DIARY OF BEN BILLARD: VIRGIN MEDIA R6 CUP RACER
BRITISH GRAND PRIX, DONINGTON PARK, 22-24 JUNE 2007
As the MotoGP
elite thrilled a record 85,000 spectators at Donington at this weekend’s
British Grand Prix, Ben Billard, a nineteen year old personal trainer from Chesterfield, was enjoying
his first taste of life in the Grand Prix paddock.
The opportunity for
Ben to race at the British Grand Prix arose because at the beginning of the
year he was selected into the highly competitive Virgin Media R6 Cup, a breeding
ground for future Grand Prix stars. The Virgin Media Cup is a cauldron of
competition where aspiring young racers go head to head on identical
motorcycles. It is more competitive than ever this year with the age limit of
riders having been increased to 25. Ben has risen to the challenge exceptionally
well, as one of only a handful of riders to have scored points in each of the
first five rounds.
Ben now shares
his experiences of the Grand Prix through a personal diary brought exclusively
to you through the Biker Cafe.
Thursday 21 June
My parents and I
arrive at Donington
Park in the motor home on
Thursday lunchtime, the day before we are out on track. I always like to arrive
at the circuits in good time. My racing is a family affair with one or both of
my parents usually traveling with me.
We are greeted at
the gate by a wall of security guards, but our passes are swiftly scanned and
we are ushered in. The Grand Prix motorcycles are worth a fortune, so security
is understandably hot. Last year I was competing in the New Era club
championships and the ACU stars junior superstock, so this is all a huge
contrast for me. In terms of general infrastructure such as motor homes and
garages, the overall appearance of the paddock is second to none. The British
Superbike rounds where we normally race are not that far behind, confirming that
the domestic national championships are the best in the World.
The Virgin Media
race transporters have already arrived and 26 gleaming Yamaha R6 race bikes are
neatly lined up within the giant Virgin Media Cup awning. I find my mechanic
Matt and we discuss preload settings for the first practice session on Friday.
It is very reassuring to have the expertise of professional Yamaha mechanics
and I have developed a good relationship with the mechanic assigned to me. Other
than my race number, 69, the only other distinguishing feature on my bike is
the seat, which is suede. A small matter of personal preference but I find it
offers more grip when the back end slides out. In terms of bike preparation,
everything is taken care of, which is one of the advantages of racing in the
Virgin Media Cup. But the series itself is no easy ride, with everyone out to
impress on identical specification bikes - with the prize of a professional
contract with Yamaha’s British Superbike or Supersport team dangling before us.
I love this series because it comes down to rider ability. Realistically, I
have to approach 07 as a learning year and aim to win it in 08.
We have a pasta dinner
in the motor home. I have not ridden at the GP circuit before so I study a map
of the Melbourne
loop section of the track and then get an early night.
Friday 22 June
It is time for
our first timed practice session and we have two challenges, first we are
running Pirelli Diablo Corsa 3 road tyres as opposed to full wets and second
the tyres are brand new offering little traction until scrubbed in. Brake
cleaner is hastily applied to take the shine off the tyres and it is time to
go. As I go out on track I am mindful of how Nicky Hayden was quickest in earlier
MotoGP practice by staying smooth. My Pirellis offer good grip in the
conditions, but I still find myself sliding around a lot. We have an excellent
free practice session and finish seventh fastest, just half a second behind the
second quickest time.
I am pleased to
find that the conditions for the qualifying session later in the day are better,
with a dry line appearing. I am optimistic that I can improve on 7th
quickest time. For most of the twenty minute session the screens in pit lane
show that I am running anywhere between fifth and twelfth, with positions
chopping and changing every lap. Qualifying is always very exciting and very
close in the Virgin Media Cup with the only variable being the rider. With
three minutes remaining of the session I come in, only to see my position drop
from eighth to nineteenth on the screens. I quickly go back out on track but I
have not left enough time to complete a timed lap. I had mistimed when I came in
for a breather on a drying track and it had cost me.
At the end of
the day I had learnt a valuable lesson and the fact that I had finished the
first session seventh quickest reflected what I was capable of.
Saturday 23 June
With our first
race of the weekend not until 5.20PM, I had plenty of time to think about how I
could make amends for an average qualifying position. In the race I had a good
start and was making my way through the field when I was shunted from behind by
another rider whilst entering the Old Hairpin and with such force that it
smashed the tail unit of my bike. This series is not for the faint hearted! I
managed to stay on but had to take to the gravel trap and by the time I
rejoined the track I was in last position over 16 seconds behind the rider in
front. I set to work catching up and making my way back through the field, making
up eight places to finish nineteenth, which was where I had qualified. On the
plus side, I had been putting in times that would have allowed me to finish well
in the top eight had I not been taken out earlier on.
Obviously I was
disappointed not to have finished higher, but in the circumstances I had to be
reasonably satisfied.
There was a real
treat in store later that evening as I had a chance to tour Yamaha’s MotoGP
garages and to meet Colin Edwards, who was in buoyant mood having just recorded
his second career MotoGP pole! We discussed personal fitness and it was a huge
privilege to meet the two times World Superbike Champion and another perk of
competing in the Virgin Media Cup.
I went to bed
early reflecting on how I could improve for Sunday’s race.
Sunday 24 June
Watching the
MotoGP immediately before my race was fantastic. Casey Stoner rode brilliantly
and Colin Edwards also had a storming race finishing second, which as a Yamaha
racer was obviously great to see.
In my race I got
away from the grid well and was running in ninth early on when I hit a false
neutral at Redgate corner and with insufficient engine braking had to run wide.
That cost me a lot of places but I worked my way back up to eventually finish
fifteenth and in another points scoring position. As in race one there were
some spectacular crashes. I was really pleased to have stayed upright and to
have gone three quarters of a second quicker in the second race which was a
good sign in terms of personal progress.
On the whole I
was happy with my lap times, if not my race results. It had been another good
learning weekend which was the objective of the weekend and indeed the
objective of my first year racing in the Virgin Media Cup. This racing weekend
is not part of the series but what a fantastic opportunity to be able to ride
at the British MotoGP round with the brilliant atmosphere as well, an
opportunity only available by being in the Virgin Media R6 Cup. Bring on next
year’s GP!! There is little time to catch our breath as on Wednesday we are off
to Knockhill for the next round and back to our normal venue of the British
Superbike paddock.
Ben Billard 69
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