Round 10 Croft

Croft is another circuit that is new to myself and other riders on the grid. With limited time to set the bike up and learn the circuit the pressure is on.

I soon find out that Croft is a very bumpy circuit and very different from a lot of the other circuits we visit, it has slow hairpins and fast bends making it hard to get a good set up in the time allowed. By qualifying we are reasonably happy with the set up but I feel I need to drop another second to run with the top ten. Before I go out in qualifying we try a different set up with the front end - I still cant get it how I want it - its good but I feel it can be better.

Qualifying goes well, but the adjustments made to the forks did not help and I will be using the old settings - or closer to them for the race. I Qualify 14th on the grid, and with a tight first conrner it could all be on the start as to whether I can run with the lead pack.

At race time the track temperature has soared and I know there will not be the same level of grip, I was one of the only people to go faster in the hotter session of Saturday so I hope this will bode well for the race. The start is pretty much as expected, very close with lots of jostling for position. During the first few laps alot of riders go down due to the heat on the circuit - as I expected. The race pace is running a second slower than the qualifying. I rode well to finish in 11th place - making places on my qualifying position and gaining some all important championship points.

I leave Croft 12th in the Championship.