rachprice
17th May 2010, 09:18
Well where do I start?
Friday morning sat my surgery exam early so I could shoot up to Manfield for a practice day straight after. Was a little nervous as I hadn't rode this bike but mostly excited, seeing as I had taken the time to talk to myself for 2 weeks 'your not going to set the world on fire' 'It doesn't matter if you don't come first'. Being a notorious perfectionist I was determined to not let it make me lose my love of racing/riding on the track
I arrived and asked around if anyone was Billy, my most fabulous sponsor who was amazing enough to offer me a bike for the season. Once introductions were under way (sorry Ernie for thinking you were him :shutup:), a quick check over the bike and I was out on the track. Oh but one thing before you go, its a race pattern gearbox! Having never ridden this, it made me a little nervous but in a way was kind of good. It was something to get used to and took the pressure off (to set the world on fire haha).
Getting used to the gearing wasn't too bad actually and I was absolutely LOVING being back on a 2 stroke, oh how I have missed it! I was grinning underneath my helmet the entire session.
The bike wasn't running too well but with a quick change of spark plug (thanks to the Crofts!) and immobilising the left footpeg all was well.
Weather was fantastic and I had a great time, apart from a few times where I wasn't sure which gear I was in or took me a wee while to think which way to go it was ok. I did change down a gear instead of up coming out of higgins/down back straight - luckily I kept upright.
Race day....
I arrive early so Im not getting all flustered. Go for a wee walk around the track with Jase to check the areas that were covered in oil from the test day. Rain seemed to have washed most of it away.
Then I managed to drop my license somewhere, I was running around like an idiot trying to find it... then had to join the vic club but need cash! After about an hour of messing around because I wasn't too organised I was finally signed in and ready to go.
Qualifying:
It was wet, but the wet doesn't bother me too much. Though at times I couldn't see through my visor, so I tried to leave it open so I could see but that didn't really work either. Came in thinking I did ok but knew I could have done better!
I ended up qualifying 6th in 150's (Dam those crofts are fast!) and 8th for all mini lites/pro lites etc which was pretty good.
Race one:
I was worried about my starts because from my experience in Taupo last year I was terrible at them!! Lined up on the grid and went, I don't know how bad it was but don't think it was quite as abysmal as last year. Now I experienced something that I never have before and I think its what people call 'red mist', it was on and I was gonna try and pass everyone I could!
I passed Ben Ox either out of the 2nd corner or into splash, then he tried to come on the inside in Higgins but I was not letting him get by that easy and then I saw Sarah on her CBR so she was who I wanted to take next, came into Dunlop quite hot and took a tighter line to get past, I think i hit the white paint, lost my front and I was down!!!
Rookie mistake! Getting waaaaaaaaaaay too excited on my first lap and going a bit crazy, oh well
(sorry to ben and sarah who I crashed right in front of!) With only a wee bruise on my elbow I came off pretty good!
Now once I got the bike back in Billy did everything he could to get the thing back to being able to race, he went way beyond what I could ever expect. Thanks again to the Croft boys we were able to borrow the handle bar of little Crofts bike that he crashed in qualifying.
Race 2:
Was lots of fun, I felt a little timid. I didn't want to crash this bike (that wasn't mine) again and definitely not in the same place! Heaps of people passed me and I felt pretty slow.
Helen that little champ passed me on the last lap but I managed to get her back to take 6th which I was quite happy with because I thought I did so much worse.
I was a little gutted that I was so slow (and my times confirmed that) but happy that I was upright :yes:
Was looking forward to another race since I had my slow bit getting my confidence back after the crash but unfortunately we ran out of time
I had the most fabulous time though, even though I could have done a lot better (I do feel like being overseas most of last year, I have gone backwards), Im not nearly as worried about that as I would have been in the past. I had sooooooooooooooo much fun!
A HUGE thanks to Billy and Autocycle Refinishers whom without I couldn't have been there!
Not only did he give me a bike but he ran around like a headless chickedn to try and fix the bike I broke so I could get back on the track!!! You really are such a good bastard Billy :clap:
Thanks to the Croft boys for giving me a few parts to get me going, and for little Croft for giving my first experience of a bike leaning on me coming out of Dunlop at test day :Punk:
Oh and thank you Ernie for helping me get out for race 2!!
Hope all those that crashed are ok
See you all next round
Friday morning sat my surgery exam early so I could shoot up to Manfield for a practice day straight after. Was a little nervous as I hadn't rode this bike but mostly excited, seeing as I had taken the time to talk to myself for 2 weeks 'your not going to set the world on fire' 'It doesn't matter if you don't come first'. Being a notorious perfectionist I was determined to not let it make me lose my love of racing/riding on the track
I arrived and asked around if anyone was Billy, my most fabulous sponsor who was amazing enough to offer me a bike for the season. Once introductions were under way (sorry Ernie for thinking you were him :shutup:), a quick check over the bike and I was out on the track. Oh but one thing before you go, its a race pattern gearbox! Having never ridden this, it made me a little nervous but in a way was kind of good. It was something to get used to and took the pressure off (to set the world on fire haha).
Getting used to the gearing wasn't too bad actually and I was absolutely LOVING being back on a 2 stroke, oh how I have missed it! I was grinning underneath my helmet the entire session.
The bike wasn't running too well but with a quick change of spark plug (thanks to the Crofts!) and immobilising the left footpeg all was well.
Weather was fantastic and I had a great time, apart from a few times where I wasn't sure which gear I was in or took me a wee while to think which way to go it was ok. I did change down a gear instead of up coming out of higgins/down back straight - luckily I kept upright.
Race day....
I arrive early so Im not getting all flustered. Go for a wee walk around the track with Jase to check the areas that were covered in oil from the test day. Rain seemed to have washed most of it away.
Then I managed to drop my license somewhere, I was running around like an idiot trying to find it... then had to join the vic club but need cash! After about an hour of messing around because I wasn't too organised I was finally signed in and ready to go.
Qualifying:
It was wet, but the wet doesn't bother me too much. Though at times I couldn't see through my visor, so I tried to leave it open so I could see but that didn't really work either. Came in thinking I did ok but knew I could have done better!
I ended up qualifying 6th in 150's (Dam those crofts are fast!) and 8th for all mini lites/pro lites etc which was pretty good.
Race one:
I was worried about my starts because from my experience in Taupo last year I was terrible at them!! Lined up on the grid and went, I don't know how bad it was but don't think it was quite as abysmal as last year. Now I experienced something that I never have before and I think its what people call 'red mist', it was on and I was gonna try and pass everyone I could!
I passed Ben Ox either out of the 2nd corner or into splash, then he tried to come on the inside in Higgins but I was not letting him get by that easy and then I saw Sarah on her CBR so she was who I wanted to take next, came into Dunlop quite hot and took a tighter line to get past, I think i hit the white paint, lost my front and I was down!!!
Rookie mistake! Getting waaaaaaaaaaay too excited on my first lap and going a bit crazy, oh well
(sorry to ben and sarah who I crashed right in front of!) With only a wee bruise on my elbow I came off pretty good!
Now once I got the bike back in Billy did everything he could to get the thing back to being able to race, he went way beyond what I could ever expect. Thanks again to the Croft boys we were able to borrow the handle bar of little Crofts bike that he crashed in qualifying.
Race 2:
Was lots of fun, I felt a little timid. I didn't want to crash this bike (that wasn't mine) again and definitely not in the same place! Heaps of people passed me and I felt pretty slow.
Helen that little champ passed me on the last lap but I managed to get her back to take 6th which I was quite happy with because I thought I did so much worse.
I was a little gutted that I was so slow (and my times confirmed that) but happy that I was upright :yes:
Was looking forward to another race since I had my slow bit getting my confidence back after the crash but unfortunately we ran out of time
I had the most fabulous time though, even though I could have done a lot better (I do feel like being overseas most of last year, I have gone backwards), Im not nearly as worried about that as I would have been in the past. I had sooooooooooooooo much fun!
A HUGE thanks to Billy and Autocycle Refinishers whom without I couldn't have been there!
Not only did he give me a bike but he ran around like a headless chickedn to try and fix the bike I broke so I could get back on the track!!! You really are such a good bastard Billy :clap:
Thanks to the Croft boys for giving me a few parts to get me going, and for little Croft for giving my first experience of a bike leaning on me coming out of Dunlop at test day :Punk:
Oh and thank you Ernie for helping me get out for race 2!!
Hope all those that crashed are ok
See you all next round