NinjaBoy
27th August 2009, 22:29
Well its half way through the series, have kept it rubber side down and still in a top 10 position for the F2 Championship!
I arrived for the Friday test day to the familiar faces of Marcus (Biggles), Dave Walker, Kevin (Wharfy) and Tony OK already setup in the stalls. I had made a number of small changes to the bike since the last round and was testing some of them for the first time. However, the worried thoughts soon evaporated after the first couple of sessions as I was circulating consistently in my PB lap times. Thanks must go to Gavin Brindle, AutoMech Mobile Mechanics, for all the engine work and John at TripleZee Cycles for finding a couple more horsies on the Dyno.
As the day progressed I started to find my one race day old tyres were beginning to tear up. However, a quick chat to Robert Taylor and a twiddle of the adjusters solved the issues on the rear. The front however, was still looking a little worse for wear. Another quick chat with Robert and it was decided to swap in heavier fork springs. Normally on stock forks this would take 30 minutes a side but with the Ohlins both sides were done in about 20 minutes and since I had bought them through Robert it was FOC. All set for Race day!
Race Day
Qualifying F2.
The programme was reversed with my F2 races first and F1 second. The long track was dry and sunny but the oil slick from the previous day was still present through the hairpin. I got caught in traffic and found it difficult to find some space. The change in gearing helped immensely on corner exits but I qualified disappointingly in 19th ( 5th row)
Qualifying F1
By now the track had a second oil slick through the hairpin . I felt a lot more comfortable and cut 5 seconds off my qualifying time, but in more competitive field I qualified even further back in 25th.
F2 Race 1
Starting this far back I reaaally needed a good start. The lights go out and I get a good jump but quickly get swamped in the first corner. As we settle into the first lap with everyone still swapping positions even in the back section, a red flag came out for a restart after Sam Love and Bryce Meads came together. A full restart and race was to be run. A much better launch but I was still getting a swamped through the first 3 corners. Most of the race was spent swapping positions with the infamously late braking Nick Prestige, an on form Kevin Waugh and a red SV piloted by Ashley Payne thrown in for good measure. All the while Aria Lawrence blissfully unaware of the battle playing out behind her. A missed gear at the beginning of the final lap let everyone past and despite at least two passing moves, Kevin still edge me out at the line. I finished 16th with a best time of 2.06.
F1 Race 1
An OK start from the inside but surprisingly I was comfortable with the tight line through the first corner. I catch a glimpse of Mark Bennett’s leathers and quickly reel him in, but a hard chasing Kevin (wharfy) is close behind. He shows me a wheel and manages a pass which I get back. The faster riders of Bryce Meads and Luke Mair show their wheels and after holding them off for a lap, Luke gets past. It’s another lap before Bryce gets past and the white flag comes out. I hold on and try not to make any mistakes to hold off Kevin to the line finishing 17th with a best lap of 2.05 equal to my PB.
F2 Race 2
I get a good start and do not lose many places in the first few corners. Again I’m chasing the familiar Yamaha of Mark Bennett. This time I’m not able to get as close to him but he’s not getting away. Halfway through the race the familiar white/orange bike of Darrin Humphries shows a wheel at Higgins. Not sure why but for some reason I do not challenge and close the door as aggressively as I normally do. He gets past on the entry to the new section but unable to follow he slips away into the distance. I maintain my pace with Mark a couple of seconds ahead and finish in 15th.
F1 Race 2
By now I had figured I was losing time as the bike was pushing wide on the exits of the fastest sweeping corners. A quick chat with Robert suggested I should raise the rear ride height. 5 mins before the first call to the dummy grid and 2 mins effort it was done. This time I got a good start and being a bit more aggressive through the first few corners I hold my position. Somehow I found myself behind Marcus and spent most of the race chasing him. Compared to last round I was able to stay with him on corner exits but surprisingly the bike was holding its line out of the fast left hander from the new section to the main track and the sweeper to the front straight. We catch Mark Bennett in the run to the line but he beats me over the line, finishing in 18th. However, I do my best time of the day of 2.03 cutting 2 seconds from my PB.
A tough weekend with not really getting into the groove and off the pace but I have earned enough points to maintain a top 10 points position. I’m taking a break next round but will return refreshed (hopefully!) for the final round in October. I have a few things to work on but am lucky to have the support and encouragement of everyone in my garage and team.
Special thanks goes to Robert Taylor for his invaluable after sales service and no hesitation advice and help during the weekend. Also to John and Gavin for the extra effort made in preparing the bike before the weekend.
Again the Vic Club has put on another fantastic well run event and their invaluable team of volunteers !
And finally thanks goes to my sponsors who have made racing possible for me this season: Metzeler Tyres, Maxima Oils, Botany Honda and TripleZee Cycles.
I arrived for the Friday test day to the familiar faces of Marcus (Biggles), Dave Walker, Kevin (Wharfy) and Tony OK already setup in the stalls. I had made a number of small changes to the bike since the last round and was testing some of them for the first time. However, the worried thoughts soon evaporated after the first couple of sessions as I was circulating consistently in my PB lap times. Thanks must go to Gavin Brindle, AutoMech Mobile Mechanics, for all the engine work and John at TripleZee Cycles for finding a couple more horsies on the Dyno.
As the day progressed I started to find my one race day old tyres were beginning to tear up. However, a quick chat to Robert Taylor and a twiddle of the adjusters solved the issues on the rear. The front however, was still looking a little worse for wear. Another quick chat with Robert and it was decided to swap in heavier fork springs. Normally on stock forks this would take 30 minutes a side but with the Ohlins both sides were done in about 20 minutes and since I had bought them through Robert it was FOC. All set for Race day!
Race Day
Qualifying F2.
The programme was reversed with my F2 races first and F1 second. The long track was dry and sunny but the oil slick from the previous day was still present through the hairpin. I got caught in traffic and found it difficult to find some space. The change in gearing helped immensely on corner exits but I qualified disappointingly in 19th ( 5th row)
Qualifying F1
By now the track had a second oil slick through the hairpin . I felt a lot more comfortable and cut 5 seconds off my qualifying time, but in more competitive field I qualified even further back in 25th.
F2 Race 1
Starting this far back I reaaally needed a good start. The lights go out and I get a good jump but quickly get swamped in the first corner. As we settle into the first lap with everyone still swapping positions even in the back section, a red flag came out for a restart after Sam Love and Bryce Meads came together. A full restart and race was to be run. A much better launch but I was still getting a swamped through the first 3 corners. Most of the race was spent swapping positions with the infamously late braking Nick Prestige, an on form Kevin Waugh and a red SV piloted by Ashley Payne thrown in for good measure. All the while Aria Lawrence blissfully unaware of the battle playing out behind her. A missed gear at the beginning of the final lap let everyone past and despite at least two passing moves, Kevin still edge me out at the line. I finished 16th with a best time of 2.06.
F1 Race 1
An OK start from the inside but surprisingly I was comfortable with the tight line through the first corner. I catch a glimpse of Mark Bennett’s leathers and quickly reel him in, but a hard chasing Kevin (wharfy) is close behind. He shows me a wheel and manages a pass which I get back. The faster riders of Bryce Meads and Luke Mair show their wheels and after holding them off for a lap, Luke gets past. It’s another lap before Bryce gets past and the white flag comes out. I hold on and try not to make any mistakes to hold off Kevin to the line finishing 17th with a best lap of 2.05 equal to my PB.
F2 Race 2
I get a good start and do not lose many places in the first few corners. Again I’m chasing the familiar Yamaha of Mark Bennett. This time I’m not able to get as close to him but he’s not getting away. Halfway through the race the familiar white/orange bike of Darrin Humphries shows a wheel at Higgins. Not sure why but for some reason I do not challenge and close the door as aggressively as I normally do. He gets past on the entry to the new section but unable to follow he slips away into the distance. I maintain my pace with Mark a couple of seconds ahead and finish in 15th.
F1 Race 2
By now I had figured I was losing time as the bike was pushing wide on the exits of the fastest sweeping corners. A quick chat with Robert suggested I should raise the rear ride height. 5 mins before the first call to the dummy grid and 2 mins effort it was done. This time I got a good start and being a bit more aggressive through the first few corners I hold my position. Somehow I found myself behind Marcus and spent most of the race chasing him. Compared to last round I was able to stay with him on corner exits but surprisingly the bike was holding its line out of the fast left hander from the new section to the main track and the sweeper to the front straight. We catch Mark Bennett in the run to the line but he beats me over the line, finishing in 18th. However, I do my best time of the day of 2.03 cutting 2 seconds from my PB.
A tough weekend with not really getting into the groove and off the pace but I have earned enough points to maintain a top 10 points position. I’m taking a break next round but will return refreshed (hopefully!) for the final round in October. I have a few things to work on but am lucky to have the support and encouragement of everyone in my garage and team.
Special thanks goes to Robert Taylor for his invaluable after sales service and no hesitation advice and help during the weekend. Also to John and Gavin for the extra effort made in preparing the bike before the weekend.
Again the Vic Club has put on another fantastic well run event and their invaluable team of volunteers !
And finally thanks goes to my sponsors who have made racing possible for me this season: Metzeler Tyres, Maxima Oils, Botany Honda and TripleZee Cycles.