kickingzebra
18th February 2007, 22:24
Started for us on thursday really....
Simon (chur bro) is helping me build a race trailer (read doing it, and telling me to be useful where I can) So, at the workshop till 11 doing that, drive her home, park up in the pitch black in the hayshed, and back into the garage under the house to start working on the bike. Finished getting it race ready ish at 6:45 the next morning, 11 minutes sleep, then into the truck, and drive to Otara, pick up Paul, and then back to pukekohe...
We got there way too early, and the rain gave us absultue crap.
Had jacked up with Andrew Stroud to try and get him to show me my way around puke, and he came at about 12. Sessions were typically 3 dry laps, then rain. Then cars go out in fine weather, and we have 3 more dry laps, then rain. Gutted!!
Stroudy helps us out heaps with setup, and then takes the bike to Ray Clees, to stick her on the dyno, iron out this nasty flat spot below, hmm, 10000 rpm...
We rock back home, tired as anything, hit the sack and die. Thanks MT for bringing out race numbers etc!!
Up on saturday, practice some starts etc on the thousand. Burn the clutch oout! Bugger!
Had to pick up a few bits and pieces for andrew, sorted all that, got to paeroa, sign in and gear check, the bike was still in auckland, so helped Andrew set up, and then it is like 9:00 and time for the first meal of the day! Racing, what a life!!
Thankfully, Graham Cole, of CycleTorque had hooked us up with a pit tent etc, so no dramas there, rolled up at 6:20 and began the wait for the bike to arrive, so we could scrutineer it and be allowed to race!!
Bike arrived at 6:59 and we scramble like mad (less haste, more speed, I know, I know) to get race numbers and fairings on it, hence the shite race numbers! Got over to scrutineering, and passed easy, then began the wait.
Noobs laps, and I think It was Mr bernard himself (leading the noobs!) that crashed, or dom jones! Gutted!
Came in going, oh boy, this is gonna be interesting! It is a pretty hard track to stick a pass to someone!!
Grids for race one were on points from wangas, so I was 13th.
Race one, (after the practices, and discovering the back straight wheely bar and jump) and we get underway. I must be doing something right, because I am passing people on the starts now! Pass Craig Frethey, who gets me back, and heads off, muck up a corner, Nick Prestidge is there, and Kevin Brooks on the 250 comes stoppying up the wharf street hairpin, on my inside, while I am trying to pass Nick. I shut the throttle, jam on the brakes, and tip in the undercut, and watch him hit nick, and take them both down. The race is redflagged in a matter of seconds, then heading towards the front straight, just in time too see Jason Hulme rolling and smacking into the barriers. On the front straight?! Like WTF?
Restart was damn near immediately!! Full credit to the organisers for that one, that was really quick! Another good ish start, and Steve R6 gets me!! Argh!! I am supposed to faster than him (at taupo anyway)!! Full credit bro, you were hoofing it!
Tryied to catch up and hang on, but the slow learner thing kicks in, and though I set an OK laptime, it wasn't as good as I was expecting. 11th place.
Race 2 eventually rolls around, and I go out there a bit lethargic. Race pressure getting the best of me, and probably lack of sleep and food!
Again, a good start, from 2nd row, only to be blitzed into turn one. I again wasn't aggresive on the corners. Pussyfooting my way around! Damn angry with myself really! Did my best, but after a near crash on the cement into the hairpin onto the front straight, I was paranoid, and slowed down too much. Still did OK, but a best time of 52 seconds, and some really bad lines. finished 10th, wihich I suppose was the one aim for the day I actually achieved, Oh, And I never crashed!!
Sorry Quasi, no second page for me tomorrow!! Did some mint unintentional wheelies, and some pathetic intentianal ones!
Thanks to My darling wife, letting me partake in such foolishness!
Her Ma and Pa, taking our dear Sarah in the heat of the day, Wanganui was OK for her, but paeroa is definitly noisier and hotter, with the buildings in close.
Thanks also to Momentum, helping out in the pits, cheers man!!
Graham Cole again, invaluable experience shared with me, Gav - you just make life funnier somehow ;) Warr and Clare, MT and Megan, Andrew Cleve, and most of all, Paul. Loving every second of it!
Simon (chur bro) is helping me build a race trailer (read doing it, and telling me to be useful where I can) So, at the workshop till 11 doing that, drive her home, park up in the pitch black in the hayshed, and back into the garage under the house to start working on the bike. Finished getting it race ready ish at 6:45 the next morning, 11 minutes sleep, then into the truck, and drive to Otara, pick up Paul, and then back to pukekohe...
We got there way too early, and the rain gave us absultue crap.
Had jacked up with Andrew Stroud to try and get him to show me my way around puke, and he came at about 12. Sessions were typically 3 dry laps, then rain. Then cars go out in fine weather, and we have 3 more dry laps, then rain. Gutted!!
Stroudy helps us out heaps with setup, and then takes the bike to Ray Clees, to stick her on the dyno, iron out this nasty flat spot below, hmm, 10000 rpm...
We rock back home, tired as anything, hit the sack and die. Thanks MT for bringing out race numbers etc!!
Up on saturday, practice some starts etc on the thousand. Burn the clutch oout! Bugger!
Had to pick up a few bits and pieces for andrew, sorted all that, got to paeroa, sign in and gear check, the bike was still in auckland, so helped Andrew set up, and then it is like 9:00 and time for the first meal of the day! Racing, what a life!!
Thankfully, Graham Cole, of CycleTorque had hooked us up with a pit tent etc, so no dramas there, rolled up at 6:20 and began the wait for the bike to arrive, so we could scrutineer it and be allowed to race!!
Bike arrived at 6:59 and we scramble like mad (less haste, more speed, I know, I know) to get race numbers and fairings on it, hence the shite race numbers! Got over to scrutineering, and passed easy, then began the wait.
Noobs laps, and I think It was Mr bernard himself (leading the noobs!) that crashed, or dom jones! Gutted!
Came in going, oh boy, this is gonna be interesting! It is a pretty hard track to stick a pass to someone!!
Grids for race one were on points from wangas, so I was 13th.
Race one, (after the practices, and discovering the back straight wheely bar and jump) and we get underway. I must be doing something right, because I am passing people on the starts now! Pass Craig Frethey, who gets me back, and heads off, muck up a corner, Nick Prestidge is there, and Kevin Brooks on the 250 comes stoppying up the wharf street hairpin, on my inside, while I am trying to pass Nick. I shut the throttle, jam on the brakes, and tip in the undercut, and watch him hit nick, and take them both down. The race is redflagged in a matter of seconds, then heading towards the front straight, just in time too see Jason Hulme rolling and smacking into the barriers. On the front straight?! Like WTF?
Restart was damn near immediately!! Full credit to the organisers for that one, that was really quick! Another good ish start, and Steve R6 gets me!! Argh!! I am supposed to faster than him (at taupo anyway)!! Full credit bro, you were hoofing it!
Tryied to catch up and hang on, but the slow learner thing kicks in, and though I set an OK laptime, it wasn't as good as I was expecting. 11th place.
Race 2 eventually rolls around, and I go out there a bit lethargic. Race pressure getting the best of me, and probably lack of sleep and food!
Again, a good start, from 2nd row, only to be blitzed into turn one. I again wasn't aggresive on the corners. Pussyfooting my way around! Damn angry with myself really! Did my best, but after a near crash on the cement into the hairpin onto the front straight, I was paranoid, and slowed down too much. Still did OK, but a best time of 52 seconds, and some really bad lines. finished 10th, wihich I suppose was the one aim for the day I actually achieved, Oh, And I never crashed!!
Sorry Quasi, no second page for me tomorrow!! Did some mint unintentional wheelies, and some pathetic intentianal ones!
Thanks to My darling wife, letting me partake in such foolishness!
Her Ma and Pa, taking our dear Sarah in the heat of the day, Wanganui was OK for her, but paeroa is definitly noisier and hotter, with the buildings in close.
Thanks also to Momentum, helping out in the pits, cheers man!!
Graham Cole again, invaluable experience shared with me, Gav - you just make life funnier somehow ;) Warr and Clare, MT and Megan, Andrew Cleve, and most of all, Paul. Loving every second of it!