Thanks VMCC volunteers

[GSVR]

Thanks to all the volunteers that did the marshalling and organisation of the meeting today (20th May). I felt very safe in the way the meeting was run. There was a huge turnout of riders so every aspect of the job was that much harder. Then the drizzle putting just enough water on the track to lift all the slippery residues to the surface turned the meeting into a disaster. Crash crews and medical personal were busy continuosly until the meeting was abandoned.

Better luck for Manfeild.

[Nicksta]

yup.. .well done... as anticipated, it was a very tight ship....
I had a blast, the time i was out on the track.... and the marshalling, ambo and pick up crew did a great job... was a bit hard seeing the flags when they were held solid as apposed to waving... but you can all pat yourselves on the back...
bit gutted you called the day, but the track wasnt conjusive to bikes today

see you at manfeild!

[JayRacer37]

Thanks to all the volunteers that did the marshalling and organisation of the meeting today (20th May). I felt very safe in the way the meeting was run. There was a huge turnout of riders so every aspect of the job was that much harder. Then the drizzle putting just enough water on the track to lift all the slippery residues to the surface turned the meeting into a disaster. Crash crews and medical personal were busy continuosly until the meeting was abandoned.

Better luck for Manfeild.

Yea very good effort, shit happens I guess. Exellent oragnisation, the time lost while scraping up people that got their intentions confused with their abilities (not me today, phew!) was minimalised completly. See you all at Minefeild, can't wait.
Cheers

[skelstar]

Yeah you guys were great. Maybe not the most popular call, made more difficult with the bluw skies afterwards, but you stuck to your decision and committed to it. Was friggin scary to watch sometimes (pit crew not racer).

[moT]

yeah that wet track was getting slippy was getting used to drifting bike at end of day but i think that the racing should of been posponed for an hour the track would of cleared up nicely.. and clubmans had to be restarted 4 times. how many ppl crashed in superlite after that?

[Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)]

There were 27 offs, 3 broken/sprained collarbones and quite a few bikes damaged. Clerk of Course, after consultation with riders, had to make a decision, the track was just not up to bike racing standards. I believe this matter is being taken up with Taupo Racetrack officials re the condition of the track. Progress on this matter will be posted on the VMCC website as soon as information is to hand.

As one of the volunteers, thank you for your appreciation of our efforts. I received some very positive feedback about it being canned. One guy who did coroner reports on bike accidents in the UK (where 3 people were killed in one day on the track!! what a nightmare) and who raced today said altho it was a tough call and it takes guts to make that kind of call - he deemed it the right one. As he said - how would you explain at an inquest "You had 27 offs - didn't that indicate that the meeting should be called off?"

Roll on Manfield. I also want to address the problem of bikes waiting too long at the dummy grid. Having worked in the pit crew side of things - I couldn't help but think - tyres are getting cold, gas is being used!!

It was a hard ride home on the bike for me - cold and I was conscious of being very tired so had to have a few coffee stops. I did enjoy myself and learnt heaps.

I know many were disappointed at the decision to can the meeting but I was amazed at the positive attitude of bikers and pit crews. With the exception of only one (and another experienced biker sorted him out) no-one nutted off.
The above comments also support a positive attitude and that's really neat.

Thank you.

[JayRacer37]

It was a hard ride home on the bike for me - cold and I was conscious of being very tired so had to have a few coffee stops. I did enjoy myself and learnt heaps.
.

Ahh....so it was BMW I ran into at the gas station in Bull's....how was that visor on the way home in the dark?

Good to hear it was a fun day anyways....

[et al]

Big thanks from Gunner and myself to all involved in the VMCC organisation today, I appreciate you guys making the decision to stop the meeting and agree totally that it was the best course of action to be taken. I am still trying to figure out why there were so many crashes today and have to wonder what is going on with the Taupo track surface. At Frosty's track day 2 weeks ago there were a lot more crashes than I thought should be normally acceptable, and although there was a little bit of rain on the track today who would have expected that to be responsible on its own for the carnage? There was a car meeting held there yesterday which I believe was an endurance race so maybe there was a bit of debris left over from that but seems to me like that track surface even on a good day is not offering up the sort of predictable grip needed for bike racing.

[HDTboy]

Thanks to the VMCC volunteers. I was happy to keep racing, but see the point in calling the meeting off.

[JayRacer37]

seems to me like that track surface even on a good day is not offering up the sort of predictable grip needed for bike racing.

Yea, for whatever reason ,the surface can be very, very unpredictabe and changable. This is something, along with other safety issues that myself and a few others pointed out to the MNZ steward of the day.

Hopefully Taupo circuit owners will pay some heed to our recomendations because personally, I don;t belive the circuit is fully safe for bikes to be competing on - nwither do MNZ apparently as they havn't scheduled a national meeting there.
The shorter layout we ran today is PARTICULARLY dangerous, and I would not be happy racing on that layout again, if it were to remain the same.
The club made the right call today, no doubt.

[limbimtimwim]

There were 27 offs, 3 broken/sprained collarbones and quite a few bikes damaged.

Twenty Seven!!!!

[bistard]

Yea, for whatever reason ,the surface can be very, very unpredictabe and changable. This is something, along with other safety issues that myself and a few others pointed out to the MNZ steward of the day.

Hopefully Taupo circuit owners will pay some heed to our recomendations because personally, I don;t belive the circuit is fully safe for bikes to be competing on - nwither do MNZ apparently as they havn't scheduled a national meeting there.
The shorter layout we ran today is PARTICULARLY dangerous, and I would not be happy racing on that layout again, if it were to remain the same.
The club made the right call today, no doubt.

I agree Jay,the short version of the track that we competed on was dangerous
Having been in Mals shoes,Clerk of the course,for many years,I think it was the right decision on the day & I now wonder if th Vic Club should have the final round of the series there also??
Other than the track surface I think the new facilities are first rate & the other tracks in NZ should take note

[Deano]

Big thanks to all those who were helping out at the track. You guys were busier than a British bricklayer in Bombay, what with all the carnage.

It was amazing to see so many bikes at a meeting - no wonder it's hard to get volunteers to help - every one wants to be out there racing !

[Shaun]

I agree Jay,the short version of the track that we competed on was dangerous
Having been in Mals shoes,Clerk of the course,for many years,I think it was the right decision on the day & I now wonder if th Vic Club should have the final round of the series there also??
Other than the track surface I think the new facilities are first rate & the other tracks in NZ should take note

Agree with the above, accept for the facilities?

The place was an absolute PIG STY! All the rubbish bins were full to over flowing, they need to clean the place up, you cannot hire some thing to some one, and hand it over in that condition, it was a joke

[bistard]

The problem was Shaun,that the track was used for a 24 hour car race the day before & remember we are only motorcyclists!!
Jokes aside apart from the rubbish & track condition it was good,does that sound better??