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How to do a trackday

ENJOYING AN EARLY morning ride up through the leafy Lincolnshire Wolds to a trackday at Cadwell Park is a comfortably familiar feeling; I had my first track experience there on a Honda VFR400 in 1991 and I’ve ridden hundreds of trackday laps since (I even won a race at Cadwell in 2006). I know it well. But Cadwell, one of the UK’S most distinctive, picturesque and challenging race tracks, is a tarmac riddle wrapped up in a scenic enigma. It’s easy to remember which way the twisting track goes — with the famous Mountain section, it’s up and down as much as round and round — but you can ride it a thousand times and never completely know it. Cadwell is fascinating; there’s no such thing as a perfect lap.

We’re here for a Bennetts trackday, run in conjunction with the Californian Superbike

School and taking advantage of its organisational skills to manage the event — and CSS also brings a fleet of Ducatis for hire. Garry Adshead is CSS’S chief riding coach: “We’ve got Ducati’s Supersport S, 959 Panigale and V4S,” he says. “We also hire leathers, boots, gloves and helmets everything riders need. It gives people a chance to have an extended test ride on the bikes, and it promotes the California

Pictures Tim Keeton

The stunning Cadwell Park and Hall Bends

Signing on is where you do the necessary paperwork

The riders’ briefing explains all the protocols and procedures

Scrutineering makes sure the bikes are all safe

Once signed-on, you’ll be given a wristband to prove it