Team Wildcard Racing Blog

Cadwell Park - 27/28 September

2008-10-03T18:40:00.002+01:00

Well this turned out to be a very eventful meeting in many ways. I was having trouble with my vehicle so we put the Rudge into Phil's van along with the two Bantams, and all the tools and spares went into Mark's van. Phil lent Mark his Bantam ( josie ) for Cadwell. We arrived Friday late afternoon just as the Friday track day was winding up. It was a bit chaotic in the paddock for a while but we ended up in our usual spot. I had to wait until Saturday morning for the 350 Ducati to arrive so we scrutineered the bantams and the rudge and grabbed some food and an early night ( well I did anyway ! ). Next morning brought a blanket of mist which lasted until midday. I met Gav who arrived with the Ducati and I was lucky enough to take it out in the only practice of the morning. Racing finally started early afternoon and I managed a couple of laps on the Rudge before it snapped a valve and chewed it's way through the piston. Phil and Mark were next out with Phil getting a fifth and Mark finishing his first ever race! I took the Ducati out in the 350 special race and really enjoyed it, finishing fifth. Phil and Mark had another Bantam race with similar results and that was the end of the first days racing. We met James that morning and he was racing the C15 in the 250 races. We watched the first one and noticed his exhaust had come away from the engine in the first lap. He carried on, making much noise, until it finally dropped off on the last lap. Needless to say he carried on to finish the race!
We had a great barbecue that evening with Trevor and Lenny and Verner and two of my friends, Mike and John, who rode up from Cornwall that morning on Mike's KTM, a cold 350 mile trip. I took the opportunity to put the spare- spare engine in the Rudge.
Next day started well but the Rudge wasn't running right so I didn't take it out any more. I took the Ducati out and it wasn't going quite as well as before so Gav did a bit of work on it and the final time I took it out it was going fine and I managed a forth place. Mark had a few more races which ended up in the novice race where he finished forth as well! Phil's third place in the championship was still undecided as he started the last championship race. He flew off the line and up the hill and was in second place when he clipped a bike he was overtaking and had a spectacular off. He and the bike slid up the track for ages, with all the bikes behind taking avoiding action, some on the grass and Mike Powell even jumped clean over Phil's bike! That was the end of Phil's third place. He cut his hand quite badly and we did spent a while in A + E later that night while he had it stiched up, but Phil was in good spirits throughout.
And so to the end of the season, and what a full on way to end it. Phil will be fixing the Bantam which he has decided to buy and race next year. I will be fixing the Rudge, and hopefully I will get to ride the Ducati again next year, and Mark will no doubt be racing in the Bantam championship. I spoke to James who brought and raced my C15 and he says he will be out next season as well, so roll on next year!

Lydden 30 / 31 Aug.

2008-09-18T10:14:00.002+01:00

This is one of the meetings we look forward to the most. For the last three years it has also been the memorial meeting for our great friend and mentor Tim Johnston. There is always a full on barbecue on the saturday night and this year was no exception. Tim's brother Trevor supplied the three barrells of beer and the huge amount of food was cooked by Andy Hunt and Stu Noble with help from their friends, whilst their partners Steff and Yvonne were in charge of serving, with me and Phil willing helpers as was Jane . It was a great success, with the only dubious point being when me and Phil attempted to entertain the masses with our song about racing.
Anyway, with regards to the racing, lets start with Phil. Phil had two good days racing on the bantam with solid finishes up to forth and no mecanical issues. This has put him in third place in the championship with only Cadwell to go, which is going to be a very exciting meeting.
I also had a good weekend on the Rudge, actually I believe this is the first meeting of my season that I finished a race! The good news was I had eight races on the Rudge with no mecanical problems and I even managed a forth! Phil also lent me his bantam, josie, so I could enter a couple of cup races which was great. Trevor was having a good weekend on the velo until the last race when the oil tank collapsed and oil on the back tyre sent him off. Bth the bike and Trevor were battered and bruised but hopefully they will both be back for Cadwell.
Once again Jane handed out the Tim Johnston trophies on the start finish line to the winners of the champion of champions races.
We are now looking forward to Cadwell where Phil is hoping to keep his third place in the championship and I am looking forward to more time on the Rudge as well as the chance to ride a 350 Ducati, more an that later!

Anglesey 9/10 Aug.

2008-08-16T12:55:00.003+01:00

It's becoming a habit at the moment but Phil went to race at Anglesey this weekend on his own once again. I picked up another bantam rider on the way up ( Mick Potter ). Slow journey but not too bad, arriving at 9.30pm. Sat. race day started at 5am with the gazebo destroying itself against the side of the van! scrutineered at 8am to find out the the poor weather conditions, mainly high winds, meant that racing was cancelled for the morning. Things started moving after lunch but again no racing, just practice. I went out in the second session and after a few laps and an off in front of me, poor visibility due to the mist I decided to call it a day.
Sunday morning was much brighter. Started at the back of the grid for the first bantam race of the day and managed to fight my way up to forth place by the end of the race, despite filling ill due to a stomach bug. Second bantam race once again started at the back of the grid and got up to fifth by the end, which was enough to pull me up to fifth in the championship. went out in a later cup race and used it as an opportunity to try out a carb setting change. Had a good race and the bike seemed slightly crisper. All in all I had a good weekend with lap times dropping by over two seconds throughout the day. Can't wait to get to Lydden, and this time Miki will be there!

Festival of 1000 bikes 12 13 July

2008-07-28T21:18:00.002+01:00

Hi, I am back at last after allowing work to interfere with my racing ( poor show ). Having blown up my new Rudge engine at Donington I had to put a spare engine together for Angelsea and this seemed like a good place to test it. Set off 2.30am on Sun. morning and arrived at Mallory just after 6. Straight in and scrutineered and signed on and was sitting down to a full cooked breakfast by eight oclock, well I wasn't out on the track until the afternoon. I spent the rest of the morning looking around the festival and watching the bikes out on the track. The weather was great! Took the Rudge out for two sessions in the afternoon and the bike went with no problems at all. If only it would do that on race days!I will be putting another spare engine together to take to Angelsea as I won't have the good one finished in time. Saw Robbie Brown there and he had his leg all caged up with loads of pins in all over the place!

Mallory Park Sun. 22nd June

2008-07-28T20:57:00.002+01:00

Miki was busy working away so I ( Phil ) went to Mallory on my own, taking Ted's Lc bantam and my bantam Josie. No problems on the way up and met Trevor Johnston in the paddock so had a good evening with him and Lenny and got an earlyish night! Mick Potter and Ted Smith turned up in the morning so we teamed up in the paddock.
First race I started at the back but got a much better start than previously( made a few changes before Mallory). Bike was going well and felt my confidence growing. Finished forth, not too bad from the back of the grid. Next was the 250 race on Josie. Started near the back again, next to the great Rudge racer Mervin Stratford. Josie did us proud again and after a brilliant battle with Sam Rhodes on his Velo I finished ninth.
I was well fired up now so charged off from the front row in the second bantam race and held position for four laps. Had a good battle with Mike Powell until I did two stoppies going into the hairpin before hitting Powell and taking us both out. Whoops! I came away with a couple of cracked ribs and Mike was unhurt but not too happy with me. After a trip to the medical centre and scrutineering I went out on the bantam in the bsa/velo challange. Was doing OK after a slowish start ( my ribs were hurting ) and was moving up the pack but then Robbie Brown came off hard at Edwinas and badly broke his leg. Of course the race was stopped. I am now looking forward to Angelsea.

C15 sale

2008-05-18T22:07:00.002+01:00

Just to let everyone know that our first attempt to encourage people into the wonderful world of British Historic Racing seems to have been a success. My fantastic C15 has been brought by someone looking to get back into racing after a long break, and they will be joining Team Wildcard at Cadwell Park at the end of this season. We are all looking forward to this , and all our other meetings to come this year.
We will be offering two people the chance to come with us free of charge to a race meeting soon, so keep checking this site for details. Miki.

Three Sisters Wigan

2008-05-16T20:25:00.002+01:00

Phil did this meeting on his own as I couldn't make it. This is his account of the weekend.
Left Friday 9th May, lunchtime, M6 usual nightmare, arrived at 6.30pm, just in time to miss scrutineering! Joined the bantam boys in the paddock and got an early night in readiness for the weekends' racing. I entered the 125 in the bantam class, and my 175 in the 250 class, and I took the 125 out for practice. Bantams out in race one, I soon remembered how hard it is to overtake at three sisters, having had a bad start. Fought my way up to a fifth place finish. The first 250 race ended in a dnf after the bike fired its' spark plug at the opposition in an attempt to dismount a passing rider. Whoops! must remember to tighten the plug properly next time. Changed the 125 gearing at lunchtime, slightly lower, afternoon times were slower but the bike felt better to ride. Spent the best part of the race trying to pass the very experienced Pete Tibbets who held me to another fifth place finish. Second 250 race began with a misfire which cleared through the race, I finished mid field.
Sun was as bright and dry as Saturday. Bantams out first again, after another bad start I started reeling in Robbie Brown until the bike once again started firing bits of itself at other riders, this time the silencer, slowing me down and leading to another fifth place. First 250 race and josie was still misfiring but finished the race midfield. Last bantam race brought my best times of the weekend, once again behind Mr. Tibbets having momentarily passed him. Last 250 race, after fitting a new plug and bypassing the kill switch, the bike went well. Had a good race with the mixed 250 field, good practice for overtaking. Finished fifth.
All in all a good weekend on the new bike. Realized I need to work on my starts and overtaking. Josie was her usual reliable self, apart from my mistake with the plug! Looking forward to Mallory when I should be out on both bikes again.

Donington Park 27/04/08

2008-05-03T22:49:00.002+01:00

We arrived at Donington Sat. evening got scrutineered and went to the pub! Forcast was rain for Sunday but the day started bright and clear. Picked up my new starter rollers on the way up but didn't get a chance to set them up. Went out for practice on the C15 . Great track, fast. Racing was slow to start but I got my first race before lunch which is more than Phil did. I managed to go offroading three times on my first lap, a new record for me. Then the clutch started slipping and I ended up in the kitty litter. Whoops! Phil took the new Bantam out after lunch and I took a break from fitting the spare engine in the Rudge to go and watch. Phil pulled himself up into forth place and then one or two mistakes meant that he couldn't quite make third or second, finishing less than a second behind them. I went out on the C15 for the second time and things were going much better until lap two, i went to change into forth and look, no gear lever! Glanced down to see the lever and linkage trailing along by the rear wheel. I was a little concerned it might dig in and have me off but what the hell, so I finished the race stuck in third gear all the way. Lucky for me the bike has a rev limiter. Next it was out on the Rudge to be welcomed by the long promised rain. After the sighting lap we were all on the grid and ready to go when they cancelled the rest of the meeting due to the weather. Never mind, we still had a good day. Note thet Phil's Bantam carries the number 141. This is because he lent it to another rider for the day.

Mallory test day and Mallory race Easter Sunday

2008-03-26T22:27:00.001Z

So we got all four bikes up and ready for the test day on Friday 14th march and we were very lucky with the weather. I had the 250 rudge and the C15, and Phil had the new bantam and his green one. Both my bikes tested well although the rudge developed a fuel leak from a split tank and the tappets went wildly out of adjustment. I retired the C15 from testing when it developed gearbox trouble. Both bantams tested fine. Back home I fixed the fuel tank and stripped the C15 gearbox to find an easy to fix problem with the selector fork.
Drove back up to Mallory on Sat. 22nd March ready for the Sun. race meeting. Got up at six thirty to find a good inch of snow cover everywhere! It did clear quickly and we got out for practice about 10 am. Unfortunatly one of the three wheelers dropped it's oil on last practice and despite the efforts of the track and marshalls it was not possible to clear and at 2pm the meeting was finally cancelled. We were gutted.
Back home and we have four weeks before Donnington so I have decided to build the new rudge engine and test it there.

Team Wildcard Racing Blog

2008-03-26T12:30:00.001Z

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