Silverstone

I'm sitting here writting this and grinning like a dog with two bones. I had a whale of a time. Even Friday practice, which saw red flags on every sesion - usually for some spot squeezing Aprilia Super Weaner, prompts me to ask if Snow White knows what the guys are getting up to on their day off - couldn't shift the smile on my face.

Silverstone - "The Home of British Motor Sport" - but not until 7 in the morning. We are a fire hazard the security gaurd explained to me. I thought of borrowing a mountain bike, wrapping a tea-towel round my head and charging the gates waving a box of matches and screaming "Allah ach Abar." But with my luck there would be an apache gunship on anti-terrorist duties hovering behind the grandstand "Allah ,,,, Oh Feck ,,,."

I liked Silverstone - I know a lot of you felt otherwise, but I felt comfortable with it after just a couple of practice laps. Even the pits were nice n clean - shame we wont be back next year.

Race one was brill. I made a good start, something it has taken me all season to master, and then settled down to chase whoever was in front. Turned out to be Bill Charteris, new hamster on the block on a 350 YPVS. I had a hugely enjoyable dice with him, I had him in the corners but he would out drag me down the straights. But then a posse of 400's turned up to spoil the party, one of which decided to park in front of me in the chicane and let Bill through to pip me on the drag to the flag - lardy diesel bastards ,,, Still I couldnt resist a titter as one came past me on the back straight into the braking zone literally millimeters away, any closer he'd have to buy me dinner and some flowers, only to bin it in the left hander. If he's looking for sympathy its in the dictionary.

Race two - it managed to rain just enough to give half a dry line - so it was a case of avoid the wet patch I usually do that by going straight to sleep but this situation required a different tactic. I wasnt in any hurry off the line I just went out to see what it was like and surprisingly it wasnt half as bad as I imagined it to be. I put a pass on Gavin into the left hander only to go in a little too hot on the last lap and have a little whoopsie on the line of paint across the entry - kept it shiny side up tho - but Gav pounced on that to pip me to the line.

Special thanks to Bally and Fish for thier encouragement and advice and to Chris and Matt tho mostly for tanning my emergency bottle of whisky. The rest of you can take a bow as well - cheers guys I had a ace days racing.

And so to Snetterton. Rumours that I will be giving an exhibition of van reversing are untrue - its just the perverse wish of those who enjoy a cheap laugh at the inadequacies of others - you know who you are ,,,, This is George Watson for Back o the Grid ,,,left hand down ,,, down ,,, Ooops.

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