Pole in qualifying!

Sabina likes it here.

Twenty minutes of qualifying and she's fastest overall from a full field.

Next on the grid is Rob Elsmere on the 550 Aprilia 0.809 back.

Steve Tomes is 6th.

Wet, wet, wet

Good morning from a torrentially raining Oulton Park.
Just as well we had a good day yesterday.


Going out in qualifying to just basically go as fast as I can and see where that gets us.

Morning sessions

Done a few sessions.
The bike is extremely good.

But as you know, there is always a little something else...

Going to try some other things this afternoon.

Good morning from Oulton Park.

So far the weather is gorgeous.
Had the first session on track.
After fighting with the Ducati last time here, its weird to be riding 'flat out' over Deers Leap on Sabina.

A few more tweaks and it will be 'flat out' everywhere!

Noise police...

Got the whisper that the heavy duty, environmental 'noise police' will be at Oulton, and that they are very strict - so just this afternoon Mark has come up with some decibel killers...

Donington BSB - Ducati 1198 overview.

Sabina's last minute nip and tucks...

Mark has just sent me this photo - apparently Sabina has just been having some final preparations to getting herself ready for the next round of the ThundersportGB Championship, at Oulton Park this Saturday.

Video of Sabina - moto 450 from Pembrey

Donington BSB - I got a mention on the telly!

This great action shot from Donington is by Rich Glover.














Scott Smart - also campaigning an 1198 for the official Ducati UK team, Moto Rapido, came over in the Parc Ferme, to have a chat and see if I had any more used knee sliders going spare...

Race over.

Just looking at the data from the race.
I certainly won't say it was easy, very physical hard work hanging on to the bike.

Not bad though finished 13th and did a handful of 1,36s in the process.

Some three seconds faster than last time I rode in top flight championship competition at Donington - over 10 years ago!

Morning warm up.

We changed the gearing last night and reduced the traction control sensitivity to 2.
Just done ten minutes of warm up laps.

Suffering with lack of traction and stability means that I am putting the traction control back to 4!

The race is 15 laps in four hours.

2nd qualifying.

Steve Jordan called round before the session and we did some more tweaks.

Did some much faster section times but kept coming in to try different things.

The bike is now much friendlier to ride and I might even enjoy having a race tomorrow.
Will keep you updated.

More changes to the front end.

Last night we 'sneaked' round to Scott Smart's camp and did some measuring.

I had followed him for a while on track yesterday and could see how his bike was behaving differently.

So changing the springs again and going to try and mimic some of Scott's settings.

Qualifying session.

It's red hot now.
Things were better and I did go faster qualifying with a 1,37.974 - putting me in 19th.

For tomorrow I am going to reduce the air gap in the forks and take some pre load off the back.

Richard has improved as well, getting down to a 1,42 dead.

Free practice session.

Roy has made some changes to the bike since Oulton.
It is different now.
Better in some ways but still not quite how I would like it.
Going to put some softer fork springs in for this afternoons qualifying.
Done a 1,39.14 that's 20th from 41.

Richard and I are going to spend a bit of time on track working together as he is five seconds back.

Donington Park Superstock 1000

Good morning from a sunny albeit slightly windy Donington.

Just getting the Italsport Ducati 1198 ready for practice.

Norton noise limits...

Bumped in to 'Dicko' - Lee Dickinson, he was having a run round on a new Norton NRV588 - now let me suggest to you, they are going to struggle to get through any noise testing at any circuit...

Checkout Lee's website here: Dicko

BSB Oulton Park - Ducati 1198 - video overview

Cadwell coaching.

Back to Louth today to do a spot more tuition.

It started out as a lovely day and then deteriorated into cold wet misery about Lunchtime.

I was working with Will Sawyer, a GSXR Trophy competitor.

Coaching at Snetterton

Had a six and a bit hour drive across country last night to come to Snetterton to do some 1 to 1 coaching on 'Frank' .

We are working with Nick Wilson a former car racer who now fancies a new challenge - racing bikes!