Taupo track surface: rnd 1 vmcc

[DEATH_INC.]

I know, I know, it's been thrashed a bit, but I've just a little more info to add....
I was fortunate enough to bump into a guy who was racing the four hour car race the day before, interestingly enough he was, and said most of the others were, complaining about the poor grip on the track. If a car can't grip......
He also told me the night time guys were only rally cars, they were using it as a stage, you know, just onto the track, do a lap, then off.... doubtful they had much effect....
Take from this what you will, just thought it worthy to share. :mellow:

[Karma]

I can't see they'll get A1GP back there with the patches the way they are.

[ZeroIndex]

I know, I know, it's been thrashed a bit, but I've just a little more info to add....
I was fortunate enough to bump into a guy who was racing the four hour car race the day before, interestingly enough he was, and said most of the others were, complaining about the poor grip on the track. If a car can't grip......
He also told me the night time guys were only rally cars, they were using it as a stage, you know, just onto the track, do a lap, then off.... doubtful they had much effect....
Take from this what you will, just thought it worthy to share. :mellow:

Quasi told me it was drifters, not rally cars...

[DEATH_INC.]

Quasi told me it was drifters, not rally cars...
That's what I said, he said definatly rally cars....

[roadracingoldfart]

There was a couple of rally cars staying where we were on the Sunday and they were older classic cars. Like Datsun 1200s etc so that makes sense now.

[DEATH_INC.]

I think the more important thing is that it was already slippery on saturday, there may be somthing funny going on with the track surface, maybe?

[DEATH_INC.]

There was a couple of rally cars staying where we were on the Sunday and they were older classic cars. Like Datsun 1200s etc so that makes sense now.
Shot! That's what he said they were, older rally cars, escorts, dattos etc.

[Ivan]

Yip Surface was bad as,

At new years I got my knee down in the rain thereand was stoked.

This time I was on my knee in the dry sturglling for grip

[ZeroIndex]

I think the more important thing is that it was already slippery on saturday, there may be somthing funny going on with the track surface, maybe?

Except the following Friday (last Friday), the track was wet in the morning, and it was perfectly fine the whole day... They should keep cars off the track to stop the track going bad...

[ArcherWC]

The following friday at the trackday, first session was "mildly moist" , but traction definatly wasnt an issue. must surely have been a combination of factors that had the track go "off"

[Kickaha]

They should keep cars off the track to stop the track going bad...

We race at Ruapuna after car events quite often, it makes fuck all difference to the track surface, except for where they blow tyres and leave large bits of rubber lying about

[sAsLEX]

We race at Ruapuna after car events quite often, it makes fuck all difference to the track surface, except for where they blow tyres and leave large bits of rubber lying about

nothing a broom wont fix then?

[ZeroIndex]

We race at Ruapuna after car events quite often, it makes fuck all difference to the track surface, except for where they blow tyres and leave large bits of rubber lying about

But I'm starting campaigning... once we get cars off the tracks, then we can start getting them off our roads :)

[babyB]

But I'm starting campaigning... once we get cars off the tracks, then we can start getting them off our roads :)

:shutup: hullabaloos

[Kickaha]

nothing a broom wont fix then?

Pretty much, and when I did the track day at Taupo I thought it had a good surface except for the chicane onto the start/finish, however I haven't ever been on it when it is wet/damp

[moT]

the track is fine in the dry i personaly have no problems with that track i know when its moist or wet its slippery

[scracha]

It's pish and if that's the best track the kiwi's can come up with it's no wonder all the good racers fuck off abroad. There's not a hope in hell Taupo will get Motogp.

[Deano]

The surface had plenty of grip in my 2 practice sessions and first race - it wasn't until it started spitting/drizzling that it got slippery.

But, I was only on a 400.

[Keystone19]

The surface had plenty of grip in my 2 practice sessions and first race - it wasn't until it started spitting/drizzling that it got slippery.


Same here Deano. My crash was entirely my error and can't be attributed to track conditions (unless going out wide and sliding off in the crap on the outside of the corner trying to pass people can be considered track conditions. Personally, I think I just should have known better than to go out there).

I had one slide in qualifying but other than that the track was in the usual state that Taupo is in at that time of morning as far as I could tell. The drizzle on top of previously laid down rubber and gunk does seem to have been the culprit but I crashed before it started to drizzle so didn't ever ride in it when it was yucky...

[FROSTY]

Hey folks
this I can tell you as a FACT or two--direct from the track owners.
Yes there was a drift meeting held within 2 weeks of our meeting.
Yes there was a car endurance race meeting on the saturday before our meeting.--I sat and watched some of it

Neither of these groups run catch tanks for oil/glycol

From the TV coverage of the drift meeting there was a LOT of rubber laid down --they had a chicane on the start/finish straight as well

[bungbung]

This time I was on my knee in the dry sturglling for grip

Sorry, I'm going to lift this and slightly edit.
Can we add "sturglling" to the kb lexicon?

[Kickaha]

Yes there was a drift meeting held within 2 weeks of our meeting.
Yes there was a car endurance race meeting on the saturday before our meeting.--I sat and watched some of it

Neither of these groups run catch tanks for oil/glycol


That's not correct, schedule A regs states

(7) Oil catch tanks: shall be fitted to
engines with open circuit crankcase breathing
systems as follows;
(a) Engines up to and including 2000cc
shall have a minimum of 1 litre catch tank
capacity.
(b) Engines exceeding 2000cc shall have a
minimum of 2 litre catch tank capacity.

if I can remember where it is I'll try and find the ones for the coolant

[FROSTY]

doesnt seem to apply to drifters or cars with theoreticly "sealed" crankcase breathers--Ie cars with breathin into the airbox --trouble is the airbox still vents oil fumes -that grey mist --Yea the oil doesnt dribble out --it just mists out--and in an endurance event its much more evident.

[Kickaha]

--trouble is the airbox still vents oil fumes -that grey mist --Yea the oil doesnt dribble out --it just mists out--and in an endurance event its much more evident.

And bikes don't do this?

I would have thought a system that vents into the airbox would be far less likely to "mist out" as it would be getting sucked back through the induction system

Talked to one of the top drift boys down here and catch tanks for radiator overflow are compulsory

[sAsLEX]

And bikes don't do this?

I would have thought a system that vents into the airbox would be far less likely to "mist out" as it would be getting sucked back through the induction system

Talked to one of the top drift boys down here and catch tanks for radiator overflow are compulsory

Am I right in remembering that the drifters down there are well behaved in that if they fuck up they aint allowed back on? and they have to clean up after dragging dirt on??

[Kickaha]

Am I right in remembering that the drifters down there are well behaved in that if they fuck up they aint allowed back on? and they have to clean up after dragging dirt on??

Yes you are, however all drifting was to come under the Motorsport NZ as they attempt to make it a mainstream sport, so they have to abide by the MNZ rules, if it was an official D1 event.

(actually I see it was a drift revolution event,I haven't ever heard of them)

Drifting had been banned from Taupo due to track damage from stationary burnouts, I guess they sorted that out?

If their event was a week or two before then I really doubt they would have anything to do with the slipperiness of the track and if they aren't cleaning up after themselves it is a track management issue

People can blame as many external things as they want for "their crash" but at the end of the day the person on the bike is the one twisting the throttle

[sAsLEX]

People can blame as many external things as they want for "their crash" but at the end of the day the person on the bike is the one twisting the throttle

Yeah I agree, though some external influences can effect the outcome, say a Marshall stepping front of you at >140MPH??

[FROSTY]

Sorry kick --NORMALLY I would 100% agree with you. In this case you had to be there to comment.There was NO predictability to the slipperyness and it was not VISABLY slippery even to the marshals.
I can honestly say I have NEVER encountered track conditions like it in over 20 years riding.

[scott411]

i have competed in a drift revolution practice day at taupo,
you are only allowed to drift in one area, which is basically the back straight though to the finish line, they are very strict on this and cars were trailered for carrying on afterward and drifting in the infeild, Taupo did ban the drift cars for 6 months after the damage done last year after a drift meeting

[FROSTY]

Scott---didddn't you see the TV coverage of the DR meeting??
Looked clear tome they were drifting down the chicaned back straight -round turn 1 2 and 3.

[scott411]

i did, you are allowed to start before the chicane on the new short track, and for comps they drift right though the back straight,

i was more making hte point they do not use the infield,

[evol mas]

i was one of the victoms of taupo that day and got the bike fixed and went back the following friday for the kiwi trackday and struggeled all day trying to find grip i think maby taupo in general is har on tyres and grip ??

[enigma51]

i was one of the victoms of taupo that day and got the bike fixed and went back the following friday for the kiwi trackday and struggeled all day trying to find grip i think maby taupo in general is har on tyres and grip ??

Puke over the hill is hard on tyres bodies and grip

[Flyno]

the track was fine, i twas wot shit was on the track oil etc!
ivan you didnt have much grip because you were on 3 year old tyres, my opinion was track was fine gripy-ish, but at the end with the shower the track was releasing its oils from the surface, and a few others helped it by dropping bikes spilling oil!

[DEATH_INC.]

Ive ridden manfeild now, taupo's made of glue compared to that bloody place!

[Sketchy_Racer]

haha, you speak along mate.

From last round to this round, manfeild had faaar more grip.

[JayRacer37]

haha, you speak alone mate.

From last round to this round, manfeild had faaar more grip.

Dammmmmmnnnnn straight!!
Even tho the surface is pitted and bumpy, at least its predicatable wen the grp falls. Apart from Splash, which was just weird....?