Back to the Team MAG Sport Home Page Back to the Team MAG Sport Home Page
|
|
Team MAG Sport Update |
Links:
It was morning practice, and the track was still slightly damp. Perhaps foolishly, I'd decided to go out on slicks, as there was no sign of wet tarmac from the pits.
I guess if I'd thought about things in advance, I'd have realised that there is only one corner where you get the power on in a left turn. There are only two lefts - at the start of the Esses on the back straight, and the chicane leading onto the start/finish straight. Since the second part of the Esses is slower than the first, you're not on the power there. So that only leaves the chicane (Russell's).
On the second lap, I gave it a handful to get a good drive onto the straight - and it was wam, bam, hello sky, hello track. A classic highside.
The bike wasn't badly damaged, and I tried to push it back to the pits. But my wrist was hurting and I had to enlist the help of a marshall.
I hoped that the wrist was just sprained, but we went over to the medical centre to get it checked out.
They prodded it, and decided it probably wasn't broken, but recommended an X-Ray that evening. I had high hopes of getting out for the two championship races later in the day.
But the pain got worse, and I found I couldn't work the controls. No way - it wouldn't be safe to go out. I decided I'd have to sit out the day. I cracked open a beer, and went to watch the others rack up points.
My championship hopes started to look better, as Martyn Johnson was punted off at Riches, and then Mark Jay and Andy Denyer both high-sided at the chicane exactly as I had done in practice.
Andy suffered a broken foot, and Mark a cracked ankle, though he was able to get out and get a few points in the final race. Martyn's bike was too messed up to be fixed, leaving his brother Pat to do the business in both races, and catch right back up with leader Mark in the championship.
In the hospital that evening - the evidence was clear. An obviously snapped scaphoid bone in the wrist. I called the consultant who fixed my leg, and by Wednesday I was under general anaesthetic having a 28mm screw inserted in my wrist.
That all depends whether I can get out for the two day meeting at Lydden this weekend. To be honest, it's not looking good - most people are recommending against it. But I've got to give it a go if I'm going to stay in with a chance. So I've got a wrist restraint with the excellent name of a "cock-up splint", and an XXL glove to go over it. If I can work the controls, I'm up for it.
Watch this space...
I did five laps of Lydden in Saturday practice, but the wrist was just too painfull. I couldn't brake hard, and it wouldn't have been safe to go out.
Ronnie Ross - back from a work-enforced absence - cleaned up in all three races.
On Sunday, I tried again with more pain killers, and a strapped on piece of foam under my glove. It was much less painfull, but I still had far too much concentration on my wrist, and not enough left to race hard.
Mick Fincham, back from concentrating on his race business, won the first race. Ronnie Ross had left Saturday night, so Mark Jay - on the front row for the next two races - won both of them to tighten his championship lead.
I'm now well down in the championship, but we're only about a third of the way through, so it's not over yet!
Hopefully my wrist should be sorted for Oulton Park in two weeks time.
Go to the Team MAG Sport Home Page
