We headed to Tandragee next, which is one of my favourite National Circuits with the demise of the Temple and Carrowdore, as it is open with plenty of fast flowing corners, we would be looking for better luck and hopefully more miles on circuit than at Cookstown.

We had got the gearing on the 250cc & 600cc machines sorted and had softened off the rear suspension on the Touchwood Consulting ZX10 hoping to get the handling somewhere near what I needed to be competitive. The paddock was in better order that it has been in previous years when we arrived, but we got a spot near the gate just in case, which was a good call come Saturday evening.

Friday Practice

Friday Night was a wash out as the good old Irish weather once again did its best to make our lives as Real Road Racers really difficult. We got a few laps in the wet conditions on the Investasure 600 R6 in controlled conditions, which was un-timed. To be honest this is a bit of a waste of time and with water running across the circuit in places not that safe, but we got it done and back to the paddock in one piece. We had to hope Saturday brought better weather.

Saturday Race Day

Saturday came and it was announced that there would be two practice sessions before racing so we were going to get runs out on both the 250 Honda and the ZX10. After all the rain overnight the paddock was a complete mess come Saturday morning and boy were we glad that we had pitched up near the gate. The sky overhead was blue so things were looking good, although there were still a few damp patches on the roads from the overnight rain.

We went out in the practices, which again were un-timed and got some good laps in on both bikes, although the Kawasaki was still a bit hard on the rear and moving around more than I would like. The grids were to be selected by the club so we would just have to wait and see were we would be starting.

First race up for me was the Tayto Open Race were I was looking for a good run on the ZX10, but it was not to be and like Cookstown the week before the heavens opened just before the off and we did not have time to change the tyres so it was a bad start to the day with a non-start.

The Shelbourne Motors/Street Sweep TSRSC 250cc Race was next in the programme and we were looking for a really good run in this as the Ballygowan & District Road Racing Supporters Club Honda was going really well. We were in between two of the big hail showers as we left the grid so conditions were pretty good. I got a reasonable start and got away with the leaders, but as I took it easy on the opening lap to assess what conditions were like around the circuit Ian (Lougher) & Yarno (Holland) had made a break and I found myself having a terrific dice on the roads with Trevor (Keys) for third place.I eventually got by him and set off after the leaders, but to no avail they were flying so I settled for a safe third.

Then on the final lap the bike lost power and would not drive out of the corners and Trevor caught me on the run down to the final corner so a fourth place was the finishing position and a worry as to what was wrong with the bike with only nine days to the start of North West practice.

The Trevor Warde Groupage Services 600cc Supersport Race was a bit of a disaster all round. We were on the fourth row of the grid as they were taken pretty much by our finishing positions at Cookstown, plus the few top riders who were filtered in. I made a poor start, which did not help and we only got four laps completed before further problems forced a retirement and a disappointing DNF.

For the main race of the day the Dalzell’s of Markethill Tandragee 100 we were for the first time this season actually getting the ZX10 Kawasaki to the start line. I was a bit, apprehensive as I did not really know what way it was going to handle and what weather conditions we were going to face.

The rain had stopped and the road was pretty much dry all the way around as we completed the sighting lap. I made a reasonable start and was running with Ray (Porter), Victor (Gilmore) and the two John’s (Donnan & Burrows), it was really enjoyable and I was having some fun although the handling was still not as it should be. On lap three I had moved to the front of this group and was confident I could hold them off, but then the hailstones came again. On lap four the back of the circuit was soaking wet and rather than take any unnecessary risks I dropped back just before the Red Flags came out as conditions had deteriorated rapidly, for me a disappointing, but correct decision. When the results came out I had got a 15th Place finish, not were I want to be, but at least it was a finish and my first on the Superbike and a big improvement on Cookstown.

pic : Stephen Wilson - www.realroadracing.com

pic : Stephen Wilson - www.realroadracing.com

Speaking later a frustrated Davy commented, “The weather really spoiled a weekend that I would normally enjoy, I missed more important bike time due to the changing weather conditions and with only two race finishes it was two out of two meetings for the season that I do not want to remember. The Ballygowan RRSC 250cc Honda will need to be looked at before the North West to find the problem and although it was good to get some reasonably enjoyable laps on the ZX10 it still needs some work on the handling before the up coming trips to the North Coast and the Isle of Man”