I had been looking forward to this day all winter more than I can explain.  It was my first run on the Bridgestone tyres and perhaps I might have been a little more circumspect, but as I rolled out onto the circuit aware of the cold track temperature, I was just itching to get going.  I got going, for about two minutes and then the bike went away from me.  It was not a big crash, well not for the bike anyway. I saved that from serious damage by letting it land on me, what a hero !  The damage to me was slightly worse.  Four metatarsal bone's in my right foot and torn ligaments in my right wrist.  This was not a good start.

    The bike was repaired without much trouble and I was out at Kirkistown again in April. This is when the problems really started. I had to come in after just five laps with swelling and pins and needles in my wrist.     So bad were they that I could not feel the brake lever at all. Back to hospital but all they could tell me was that they would arrange an MRI scan to assess the damage.

     So bad were they that I could not feel the brake lever at all. Back to hospital but all they could tell me was that they would arrange an MRI scan to access the damage.  I was by this time getting very frustrated.

      Still without an appointment for the MRI scan I arranged privately to have some laser treatment on the ligaments and tendons during May and I felt some progress was made.  Not wanting to let the Foundation down I entered Kirkistown on 3^rd June and whilst I was glad to say that although the strength in the wrist was weak the pins and needles had gone and I could now feel the brake lever again. Being completely rusty and out of practice I failed to qualify for the main race but did finish fifteenth in a later race with my lap times decreasing as the day progressed to times that would have qualified me for the championship races.

     I had been hoping to cross to Anglesey to race but being out of work for so long killed any funds that I had.

     The spaces in the Clubman calendar didn’t help with getting more race and track time and so it wasn’t until 1^st / 2^nd September that I was out at a race again. This was a two day event with qualifying on the Friday. I had just returned to work mid-August so I could not get time off work and missed the qualifying times. In the non qualifiers race I finished twelfth. At Bishopscourt on the 16^th September I qualified tenth on the grid but my starts were appalling although I managed to claw my way back up to sixteenth after overshooting in race one & fifteenth in race two.

     The Sunflower was a bit of a surprise and a let down at the same time for I was eighteenth fastest in the first practice session so the whole team were well pleased.  Second session I was twentieth as more riders came out. Race day we developed an engine management problem with the result that I didn’t get out in time for qualifying at all.

     My times from Friday would have placed me about twenty third on the grid. Being in amongst the national riders showed me that with more time on the 600 I could run with the rest. The sum total of race day was that we found out that the AMA Supersport  ECU we had on the bike was not going be any use as nobody this side of the Atlantic had the ability to set the bike up with this unit.

      We also found out that the cam shafts were suited perfectly for the North West 200 bringing in all the power at maximum revs, while I desperately needed bottom and mid range power.  At least I am a lot more knowledgeable about how an engine produces it’s power and then how it transfers that power into speed. The development that we have been carrying out on the bike since Bishopscourt should ensure a far more competitive machine for 2007, and a wiser rider.

      To this I would like to thank all foundation members and trade sponsors for 2006 and to the David Wood Foundation for the opportunity  to ride the bike again in 2007.

    2007 started with a lot excitement, the bike had a lot of work done over the winter to try and make it more rider friendly, so I was looking forward to getting out on it.  It all started at a test session at Bishopscourt, the bike needed a lot of miles on it as quite a bit of work was done on the engine.  The test session went fine although I would have liked to have done a few more laps as I didn’t get the chance to open it up to see what I could do.

Bishopscourt - Easter Saturday (National). First race of the year  and it was the first time I got to give the bike full throttle, but from the morning practice I knew something was wrong with the top speed of the bike. I was well off the pace, although I felt I was riding hard there were boys that I was 3 seconds a lap quicker than blasting past me down the straights  .Not to make excuses the bike was not just quick enough, I didn’t qualify for the races which I was gutted  about. 

Kirkistown - Easter Monday (National) was the next round and I went with a real bad attitude, so I would like to say sorry to anyone around me as I wasn’t myself that day.  The whole day was a nightmare with me not qualifying again and the team scratching their heads.

From there the bike was getting ready for a trip to JD’s motorcycles for a power commander and set up.  The late John Donnan did the work to the bike and his words were “it was very, very badly set up and it was no wonder I wasn’t qualifying”.

Bishopscourt  7^th May (Clubmans) was the next round, but this time I was really looking forward to getting out on the bike after John had worked on it.  First practice was brilliant, the bike was awesome the power was everywhere I wanted it to be, the weather was a bit touch and go but my sessions always seemed to be the dry ones so I was happy.  I qualified on the second row which I was happy with but the bike didn’t seem to have the top end that the leaders had.  In the first race I got an alright start, I held my position which was good as I usually go backwards at the start, then going into the hairpin I got t-boned and put wide.  I was mad and the anger kicked in, I went storming after the places I had lost and I managed to work my way up to 12^th and the race was over.  I was gutted but the bike was going well.  The second race was a gamble with the tyres because there was a rain shower before the race, it was a hard choice but I stuck with dry tyres and it was the right tyre.  I got a bad start in the race, the boys with the wet tyres got the grip off the line and cleared off into the distance, but within 4 laps I was reeling them in.  I got to a position where there was a big gap to the next guys so I thought that was it because they had such a big gap on me, but I reeled them in.  I knew there wasn’t many laps left so I thought I could get past and pull a gap, but because there was two of them one was taking a defensive line  the other was trying everything to get round him, so there was no room for me at all, it went down to the last lap and I knew where I could take the both of them, but one the  guys went straight on at a bend and I thought happy days that’s one out of the way but no, instead of slowing down when he was going over the grass  he kept it pinned (southerners seem to do this a lot) and came right out in front of me, I had to go full on the anchors or I was going straight into the side of him so I lost all my drive and had to settle for the position.  I didn’t know where I had finished until I came into the pits and my Dad & Peacock  told me I finished 5^th which was good but I was raging because I was in the battle for 3^rd place and a trophy (I want one).

Kirkistown 2^nd June (Clubmans) The next round was the B & D meeting everyone in the team looks forward to their meetings for the buns and sandwiches in the hospitality unit made by Lesley and Rosemary McClure.  I was looking forward to this meeting as they run a President’s Cup race which my Dad presents to the winner, so I was going all out to win it.  I felt brilliant all day, in practice I was 3^rd quickest and qualifying I was 5^th.You needed to finish in the top 7 to qualify for the presidents cup. I went through my rear tyre in qualifying so I put a new one on for the race and went to ask the Clerk of the Course if I could go out in another practice to scrub my tyre in for the races, thankfully he let me (thanks Big John).  I got a cracker start and I found myself in 3^rd, I was right with the leaders but I was spinning up everywhere trying to stay with them, there was just enough miles on the tyres so it wasn’t gripping at all so I dropped off the pace a bit to try and get them warmed up then have a go at catching the leaders but sadly it didn’t work like that, I low sided going through fisherman’s.  I wasn’t hurt but to see the bike bouncing down the road was as bad as being hurt.  My day was over so it was disappointing, but I can blame no one but myself!

Bishopscourt 9^th June (National)  I was looking forward to getting back on the bike after my early exit from the race the week before.  First practice I didn’t feel comfortable probably because of my crash at Kirkistown. I ended up in 22^nd place which was a bit disappointing.  Qualifying was pretty much the same.  I knew it was all in my head, so I knew when it came to the race I would be fine.  When the light goes out at the start, you don’t think about anything else but the job in hand.  When it was time for the 1^st race I was in the back of the van, my dad was warming the bike up and I could hear there was something wrong with the bike, the bike then cut out and wouldn’t start again.  The fuel pipe was kinked, so the bike wasn’t getting any fuel, unfortunately I missed the first race which was disappointing for everyone.   For the second race I was fired up ready to go because I missed the first one.  The 2^nd race got underway, I got a bad start but managed to get a lot of places back into the first turn.  My dad and I planned to just use this day as a test day for the clubmans (as it was a national today). I was sitting nice at the back of a group of 8 until I saw they were sliding and getting tired, I decided to pull the pin and get past.  I was surprised how easy I got passed, I then found myself closing on another group it was onto the last lap when I got past one of the riders into one on the chicane out the back which was a hard pass and he had to go straight on (lol sorry!) I was closing on the other rider but just didn’t have enough laps to get him.  I was 2 thousands of a second off him at the line! It was a good race and all the team seemed really happy which makes me feel good as when they are happy, I’m even happier, because without them I wouldn’t be able to race.

Bishopscourt 28^th July (Clubmans)

Over a month later I was back there for the clubmans round which I was looking forward to as a month off is not what anyone wants.  As it is Bishopscourt you only get to do qualifying as there is no practice which the organisers think is a good idea, personally I don’t after a month with no racing.  I ended up 7^th on the grid which I thought was alright as I hadn’t been on the bike for so long.

The first race got underway which was another bad start for me but I have been good into the first corner all year from the starts which is due to the crafty old fox himself (my dad) teaching me a nice wee trick.  I was sitting 7^th through the race until I felt comfortable to pull the pin it was one of those races that seems that it was about 4 laps long, it starts then it is finished.

I ended up in 5^th which was Ok, although I was wanting a podium position this weekend but I just didn’t have the straight speed of the first four which has been the same all year.

The second race got underway and I couldn’t believe it, I got a cracker of a start, but it was short lived as I contacted with another rider, had to go wide and lost all the places I had made up and two riders I didn’t want to be near got in front of me, I didn’t want them near me as they are loose canons and where just back from a three race ban for dangerous riding together plus I have had ding dongs with them before.  Just as I thought they were elbow to elbow everywhere and out onto the back straight and into the chicane they were knocking each other straight on and not slowing down and coming out right in front of me which they did four laps in a row at the same place, which was letting the leaders get away. I was so angry with the two of them that I just had to get past.  It was hard to get past as they are late on the brakes no corner speed and really fast bike riders.  I out braked one of them at the hairpin and made sure he wouldn’t come back at me, the other rider  got into the first corner and pushed him wide so as he couldn’t come back at me also.  By the time I got past them the leaders were away in the distance, I tried my hardest to reel them in I closed on them a little but my tyre was shot so I just settled for 7^th I was so angry with these two riders I stopped on the cooling down lap to speak to a marshal to see if he would stand by me if I spoke to the Clerk of the Course but surprise, surprise he said he didn’t see it.  I don’t know how he didn’t as he had put out a yellow flag when they went straight on but hey that’s racing, you’ve got to love it really.

Kirkistown 1^st September (National) I had a month gap until this race which was another  B&D meeting, which means lots of nice buns again (ha-ha none for you this time Keith ! ) Free practice & qualifying went well with me ending up in 12^th in free practice and 13^th on the grid. I was happy with this as it was National Championship event and I am just a Clubman.

The first race got underway with my normal bad start, which left me down the pack but I seemed to settle into a good rhythm quickly and started picking people off on my way through the pack. There was a bit of a gap to the next group of riders battling from 9th to 12^th and I managed to reel them in by the last lap but I was a bit too keen to pass one of them on the brakes because it didn’t work out and I ended up running wide which cost me a place at the flag.  It was a good race but I knew I needed to get a good start for the second race.

 2^nd race and that’s what I got – a flyer of a start and found myself riding with this years Clubmen championship leader and last years 600cc Clubman champion. I found that I could match them on the brakes and I thought I was a bit quicker in corner speed but on the power I just couldn’t match them. Their bikes were just mega on power and speed down the straights, but I did learn a lot from them but with 4 laps to go the front tyre was going off and I was running wide on the brakes everywhere.

I was running about a second slower now and the group behind  were catching fast. Every time I came out of the last corner I was hoping to see the last lap flag as I didn’t think I would have been able to hold on to my position but luck was on my side  and I brought the David Wood Foundation 600 Honda home in 6^th position which the whole team were over the moon with. After the races it was straight to the B&D hospitality unit for some of their magic buns !

Sunflower 21/22^nd October (National) again we had to wait another 6 weeks for a race which is crazy.

It was the one which I was really looking forward to, as I wanted to make up for the disappointment of last year.

Practice was on Saturday with the races on Sunday this year.  Saturday was a cold day, so I just took it easy in the 1^st session.  I kept an old set of tyres on as I didn’t want to put  new ones on when it was so cold. I went out in qualifying feeling pretty confident that I could qualify. I was getting good signals from P’cock . I was on a real quick lap and started to close on one or two riders in front of me, and I thought it could work out well as I could possibly get a tow from him to the line but when we exited the last turn I was hooked right in behind him when suddenly he sat up so I had to go right round him but there was a bike in the middle of the track on fire – that was the end of the qualifying session with it being RED flagged . I was raging as I was definitely on a quick lap. It turned out that I had qualified so I was well pleased.

( I mean- these were British champions and contenders that I was up against)  Later on we took the bike up for scrutineering, as allowed for the next day,  P’Cock had gone with a big order for  burgers when he heard it was announced that the 600s were called out again. He ran down without paying for the order to tell us we were out again.  Dedicated team member or what??  The session started at 6.05pm ,it was near dark and with it being October it was  freezing cold with the result that a rider went down at the second corner probably due to cold tyres and track temperature – it was like a ice rink, so they red flagged the session before a lap had been completed. Instead of them saying they would take the times from the first session they said they were going to send us out for 3 laps, but I held my ground and along with some of the other riders were reluctant to go out again, so my dad spoke to the Clerk of the Course and asked him in the interests of safety would he not speak to the riders and listen to their worries. My dad is the most calm person you will meet but he was shocked at some of the decisions made by this club and I believe he sounded off at the ignorance of the clerk of the course. For once common sense came through and we were allowed 10 laps giving us time at least time to warm tyres up for qualifying.  I just managed to qualify dead last which was disappointing but there were a lot of people that didn’t qualify at all, because of crazy decisions made.

Sundays races were looking to be wet ones but for the 1^st race it was dry on the front of the track and wet out the back so I was looking forward to getting out as it would hopefully slow the quicker guys down a bit.  I got a good start and made up a few places through the first corner, I then got into a good rhythm but after 4 laps I couldn’t get gears.

I looked down to see the gear pedal hanging down so I had to pull in. There are two bolts holding the lever onto the foot plate and both of them had somehow fallen out??? It was disappointing having to pull in but there was no alternative but it did make me more fired up for the second one.

2^nd race got underway, and straight away I knew there was something wrong with the clutch as I was backing it in every turn. I had caught up with the pack in front of me but I just couldn’t get past as they were holding me up round the turns and blasting away down the straights. It could be seen they were holding me up as, on my own, I was 2 seconds a lap quicker but that’s racing. I actually touched the back wheel of a couple of guys going round corners as I had a lot more corner speed.

I ended up 25^th which was last from 36 starters which I am not happy about at all.  It was a bad way to finish the season.

That’s the season over for another year so I want to thank the David Wood Foundation for providing me with the bike for 2007 and to all the trade sponsors as without them I wouldn’t have able to race at all.

A special thanks must go to my Dad and Johny ( P’cock) for everything  -  I couldn’t do without them. Thanks also to my Mum and my girlfriend Deborah who have to take most of my mood swings but have given me support to get through the year. Thanks also to - Uncle Jack for his assistance & words of encouragement – Alastair Mac, Lee Wood and Alan Gregg who have been first class throughout everything, thanks everyone.

Iain Simpson           #94