Peter Smith
4th November 2009, 09:35
What a day.
The sun was out, more than 80 bikes, it was always going to be a great day.
I had just got my forks back from CKT and was expecting to go a lot fast than before. At my last race meeting at Taupo (Vic rd1 pre'89 senior) I was doing 1:48's and was having handling issues, so I was rapped to qualify 2nd with a 1:44.
Dave Cole qualified on pole with a 1:42 on his Duke 888, and Jaden was just behind me on his dads RZ500.
Race 1. (5 laps) Got a slow start and was 4th into turn 1 just behind Randall Dixon (GSXR1100), squeezed up the inside of him on turn 7. The next bike infront was Phil Duxbury (GSXR 7/11). Phil's bike was alot quicker on the straights but he was having handling issues, so when he ran wide on turn 1 I slipped through on the inside. Next inline was Dave Cole but he already had a comfortable gap and as it was only a 5 lap race I wasn't going to get close so I tried to do smooth laps. A quick look back and saw Jaden (RZ500) a few seconds behind me. I kept things smooth and finished 2nd. I got a 20 second penalty for a jumped start, so that put me back to 4th.
With a best lap of 1:41.5 I was very happy.
Race 2 GP (10 laps).
I learnt that if the bike moves once the lights start it is classed a jump start.
So I wasn't going to even breath until the light went out.
At turn 1 I was 3rd but Phil ran wide and I got through to 2nd. Jaden came past me through the infield, so I sat on his back wheel till we got on to the back straight and the 1100 went flying by the 2 stroker.
I could see Dave Cole infront of me but I was unable to close the gap.
I thought it would be better to settle for second than crash trying to catch Dave.Dave was riding fast and smooth and I couldn't match him.:crybaby:
What I didn't know was that Phil had got his act together and he and Jaden were catching up FAST.
Coming on to the starting straight to get the white flag there were 2 slower riders infront of me. I passed Lyle FZR750 on the straight but got stuck behind Fraser on the BRM GPZ900 into turn 1. As Fraser start to go wide exiting the turn I passed up the inside. Surely those bike would block any challengers throught the infield. Entering turn 7 I heard a big bike right on my tail. I knew the bikes I passed won't have caught up so it must be Phil. PANIC, Phil will pass me on the back straight. So back into race mode, a good exit on to the back straight and some late braking just managed to keep Phil behind me. I crossed the finish line in 2nd place with Phil on my back wheel and Jaden 3 seconds back.
Lap times, Dave Cole 1:40.38, Me 1:42.2, Phil 1:41.5 and Jaden 1:42.7
YES, a trophy for 2nd place and some good points for the series.
It was great fun, the bike handles like a dream.
Big thanks to Robert Taylor and his crew for working their magic on the forks.
Just for the record, a couple of pre'82s were lapping in the 1:42s, but thats the start of another thread.
The sun was out, more than 80 bikes, it was always going to be a great day.
I had just got my forks back from CKT and was expecting to go a lot fast than before. At my last race meeting at Taupo (Vic rd1 pre'89 senior) I was doing 1:48's and was having handling issues, so I was rapped to qualify 2nd with a 1:44.
Dave Cole qualified on pole with a 1:42 on his Duke 888, and Jaden was just behind me on his dads RZ500.
Race 1. (5 laps) Got a slow start and was 4th into turn 1 just behind Randall Dixon (GSXR1100), squeezed up the inside of him on turn 7. The next bike infront was Phil Duxbury (GSXR 7/11). Phil's bike was alot quicker on the straights but he was having handling issues, so when he ran wide on turn 1 I slipped through on the inside. Next inline was Dave Cole but he already had a comfortable gap and as it was only a 5 lap race I wasn't going to get close so I tried to do smooth laps. A quick look back and saw Jaden (RZ500) a few seconds behind me. I kept things smooth and finished 2nd. I got a 20 second penalty for a jumped start, so that put me back to 4th.
With a best lap of 1:41.5 I was very happy.
Race 2 GP (10 laps).
I learnt that if the bike moves once the lights start it is classed a jump start.
So I wasn't going to even breath until the light went out.
At turn 1 I was 3rd but Phil ran wide and I got through to 2nd. Jaden came past me through the infield, so I sat on his back wheel till we got on to the back straight and the 1100 went flying by the 2 stroker.
I could see Dave Cole infront of me but I was unable to close the gap.
I thought it would be better to settle for second than crash trying to catch Dave.Dave was riding fast and smooth and I couldn't match him.:crybaby:
What I didn't know was that Phil had got his act together and he and Jaden were catching up FAST.
Coming on to the starting straight to get the white flag there were 2 slower riders infront of me. I passed Lyle FZR750 on the straight but got stuck behind Fraser on the BRM GPZ900 into turn 1. As Fraser start to go wide exiting the turn I passed up the inside. Surely those bike would block any challengers throught the infield. Entering turn 7 I heard a big bike right on my tail. I knew the bikes I passed won't have caught up so it must be Phil. PANIC, Phil will pass me on the back straight. So back into race mode, a good exit on to the back straight and some late braking just managed to keep Phil behind me. I crossed the finish line in 2nd place with Phil on my back wheel and Jaden 3 seconds back.
Lap times, Dave Cole 1:40.38, Me 1:42.2, Phil 1:41.5 and Jaden 1:42.7
YES, a trophy for 2nd place and some good points for the series.
It was great fun, the bike handles like a dream.
Big thanks to Robert Taylor and his crew for working their magic on the forks.
Just for the record, a couple of pre'82s were lapping in the 1:42s, but thats the start of another thread.