The John Donnan Kells Road Races Report
 Its hard to believe another week has gone by and another race is over.. May I just begin by wishing Maurice Hogg a speedy and full recovery after his unfortunate crash on Sunday, I always love to see Maurice getting a result, cos he’s such a down to earth fella, my thoughts are with you man!
Friday afternoon and all was loaded and ready for the road, we had a full crew this weekend Simon, Raymond, Stephen and Irish Bike man Geoff, id heard the paddock was a mess again this weekend so ya can guess I wasn’t exactly looking forward to that ! But like everyone else, There is something special about this place, I love Kells and we are always made very welcome from both Lester and Aileen.
Sure enough there was a tractor at the gate to greet us, but after looking round the paddock I convinced the fella on the gate that if I had the digger moved we could park close to the gate and that left us on hard core !,so Paddock Marshall, A Big thank You for that.
Despite the continous heavy rain, we managed to get the awning all set up, and we got our 600 engine back from Guy ,so Simon and Raymond started into that and by midnight it looked like the place had been taken over by a wee mouse chewing paper.!
Saturday morning and the weather was not so favourable but as the day progressed it dried up thankfully and we got in some dry practice, I ended up 4th on the 250 and 600 ,but was way down on the super bike something like 11th but that’s how it goes, you’ve gotta take the good days with the bad one’s.
Simon got the lap top out on Saturday evening and softened of the power in first and second gears, with the intention of making the bike easier to drive out of corners, because I was having problems, with the bike wheelying too much, and I wasn’t getting out of the corners quick enough. But we never got to try it as we picked up a stone in the radiator during practices, this was only noticed when Simon was warming the bike up!! We tried to repair it, but unfortunately ran out of time! But luckily enough I had brought the superstock bike with me ,so I was left with no choice, but to ride it instead ,which was fine anyway..
Doc John rang me during the week and asked would I take Doc Evelyn for a lap on Saturday on the back of his bike as it was her 30th birthday ! This was something which I couldn’t refuse!, because it was Evelyn who was the Doctor on duty on Easter Monday when i picked up my shoulder injury at Kirkistown, Happy Birthday Evelyn and many thanks again for a great job at track side that day, I hope you enjoyed your lap round Kells, it was a good excuse for another lap around the circuit anyway!!
 After practices on Saturday , racing began with the support 250/400 race , and Mark Young was out again on the HM 250. After setting pole in practice, he scored another race win and for good measure he also broke the lap record ! so well done again Mark, I am really enjoying helping him out, he’s such a nice laid back young fella, I reckon with a few more miles under his belt, he will give some of the established guys in the 250 junior race a run for their money!!
In the same race was my ole mate Baylon, he doesn’t do many roads, but he certainly looked as stylish as ever and enjoying himself, I remember watching him many years ago, and this guy told me to watch him, saying that he would be on the same line, lap after lap!, stylish and smooth!, and after all those years, he hasn’t changed!
I don’t really know were to start about Saturday night with these mechanic’s of mine they always seem to loose their way home! May I just say , myself, Stephen and Geoff all were there for the roll call on Sunday morning! but Simon and Raymond must have misread the Bus times from Kells on Saturday night (Again!!!!).
I hear there are great baths in Kells,Think I will just leave it at that..!!!
Sunday morning with a couple of mechanic’s down Geoff, Stephen, myself along with Doc John, yes he is good for other things other than inflicting pain! got the bikes to scrutiny before the lads appeared back. First race for us was the 600 I ended up 6th in that one and to be honest I was really happy with that result ,even though I couldn’t stay with the front four, them boys were riding really well but myself and young Shane Conner had a good dice for 5th with him getting the better of me on corrected time.. Next up was the 250 and may I add that Bob Patterson has the wee bike singing now, Thanks Bob for all the effort and hard work you have put in, It is much appreciated, and just speaking about him, can I say get well soon to his wife Jill, she had a few days in hospital lately, I am missing the tea !with you not about Jill, That man of yours is useless at looking after himself!!, anyway,we got a great start and led of the line but I wasn’t a hundred yards up the road till the clutch started to slip !and really my race was over before it even started but I done a couple of laps and had a great dice with William Dunlop before I had to retire when the little girl said enough was enough.
The big bike race was the was our third outing, and I had to start from the second group, I made a great start and got the head down and got up to 6th place ! brilliant, and may I add in front of Adrian Archibald on corrected time!, this I was pretty chuffed with , But saying that, I have the utmost respect for Adrian as in my eyes, he has nothing to prove !
 Last race of the day was the Grand Final, the start was not so good this time round, but I had a good battle with young Andrew Brady, he was riding good, but I managed to beat him to the line to finish up tenth.
Maybe not the result I was looking for, But I certainly enjoyed it, when I started racing, I said to myself, I want to enjoy my racing, and that’s what im doing right now ,even though it wasn’t the result I was expecting .
I am not sure if many people are aware of this, but I have an entry for the Manx Grand Prix for both the 350 and 500 classic events, I am sorted with the 350 ,but as yet I don’t have a 500 machine, and I would really love to have two bikes, So if anyone could help me out on this one, Please get in touch, Call in with me at any race meeting for a yarn, it would be very much appreciated.
Just before I finish up here,I want to Thank all the people from back home that travelled down to Kells at the weekend to support me, they all seemed to enjoyed themselves and a Happy 30th birthday to Keith Rainey (the bear), the girls even had a birthday cake for him on Saturday night, and I almost forgot, The Micron silencer worked perfect on Geoff this time round-- I put him in the back with Simon..!!
Hope to see you at Faugheen, as I have said before, feel free to call into the Awning for a chat, isn’t that what the sport is all about?
JB #16
Pictures Baylon McCaughey www.irishracephotography.com |
