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Oulton Park - BSB
I was really confident coming into this round, I had taken part in a test day here a few weeks prior to the race meeting and had posted some good lap times so I knew it was just a case of finding a few tenths. I cruised round in free practice, I was
surprised to see that I had done a 1.45.5, this lap time put me 16th overall on the time sheets and I hadn't even thought about pushing so I knew that with some brand new rubber and some gearing alterations, I could improve my
lap time.
In the first qualifying session, I practiced some new lines and tested the new gearing in my first few laps and then I started to push, I had done 3 flying laps and then I came into the pits to have a chat with my Dad and Joe about how the changes were feeling. I was
surprised to see that on my last flying lap I had done a 1.44.0,my personal best around Oulton Park. I went back out and started to push a little harder; braking later and getting on the gas harder out of corners. I came back in the pits to see that I had done a 1.43.6, improving my
lap time again and putting myself in 9th overall on the grid.
Second qualifying was held late on Sunday afternoon, I wanted to go back out to see if I could improve my
lap time but on the other hand I wasn't really concerned if the session was declared wet because I already had a good grid position. The session turned out to be dry. I went out and I
couldn't seem to string a lap together, I kept making mistakes. I was drifting wide and missing my braking markers. I came back in with 9 minutes to go. I was dropping down the time sheets, I knew I had to improve my
lap time. I went back out and went all out, I came back into see that I had done a 1.43.3,this put me 12th on the grid for Mondays race.
Tyre choice was a lottery for the race, the track was bone dry in areas and damp in other. I opted for wets, I made a good start and held my position off the line. I got a little beaten up in the first corner with a rider going around the outside of me and putting me off line onto the wet part of the track, I went around the outside of Nikki Coates around the Avenue. As I entered Shell hairpin, the red flags came out. There had been a big crash at Cascades involving Nikki Coates and Nick Clark, Nick has a broken femur as a result of the accident and I wish him a speedy recovery. The race was abandoned because of daylight shortage and the medics wouldn't of arrived back in time to re-run the race. I was
disappointed not to race but roll on Cadwell in 3 weeks time. The Oulton Park round is yet to be re-scheduled.
Thruxton - BSB
After only seeing the track on
YouTube recently and having only raced at Thruxton once before, I spent the first session getting myself dialled in and learning some new lines. I finished the session in 10th place in my group with a 1.22.9. I was happy enough with this result and with a few suspension changes, I knew I could go faster in qualifying later that day.
In first
qualifying, I opted to go hard straight away. The weather was red hot and my tyres were fresh off warmers. My bike felt great so I dug deeper, on my fourth lap my first sector was the fastest on track at that time as I entered
Seagrave, I went a little wide on the track onto dirty tarmac and lost the front end of the bike. I ended the session with a 1.21.9,my fastest ever time of Thruxton after 3 fast laps. I knew I
couldn't dwell on my misfortune.
I went hard again in this session and on my third lap, I posted a 1.21.0. I noticed oil on my right
foot peg as I went to start my next lap so I pulled in to find that during my crash, I cracked my engine casing during my crash causing an oil leak. There was nothing we could do so I had to sit out the session. I was dropped to 22nd on the grid for the race, I was frustrated as I felt I had loads more to come.
In morning warm up the same problem
occurred again and I only did a single lap. In the race itself, I got a good start and held my position and then gained a few places in the first few corners. I
couldn't find any rear grip from the rear tyre and I started to go backwards. As the race wore on, my bike felt dangerous to ride. I decided for my own safety to pull out of the race. After we got the bike home we found that there was no rebound on my rear shock, someone had altered it during the night. I was gutted with my result of the weekend but all I can do now is move onwards. I love Oulton park which is the next round and I had a good test there a few weeks ago, so bring it on!
Tom
Brands Hatch - BSB
I was optimistic coming into the
first round of the year. I had done a lot of miles of testing around
this circuit in the weeks leading up to the first round so I was
confident I could get my season off to a good start.
In first free practice, I went out with the sole aim of getting myself comfortable and a set-up ready for qualifying. I picked up my speed and I kept coming into the pits to make changes to my bike and gradually I chipped away at my
lap times. I ended the session in 4th position with a 49.0 lap time, my personal best around the circuit and on old tyres!
Overnight it rained hard and the circuit was still damp coming into first qualifying. I knew that the weather would improve for second qualifying so I put a
lap time that would put me on the grid in 12th place with a 50.2 second
lap time. Due to the weather conditions and the over subscribed entry of 67 riders to this
meeting, there was 2 qualifying groups and the grid positions were split between the results of the group rather than it going down to the traditional method of
lap times so 12th position in my group put me 24th on the grid.
The next day was final qualifying and it rained hard
overnight, track conditions improved from the first session. I wasn't very relaxed coming into this session and I didn't gel with the track conditions straight away. As I began to drop down the timing sheets I knew I had to get a move on. I posted a 49.5 second
lap time to put me 13th in my group and 25th on the grid for the race. I was
disappointed that I had gone slower than in free practice and I learnt an important lesson and that was that I had to start relaxing before I get on the bike at this level.
In morning warm up I went 0.1 faster than I did in
qualifying, this gave me some real confidence for the race. As the lights went out, I got a rocket start and rode around the outside at paddock hill. I began to pick riders off one by one and I found myself in a battle with Josh Caygill and Brad Anderson. I battled long and hard for my position and came away with 15th at the flag after 22 hard laps. I was over the moon with my result and to come away with my first points in the British championship!
Latest News - Pre Season
The start of the season is just weeks away and already I have to admit that I cant wait to get started! Over the winter months I have been training hard with Mark Coles from the M10 Studio in Newark. In this time I have lost nearly 4% body fat and am now almost twice as strong as I have ever been. I have also been doing plenty of cycling and some motocross to try and keep myself in shape.
I am doing my best to try and put last year behind me and focus on
what's happening right now. I had a few tastes of running at the front last year so I know what I am capable of. So bring it on!
Pre-season testing started in January with a 3 day test in Cartagena. I used this test to build my confidence back up and get comfortable on the bike again and just to try and enjoy riding it. Peter Clifford from Acti-force suspension who also works with Joe Dickinson in British Supersport helped me set my bike up and instantly the bike felt much more rideable and I
haven't smiled this much in quite a while! I left Cartagena happy with my performance.
A week later I visited Spain again, but this time it was Almeria in the south of Spain. We worked hard on getting the bike set-up and now it just seems that the bike is improving all the time and
every time we make an improvement my confidence grows. I left Almeria lapping around the same pace as some of my other competitors who are expected to be running at the front this season based.
I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome our new sponsors on board to Tom Young Racing. Mark from MW
electrical and maintenance, located in Yorkshire I hope to re-pay the favour to him by doing my best and getting some good results! Dave at Hottrax trackdays is providing us with quality track time throughout the season. And we welcome Jason from JEM structures back on board for a second term with the team. Please see our sponsors page for my information. Our first meeting of the season is with MRO at Brands hatch on the 5th-7th of March, please feel welcome to come back and check on my progress throughout the season!
Best wishes
Tom
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