st. 4, 5 laps. Try to devastate the opposition so they lose
interest. The sooner one starts lapping tail enders the better it is and the more difficult
it is for the opposition. I waited for Willi to pass me I knew he would catch me soon. He
did on the second lap. (20mph quicker) I tailed him for 3/4 of a lap. Trying, trying all the
time. Talking to myself. "Come on, come on, your not in the 350cc race, turn it on
quicker, brake a little later but don't make any mistakes. One slight error, does not
matter how small, and you lose all what you are trying to gain. On the second lap, Willi
misjudged the new hairpin and went straight on. I almost caught him again by the time
he was back on the track. But he stayed ahead and pulled away again. After 5 laps I
looked behind. There he was (the Gilera rider) about 5 machine lengths
behind me. O. K. I thought, I will have to keep up the pace using the lapped tailenders
as "Obstacles".
I have always been amazed at my Dunlop tyres, never ever have I ever thought
that I was "riding them to the limit". For some reason, today I did. I really, really felt I
could not afford to "crank" the bike over any more, or, turn on the power too much,
accelerating out of the corners. After practice, I noticed that they were appearing to
"rip up" a little more than usual. I had "Pumped" them up a bit. Increased the
pressure from 32 LB to 36 LB, it seemed to help. (Must ask Dunlop if they have made
the tyres even softer this year, and what pressure to use) - Perhaps may have to
change to a slightly harder compound) Then I noticed on the straight, I could not get
maximum revs anymore. (This machine revs a 1000 rpm more than my bikes. goes up
to 8,200 rpm) Every lap 200 rpm less. 7,800, 7,600, 7,400 and so on. I thought, the big
end is probably going. So, I thought, I have to brake even later and try to come out of
the corners even quicker. After another 5 laps I looked behind again. He had dropped
back to about 10 machine lengths. I thought good, now just ease of a little and
consolidate. I did, I went over the line 2nd. A good hard race. I was quite pleased with
myself.
We went to the prize giving. When they called up the results for the 500cc race they
called the German Gilera up for 3rd. Place. Then, then they called me. I was second in
the regularity. Surprise, surprise, I would have thought that it would have been
impossible to achieve that while "scratching" so hard.The first place went to an old
German guy on a BMW who we had lapped twice. The German organiser said in
German, "Not only has John Blanchard proven that he is still a very fast rider and
always a Star guest here in Germany, but once again has proved that he is a very
consistent rider". My lap times had only varied by 0.275 tenths of a second. The
winners lap time had varied by 0.25 tenths of a second and the third place Gilera rider
0.3 tenths of a second. (I very nearly won it. It would have been the 1st. time. I had
been second and third a few times in the past.)
When we left the prize giving I spoke to the young German rider. He is about thirty
years old. Smart, shaven head, and an earring in his right ear. I said to him in German,
"you bastard" he laughed and said why ? I said "why did you have to wind me up like
that and give me so much hassle". He replied, "I could not have caught you. You are
much too fast, it is a pleasure riding behind you. Your style is fantastic. I was getting
faster all the time watching you and following you". (They all say that, I'm like a
teacher-they follow me round, learn, get quicker and make me have to ride
even harder) I replied, "I was lucky to finish, my big end was going, the bike was
getting slower every lap". He said, "I didn't notice, you did not slow up". We laughed
and shook hands.
I enjoyed myself. I am now 60 years old. I work and train very, very hard. Three
days a week in the Gym now. How long I can keep this up I don't know.
Hopefully I will have 6 bikes ready next year.
2 x 350cc's 2 x 500cc's and one 750cc (Norton Seeley) Plus Larry's Lightweight bike if
I get it rebuilt in time.
"Well, that's all there is to tell, about that little trip into living hell, and if I ever go
back there anymore, I hope I still have the skill that I continue to pray for"
Hope you enjoy reading the story.
Cheers.
JB
john@john-blanchard.com
|
