Bucket Winter series round 1
I wasn’t to interested in even going racing after the events of last week http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...=small+tribute , and a couple of the other guys offered to stand down from the meeting as well if I wasn’t going to ride, which was bloody good of them to offer, but the night before Chic N charge was on msn and said she wanted me to ride so I thought I better just in case she decided to slap me around for not doing as she said.![]()
The day before saw me in Darryl Cottons workshop with him finishing off my new stainless exhaust system and I have to say the man is a welding genius and he took the time off to help me out when he should have been working on his own bike![]()
It was also the debut of new KB Bucket Racing Legend “Dangerous” riding the club slut (MB100) with at least three people laying bets he’d blouse out before the event, I didn’t take any off them as I thought he’d do the same but I pulled up at his place about 9.45 and we headed off to the track.
We got out there and hung around for a bit till sign in started and wandered down I signed in and left dangerous doing the day licence and went back and grabbed my bike and shot it through scrutineering, Dangerous bought the club slut down and as the scrutineer was checking the front end noticed just how flexible the standard front end is, he reckoned with the front wheel held straight ahead you could still turn the bars lock to lock and so it failed, back to trailer tighten a few bolts and it was all sweet
I had a new 33mm flat slide to try but after pulling off the tank I found the throttle linkage fouled on the frame “bugger” so that went back in the box and I just went up a jet size instead to try and cure a slight miss
New Bucket Legend Dangerous was having trouble dressing himself and I’m buggered if I know how he gets on in the morning when he‘s at home by himself, luckily he had his young pit bitch K14 on hand to help him out and watching them I got the feeling K14 had helped him dress before, maybe there’s a bit more to those “looks” they keep giving each other than I first thought![]()
Riders briefing and a minutes silence was observed and a few words were said by a friend of Colin’s and not long after that we did a ride around to the accident site and sat there for a bit while Chic N Charge removed the flowers and photo’s were taken and I’d have to admit the tears in my eye weren’t just from the wind and not wearing a helmet, we rode back to the pits and got ready for practice
We lined up on the dummy grid and I really didn’t want to be there but Chic N Charge came over and gave me a hug and a few words of encouragement and then we were let out, I went out hard as I could and hammered it for the first couple of laps and I had a few tears in my eyes for the first few laps and then I settled down a bit, I backed off and let Tony catch up and pass and slipstreamed him down the straight and rode around the outside of him into the first corner a few more laps and I was convinced I had his measure be able to reel him in when ever I chose, but after pulling back in K14 said that Darryl Cotton on hid RS framed MB100 was the man to watch
Race 1
I lined up on the outside which if you’re good lets you ride around the outside of everyone into turn 1, unfortunately I’m not good and that didn’t happen but I got an ok start and ended up in 4th with Tony, Darryl and Rod in front, I could gain a bit coming out of the dipper but was loosing it down the straight as the bike was still missing when I got up in the revs after a couple of laps and not being able to close the gap I hooked into turn one a little bit faster than normal and it all turned into one of those “oh shit” moments and ended up with me picking the bike off and running off the track onto the grass, I kept the bike upright and rejoined without loosing a place but had allowed the guys behind me to close right up, coming up out of the dipper and into the sweeper I could see someone else’s shadow right behind me, another couple of laps and just before we hit the line for the chequered flag Brent and Steve pull out of the draft and try to beat me to it, tough luck guys I reckon I beat them by inches so I pull off a 4th place finish, in the meantime New Bucket Legend Dangerous has a dnf with a foot peg folding the wrong way, which is quickly fixed by ace mechanic “Mr Batch”
Race 2
I’m late out and in the warm up lap don’t get up to the grid fast enough and end up on the inside of the front row, the flag drops and I loose out badly going into turn one about 6th, I close on Diesel Pig and Brent and follow them for a lap then get on the gas hard out of the dipper and through the kink ride around the outside of Diesel Pig and then cut back inside Brent before we hit the sweeper and lead them onto the straight, I know they’re right behind me another lap and Diesel Pig is trying to line me up for the pass and then his bike shits itself and he pulls off the track, I’ve made a gap on Brent but are getting bored as I can’t pull the front three back in so I back off and go wide into turn one and let Brent pass, he told me later his first thought was” you smart bastard” as otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to get past, I chase him for a couple of laps until the white flag comes out and are planning to nail him up the inside into the sweeper as he normally goes out wide to get good drive through but as we hit the sweeper there’s a back marker in the way and I have to run wider than I planned and Brent leads me onto the straight and I’m nailing it and gaining on him and puling out to pass as we cross the line with neither of us knowing who got the place, turns out it was him getting the 4th and a 5th for me, we were just coming up to lap New Bucket Legend Dangerous and I’m a bit disappointed I didn’t get to slap him on the way past but there’s always next time
And that was it for the day as after falling behind time the last race was cancelled, next time New Bucket Legend Dangerous will be riding my bike and I’ll stand on the sideline and criticise and it wont be constructive![]()
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