Its not often you get chance to ride on the same tarmac as such legends at BTCC stars Jason Plato, Matt Neil ( current stars ) or Andy Rouse and John Cleland ( 80s/90s ) and Gerry Marshall ( from the 70s/80s )!!
The day arrived and we set off just after 7am on a dull, windy Sunday morning.
I had entered in the `Speed Demons` 2 hour slot as the rest of the day was being devoted to a more family orientated ride.
I'd borrowed my mate Ric's ( who I did LeJog with in April ) Time Trial bars ( TT Bars ) just to see what a difference it would make. They'd been a bit awkward to fit as I didn't want to trap the brake/gear cables under the bracketry - my first attempt had the brakes coming on when I turned the bars!
Anyway, they where on, so I might as well give it a go! First trial ride at home was a bit wobbly to be fair!
To be honest there weren't a lot of us taking part, maybe 30 or so. The racing circuit looked quite empty except for a few clusters of riders going round as we where so spread out over the entire International Circuit of 2.7miles.
I took the first lap easy to warm up a bit and then went for a fast lap. Dropping onto the bars I noticed quite an increase in speed without having to pedal any harder. Great, this might be quite a quick lap then!
Turning the first corner ( Old Hall ) I sped down The Avenue on the approach to Cascades which is a slight descent. The wind was quite strong and so my speed didn't increase by as much as I had expected. This wind seemed to hold me back all the way to Island Bend and the banked Shell Oils corner. The next section of the circuit was the chicane called Foulstons and then it was the first climb on the circuit Hill Top. I say climb but its nothing like the long climbs we would normally attempt but boy was it a bit tough. When you watch the racing cars climb it you just don't appreciate the angle. Its only short but its relatively steep so I was out of the saddle trying to keep my momentum up as much as I could. After that it was the descent into the chicane at Knickerbrook - the place where a lot of overtaking and crashes happen but not for me, I was all alone huffing and puffing!
A quick right, left, right saw me approaching Clay Hill and the next climb. This time I was well out of the saddle and it was quite an effort to stay above 15mph having dropped many gears in a vain attempt to keep my cadence up! How I wish I had an engine on this bike! The bike also started to make some strange clunking noises too!
Approaching Druids I noticed that the marshall was on the outer edge of the circuit which was unusual as all the other ones where in their proper marshall posts. A quick wave to him as I, probably looking a bit daft, took the racing line around the right hander. Racing line? Maybe I think I am in a Touring car or racing bike!! Well, a slow one as I was only doing maybe 25mph!
Under the bridge and into Lodge Corner where for many years I had watched loads of racing with my mum, dad and brother. For us, this corner as quite a few good memories of some good racing.
I can remember when a load of Renault 5's ( yes that long ago ) all crashed side by side into each other and then the last one slammed into the side and rolled over all of them.
For my mum, however, her memory is good but in bad/strange way. A very young Jonathon Palmer ( I think in an F3 race? ) crashed heavily into the tyres and had to be cut free. With no ambulance nearby my mum had to drive him in our car around to the Medical Centre on the inside of the circuit. Thats her claim to fame, a moaning in agony Jonathon Palmer!
Wonder if he remembers!
Maybe we should email him and remind him he owes my mum a favour or three - might get a free go around the track in a race car!
Anyway, I digress. Back to the cycling.
Lodge Corner descends into a slight dip and climb called Deer Leap which then gets you onto the Finish straight. I crossed the line wondering now that I'd done a couple of 10mile TT's if I should continue to do another lap - I'd only done 2.7miles so I should be able to, right? Nope, as soon as that wind hit me I gave up.
So that was it. A lap of Oulton Park. Done.
And that was what I did for most of the time. One fast lap. One slow lap. Quite funny pedalling past people whilst in the TT position only for them to come past you on the next lap as you trundled along.
My fastest lap? Well, no were near what the proper racers do but still quite a respectable 22mph average in 7mins 7 secs.
Overall, though, I have to say it was worth the experience. Billiard table smooth tarmac is a dream to ride on. How I wish the British roads could be more like a racing circuit!
