Motorcycle Racer Damian Cudlin arrived home to Taree recently to regroup and recuperate after competing in the last 2 rounds of the World Endurance Championship.

Cudlin didn’t enjoy the success he had hoped for in last two races after suffering from what he called “a severe dose of bad luck.”

Cudlin’s luck turned cold at the Suzuka 8 hour race, in Japan when team mate Paul Young was taken out in Warm Up by 2 slower riders. The Phase One Yamaha team raced against the clock to repair the damage to the bike in time for the start. Amazingly the team pulled out all the stops and made the start, but didn’t make the sighting lap, and in turn received a stop and go penalty on the 2nd lap.

Fighting from 75th spot, Cudlin and team mate Warwick Nowland clawed back to 20th spot before Young tasted the pavement again after crashing when rain began to fall on the circuit. After the team repaired the second lot of damage, Cudlin, Nowland and Young again found themselves playing catch up and eventually crossed the line in 18th place.

“We were all pretty disappointed after Japan, but we still crossed the line and gained points.” Cudlin said. “We were 3rd in the World Championship, and thought that our luck would turn around for the 24 hour race in Germany, but it got much worse.” 

On the way to the German circuit Oschersleben for the first official day of practice, Cudlin and team members Ben Wylie and Andi Notman were involved in a car accident. The van Wylie was driving left the road and rolled into a nearby canal.
Cudlin who received numerous cuts and bruises was forced to sit out of the first day of practice.

“I couldn’t believe what was happening. In a way I guess I was lucky I wasn’t seriously hurt, it could’ve been worse for sure, but to miss the first practice put me on the back foot again. Plus I was sore all over. I felt like I’d been shot out of a canon.”  laughed Damian.

After shrugging off the bad start to the weekend, Cudlin got on with the job and managed to qualify 3rd on the grid. The Phase One Yamaha team were sure of a podium place when Cudlin and Nowland went back to back for 8 hours and sat in a strong 3rd place. Then in the 9th hour with Andi Notman aboard, the R1 Yamaha stopped with an engine failure.

“I was just gutted. It was so hard to take as everyone had really put in 100%. It felt as if I’d walked under a ladder crawling with black cats or something.” said Cudlin. “But sometimes that’s just the way it goes. Hopefully we’ll turn things around and get the podium I deserve in Italy.”

The final round of the World Endurance Championship will be held at Vallelunga, Italy on September 25th.