nicko
18th May 2004, 15:50
Hi guys,
Sorry been quiet for a while but here's Mike and my report from the 3rd round of the Auckland club champs and the 1st round of the Vic club winter series. We'll be out racing at Manfield next Saturday 29th and the following weekend at Taupo on the 5th of June so look us up if you're at either one!
Cheers, Nicko.
Team Metalform Racing 04 April/17 April 2004
Auckland Club Champs Round 3 @ Pukekohe & Vic Club Round 1 @ Manfield
The 03/04 Nationals has come to a close and now we’ve raced at every track in the country. The South Island tracks are fantastic and we’re both keen to get back down there for another go! Mike finished up a credible 9th in the Superbikes and Nick was quite disappointed to not finish in the top 10, ending up 13th in the 600’s. The nationals has been an awesome series to compete in, we’ve both learnt a heap about our bikes, the tracks and riding, we’ve met a bunch of riders and supporters just as crazy about the sport as us and importantly, have made it through in one piece. Thanks to all sponsors and supporters who have helped us over the 6 rounds of the nationals. Team Metalform will race through the winter club rounds (we’re suckers for punishment) and will continue to work on learning more and most importantly – getting faster!
Here’s how we got on at the 3rd round of the Auckland Club Champs at Pukekohe and the 1st round of the Victoria Club Winter Series at Manfield.
Nick Odermatt #80 Formula 1 and Formula 2
I knew my first year of the nationals would always be a learning curve but I wasn’t riding anywhere near as quick as the bike or I could go. 13th overall is a long way from the sort of placing I would be happy with but guess I’ll have to look at the bright side, I finished every race and learnt plenty about bike setup. Bring on the next nationals, I’ve got some lost time to make up! I really want to be on a new machine for the 04/05 nationals but it’ll all come down to finances and what’s available at the time. The advantage of riding a new Suzuki would be that a lot of my parts swap over but all manufactures seemed to have stepped up the game with their new bikes so anything’s possible.
Pukekohe for the Auckland club champs was a great day, unfortunately the day got cut short so we only got 2 races for each class but as I’m in 2 classes I still got 4 races. Qualified 2nd in F2 and 4th in F1 and funnily enough these were the same positions I finished each of the races in. A highlight for the day was managing to get the holeshot in every race I was in but Carey Briar was in good form in F2 and bet me to the line in both races. Other highlight for the day was doing my personal best and clocking in the fastest F2 time for the day of a 1.01.
Overall for the Auckland Club series I’m placed 1st in Formula 2 and 4th in Formula 1 with one round to go on Saturday June 5th at Taupo. Would be stoked with a top 3 finish in F1 as well so will give it a good go down there.
Vic Club round one at Manfield was an awesome day, we ran the longtrack which is a gem to ride round, zero-camber and a smooth surface make it great fun and the track gives the smaller bikes an edge as there’s plenty of corners. There was still a bit of silt from the flooding that had recently occurred. I nearly high-sided the bike in practice out of the hairpin on the extension and as a lot of other riders found out (the hard way) this was a slippery spot.
Racing was great, Craig Shirrifs was out on Hamish Laings very quick 250 until it broke, Johan was out on the new K4 GSXR 600 with road fairings on and even with only a few mods it looks like a pretty quick bike. Derek McAdam was getting round the track well on his CBR 600, I’d be ahead of Derek each race for the first couple of laps but he got me each time in the later stages. Johan was only out in F1 and won the class for the day, team-mate Mike got 2nd spot and I was happy to finish 3rd. In F2 I finished 2nd behind Derek McAdam with Jason Nairn putting in a great first effort on a borrowed bike scoring 3rd place. All in all a pretty good day and I’m sitting well on points for the series. Next round for us is the 29th May at Manfield, short circuit, clockwise.
Mike Smith #44 Formula 1
4th April was the 3rd round of the Auckland club champs and the 1st round of the North Island cup. As you will have read in other reports I have not had the best of times in the club champs although when the bike has worked I have finished either 1st or 3rd.
The weather was not bad, we had the odd shower but nothing to make the track wet for long. I qualified 2nd on the grid just off of Lance Lowe’s time and close to my best ever.
Race 1 start was good but for one fast starting 600 that just happens to be my team-mate Nick Odermatt. I passed him early in the back straight but so did Lance to me so still in second at the hairpin. Next lap I took the lead coming into the hairpin and held on until the final lap missing a gear coming onto the back straight and letting Lance passed for the win.
Race 2 start was good but you guessed it, Nick in front onto the straight so I use my skill and some extra 50hp to pass but again Lance did the same to me. So keeping thing as before I passed Lance coming into the hair pin and held the lead to the last lap. Into the hairpin and ran a little wide letting Lance come through for the win and me 2nd again.
I had a good weekend, 2 second places to Lance and a new fastest laptime for me of 1:00:47.
17th April and the 1st round of the Vic Club at Manfield. Racing on the long track for the second time I qualified pole but the times of the front 4 were all quite close. All three races I had good starts, in the first race I had a little off while leading at the second of the hairpins but got up to finish 6th.
The other 2 races I had the lead at times but had issues running wide on the long section as I am not that familiar with it yet so this put me back to finish a close 3rd in the second race and a 2nd for the final race of the day. This gave me 2nd overall for the weekend behind Johan and again I was happy with the points as the plan for this series is to use all the old tyres up I have left over from the National rounds.
Team Metalform Racing would like to thank the following for their support:
Metalforming Technologies, Il Woo Industries, Pacific Direct Lines, Corporate Design, Haldane Motorcycles, Pacific Freight Management, Waikato Sandblasting Services, Armour Linings, Fredco Motors, Metzeler Tyres, FFM Helmets, GP Star Leathers, Nazran Gloves, Maxima, Izumi Race Chains, Forma Boots, Total lubricants.
Sorry been quiet for a while but here's Mike and my report from the 3rd round of the Auckland club champs and the 1st round of the Vic club winter series. We'll be out racing at Manfield next Saturday 29th and the following weekend at Taupo on the 5th of June so look us up if you're at either one!
Cheers, Nicko.
Team Metalform Racing 04 April/17 April 2004
Auckland Club Champs Round 3 @ Pukekohe & Vic Club Round 1 @ Manfield
The 03/04 Nationals has come to a close and now we’ve raced at every track in the country. The South Island tracks are fantastic and we’re both keen to get back down there for another go! Mike finished up a credible 9th in the Superbikes and Nick was quite disappointed to not finish in the top 10, ending up 13th in the 600’s. The nationals has been an awesome series to compete in, we’ve both learnt a heap about our bikes, the tracks and riding, we’ve met a bunch of riders and supporters just as crazy about the sport as us and importantly, have made it through in one piece. Thanks to all sponsors and supporters who have helped us over the 6 rounds of the nationals. Team Metalform will race through the winter club rounds (we’re suckers for punishment) and will continue to work on learning more and most importantly – getting faster!
Here’s how we got on at the 3rd round of the Auckland Club Champs at Pukekohe and the 1st round of the Victoria Club Winter Series at Manfield.
Nick Odermatt #80 Formula 1 and Formula 2
I knew my first year of the nationals would always be a learning curve but I wasn’t riding anywhere near as quick as the bike or I could go. 13th overall is a long way from the sort of placing I would be happy with but guess I’ll have to look at the bright side, I finished every race and learnt plenty about bike setup. Bring on the next nationals, I’ve got some lost time to make up! I really want to be on a new machine for the 04/05 nationals but it’ll all come down to finances and what’s available at the time. The advantage of riding a new Suzuki would be that a lot of my parts swap over but all manufactures seemed to have stepped up the game with their new bikes so anything’s possible.
Pukekohe for the Auckland club champs was a great day, unfortunately the day got cut short so we only got 2 races for each class but as I’m in 2 classes I still got 4 races. Qualified 2nd in F2 and 4th in F1 and funnily enough these were the same positions I finished each of the races in. A highlight for the day was managing to get the holeshot in every race I was in but Carey Briar was in good form in F2 and bet me to the line in both races. Other highlight for the day was doing my personal best and clocking in the fastest F2 time for the day of a 1.01.
Overall for the Auckland Club series I’m placed 1st in Formula 2 and 4th in Formula 1 with one round to go on Saturday June 5th at Taupo. Would be stoked with a top 3 finish in F1 as well so will give it a good go down there.
Vic Club round one at Manfield was an awesome day, we ran the longtrack which is a gem to ride round, zero-camber and a smooth surface make it great fun and the track gives the smaller bikes an edge as there’s plenty of corners. There was still a bit of silt from the flooding that had recently occurred. I nearly high-sided the bike in practice out of the hairpin on the extension and as a lot of other riders found out (the hard way) this was a slippery spot.
Racing was great, Craig Shirrifs was out on Hamish Laings very quick 250 until it broke, Johan was out on the new K4 GSXR 600 with road fairings on and even with only a few mods it looks like a pretty quick bike. Derek McAdam was getting round the track well on his CBR 600, I’d be ahead of Derek each race for the first couple of laps but he got me each time in the later stages. Johan was only out in F1 and won the class for the day, team-mate Mike got 2nd spot and I was happy to finish 3rd. In F2 I finished 2nd behind Derek McAdam with Jason Nairn putting in a great first effort on a borrowed bike scoring 3rd place. All in all a pretty good day and I’m sitting well on points for the series. Next round for us is the 29th May at Manfield, short circuit, clockwise.
Mike Smith #44 Formula 1
4th April was the 3rd round of the Auckland club champs and the 1st round of the North Island cup. As you will have read in other reports I have not had the best of times in the club champs although when the bike has worked I have finished either 1st or 3rd.
The weather was not bad, we had the odd shower but nothing to make the track wet for long. I qualified 2nd on the grid just off of Lance Lowe’s time and close to my best ever.
Race 1 start was good but for one fast starting 600 that just happens to be my team-mate Nick Odermatt. I passed him early in the back straight but so did Lance to me so still in second at the hairpin. Next lap I took the lead coming into the hairpin and held on until the final lap missing a gear coming onto the back straight and letting Lance passed for the win.
Race 2 start was good but you guessed it, Nick in front onto the straight so I use my skill and some extra 50hp to pass but again Lance did the same to me. So keeping thing as before I passed Lance coming into the hair pin and held the lead to the last lap. Into the hairpin and ran a little wide letting Lance come through for the win and me 2nd again.
I had a good weekend, 2 second places to Lance and a new fastest laptime for me of 1:00:47.
17th April and the 1st round of the Vic Club at Manfield. Racing on the long track for the second time I qualified pole but the times of the front 4 were all quite close. All three races I had good starts, in the first race I had a little off while leading at the second of the hairpins but got up to finish 6th.
The other 2 races I had the lead at times but had issues running wide on the long section as I am not that familiar with it yet so this put me back to finish a close 3rd in the second race and a 2nd for the final race of the day. This gave me 2nd overall for the weekend behind Johan and again I was happy with the points as the plan for this series is to use all the old tyres up I have left over from the National rounds.
Team Metalform Racing would like to thank the following for their support:
Metalforming Technologies, Il Woo Industries, Pacific Direct Lines, Corporate Design, Haldane Motorcycles, Pacific Freight Management, Waikato Sandblasting Services, Armour Linings, Fredco Motors, Metzeler Tyres, FFM Helmets, GP Star Leathers, Nazran Gloves, Maxima, Izumi Race Chains, Forma Boots, Total lubricants.