A day at the races

Well. Not the Groucho Marx version, but the NW200 one.

I arrived in Portrush Friday evening to sink a few pints of the black stuff with Mats Nilsson (well, HE does not touch a drop - ever) and Lars (Mats' brother in arms, a complete and natural utter nutcase - funny as hell, many times not even knowing about it himself), and a few other of their friends from England.
Went to bed. Woke up a few hours later when my room-mate, Lars the Nutter, bursted out FIRE! FIRE!
Lars was totally convinced someone had screemed that there was a fire in the hotel. He jumped into his shorts and went out the door in bare feet towards the lift... ehhhh, yes, the lift.
I stuck a shoe in the door and went back to bed as I couldn't smell or hear anything strange.
A while later Lars came back, again waking me up, explaining how someone must have made a mistake in shouting out that there was a fire. Yeah, right Lars...

The next day Mats explains to me this is pretty much standard routine with this lad. Thanks for telling me...

Saturday. Mats and Lars takes off in mr Nilssons super fat Merc and Mats says he'll just drop Lars off and come back to pick me up.
Eeeeeeerhhhh. A bit a traffic was there?
I end up walking over to the pit area.
Loads and loads of people are already lining the track and all the good spots have been taken several hours before the first race start.

Well in the pits I check into the Padgett's fort hoping to be able to hang around atleast for a little while.
No problems whatsoever.
Clive Padgett and the rest of his crew were extremely good all day long, and as long as I kept out of their way (which of corse I did) everything was as cool as Cool and significant others.


Same story when McGuiness came in. I have a hard time believing there can be a nicer bloke in a leather suit. Smiling and trying to please as many of his fans as possible when the cameras goes off and autographs are to be signed.

First race and the specially prepared and sooooo sweet Padgett's 250 is rolled out towards the grid. McG knelt down almost like another famous racer next to his bike beforehand, concentrating for the task at hand.





I only get to see a little bit of the race, but could there have been a better winner? Script played out to perfection and lots of tears all around the track.





Clive seemed most pleased with third and didn't mind at all that the young Dunlop paid respect to his late dad in best possible way.

The boys in the pit are constantly tinkering away on the different bikes. If something is not being changed or replaced, screws and bolts are checked for tightening torque.

Superbike race and McG gets another third, this time for the HM Plant team. Blade does what everyone expects of him and brings home victory for his Ducati 1098 NW200 team.

Mats could well be the lead singer in Cool and the Gang. He's just so laid back and must be an awake replica of Bruce Anstey...

I'm having a walk round the paddock and check out the other teams, riders and all the people seeming to have the time of their lives.

Mats and Johns supersport bikes are rolled out. Mats gets into his PJ's and then walks off. I see he's left his helmet and gloves behind and think he was a bit nervous after all. Then I get nervous. Isn't someone coming to get them? A few minutes later Mats comes walking back in again like he's just been out for a stroll and sits down like theres nothing going on.

-Eeeerrrrrh, Mats, aren't you gonna get over to the grid?
-Oh? Is it time already?
-Mmmmmm, well if you're thinking of participating in this first supersport race I reckon it is, yes...
C n G.

Mats has struggled all through practice with top speed. He reckons he's almost caught a cold going down the straights as other racers have passed him by, only for him to get them back on the brakes.
The speed-trap figures speak for themselves.
The team has made a number of changes for the race though and fingers are crossed.
It's still not too bad for being out together, Mats and Padgett's, for the first time. And this is not the big event for them, but basically a rehearsal for the Isle of Man.

Mats gets a good start from his 33rd position and after the first lap he's up to 19th, right on the pipe of Chris Palmer.
Again Mats feels the lack of speed down the straights, however the chassis couldn't be better and lots of riders are passed on the brakes and good speed through corners. Second lap 21rst. Third lap 22nd. Still good.



Then, on the fourth lap, going into Church Palmer gets a bit of a moment as Mats is sitting right next to him, and Mats playes it safely as he gets completely off line and runs off the track. He looses over a minute on the lap and tries to keep the red mist away, ending up 46th in the race.

Coming back to the pits, mr Nilsson looks like he's going to kill something, but settles down after a while.
McGuiness looks like he's had better moments in life aswell. 9th was not on his agenda for the day, plus he's experianced a very unlike-McGuiness-moment at Black Hill.
A bit of talk with Clive and the Boys and the bikes are being stripped again. John will race his second bike in race two, the Isle of Man-prepared bike. It will be its first time out, so basically a bit of braking in.

The races goes on and it's a fantastic day. Plater is on fire and gets the first supersport race. Wilcox takes the glory in the 125s and Ollie Lindsdale repeats his victory from last year in the 400s.
Alastaire Seeley turns the table on Anstey from last year in the superstock race and Plater takes another victory in the second superbike race after some do-or-die moves on the last lap. Cameron Donald picks up a very fine second.

Second supersport race and last race of the day. This is it for Mats. A top 20 would be a very fine ending of this Saturday and I tell him he'll get 18th as I punch his shoulder on the grid.



Mats gets a super start and pulls in McFarland straight away.
Red flag. The Carrot Cruncher has gone down at Black Hill. It's good to see Guy Martin crackin a few jokes as he walks along the grid in beat up leathers when a marchal has taken him back. He looks alright, but his race weekend is over.

Second start, and Mats is swallowed up by the racers behind him. Not good!



First lap 20th. Good! Second, third and fourth lap he's 18th. As he crossed the line of the last lap he's moved up to 16th spot! Super!!!


Coming back to the vinyl garage Mats looks everything but pleased though. Again brakes were good, chassis super, but no top speed!
After he settles down again and gets congratulated by his team he calms down and the days racing sinks in.
McGuiness looks completely beat as he comes in. Who wouldn't be after six bloody hard races in one day!!! But yep, he puts on a big smile for me as I take a photo of Mats, John and Clive.





All in all this has been very good practice for the Padgett's of Batley team. And it's been a very good weekend for Mats to get to know his team and get the feel for the bike that will bring him to a couple of top 15 spots at the TT.

Flint will be up for the job when the flag drops for the mountain course, make no mistake.

The evening was spent in good spirits although someone must stop digging up his dinner for the sake of others. My head felt like it had grown to twice its regular size the morning after as I headed down for a full english, however the journey home all went past in good memories from the weekend.

Groucho Marx may not have been at the races but we had Lars, and even though he didn't paint on a mustache I reckon his white loafers did just the trick for me anyway.