Matchless-G80
2nd October 2011, 20:00
2011 Actrix VMCC Winter series round 4&5
Pro-lite 250 Kawasaki Ninja 250R
VMCC round 4:
Saturday Practice day:
I went out looking forward to a good two days racing. The track seemed nice and dry except a bit cold, so I took it a bit cautiously for the first few laps of the first practice session. Unfortunately when I just started to push that little bit harder I had a moment at the hair pin. My first crash of the new ninja, the tyres just gave way without any warning on the hair pin. So I picked the bike up and went back to the pits to fix it up. It was due a new paint anyway..
For the rest of the day I took it slightly easier than usual just in case I crashed again. But overall it was a good day, we tried out some new things and some worked, yet some did not. Food for thought for the rest of the season.
Sunday Qualifying:
The track looked fine, if not a bit damp so I took it easy but not too easy. The 4 laps went fast and all of a sudden it was time to come in as I was getting a rhythm going. I qualified 5th overall but first in class. This was the first time I hadn’t been on the front row since last year, so I was looking forward to a close race.
Race 1:
I had a great start and was 2nd into the first corner. I took the first few corners a bit easy and got into a rhythm of it. I stayed behind the mini lite 250’s because I thought that it wasn’t worth the risk, at that stage I had a comfortable lead on the next pro-lite. So I finished the race 1st in class and 4th overall. A nice race and 25 points to the championship.
Race 2:
Again I had a great start, 2nd into the first corner. I decided that I wanted to have some fun this time and have some battles with the mini lites. Seemed like a good idea at the time, until I came up to the white flag, I was neck and neck with a mini lite going into turn one. And you know what happened next, I was in the grass wondering what had just happened. It was worse because at that point I was nearly 25 seconds ahead of the next pro lite. My first DNF on the Ninja, my first non-win on the Ninja and the first time I had not scored any points in a race since 2009. Unfortunately I damaged the bike beyond the quick duct tape fix and had to call it a day, with only 25 points to my name for the meeting. I could only look onwards and upwards as we drove off, bring on round 5 and a better condition bike!
VMCC ROUND 5:
Qualifying:
I went out with a new muffler, straightened handle bars and semi prepared fairings. The bike didn’t look its best but it was good enough for the day. I was getting into the swing of things again after a terrible last meeting, and got used to the track again. I qualified 6th overall but 1st in class by a few seconds. The weather looked to be good for the 1st race so I awaited eagerly to get some more points on the board. I had a 58 point lead going into race 2 of round 4, now I only have an 8 point lead. Still a lead but not as much as I would have liked.
Race 1:
I had a great start, I was flying into the first corner. After a few corners everyone settled themselves out and some battles went underway. I was dicing for 4th overall with 3 streetstocks, Neil, Tyler and Joel. This was great fun but because I had never been beaten to the line by a 150 I was not going to let this happen. The second to last lap in turn one I decided to take 2 of them under brakes. I got behind the other one and I took him just after the hairpin. I stepped up the lap times and took a second out of the previous lap until the finish. 4th overall and 1st in class. So another 25 points to the championship. I did notice the other pro lite (Aaron Carr) had not come back to the slip road, I think he ran out of fuel. Lucky for me it extended my lead on the series by 25 points plus the 8 I had before the race. It kind of makes up for the disaster last meeting.
Race 2:
It was wet. The rain had come hard and fast and soaked the track for this race, no problem for me because I don’t mind racing in the rain. I had a great start and was 2nd into the first corner. I let everyone settle for the first two laps or so, I was taking it easy behind Neil and Dale (mini lite 250). I took dale easy enough after a few laps I stepped up the pace and made a charge for the front, because I know the bike handles very well in the wet. I took Neil on the outside if Higgins with a few laps to go. I got faster to see if he could keep up, but I was at the front by myself until the chequered flag. My best time was a 1.34 ish. Not bad for the wet I’ve been told. 25 more points and a 1st overall for bragging rights.
Race 3:
It had dried out for the last race, yet it still seemed like there was a bit of moisture on the track. I had another great start (im not sure what it is, but I always seem to have great starts. I think it’s the DUNLOP tyres). I thought that because this race is dry I won’t be able to beat the mini lites on out right speed, so I stuck behind them and let them do their own thing. I took this race easy, however it felt slower than the lap times, I did a best of 1.28ish but it felt like a 1.30+. I hung back and finished 4th overall yet 1st in class. Another 25 points, and a perfect 75 from 75 for the meeting. Due to Aarons, miscalculation, I now have a 39 point lead going into the last round at Taupo. I like Taupo and hope to be pushing for the front their as I have put down some very competitive lap times on my 150.
I would like to say a huge thanks to my supporters: Motorad, Croft Racing, Horsepower Motorcycles, Dunlop Tyres, Kapiti Bearings & Locksmithing, Neptune Mufflers (hooking me up with a muffler, AWESOME), Plastic Welding Repairs, RPS signs and Graphics and 1tonne quality motorcycle gear. Without these guys I wouldn’t be able to do as well as I do, I highly recommend them !!!
Sam Croft :woohoo:
Pro-lite 250 Kawasaki Ninja 250R
VMCC round 4:
Saturday Practice day:
I went out looking forward to a good two days racing. The track seemed nice and dry except a bit cold, so I took it a bit cautiously for the first few laps of the first practice session. Unfortunately when I just started to push that little bit harder I had a moment at the hair pin. My first crash of the new ninja, the tyres just gave way without any warning on the hair pin. So I picked the bike up and went back to the pits to fix it up. It was due a new paint anyway..
For the rest of the day I took it slightly easier than usual just in case I crashed again. But overall it was a good day, we tried out some new things and some worked, yet some did not. Food for thought for the rest of the season.
Sunday Qualifying:
The track looked fine, if not a bit damp so I took it easy but not too easy. The 4 laps went fast and all of a sudden it was time to come in as I was getting a rhythm going. I qualified 5th overall but first in class. This was the first time I hadn’t been on the front row since last year, so I was looking forward to a close race.
Race 1:
I had a great start and was 2nd into the first corner. I took the first few corners a bit easy and got into a rhythm of it. I stayed behind the mini lite 250’s because I thought that it wasn’t worth the risk, at that stage I had a comfortable lead on the next pro-lite. So I finished the race 1st in class and 4th overall. A nice race and 25 points to the championship.
Race 2:
Again I had a great start, 2nd into the first corner. I decided that I wanted to have some fun this time and have some battles with the mini lites. Seemed like a good idea at the time, until I came up to the white flag, I was neck and neck with a mini lite going into turn one. And you know what happened next, I was in the grass wondering what had just happened. It was worse because at that point I was nearly 25 seconds ahead of the next pro lite. My first DNF on the Ninja, my first non-win on the Ninja and the first time I had not scored any points in a race since 2009. Unfortunately I damaged the bike beyond the quick duct tape fix and had to call it a day, with only 25 points to my name for the meeting. I could only look onwards and upwards as we drove off, bring on round 5 and a better condition bike!
VMCC ROUND 5:
Qualifying:
I went out with a new muffler, straightened handle bars and semi prepared fairings. The bike didn’t look its best but it was good enough for the day. I was getting into the swing of things again after a terrible last meeting, and got used to the track again. I qualified 6th overall but 1st in class by a few seconds. The weather looked to be good for the 1st race so I awaited eagerly to get some more points on the board. I had a 58 point lead going into race 2 of round 4, now I only have an 8 point lead. Still a lead but not as much as I would have liked.
Race 1:
I had a great start, I was flying into the first corner. After a few corners everyone settled themselves out and some battles went underway. I was dicing for 4th overall with 3 streetstocks, Neil, Tyler and Joel. This was great fun but because I had never been beaten to the line by a 150 I was not going to let this happen. The second to last lap in turn one I decided to take 2 of them under brakes. I got behind the other one and I took him just after the hairpin. I stepped up the lap times and took a second out of the previous lap until the finish. 4th overall and 1st in class. So another 25 points to the championship. I did notice the other pro lite (Aaron Carr) had not come back to the slip road, I think he ran out of fuel. Lucky for me it extended my lead on the series by 25 points plus the 8 I had before the race. It kind of makes up for the disaster last meeting.
Race 2:
It was wet. The rain had come hard and fast and soaked the track for this race, no problem for me because I don’t mind racing in the rain. I had a great start and was 2nd into the first corner. I let everyone settle for the first two laps or so, I was taking it easy behind Neil and Dale (mini lite 250). I took dale easy enough after a few laps I stepped up the pace and made a charge for the front, because I know the bike handles very well in the wet. I took Neil on the outside if Higgins with a few laps to go. I got faster to see if he could keep up, but I was at the front by myself until the chequered flag. My best time was a 1.34 ish. Not bad for the wet I’ve been told. 25 more points and a 1st overall for bragging rights.
Race 3:
It had dried out for the last race, yet it still seemed like there was a bit of moisture on the track. I had another great start (im not sure what it is, but I always seem to have great starts. I think it’s the DUNLOP tyres). I thought that because this race is dry I won’t be able to beat the mini lites on out right speed, so I stuck behind them and let them do their own thing. I took this race easy, however it felt slower than the lap times, I did a best of 1.28ish but it felt like a 1.30+. I hung back and finished 4th overall yet 1st in class. Another 25 points, and a perfect 75 from 75 for the meeting. Due to Aarons, miscalculation, I now have a 39 point lead going into the last round at Taupo. I like Taupo and hope to be pushing for the front their as I have put down some very competitive lap times on my 150.
I would like to say a huge thanks to my supporters: Motorad, Croft Racing, Horsepower Motorcycles, Dunlop Tyres, Kapiti Bearings & Locksmithing, Neptune Mufflers (hooking me up with a muffler, AWESOME), Plastic Welding Repairs, RPS signs and Graphics and 1tonne quality motorcycle gear. Without these guys I wouldn’t be able to do as well as I do, I highly recommend them !!!
Sam Croft :woohoo: