lukemillar
13th June 2012, 13:11
Having read a few of the race reports, it seems that pretty much everyone had some bad luck this weekend! Unfortunately, I wasn't immune either.
Friday practice
Having finally got my rebuilt engine in the bike the previous weekend and despite being a bitch to get to fire up for the first time, I was looking forward to running it in on the practice and seeing whether my hours in the workshop had paid off. Take it out for an easy lap and then come in to check for leaks. All looks good so I open it up. After about 4 laps, there is a really weird oscillation coming from the engine and I can't change gear, so I roll into the pits to check it out. It all looks fine and turns over ok and then someone point out my chain hanging way down. I had forgotten to tighten the pinch bolt to the hub adjustment! Fixed it up, went out for a another full session which went great, so changed out the oil and filter for the next day.
Qualifying
Still nervous about the engine + the wet conditions, I just take easy and concentrate on being smooth on the brakes and the gas. It doesn't feel fast, but no-one passes me, So I figure it can't be that bad! End up qualifying 2nd in pre89 F3 and 5th on the grid which I'm fairly happy with.
Race 1
There are a lot of dry areas around the track now. but I check out the other front runners and they are all running wets, so I stick with them as well. Get a pretty decent start (for a change!) and hold 5th into turn 1. I take it a little bit easy, but there seems to be loads of grip, so I just go for it. I catch Eamon in 4th and can see that 250 Kwak in 1st in F3 just ahead, so I'm really fired up. I manage to pass both of them over the next 2-3 laps and then end up on Chappy's back wheel to start dicing for 2nd! The bike is flying and everything is feeling great. He has a slight advantage on the straights, but I can just about stick with him, which means that the engine work has definitely paid off. Then coming out of T1 on lap 4 and the engine just stops dead. I coast off the track and watch the rest of the race from the tyre wall. Not happy. Only consolation is a best time of a 1m22.7s which was almost as quick as I was last round in the dry!
After getting a lift back to the pits and diagnosing the issue, I'm not getting any spark. It seems that spray off the back tyre has got under the tail fairing and dripped onto the CDI. Not having a spare, there isn't much I can do about it, so that was the end of the weekend for me.
After getting home and hold of another CDI, the bike fires up straightaway. I'm annoyed that it has killed a day of racing, but also happy that it is an easy fix and not the new motor!
Championship is now a write-off as I have only scored in 1 out of 6 races and I'll be missing round 4 completely. However, I really pleased with the way the bike was working and am itching to get out again (hopefully dry next time).
Big thanks to Jess for coming up and helping all weekend, Ben at Motorad for parts and VMCC and the marshalls for all their hard work.
See you at round 3 (but my CDI stuffed in a sandwich bag this time :facepalm:)
Thanks
Luke
Friday practice
Having finally got my rebuilt engine in the bike the previous weekend and despite being a bitch to get to fire up for the first time, I was looking forward to running it in on the practice and seeing whether my hours in the workshop had paid off. Take it out for an easy lap and then come in to check for leaks. All looks good so I open it up. After about 4 laps, there is a really weird oscillation coming from the engine and I can't change gear, so I roll into the pits to check it out. It all looks fine and turns over ok and then someone point out my chain hanging way down. I had forgotten to tighten the pinch bolt to the hub adjustment! Fixed it up, went out for a another full session which went great, so changed out the oil and filter for the next day.
Qualifying
Still nervous about the engine + the wet conditions, I just take easy and concentrate on being smooth on the brakes and the gas. It doesn't feel fast, but no-one passes me, So I figure it can't be that bad! End up qualifying 2nd in pre89 F3 and 5th on the grid which I'm fairly happy with.
Race 1
There are a lot of dry areas around the track now. but I check out the other front runners and they are all running wets, so I stick with them as well. Get a pretty decent start (for a change!) and hold 5th into turn 1. I take it a little bit easy, but there seems to be loads of grip, so I just go for it. I catch Eamon in 4th and can see that 250 Kwak in 1st in F3 just ahead, so I'm really fired up. I manage to pass both of them over the next 2-3 laps and then end up on Chappy's back wheel to start dicing for 2nd! The bike is flying and everything is feeling great. He has a slight advantage on the straights, but I can just about stick with him, which means that the engine work has definitely paid off. Then coming out of T1 on lap 4 and the engine just stops dead. I coast off the track and watch the rest of the race from the tyre wall. Not happy. Only consolation is a best time of a 1m22.7s which was almost as quick as I was last round in the dry!
After getting a lift back to the pits and diagnosing the issue, I'm not getting any spark. It seems that spray off the back tyre has got under the tail fairing and dripped onto the CDI. Not having a spare, there isn't much I can do about it, so that was the end of the weekend for me.
After getting home and hold of another CDI, the bike fires up straightaway. I'm annoyed that it has killed a day of racing, but also happy that it is an easy fix and not the new motor!
Championship is now a write-off as I have only scored in 1 out of 6 races and I'll be missing round 4 completely. However, I really pleased with the way the bike was working and am itching to get out again (hopefully dry next time).
Big thanks to Jess for coming up and helping all weekend, Ben at Motorad for parts and VMCC and the marshalls for all their hard work.
See you at round 3 (but my CDI stuffed in a sandwich bag this time :facepalm:)
Thanks
Luke