2011 Results and Briefing

March 6th - Elvington

Two firsts, one third, one great big trophy on the Roger Middleton RMKD tuned ZXR 400. The GSXR1000 is another story. Watch this space for more details.

March 20th - Cadwell Park

One 6th, a 4th and a 7th. His fastest lap was 1:51:315

April 3rd - Elvington

4th, 5th and 2nd.

April 17th - Olivers Mount National Spring Cup

7th in race 1. DNF race 2.

May 22nd - Mallory Park

Two 2nds and a 3rd. His fastest lap was 1:02:889

June 12th - Elvington

Two seconds and a third

June 19th - Cadwell Park

July 23rd & 24th - Cock o'the North, Olivers Mount

Unfortunately, Bob had a serious crash exiting farm bends during practise and was taken to Hospital. He was unable to compete.

7th August - Elvington

Bob came 5th, 4th and 2nd

Manx Grand Prix 2011 Results

Junior Race - 47th

Lightweight Race - DNF

Senior Race - 34th

2011 was a bad Manx with loss of life and wet races. A very popular and confident rider, Neil Kent was killed in practice. The Newcomers Class A winner, Wayne Hamilton was killed during the Junior race and a good mate, Adam Easton was killed during the senior classic race.

I personally thought the Clerk of the Course made a bad decision when he ran the junior race in the wet, he could have delayed the start or run the race on the Tuesday when the conditions would have been perfect. It was drizzling at the start line and we were told over the tannoy to expect heavy showers anywhere around the circuit. I didn't expect it just over a mile from the start when I went through the bottom of Bray and up to Ago's to be met by torrential rain and standing water. I immediately thought of pulling in at Quarterbridge, because I'd always said I would never race the TT Circuit in the wet, however, against my better judgement I kept going. A mile or so further on, I was in the middle of the Bradden Bridge section. I opened the throttle in second and the back wheel spun up, so I changed up into third and it still spun up. I thought I wasn't going to get out of there, so I banged it up into fourth and got some grip with little wheel spin. It was like that for the rest of the race. I didn't enjoy it but at least got to finish.

The Lightweight race on the ZXR 400, decent conditions but not perfect. I was running in the top 10 on the last lap when on the approach to Alpine there was a big bang and huge vibration through the bike, I thought the chain had broken, pulled the clutch in and hoped I could stop safely before anything locked up. That was the end of my race. The chain wasn't broken, so I assumed it was a gearbox problem. I found out later that 2 gearbox bolts behind the drive sprocket had worked loose, had passed through the chain and the sprocket causing the problem.

The Senior race, wet again, disappointed but did my best in the poor conditions. I was unable to get into a rhythm due to the changing conditions but still managed to finish a respectable 34th.

Roll on 2012 - lets hope for some dry racing and some great results.

September 4th - Cadwell Park

Bob flew home from the Isle of Man to compete. He came 3rd and 4th in the first two very wet races and the last race was cancelled due to torrential rain

September 17th & 18th - International Gold Cup, Oliver's Mount

Bob came 5th in both races

October 16th - Elvington

Two seconds and a forth

October 30th Cadwell Park

Bob was still leading the Formula 400 championship. He came 3rd in the first two races so it was all down to the last race. Going into the last corner on the last lap Bob was in second, he came into the corner much faster than the leader and had to leave the dry line to pass. Unfortunately his rear tyre let go and he came off and had to settle for second place in the championship.