Shaun Harris
11th January 2016, 09:31
New Zealand Grand Prix Title:Punk:
1x 2nd place and 2x 1st place in round 1 of the NZ SBK champs. I am racing in the " Superlight class" which is hot rodded 650 twins and de tuned 600cc bikes down to 450cc bikes, so kinda like a triple.
Every one has budget issue's with racing, but I managed to purchase 1x a Brand new Rear tire for this meeting- woo hoo. So Thursday- friday and saturday Qualify and race was on old used tires that I had scrounched of other riders THANKS GUYS, and for Sunday's 2 races, I put the front tire on that I had done qual and 2 races at Wanganui with, and a brand new 180 SC0 Pirelli. Eurobike wholesalers had given me a couple of spare new Regina chains to give out to any full privateer rider I chose to give them too, but I decided to let the commentators choose this rider, so as too divorce myself from any favouritism, thanks to them for doing it and Eurobikie wholesalers/Regina chain for this.
Race 1 on Sat was very cool, 1st time for me in 11 years to start a NZ Championship race, I got a good start as I usually do and took a half a lap or so to take 1st position on track, all was going well untill a few turns from the end when we came across a lapped rider and I was too soft and gentleman like ( Haha) and Mathew Hoosinberg wipped around the outside of me and the lapped rider and held position for the win, bloody good on him I say, he is only 20 I think, and has a big future just like his 2 other brothers. I had no pit boards so had no idea what my leed was in this race, and once you start thinking about things like that, you automataically do not ride as well as you were or can, so I got slower I guess, but Mathew kicked my ass fear and square, and it was cool to see his physicall excitement after the win!
Morning warm up on Sunday was a dissaster for Mathew, as another riders bike brake pads fell out! " NOT THE RIDERS FAULT AT ALL !!!! ( Yes they did) and sadly this rider hit Mathew from behind and hurt him too much for him to be able to race the rest of the day, hope he is back soon though.
Race 2 I got another good start into 2nd postion again from 3rd on the grid and half a lap in or so I took the leed again, I was using a pit board for this race and worked up to a 4 second leed by half race distance and then started noticing some thing on my board I had not asked for, it was the lap count down, I NEVER have that displayed, as I believe if you are not fit enough which I am not yet, it subconsiously makes you feel tired and I started making little mistakes/ or not riding as freely as I was, and young Jacob Stroud ( Son of 9x NZ SBK champion Andrew Stroud) was on my ass big time, but I managed to hold him off and take my first win in the NZ Championships since 2003! Jacob Stroud was only 0.1 of the lap record for Ruapuna, what a star I say and only 17 years old.
Race 3 had a special little title for it called " The NZ Grand Prix" I had no Pit board for this race, which was good, as it made me stay focused on my job alone, I got another good start into 2nd and took the leed at turn 3 and just stayed focused and stretching the cables for this 12 lap race. I built up enough of a gap after 4 or so laps, that I could see through a hairpin turn exactyually where 2nd place was, so this allowed me to ride accordingly, you only have to win by a wheel to win, and my tire was starting to go off now, as track temp was down and I was running a SC0 which was not ideal for the temp, but kept it all together to take another win and the NZ Grand prix title, first time I have won a NZ GP Title in 13 or 14 years I think.
So obviously I am feeling rather happy and proud, but there is work to be done on my riding still, as I know I can ride a lot faster yet, but are building back up again in stages, I cannot afford tires let alone crash damage, and this old mans body will not like hitting the ground hard lol. I believe i was costing myself up to 2 seconds a lap after de briefing myself last night, and I never lie to myself, you guys maybe, but not to myself.
Next round only a few days away, www.ctas.co.nz will be filming again for free live online viewing. Thanks to all my supporters out there, see you in the soup some time, Peace out.
1x 2nd place and 2x 1st place in round 1 of the NZ SBK champs. I am racing in the " Superlight class" which is hot rodded 650 twins and de tuned 600cc bikes down to 450cc bikes, so kinda like a triple.
Every one has budget issue's with racing, but I managed to purchase 1x a Brand new Rear tire for this meeting- woo hoo. So Thursday- friday and saturday Qualify and race was on old used tires that I had scrounched of other riders THANKS GUYS, and for Sunday's 2 races, I put the front tire on that I had done qual and 2 races at Wanganui with, and a brand new 180 SC0 Pirelli. Eurobike wholesalers had given me a couple of spare new Regina chains to give out to any full privateer rider I chose to give them too, but I decided to let the commentators choose this rider, so as too divorce myself from any favouritism, thanks to them for doing it and Eurobikie wholesalers/Regina chain for this.
Race 1 on Sat was very cool, 1st time for me in 11 years to start a NZ Championship race, I got a good start as I usually do and took a half a lap or so to take 1st position on track, all was going well untill a few turns from the end when we came across a lapped rider and I was too soft and gentleman like ( Haha) and Mathew Hoosinberg wipped around the outside of me and the lapped rider and held position for the win, bloody good on him I say, he is only 20 I think, and has a big future just like his 2 other brothers. I had no pit boards so had no idea what my leed was in this race, and once you start thinking about things like that, you automataically do not ride as well as you were or can, so I got slower I guess, but Mathew kicked my ass fear and square, and it was cool to see his physicall excitement after the win!
Morning warm up on Sunday was a dissaster for Mathew, as another riders bike brake pads fell out! " NOT THE RIDERS FAULT AT ALL !!!! ( Yes they did) and sadly this rider hit Mathew from behind and hurt him too much for him to be able to race the rest of the day, hope he is back soon though.
Race 2 I got another good start into 2nd postion again from 3rd on the grid and half a lap in or so I took the leed again, I was using a pit board for this race and worked up to a 4 second leed by half race distance and then started noticing some thing on my board I had not asked for, it was the lap count down, I NEVER have that displayed, as I believe if you are not fit enough which I am not yet, it subconsiously makes you feel tired and I started making little mistakes/ or not riding as freely as I was, and young Jacob Stroud ( Son of 9x NZ SBK champion Andrew Stroud) was on my ass big time, but I managed to hold him off and take my first win in the NZ Championships since 2003! Jacob Stroud was only 0.1 of the lap record for Ruapuna, what a star I say and only 17 years old.
Race 3 had a special little title for it called " The NZ Grand Prix" I had no Pit board for this race, which was good, as it made me stay focused on my job alone, I got another good start into 2nd and took the leed at turn 3 and just stayed focused and stretching the cables for this 12 lap race. I built up enough of a gap after 4 or so laps, that I could see through a hairpin turn exactyually where 2nd place was, so this allowed me to ride accordingly, you only have to win by a wheel to win, and my tire was starting to go off now, as track temp was down and I was running a SC0 which was not ideal for the temp, but kept it all together to take another win and the NZ Grand prix title, first time I have won a NZ GP Title in 13 or 14 years I think.
So obviously I am feeling rather happy and proud, but there is work to be done on my riding still, as I know I can ride a lot faster yet, but are building back up again in stages, I cannot afford tires let alone crash damage, and this old mans body will not like hitting the ground hard lol. I believe i was costing myself up to 2 seconds a lap after de briefing myself last night, and I never lie to myself, you guys maybe, but not to myself.
Next round only a few days away, www.ctas.co.nz will be filming again for free live online viewing. Thanks to all my supporters out there, see you in the soup some time, Peace out.