Taupo National Round

[CHOPPA]

The Pacific Club have stepped up to run the final round of the National at Taupo which is great!

I was talking them and they are considering running Track 4 instead of Track 1 because some people have suggested it will promote more passing opportunities. I think slowing the track down anymore would be a backwards step as on a superbike you would barely get out of second gear.

They havnt confirmed either and they are happy to discuss the best options. As riders intending on racing the nationals which track would you prefer be used?

Track options....

http://www.tauporacetrack.co.nz/default.asp?sid=9&cid=16&aid=

[RobGassit]

Track One for ALL classes.

[kiwifruit]

I think they should run track 1 otherwise there is a lack of fast corners.

Personally I prefer track 4 but only cos I like going slow.

[gixerracer]

The Pacific Club have stepped up to run the final round of the National at Taupo which is great!

I was talking them and they are considering running Track 4 instead of Track 1 because some people have suggested it will promote more passing opportunities. I think slowing the track down anymore would be a backwards step as on a superbike you would barely get out of second gear.

They havnt confirmed either and they are happy to discuss the best options. As riders intending on racing the nationals which track would you prefer be used?

Track options....

http://www.tauporacetrack.co.nz/default.asp?sid=9&cid=16&aid=
After riding there yesterday I have concerns the track is even safe for any motorbike racing at the mo. They have put more silicone crap in the cracks in the track and it was like hitting wet green grass and very very dangerous. One corner was turn 9 the fast one Chop likes and using track 4 would take that out which for my mind at this point would be a very very good thing for. The other major concern was the last chicane now coming in there from aporx 250 kph on the bigger bikes to find there is the worlds most slippery substance all over the place is ridiculous and the last part on to the finish straight well someone will end up in that concrete wall for sure.
Now the stuff was pretty fresh so I guess it will improve with time but if it dont then I think they have created a pretty serious problem!

[CHOPPA]

Maybe I should have put track 2 as an option haha

[FROSTY]

After riding there yesterday I have concerns the track is even safe for any motorbike racing at the mo. They have put more silicone crap in the cracks in the track and it was like hitting wet green grass and very very dangerous. One corner was turn 9 the fast one Chop likes and using track 4 would take that out which for my mind at this point would be a very very good thing for. The other major concern was the last chicane now coming in there from aporx 250 kph on the bigger bikes to find there is the worlds most slippery substance all over the place is ridiculous and the last part on to the finish straight well someone will end up in that concrete wall for sure.
Now the stuff was pretty fresh so I guess it will improve with time but if it dont then I think they have created a pretty serious problem!
PLEASE make contact with track management and let them know.There were the self same issues about 2 years back on T7 from memory which was a case of the wrong product used. Several riders raised the issue with them then and they did deal with it. If they don't know about it they can't fix it

[discodan]

After riding there yesterday I have concerns the track is even safe for any motorbike racing at the mo. They have put more silicone crap in the cracks in the track and it was like hitting wet green grass and very very dangerous. One corner was turn 9 the fast one Chop likes and using track 4 would take that out which for my mind at this point would be a very very good thing for. The other major concern was the last chicane now coming in there from aporx 250 kph on the bigger bikes to find there is the worlds most slippery substance all over the place is ridiculous and the last part on to the finish straight well someone will end up in that concrete wall for sure.
Now the stuff was pretty fresh so I guess it will improve with time but if it dont then I think they have created a pretty serious problem!

The last time I rode there was at the Tri-Series 2009, which was not long after they 'repaired' the track with those slippery black patches.

Craig, I don't know if you were racing there when the track was like that but if so, would you say that the track was better / worse now?

[gixerracer]

The last time I rode there was at the Tri-Series 2009, which was not long after they 'repaired' the track with those slippery black patches.

Craig, I don't know if you were racing there when the track was like that but if so, would you say that the track was better / worse now?

Yea I rode then and had no problems at all with the track

[jellywrestler]

I have concerns the track is even safe for any motorbike racing at the mo. They have put more silicone crap in the cracks in the track and it was like hitting wet green grass and very very dangerous.
That's what you get when the labour pool is out of work plumbers eh?
More importantly if they've used it whats the products specifications like when in this application? is the stuff they used designed for this job?

[rachprice]

Haven't ridden track 4, god haven't been on a track in a long time :( but anyway I vote for track 1. I love those series of corners
Not that my opinion matters all that much

[lostinflyz]

if you come off in a big way at turn 9 could a bike land on the straight???

[Shaun]

After riding there yesterday I have concerns the track is even safe for any motorbike racing at the mo. They have put more silicone crap in the cracks in the track and it was like hitting wet green grass and very very dangerous. One corner was turn 9 the fast one Chop likes and using track 4 would take that out which for my mind at this point would be a very very good thing for. The other major concern was the last chicane now coming in there from aporx 250 kph on the bigger bikes to find there is the worlds most slippery substance all over the place is ridiculous and the last part on to the finish straight well someone will end up in that concrete wall for sure.
Now the stuff was pretty fresh so I guess it will improve with time but if it dont then I think they have created a pretty serious problem!



You can obviuosly type and read

Get ya shit together and stand up as a STAR of NZ Bike racing and get the meeting canned then!

If it is any where near as crap as you say, it MUST NOT happen

AS for Chopa wanting the fastest track with the flowing corner, that is only because he wants to be able to use all the top end HP of the BMW ( Soory dude, just shite stiring)

Taupo track is a joke and has always been ever since the new one was built, the concrete wall alone exiting the chicane is a MAJOR DANGEROUS Highside point that could easily KILL some one.

[scracha]

if you come off in a big way at turn 9 could a bike land on the straight???

A few years back on a 400 I had a humongous frame cracking lowside there and went about 3/4 of the distance in the dry. So I'm guessing a combination of Drew + superbike + wet track could achieve this feat.

[DEATH_INC.]

So I'm guessing a combination of Drew + superbike + wet track could achieve this feat.
I reckon Drew could get it to the road from there :Pokey:
I voted for 4, coming from a full lean left into that little right into the chicane is awesome tricky at speed, and will help sort the best from the rest.

[Kickaha]

I think slowing the track down anymore would be a backwards step as on a superbike you would barely get out of second gear.


Although I can see your point the majority of competitors aren't running Superbikes

That said I voted track 1 as it's less work for a passenger :lol:

[wharfy]

Well I'm not a Nationals racer so I won't vote - But the dodgy repair work is a bugger, I haven't ridden Taupo for a while (09 Tri-series I think) and the slippery looking patches really do my head in - Note I said slippery looking - 'cause I was to scared to ride over them ! Now a top rider with balls so big he needs a wheel barrow to carry them around says the repairs are are a worry !!! :shit: I was looking forward to VMCC round 6 I guess I will have to go - just for the :beer: :sick:

[gixerracer]

Well I'm not a Nationals racer so I won't vote - But the dodgy repair work is a bugger, I haven't ridden Taupo for a while (09 Tri-series I think) and the slippery looking patches really do my head in - Note I said slippery looking - 'cause I was to scared to ride over them ! Now a top rider with balls so big he needs a wheel barrow to carry them around says the repairs are are a worry !!! :shit: I was looking forward to VMCC round 6 I guess I will have to go - just for the :beer: :sick:

dont get me wrong mate. It was pretty dam bad but it was fresh as in they laid it the day before we rode on it and they put sand grit it to it. Part the problem was the loose sand was all over the corners to. But when hitting the new siliconed patches my good if you wernt ready you would be down the road for sure. Hopefully the track will have been used a fair bit before the next Vic meeting and the loose sand will be gone also so fingers crossed it will not be to much of a drama.

[crazy man]

they should run track one in reverse and give no one any practice till the day

[jellywrestler]

You can obviuosly type and read

Get ya shit together and stand up as a STAR of NZ Bike racing and get the meeting canned then!

If it is any where near as crap as you say, it MUST NOT happen

Before we read too much into this the stuff was actually being applied the day before and the same day as Shirriffs was riding so may well be needing a time to settel.
Also they applied sand into it to give it some grip the same sand hadn't been cleaned up and was spread across the track somewhat.
Still something to keep an eye on though

[slowpoke]

Turns 8 and 9 are the 2 best corners on the track, and I'm buggered if a chicane is gonna improve anything. The fast corners are what sorts the best from the rest.

[lukemillar]

Turns 8 and 9 are the 2 best corners on the track, and I'm buggered if a chicane is gonna improve anything. The fast corners are what sorts the best from the rest.

I agree! They are my 2 fav corners at Taupo, but I'm not racing the nationals so am not voting :)

[codgyoleracer]

That slimy stuff is "managable" in the dry, but in the wet , Umm well..........

Good on em for having a go at holding a round there, personally i dont like the layout i find it boring to ride + there are a couple of places NOT to take a "brave pill"

On that note though , i could say the same about any race track in New Zealand, where if you supplied a "what if" scenario - its would be just about impossible to cotton ball every possible outcome.

[sinfull]

If i remember rightly, they did the same thing on the joins around the repairs from car belly pans ripping the track up, a few years back as has been mentioned and used sand spinkles as they obviously have again, The MC track day Companies kicked up a fuss after the sand wore off a few meetings later and it became like riding on sheets of ice.

They came to the party only when they realised they might lose MC income and ground the shit off, then used another (much more expensive) resin that had grit suspended in it, Was slightly better grip but still a head fuck ! Hope they aint tried to save a couple of dollars here and gone for the cheaper option.
Watch for morning dew not drying on the resin, it doesn't seem to evaporate like on the tarmat for some reason lol

[CHOPPA]

Surely to reseal a couple of corners wouldnt break the bank? What are we talking $$$?

[Kiwi Graham]

I've not seen the circuit for well over a year or more, but if the corners are as bad as they were a few years back (ie bloody dangerous) the Pacific Club, Moto TT etc I would hope will bring this to the attention of the circuit owners questioning whether it is safe to run a National event on it.

There will be a host of 'people in the know' up there for the Post Classic GP in a few weeks, perhaps we will get a better perspective then.

Codgy, a full report please mate :Police:

A suggestion I made last time was to save expense on a resurface would be to push the apexes out to cover the damage using that hard, moulded, bolt down curbing.

The stuff they used to repair it with is 'slick as' in the mornings (dew) and when wet and it gives you a few phwooor moments in the dry!!!

[Biggles08]

Wooooop!!!! Taupo :woohoo: Yeah baby!!!!

[jellywrestler]

Wooooop!!!! Taupo :woohoo: Yeah baby!!!!

Cool how about a little movie on you trip there eh? 'Maurice does Taupo'