TT1 4 Hour Endurance racing

Fantastic effort all the way from start to finish. It must have felt so good to have got that finish after it going so pear shaped in that instant and all the effort that followed. Well done the lot of you.
 
Thanks for the positive feedback on write up, but the version you have read was produced by Nick Alcock, credit to him for such excellent , motive write up. Basically I have been focused on sorting bike, but was keen to publish a report. Sent Nick what I had written and thats what he came up with. Team member couldn't do this without the team.
 
No Coconut this time either. Thanks go Nick Alcock for his contribution in creating the write up. Photos/Video to follow.

PAUL ARNOS JULY 2024



Life’s sweet – Bright sun and 30º heat at the Paul Arnos circuit near Pau in the plains of the French Pyrennes. Qualifying completed by 15:15 so a free afternoon/evening before the 3 hour endurance race at 10:15 tomorrow morning.

The team has expanded from the core of me, Tony, Andy, Paul, Ben, Nick and Lorraine to include Tim and Michael. We will use the extra hands as pit crew.

The tight circuit doesn’t suit the Laverda which is a handful to haul around. There’s no real straight to take a rest on and only one left hand bend at a continuous radius. Chuck in three major elevation changes, one being a mini corkscrew type and you get the picture.

The field comprised only 18 entries and these comprised mainly nimble Jap’ fours that turn on a sixpence. There is one notable exception in the Ducati of the Belgian ‘Semtex’ team but this is a wolf in sheep’s clothing despite being in our class.

British teams included Dynotec, Classic Suzuki and Team Bike. Casey O’Gorman was on the Team Bike RC30 – 16 years old and signed to ride by Marc Marquez’s management company. If you haven’t heard of Casey you will…

Friday started with scrutineering and would be followed by four 20 minute free practice sessions. We were first in-line for scrutineering and as is usual something had to be found. This time there was a question about the amount of safety foam in the petrol tank. Gaelic shrugs, consultation (unbeknown to the scrutineer google translate captured his comment ‘if he wants to burn off his face that’s his problem...) but eventually the seal of approval. Everyone knew this would be the outcome but it’s a dance you have to complete...

The first free practice session suggested a front end problem but this went away once the front end was loosened off to pump and re-align the forks. Myself and Tony Jimenez were both new to the circuit so these sessions were used to learn the track and shake-down the engine, check fuel consumption and practice pit stops. Both riders got progressively quicker (best lap 1.44), the engine seemed strong and fuel consumption was better than at Paul Ricard.

Saturday qualifying was two 15 minute sessions for each rider. Before starting out the organisers insisted we wear yellow tabards to alert other teams that they would close quickly on the Laverda. A ‘ride of shame’ perhaps but at the end of the day I can’t see the tabard and it’s good everyone is safe. Lorraine duly gaffer taped the riders flapping tabards to complete the look.

These sessions went to plan with our best time knocking 3 seconds off free practice. We were anchored to the back of the field but not down hearted as this is endurance racing and who knows what will happen…

The team gave itself a well-earned treat of dinner from the on-site catering van (thanks Tony). Whilst Andy’s pasta dishes are indeed a tasty treat sometimes a French microwave pizza just can’t be beat (and there’s no washing up after)!

Back in the pit for a few beers we were visited by Lionel one of the event organisers. Lionel has a soft spot for the Laverda as he was part of a team that worked to make the V6 competitive back in the day. He is also an experienced rider with local knowledge and he gave a couple of tips as to where we might be able to claw back a few seconds (maybe these would have been better received before qualifying).

The strategy for Sunday was for me to lead out and change after 45 minutes whereby Tony would ride another 45 minutes after which we’d alternate every 30 minutes. Points are awarded for completing the race (so long as you complete 75% of the distance of the class winning team) and also at the half-way stage where you must be running.

I ambled across the track for the ‘Le Mans’ start in the 32º heat as I expected to be at the back of the field and preferred a clear track to settle into a rhythm. The bike felt good with the tyres digging in and my knee sliders skimming the tarmac. The speed differential caused a few ‘moments’ as the Japanese fours howled past. I watched with envy as they under and over took me through corners changing lines at will. Casey O’Gorman was serene on the RC30 hugging the tank and barely hanging off through the bends. For my part I had listened to Lionel and used his advice to good effect – one of his tips was to brake way later than you think possible at the first right/left section and he was right (tho’ a change of underwear would be necessary). Times (best of 1.41) were coming down and all was going to plan when I came in for the scheduled pit stop at 45 minutes.

Paddock stand home, bike lifted and I’m off walking to the garage expecting fuel to go in and Tony to take over...when Ben points to oil on the primary side of the bike. This is a significant leak which needs investigation so Paul wheels the bike into the garage where the primary chain case gasket has been blown proud of the crankcase!

All hands on deck to remove the case and replace the gasket. It’s time consuming at the best of times but here the belly pan and additional kevlar outer cover has to be removed along with the Ignitec timing trigger. Hot metal and naked fingers don’t mix but we push on as the bike is canted over to prevent oil spillage when the primary case is removed. It’s a whirlwind of spanners before taking a breath to make sure the ignition timing is correct and those annoying grub screws are in place…

The clock is ticking down and the priority is to ensure the bike is back on the track at the half-way stage. If this target is missed then our race is over. The bike starts with 5 minutes to spare and the decision is taken to get back on track for 2 laps and then return to re-fuel. At this point the field is following the safety car so Tony gets out and joins the back of the queue – we’re on track at the half-way point...we can relax or can we…



...the safety car comes in and the speed rises. Tony comes howling past the pits. Is that smoke from the exhaust or just oil burning off the silencer? He comes past again and it’s still there. Surely it should be burnt off by now? Third time round and the smoke is coming out of the silencer – game over and we decide to call him in, but too late he doesn’t appear again.

Tony is spotted opposite the pit wall and soon he’s walking up pit lane. ‘Engines gone’ he announces and despite the sun a cloud descends over garage #38. This is different to Paul Ricard where we made the finish despite the crash - this is just ‘it’s over’ despite all our efforts. No more chances to just get it over the line just time to start clearing the garage and listen as runners roar past.

We applaud the finishers and go to Parc Fermee to watch the celebrations. Casey O’Gorman was smoking the field on his RC30 until he binned it and they came home fourth. Casey is a star but perhaps today he learned the lesson that to ‘finish first, first you’ve got to finish’. The Semtex Ducati won our class but also came a staggering 3rd overall – a testament to their team and the bikes ability to consistently put in the laps.

The sweeper van arrives with the Laverda. I start the motor then immediately switch it off – sounds like a head gasket but whatever it sounds bad! The garage is cleared and the team disperse. Ben and Tony are heading all the way back to Caen, Paul and Michael to Pau as are Nick and Lorraine. Tim is similarly headed there then onto to Andorra. Me and Andy have a hotel near Bordeaux.

‘That’s racing’ as the saying goes. It’s happened before and will happen again. It’s a fact that’s never easy to swallow but it’s part of the game and you’ve just got to dust yourself down and go again. If it was easy then everyone would do it…

As ever thanks to all the team whose efforts mean more to me than they can ever know.

Next round Donnington Park 5/6 October (bet it won’t be 32°)

Andy

PS Post race analyse showed we would have easily received a classification if we had carried on lapping at the same rate, roughly 95 laps. Semtex who finished 3rd overall completed 112.

PPS Hindsight is a wonderful thing and of course once we saw the blown primary chain case gasket we should have retired and saved some of the motor. However when I pitted the engine wasn’t smoking and seemed in good health! Whatever the reality though in the heat of the moment your focus is just to keep going and despite the inevitable the temptation to keep going would have been too strong.

The engine is now stripped and it’s not a pretty sight! The rubber inlet hose on #1 cylinder split resulting in #1 piston becoming MIA with #2 piston on the point of failure. Pistons and liners on their way from Red and the engine is booked in with Keith Nairn for crank repair, rod and liners/piston installation + whatever else rears its ugly head!
 
Thanks for the report! You've summed it up well, that can happen when you're doing endurance racing. Pity that the engine broke, I'll keep my fingers crossed that the repair won't be so expensive and that things will go better at the next event!
 
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