lukemillar
3rd October 2011, 13:05
I was really looking forward to this round. I had tweaked my carbs from last round and the bike was running sweet. Arrived early on Friday for a shakedown/practice with the new setup and straight away the bike felt great. Laptimer put more doing 23/24s which is slow but it was a test day so I wasn't going balls out. Pretty uneventful except for running off the track after the hairpin, having a big slapper and then no brakes into Higgins! Not quite sure what happened, just got too close to the LHS, glanced at my clocks and then when I looked up, I was just rolling off the track! :facepalm:
Qualifying
Unfortunately the awesome weather from the day before hadn't held and it was looking cloudy. I only got 3 timed laps and on the second quick lap some guy lowsides right in front of me at the hairpin! I have to roll off and sit it up to avoid him and that leaves one last flying lap to qualify! Ended up around 13th on the mixed grid with a 1:25 which wasn't the best
Race 1
On the slighting lap it is starting to shower and I'm on slicks. I see Ernie pull in, so I do to. We then get a 20 min break to change tyres, only it dries up, so I stick with slicks. Standard crap start and slotted in somewhere around where I qualified. Riding like a granny until Natasha comes past which gives me the hurry up! Pass a couple of people and end up 6th with a best lap of 1m23.2. Pretty disappointed in that seeing as last time I was in the 1m21s with my timer giving me an opt 1:20.5 lap.
Race 2
Now it is wet tyre wet... but drying! Another average start and after a lap or 2 I find myself alone! I just take it easy as I'm not catching anyone and it is now pretty dry and I don't want to trash my wets! Finished 5th with a really pathetic best lap of 1m30!
Race 3
Back to dry again and after 2 pretty average races, I'm not really looking forward to this one. Again, an average start, pass a couple of people, and then watch the laps click down until the flag. Finish 4th with another 1m23.
Pretty disappointed in my riding this round. I just couldn't figure out why I was 2 secs a lap slower than last round!? I looked at the data from my timer and there wasn't one corner really, just marginally slower everywhere. Just riding like a bit of a pussy I guess.
Points wise it wasn't actually that bad, but after being taken out at round 2 and then missing round 3, the top 5 championship finish goal I had at the start of the season is looking slim.
Still, looking forward to Taupo as last time I went pretty well there and will be interested to see how quickly I can hussle the 400 round! Hoping for some good weather. :sunny:
Thanks to the usual suspects: Motorad for parts and service, Steve B and Moto Academy and all the people who came and said hello over the weekend :)
See you all in Taupo
Luke
Qualifying
Unfortunately the awesome weather from the day before hadn't held and it was looking cloudy. I only got 3 timed laps and on the second quick lap some guy lowsides right in front of me at the hairpin! I have to roll off and sit it up to avoid him and that leaves one last flying lap to qualify! Ended up around 13th on the mixed grid with a 1:25 which wasn't the best
Race 1
On the slighting lap it is starting to shower and I'm on slicks. I see Ernie pull in, so I do to. We then get a 20 min break to change tyres, only it dries up, so I stick with slicks. Standard crap start and slotted in somewhere around where I qualified. Riding like a granny until Natasha comes past which gives me the hurry up! Pass a couple of people and end up 6th with a best lap of 1m23.2. Pretty disappointed in that seeing as last time I was in the 1m21s with my timer giving me an opt 1:20.5 lap.
Race 2
Now it is wet tyre wet... but drying! Another average start and after a lap or 2 I find myself alone! I just take it easy as I'm not catching anyone and it is now pretty dry and I don't want to trash my wets! Finished 5th with a really pathetic best lap of 1m30!
Race 3
Back to dry again and after 2 pretty average races, I'm not really looking forward to this one. Again, an average start, pass a couple of people, and then watch the laps click down until the flag. Finish 4th with another 1m23.
Pretty disappointed in my riding this round. I just couldn't figure out why I was 2 secs a lap slower than last round!? I looked at the data from my timer and there wasn't one corner really, just marginally slower everywhere. Just riding like a bit of a pussy I guess.
Points wise it wasn't actually that bad, but after being taken out at round 2 and then missing round 3, the top 5 championship finish goal I had at the start of the season is looking slim.
Still, looking forward to Taupo as last time I went pretty well there and will be interested to see how quickly I can hussle the 400 round! Hoping for some good weather. :sunny:
Thanks to the usual suspects: Motorad for parts and service, Steve B and Moto Academy and all the people who came and said hello over the weekend :)
See you all in Taupo
Luke