Oli Henderson, LB member and Bemsee racer, gives us a detailed insight into his experiences this year as a rookie in the 600 series. The words below are his.After four years or so on the road, 1x GSXR 600(97), 2x R1's ('99&'02), 1 GSXR 1000 ('03), a trip across Europe, many nights at Chelsea Bridge, police chases, close shaves, and fun, my career of riding on the road came to an end with a 54 month ban, £1,700 fine and a four month, electronically tagged curfew. I thought my time on a bike was over. In other words my life was over. My life felt meaningless and black. Then I was at a World Superbike Round at Brands Hatch and it suddenly hit me. Shit!! I should be racing.... I can do that. And so it was set, Oli was going racing. I hadn't actually thought about the fact that I had never done a trackday at this point. Should be interesting anyway.
Race Induction - Saturday 19th Feb '05Two weeks before 'kick off', we were required to go to the ACU Race School day at Snetterton. This would have been the third time in my life that I have been on a track, on my bike. I'll never forget it. Feb 20th 2005, it was the darkest, coldest morning ever. We drove into the circuit with snow flakes falling around us and the look in each others eyes was one of "What the f**k are we doing". Neither off us wanting to admit what we were thinking though. We arrived in the paddock and there were hundreds of people all running around like they knew what they were doing and where they were supposed to be. Track temperature was below zero and outside temp was about -4c, if I remember. I'm not joking when I say they made people drive round in their vans to try and clear the snow, and then a tractor was seen doing a few laps with a contraption being towed round to try and do its best to clear the tarmac. I had ridden a bike twice in the last 18months and I can tell you I was feeling pretty intimidated by the whole thing. Any smiles and laughs that I produced that day were forced, I can assure you. I was just worried about everyone seeing this twat on a bright blue GSXR and asking why he was there. So eventually we have our first session, new tyres, no tire warmers and shit they are all so quick. I felt like I hadn't ridden a bike before, felt scared and alien. I didn't want to crash, again. I kept asking myself, "Why I was doing this to myself". To be honest I think it was the lack of riding over the last 18 months that gave me such a lack of confidence. I was feeling rather depressed on the way home. I remembered a time when a GSXR 1000 and an R1 where my slaves, my bitches, whatever, but I owned the bike and it did exactly what I wanted. And now I felt like an alien on it, I just couldn't gel. Two weeks later and we would be back here on the grid, racing against 40 of those nutters. I was going to get completely munched!
Rounds 1 & 2. Stetterton - 12/13th March '05It had been two weeks since the race induction and I was feeling ill with nerves and apprehension. We had a test day on the Friday and to my surprise a lot of what I felt had been missing in me a couple of weeks before had come back, I actually started to enjoy riding the bike again. I was smiling inside my lid again like I used to on the road. Still pretty slow out there but a little more confidence was instilled. Never slept that Friday night, or if I did it was very little as I remember seeing 4:30am on my clock whilst trying to go to sleep. I just kept going over and over what I thought the start and the first corner would be like. Will I get skittled, will I stall, will I live. I am a true believer in thinking positively and not worrying about things that you can't control, so I could control not being taken out in the first corner! Stick to the inside line and the rest would be down to fate. Ultimately I just wanted to finish, and not come last if possible, but finishing was my goal. So there I was 30th/38 on the grid. I never forget going over the chequered flag for the first time, it was just immense. I started 30th and finished 29th, wow. I didn't come last. So with the first one out the way I knew I could do it. The rest of the weekend went well with a really good battle in the last race, in which I snatched the win between us on the last lap by going round him on the outside.
Lydden Hill Rounds 3 & 4 - 2nd/3rd April '05 So I arrived at Lydden, a very small circuit was my first thought. I went pretty well in testing, trying to get reference points and braking points sorted. Come race day though it all went to pot, I felt very unstable, like I couldn't hang off for some reason. The weekend stayed dry and I got my first point finishing 14th place in one of the races. Then as I was putting my leathers on for the last race on Sunday, it all changed. The sun was out, I had some friends around who were all having a great time, I walked up from where my awning was, Jamie Fennings an 18yr old in his second ever race had been hit by another bike on the start/finish straight and had been killed instantly. SMACK, BANG, WALLOP. I cant tell you what a shock and a heart breaker it was for myself and everyone there. It's not what you expect from racing, despite being a dangerous sport and knowing that things do happen, I was not expecting my worst fears to be realised at my second ever meeting. I had never met Jamie, but that Sunday evening I cried in my flat, on my own. 18yrs old, his dad was racing in the same class as him (rookie 400's) and his whole family had been there to watch. So young, so unfair. It screwed with my head for a few days and I spoke to some people about it. The bottom line is that it does, from time to time happen. But if you are going to be involved in this sport then you have to put it to the back of your mind. The more you worry and are negative about riding, the more it will hold you back and the more dangerous you make it for yourself. Either do it and do it with conviction, or be a spectator. It's that simple. I realised that a lot of racers however compassionate they might be, really detach themselves from their true emotions when something like this happens. It's hard but in a way you have to, and so that's what I have been learning to do. Sadly I had more opportunities to practise this as the season continued.
Brands Indy Rounds 5 & 6 - 30April/1st May '05This was one I had been looking forward to all year. It was the first time my sister would see me race, and also it would be the first time I got to ride the legendry Brands Hatch circuit. Test day went well while I learnt the circuit and got my eye in. I couldn't quite believe that 38 bikes were going to pile into paddock hill bend as a first corner. By Friday evening I had about 15 friends from London all enjoying a BBQ and a beer or two. There was a great atmosphere and I was chomping at the bit to get to that race on Saturday morning. Finally, Saturday morning arrived, well slept and refreshed I got ready for our practise session. The sun was nicely toasting the ground and my confidence was up. My lack of points from the last rounds had put me 23rd on the grid.. We don't qualify you see, each race meeting involves 4 races, in the first race you are gridded by the number of championship points you have. Then for the rest of the weekend you start on your finishing position of your previous race. So there I was, red light, black, off we go. I am on this I am going to do really well here, so many of my friends and family were there I couldn't. But at the same time, was thinking, "don't mess it up and crash Oli, you've got three more races of the weekend". So I steadily, and confidently started to pick people off, only having nine laps to do it, I made it to 14th place. Excellent, another 2 points, that's four whole points in 12 races. Oh well. Then in the second race on the Saturday I was totally psyched, I was really positive all day, I was going to get into the top ten. Lights went out, and I got a wicked start, I was sixth into the first corner, wicked mate! I can see leaders, I can see leaders, I can see leaders, oh shit I'm not concentrating on riding the bike, crapm, passed once, and again, and again. Now I'm pissed, had a great race with some great battles, and manage to finish ninth. Yes I got my first top ten finish. It made my day My season so far, it was like a moment of clarity, I know I can do this, I can be as good as any of those losers. They breath air like me, get scared like me, I just need the time and the enthusiasm. Bring it on.
Cadwell Park Rounds 7 & 8 - 29th & 30th May '05A monumental drive up to Cadwell Park, and setting up the awning on Thursday night was pretty exhausting, but I didn't care, I was so up for this, I wanted a top five finish now. I knew I could do it.
First thing on Friday morning, I went down to the circuit to have a glance. I was slightly confused, I have to admit, this is the track??? But it's like, four foot wide. Oh my God, and there really is a mountain. Oh well, in for a penny in for a pound. I took it really steady in testing, each session I was getting more and more confident. I loved the fast left hander, Coppice and also The Mountain was just awesome too. So race day had arrived, and again I was feeling good. I had a plan and I felt that I would do well.
I moved up slightly in the points, and my starting grid was 20th. I had a great race, a little word of advice though, if you are going to crash at Cadwell, there are places that just aren't clever; The Goose Neck is one, and Barns is another. I watched Tom Gazzard lose it going into the Goose Neck, bloody hell, I thought he was a goner, and his bike was actually snapped in half. He was lucky. Despite that, I had a great race, I was in tenth coming over The Mountain, side by side with my friend Conrad. I'd been lining him up for a couple of laps, and this time I way going to have him, well I did that and nearly had myself too. I was up on Conrad's inside, and went to block pass him into Hall bends, he should have seen me because I was just in front but for whatever reason he didn't and we came together. I did a bit of moto-crossing and he sadly hit the deck. Hard. See pics. He was okay and put it down to a racing incident. I felt awful, but he was okay, and I came ninth again.
Feeling good for the second race of the day, and we're were off. I was in sixth place for the first three laps and holding my own comfortably, then going into Charlies, I hit a false neutral and it messed up my concentration, the next thing I know, I'm cruising on the grass, head-on towards the tire wall at 70 mph+, and I can see that I'm going to get nicely catapulted into the air and proberly bend the forks on the bike. I made the executive decision and just slammed on the rear brake bring me and the bike down to a pretty cool slide. We were both fine, and I couldn't stop laughing. Especially when my best pal, and next years team-mate came round and hadn't accounted for an early breaker and ended up doing a wicked stoppie, and he too munched on some freshly cut Lancashire grass. It was hysterical, and we both watched the rest of the race together. My first off this year.
Sunday morning saw huge rain and hail, my gut was twisted with tension at the thought of my first wet race. I dealt with this by going to watch the power bikes and the 400's who go out before us. When I say standing water, I mean oceans of the stuff. The start/finish straight was flooded. They were going through this water like there was nothing to it. I just physced myself up, if they can do it, so can bloody well I. Everyone was in the same boat, so here goes nothing. Because of my DNF, I was now last on the grid. I could see 35 bikes in front of me. Red light, and we're off. I just went for it, it was awesome and in seven laps, I went from 36th to 9th, wicked! I'm getting the hang of this (by my standards). More points, then in the afternoon I was determined to get my fifth place. Again, the lights go out and I'm on it, 9th - 8th - 7th - 6th - 5th. Oh my God, I'm in 5th. I can see the leaders. This was last lap, again I was so ecstatic about being in 5th, I completely lost my rhythm and lost two places after a huge mistake at Park Corner.
Crap, next time hey!
Pembrey - 25th & 26th June '05We arrived in Wales, and on Friday morning when we woke for testing, there was a river running through my tent. Good start hey? I tested all morning in the wet, then the sun came out in the afternoon. I started to really enjoy the circuit, I was now 16th on the grid for my first race. Had an awesome race, and finished eigth. My confidence was up, then in the afternoon I had a huge battle with my mate Alex Bailey, lap after lap, but managed to get him at the kink, and then lost my front-end at Honda Curve; (fecking quick) first time in my life I saved the front with my knee., totally by a mistake and took the flag, IN fifth. Yes I had done it, I felt like a God. Hey hey. Then came Sunday, I have always felt my goals should be realistic and in reach, so now sitting on front of the second row, a podium was, I felt, totally in my grasp. It didn't go according to plan and I dropped back to sixth. One last chance in the afternoon race, and I was so on it. I almost new that I was going to do well. After the first lap I was in fourth, and closing in on third. I was literally two feet away from his wheel on the third lap when the red flag came out.
I was absolutely livid. On board video footage from my friends bike hears me using all sorts of unrepeatable language. We were then held for 15 mins. There had been a huge pile-up on the long left hander. We were told to go back to our awnings and wait to be called. I was so focused, I hardly even registered that one of my peers had been hurt. I'll worry about that after my race. To be honest it was all very subconscious, you get so hyped up, so focused on the race and what you are doing out there, all else becomes irrelevant. Anyway, as it turned out the race was cancelled and the meeting was closed down.
At first they thought my friend was dead. My team-mate had run over his neck. John, thank-god, and by sheer miracle got out of hospital three weeks ago, and although it's not 100%, he is still alive and is walking around again. The relief was amazing.
Brands Hatch GP - 16th & 17th July '05This was the one we had all been waiting for. Everyone was so pumped for it, the weather was beautiful from the moment we arrived on Thursday afternoon, I was sure I was going to have my opportunity at a podium finish.
Testing was awful for me in the morning, but picked up in the afternoon. I started to get the hang of the track, I have to admit I just love it, especially the GP bit, and also the way that Surtees was changed when you configure it to the GP circuit. Race one saw me start in 11th place, cracking start (as normal) and I was battling the whole race with my friend Alex Bailey. On the last lap exiting Westfields, he went wide. Squiggled around on the grass for a moment and then bit the dust. I could see he was ok so I let out a cry of laughter, I had to. The poor chap had 14 crashes this season. He's one of my best friends, in and out of the paddock, as well as arch rival on the track, but fair play to the man, he never complains. He just gets back out there and rides just as hard, time and time again. Brands Hatch GP was one of my favourite weekends, I cant say enough times how awesome that circuit is, unbelievable. Anyway, the rest of the races saw me finishing sixth & seventh, but all the races were close, paint swapping, and very exciting. Happy, happy memories.
Snetterton - 13th & 14 August '05I did a trackday there the Monday before, to get my eye in. I have to say I had a great day and had the pleasure of meeting Jay, Foxy, Westy, and a few other LB crew members. We shared garages and stories, and time on track, it was good fun.
I arrived a week later feeling pretty horny for the race, again I had a lot of people there that day. I had a good first race there and was very interested to check out the times compared to my first race (after three trackdays), which I was doing 1:22's/23's. This time round my times were consistent, low 1:16's, best was a 1:16:1. When you look at it, those times were faster than Tom Gazzard's for the entirity of the first race meeting there, and he won all four races. In fact he won 11 out of the first 12, then hurt himself and that slowed him up a bit, but it went to show that if I had done two years of track days (like the front runners had) and not just three poxy trackdays before the season, then maybe I could have had a shot at the title. I knew I could do this.
Anyway, the morning race went well I think, I got a seventh place again. The afternoon race was, ummm, interesting; in the last 15/20 mins leading up to the race, I think we changed the wheels three times, I sooooo nearly missed it. It was chaos, and I had pretty much used all my energy before the bloody line-up on the grid, well nearly. It's amazing what adrenaline can do! So off we go and the rain is hammering down, everyone is aquaplaning on the front straight, sliding, slipping everywhere, but lap by lap I got more and more confident. I was in fourth place and I could taste my podium. I was closing on #23 in third and I just had to have him. The leader came off on the second from last lap, and handed me my podium finish. Me and second were pretty evenly matched, and I decided not to risk taking us both out and I came two foot off second place. I was so over the moon, my Dad was there to see it too and picking up my trophy was a real treat. I got a huge cheer and felt like, well, I might as well have come first, awesome!
The next day I was ready to do the same again, ultra confident and randy as hell for another trophy. Off we go, I had a terrible start and think I was in like 12th, or 13th place. I went into Sears on the second lap, out braked myself a little, so I put on max lean angle and tried to tighten my line, the next thing I remember was the loss of traction from the rear, then flick, I was in the air. I remember thinking "oh **** this is going to really hurt!", I came down head first and winded myself pretty badly, my hand was also broken. The marshals and paramedics were great as always and two of them actually said that they didn't think I was going to actually land. Well, at least it was spectacular. Anyway that was the end of my weekend and I had a painful old journey back to London, and a 3.5 hr wait in Chelsea and Westminster hospital for an x-ray and a proper verdict. Yes it was broken. What really upset me though was that I was probably going to miss the last race of the season at Brands Hatch, which was 2.5 weeks away. This was the defining point where my luck started to change.
Brands Hatch - 3rd & 4th Sept '05It really was touch and go, as to whether or not I would be able to compete in this race. The Monday after I had broken my hand, I went to see Brian Simpson, who is the sports physiotherapist, who is used by the likes of James Hayden, Rutter, Reynolds, Platter, etc. He is Britain's version of Dr Costa. If it is humanly possible for you to race, you will. He speeds up the healing process by lasering the broken bone. Annoyingly he is in Ipswich, so at £70 an hour, and a £50 return train journey in the two weeks leading up to this last race, I went up to Ipswich, from London 3 times. An hour and half each way, and I still wasn't sure I would be good to ride. The break was on my right hand, which obviously operates brake and throttle, as well as taking breaking forces too
We turned up to Brands, and Friday testing was, how can I put it, VERY PAINFUL. Physically, and mentally, I hate not being on form, it sucks. People who you normally whip, are coming past you. That too is as painful as any injury. Anyway by the end of Friday my hand is feeling slightly numb from all the use, and it was off to the hotel to get my head down. Saturday the weather was beautiful yet again, and I was really quite excited. My sister and some of my mates came down, and all was set for a good day at the races!
Race one was ok, I started in 13th, I think, finished tenth without too much problem, but the hand was difficult with using the throttle, and breaking wasn't exactly fun either. But hey, I was in the last race meeting of the season, instead of spectating which was against all odds really, so I had to be grateful. Then race two had a good start and I was in eight or so for the end of the first lap, then I came up to Druids for the second time around and I see a bike all the way over to my left, ok, not a big problem, I should get away with this without any drama, then suddenly I see the bike start coming towards the inside of the track?? What, it's coming closer, oh god, I'm going to hit it, aren't I? Then I violently rape the fallen bike's petrol tank with my front wheel and set me and my bike up for a pretty cool summersault. I pushed us 15 meters with petrol pouring out the tank. How it did'nt ignite, I will never know. I don't think I have seen a crash this year that hasn't produced some kind of spark from somewhere. I put it down to fate. It was my day, because you could have that crash another 99 times and every time that tank would have gone up in flames. Phew!
My bike didn't fair too well. Bent forks, bent frame, and all the other bits and pieces that normally snap and sheer whenever you go tarmac surfing. See the pics for the full story. I wasn't really shaken to be honest, and even though it looked scary I was fine. Physically and mentally. You've got to accept that if you are going to race, then sometimes you are going to get caught up in racing incidents. It could have happened to anyone, it's just that today, fate chose me, fair enough. I was just livid that my bike was screwed for the rest of the weekend. I spent like four or five hours fixing it up, but then realised the frame was bent and it was a show stopper. Luckily, I found a friend, and competitor who had a spare R6, who was happy to lend me that for the rest of the weekend. What a star, and a big thank you Matthew Barton who was the dude who lent me the bike after never having met me before. Top man, but for all the good it did me, I might as well of used a push bike, I just couldn't get on with it and I would go far as to say that I truly despise the carburetted R6, what a twitchy, underpowered, pig. Never again.
MRO Final, Brands Hatch - 15/16th October '05After all this I couldn't help myself and I went and entered myself into the MRO final round at Brands Hatch on the 15th and 16th of October. It was a huge deal for me, this is the cream of the crop, the fastest national riders, with some British Supersport guys thrown in for good measure. They are all doing 1:48/49's round the Indy circuit, which makes my high 50's, and 51's look positively shite, but I thought we'd have a go anyway.
Testing on Friday was wet for first two sessions, the third session saw a reasonable (but not great), dry line around the Indy circuit. Mid-session and I was really enjoying myself, holding my own with these guys, it felt good! I'd just started to pick it up to a faster pace. I went full whack into Surtees, where I have to admit, the dry line at the apex was only a foot or so wide, so you had to be very accurate, which I was. I clipped the Apex and just then, someone comes alongside me, there was no way we were both going to get through this. The kind chap then gently extended his elbow pushing me slightly wide, at which point my rear wheel hit the wet patch and then, well, all hell broke loose. I had the mother of all highsides. The nature of the corner meant I landed in the tarmac, and stayed there after sliding on my hip for a pretty long way, the bike catching me up and then overtaking me by going over the top of me. I sat there inbetween Surtees and Clearways with my shoulder obviously dislocated. At which point two bikes headed straight for me. One went to the left and one to the right, and they both missed me by about a foot either side. I looked in one guys eyes and at one point, I was sure I was going to get spanked.
The red flag came out and the session was stopped because I had dumped my ENTIRE engines worth of oil on the track. It took 50 mins to clean up, and I wasn't flavour of the day I can tell you. As I went to stand up my shoulder managed to locate itself back into the socket and the pain relief was awesome. So I hobbled back to the pits pissed off but also feeling quite lucky that I had got away with it. I had a really sexy friction burn on my hip too which was blatantly going to get sorer as the day weekend went on.
We got the bike back from srutineering, and my friends then spent four hours putting the bike back together. I told myself and others that I was fine and made a joke of it all but the truth of the matter was that the crash was the biggest in my life and I had, in a sentence, "scared the living hell out of myself". I really did see God, and qualifying the next day it really showed. It was a boiling hot day and the sun was shining. My best qualifying time was a second slower than my first ever time at Brands Indy, at the beginning of the season. I was gutted, and I mean gutted it. It really bothered me that I had lost my confidence, I wasn't worried that I might not get it back, because I knew that would come, but I needed it back, like, now, today, this weekend. I was always going to be at the back somewhere with these guys but now I was screwed.
I very nearly didn't race on the Sunday and just called it a day, but I made myself get back on, and finish the weekend. It was pretty awful, and I was embarrassed to come last, but I am pleased I stuck it out and I bought my times down a little too through the rest of the weekend. Not to where I know I should have been, but it was better. If you want to succeed in this sport, it is SO important to get back on, at your earliest opportunity, despite what you head tells you. Just get back on it, and get stuck in. It's the only way!
ConclusionSo that was my season with Bemsee. It was the most incredible thing I have ever done in my life. There were such deep lows during the season, the kind of lows that make you question everything, but as a whole it was very, very enjoyable, especially as I exceeded all expectations of myself, which felt great. I ended up 13th in the championship which I was gutted about, I was in 10th, and a couple of points off 9th, but because of my crash I had one DNF and then no points on that horrible R6 on the Sunday and because we were all so close I lost out those places in the last three races. Life's a bitch hey!
And that really is my season in a nutshell. I now have to wait until March next year for the season to start again, and I'm busier now with the preparation, more than I was all season. 2006 will see me on a new 2006 Honda 600 RR, with a more experienced, focused, healthier, and sharper Oli Henderson on board. I have my goals and I know that I am capable in achieving them.
Seeing as I have you here, may I take the time to thank all my friends and family that have supported me. On and off the track. It makes such a difference to know that there are people out there taking interest in this crazy thing that I do, that there are people out there that appreciate this wonderful sport as much as I do. Above all though I would like to thank my dad, Harry Henderson (Hence the HH Racing), he has been my number one supporter, number one fan, sponsor, mentor, friend, and father of the century, and for that I am eternally grateful. None of the above would ever have turned to a reality if it wasn't for him. Thanks Pa.
And as for you lot, It's been emotional. See you in '06
Oli Henderson #20
FootnoteLB would like to thank Oli for his insight into his first season of racing in the Bemsee 600 series, and sincerely wish him the very best of luck for next season. We hope it's not luck he needs though, and that his experiences from this year prove a valuable base to go and take some trophies.
Hopefully there will be full race-reports after each race next season, here at
LB. Oli is one of at least four known racers in our community, and so we have to wish them all the best for next season.
Related Galleries Dream to Reality, or Dreamer to Racer?Bemsee Final Round - Brands HatchRelated ContentDiscuss this article...
