My first time ever at Donington but as the Fast group had been selling out and even had some reserves, I was riding in the Intermediates, aka the group most likely to crash (this is because - according to legend - it’s the one where people too proud to book into Novices go and/or it’s where the self-styled heroes go so they can beat all the slower riders). In truth, I’m better suited to the Inters. as I’m not as fast as I was and I ride a bike that’s much, much heavier than the rest - imagine a sportsbike with a rider and pillion and that’s about the right weight…

We don’t allow laptiming at our trackdays, but one of the ZRXOC Team Phat Bastid Supporters Club contingent clocked me at under 1:37 for a lap.

Donington Park is now one of my favourite tracks as it’s a lovely one to ride and not ‘Mickey Mouse’ like some others. Problem is, it’s another ‘premium’ MSV-owned circuits so it’s an expensive day, especially for a so-called Noisy day: despite being next to East Midlands Airport, the locals complain about bike noise, so there are normally noise restrictions in place.

That and they prohibit on-board videos, the buggers.

Photos in the usual place:
and