cowboyz
15th August 2010, 10:48
well.. Interesting day for sure.
First time on the long track and I was really really wishing for a fine day.. but you know what they say... shit in one hand wish in the other and see what fills up first..............
so 86 picks me up about 7am and we head for the obligatory latte before heading to the track. Got sorted and waited for clubmans qualifiying to come up.
practice/qualifiying...
It at least had stopped raining but the track was wet and plenty of water everywhere. I learnt my lesson from the last round so waited for a bunch of guys to head out in front of me so I had someone to follow round the track.. The normal track was ok but once I got to the extension I was thinking that I might need to do some 3 point turns on the hairpin and struggled with seeing where the track went. So lacking confidence in the wet and really didnt want to lean the bike over more than about 10 degrees so pootled round to qualify in 12th with a 2.53.44. I spent the whole time thinking.. damn! I know I can go faster than this I just dont wanna! Came in thinking that at least I still made it upright.
Race 1.
Really felt quite good about getting out there right up until I lined up on the dummy grid and then I was just feeling ill. I got really nervous about riding round in the rain. Kinda just convinced myself that I had committed to doing this so I might as well just go out and see what happens. Warm up lap I was trying to make mental notes on where the corners went on the extention and tring to work out where I could brake and throttle on in the tight section.
Lined up 12th and waited for the lights. Still Questioning what an ideal rev setting to launch from would be but before I could put too much thought into it the lights were on so I picked about 5000 and dropped the clutch just as the lights went out. Wheelspin for africa. gas off.. traction.. on again.. wheelspin... off. on.. off.. on. frikken hell! Went into turn 1 last and frustrated. Then I cooked the hairpin and ended up well behind. About now I was thinking that this is all getting a bit average so I thought Ill just ride. Who really cares...
All of a sudden I was up with the pack and passed a couple of bikes realatively easierly. Nice. Day getting better. Put my head down and tried to forget that the track was soaking wet and committing as much as I could to each corner one by one but still thinking that Im not really liking the rain. Got past another 2 to get up to 9th and circulated there for a couple of laps. I couldnt see me catching 8th and so I settled into ride mode to just get round the track. Unfortunately I didnt realise how close the 2 bikes were behind me and I screwed up the extention on the last lap to get passed by both of them to finish 11th with a best lap of 2.34.574
It really was a good race really. I struggled with the extension and the rain. Leant a bit about concentration and 12 mins is a frikken long time! I really need to get fitter!
Race 2.
went round the outlap. feeling a bit better about the track and lined up for the start. I was wondering how to launch without all the wheelspin so thinking about being a bit nicer letting the clutch go. I was watching the lights and Im sure they went out so I eased the clutch out to ease into it and the bike crept forward a little bit (surely wasnt that far huh monamine??? only like 2 or 3 bike lengths) before I realised no one else was moving!. shit.. stopped .. then the lights went out and it was go. The rain was also connected to the lights cause as soon as they went out it bucketed down! I went into turn 1 midpack somewhere knowing that id get pinged for the jumpstart and the rain was bucketing down. I got slower and slower as I watched the field leave me behind. Every corner I didnt wanna brake.. or lean or .. do anything really. It really changed the race from a race to a sat afternoon ride in the rain. I was determined to finish the race.. there was promise of pie if I did..... but I really didnt have any interest in going fast.
Huge sigh of relief when chequered flag come out and it was over really. of course.. once the race was over.. so was the rain. Anyhow. fastest lap was 2.49
so.. fine weather please for next one! Overall.. It was a good day. Stuck around to watch the F1 boys play in the rain and see how its surposed to be done.. How good was that last race?!!!
First time on the long track and I was really really wishing for a fine day.. but you know what they say... shit in one hand wish in the other and see what fills up first..............
so 86 picks me up about 7am and we head for the obligatory latte before heading to the track. Got sorted and waited for clubmans qualifiying to come up.
practice/qualifiying...
It at least had stopped raining but the track was wet and plenty of water everywhere. I learnt my lesson from the last round so waited for a bunch of guys to head out in front of me so I had someone to follow round the track.. The normal track was ok but once I got to the extension I was thinking that I might need to do some 3 point turns on the hairpin and struggled with seeing where the track went. So lacking confidence in the wet and really didnt want to lean the bike over more than about 10 degrees so pootled round to qualify in 12th with a 2.53.44. I spent the whole time thinking.. damn! I know I can go faster than this I just dont wanna! Came in thinking that at least I still made it upright.
Race 1.
Really felt quite good about getting out there right up until I lined up on the dummy grid and then I was just feeling ill. I got really nervous about riding round in the rain. Kinda just convinced myself that I had committed to doing this so I might as well just go out and see what happens. Warm up lap I was trying to make mental notes on where the corners went on the extention and tring to work out where I could brake and throttle on in the tight section.
Lined up 12th and waited for the lights. Still Questioning what an ideal rev setting to launch from would be but before I could put too much thought into it the lights were on so I picked about 5000 and dropped the clutch just as the lights went out. Wheelspin for africa. gas off.. traction.. on again.. wheelspin... off. on.. off.. on. frikken hell! Went into turn 1 last and frustrated. Then I cooked the hairpin and ended up well behind. About now I was thinking that this is all getting a bit average so I thought Ill just ride. Who really cares...
All of a sudden I was up with the pack and passed a couple of bikes realatively easierly. Nice. Day getting better. Put my head down and tried to forget that the track was soaking wet and committing as much as I could to each corner one by one but still thinking that Im not really liking the rain. Got past another 2 to get up to 9th and circulated there for a couple of laps. I couldnt see me catching 8th and so I settled into ride mode to just get round the track. Unfortunately I didnt realise how close the 2 bikes were behind me and I screwed up the extention on the last lap to get passed by both of them to finish 11th with a best lap of 2.34.574
It really was a good race really. I struggled with the extension and the rain. Leant a bit about concentration and 12 mins is a frikken long time! I really need to get fitter!
Race 2.
went round the outlap. feeling a bit better about the track and lined up for the start. I was wondering how to launch without all the wheelspin so thinking about being a bit nicer letting the clutch go. I was watching the lights and Im sure they went out so I eased the clutch out to ease into it and the bike crept forward a little bit (surely wasnt that far huh monamine??? only like 2 or 3 bike lengths) before I realised no one else was moving!. shit.. stopped .. then the lights went out and it was go. The rain was also connected to the lights cause as soon as they went out it bucketed down! I went into turn 1 midpack somewhere knowing that id get pinged for the jumpstart and the rain was bucketing down. I got slower and slower as I watched the field leave me behind. Every corner I didnt wanna brake.. or lean or .. do anything really. It really changed the race from a race to a sat afternoon ride in the rain. I was determined to finish the race.. there was promise of pie if I did..... but I really didnt have any interest in going fast.
Huge sigh of relief when chequered flag come out and it was over really. of course.. once the race was over.. so was the rain. Anyhow. fastest lap was 2.49
so.. fine weather please for next one! Overall.. It was a good day. Stuck around to watch the F1 boys play in the rain and see how its surposed to be done.. How good was that last race?!!!