Rossi Gal
23rd July 2007, 22:11
21 July 2007 – Victoria Club Round 3
Well what an awesome weekend!
I wasn’t too sure I needed to do the test day before racing this time, but after realising I couldn’t quite get the full use of all my gears last round I did some homework and decided that a change in gearing was needed. So on the Wednesday before racing my gearing was changed. The decision was made to go down early for it anyway and have a play to see the difference.
I had been asked a number of times whether I was bringing wets down with me. As I had none my reply was “no, I wont need them because it will be fine!”
Well, waking up Friday morning I was hoping my faith was going to pay off because it was wet, infact in was really raining! I thought I would wait and see if it would clear up a lil, which it did mid afternoon so went out for a look…came back in fairly soon after, once finding out my Pirelli supercorsa’s didn’t like big puddles etc by having a few ‘moments’. My conclusion was, if I was going to risk being out there, I may as well leave it for race day, so packed up and off we went.
Best news that day was a friend from New Plymouth had said he had a spare set of front disc’s (now needed after a lil whoops) off of his race bike, and.. wets! :)
Race Day
Well after sorting a shed again with my new pit buddies from last round I knew I could sleep in a lil longer, so arrived at the track just after 8am.
Decision time was upon me when I was asked by Franz and Darron whether I wanted them to also fit wets while they were so kindly :2thumbsup replacing my discs for me before qualifying. I thought we had a few more classes before me for the track to dry, so decided to stick with what I already had…
Qualifying
…Well I guess I should have put those wets on to start with… normal lap time + 10secs = 7th on the grid :( not so good but I’m not too fussed on where I start so long as first couple rows…its all in the start I believe.
Race One
Choice! The track had started to dry! Got a great start, second to the corner and off we went. Lost a couple of places in the first lap but out braked a couple coming into turn one and held that to place 3rd. Back down to 1:20 which was my time last round. Found out later that #1 (a new comer to the class) had been moved out after doing a 1:16. So in turn I got 2nd. Not too bad :)
Race Two
Well after having a chat about starts to one of my fellow competitors between races I think he decided to give me more of a run for my money as I couldn’t quite bully him out of the way as easily this time so came out of turn one in 3rd. After seeing the same two who are normally at the pointy end in front of me I put my head down and refused to let them go. Got close enough to make my move out braking them into turn one only to find my throttle had jammed and so found my bike trying to take me for a ride off the track. Managed to get it under control in time to see them, and placing’s 4 and 5 pass me out of turn one….Right!!
No more miss nice! Passed them back pretty quick and even reeled in 1 and 2 again to the point I was right up their exhaust in Higgins and the last turn. Didn’t quite get the drive out that I needed to get them before the finish but got 3rd, a 1:19 (my best) and more determination for race #3!!
Race Three
Similar start to Two, but came out in second behind BJ again. My goal was to stick with him, I knew I had more corner speed than him I just needed my chance. Lap 3-4 I was in a good position to move just as we came across lappers, he managed to get around just before splash and I got a lil stuck in amongst them, just enough to give him the gap he needed to pull away. Result, not enough laps to be able to make up that lost time before chequered flag. So a 2nd and a time of 1:18!! My NEW best and to show I was hunting him down!! J Grr hehe
Couldn’t have been happier with my result, a 1st overall for the day! And a massive amount of learning. New gearing supplied by Speed-Tech was superb!
I need to send out a BIG thanks to my sponsors:
Speed-Tech.co.nz, River City Signs, Pirelli and Alf racing.
And another BIG thanks to those that helped in the weeks leading up to, and Race day its self:
Franz and Darron (both I think my entire shed was pleased to have there), and my dad, Tim.
And to all my supporters who I saw had came from far and wide! Awesome to see you all there and for your encouragement!!
I will be seeing you all again next round!!
Well what an awesome weekend!
I wasn’t too sure I needed to do the test day before racing this time, but after realising I couldn’t quite get the full use of all my gears last round I did some homework and decided that a change in gearing was needed. So on the Wednesday before racing my gearing was changed. The decision was made to go down early for it anyway and have a play to see the difference.
I had been asked a number of times whether I was bringing wets down with me. As I had none my reply was “no, I wont need them because it will be fine!”
Well, waking up Friday morning I was hoping my faith was going to pay off because it was wet, infact in was really raining! I thought I would wait and see if it would clear up a lil, which it did mid afternoon so went out for a look…came back in fairly soon after, once finding out my Pirelli supercorsa’s didn’t like big puddles etc by having a few ‘moments’. My conclusion was, if I was going to risk being out there, I may as well leave it for race day, so packed up and off we went.
Best news that day was a friend from New Plymouth had said he had a spare set of front disc’s (now needed after a lil whoops) off of his race bike, and.. wets! :)
Race Day
Well after sorting a shed again with my new pit buddies from last round I knew I could sleep in a lil longer, so arrived at the track just after 8am.
Decision time was upon me when I was asked by Franz and Darron whether I wanted them to also fit wets while they were so kindly :2thumbsup replacing my discs for me before qualifying. I thought we had a few more classes before me for the track to dry, so decided to stick with what I already had…
Qualifying
…Well I guess I should have put those wets on to start with… normal lap time + 10secs = 7th on the grid :( not so good but I’m not too fussed on where I start so long as first couple rows…its all in the start I believe.
Race One
Choice! The track had started to dry! Got a great start, second to the corner and off we went. Lost a couple of places in the first lap but out braked a couple coming into turn one and held that to place 3rd. Back down to 1:20 which was my time last round. Found out later that #1 (a new comer to the class) had been moved out after doing a 1:16. So in turn I got 2nd. Not too bad :)
Race Two
Well after having a chat about starts to one of my fellow competitors between races I think he decided to give me more of a run for my money as I couldn’t quite bully him out of the way as easily this time so came out of turn one in 3rd. After seeing the same two who are normally at the pointy end in front of me I put my head down and refused to let them go. Got close enough to make my move out braking them into turn one only to find my throttle had jammed and so found my bike trying to take me for a ride off the track. Managed to get it under control in time to see them, and placing’s 4 and 5 pass me out of turn one….Right!!
No more miss nice! Passed them back pretty quick and even reeled in 1 and 2 again to the point I was right up their exhaust in Higgins and the last turn. Didn’t quite get the drive out that I needed to get them before the finish but got 3rd, a 1:19 (my best) and more determination for race #3!!
Race Three
Similar start to Two, but came out in second behind BJ again. My goal was to stick with him, I knew I had more corner speed than him I just needed my chance. Lap 3-4 I was in a good position to move just as we came across lappers, he managed to get around just before splash and I got a lil stuck in amongst them, just enough to give him the gap he needed to pull away. Result, not enough laps to be able to make up that lost time before chequered flag. So a 2nd and a time of 1:18!! My NEW best and to show I was hunting him down!! J Grr hehe
Couldn’t have been happier with my result, a 1st overall for the day! And a massive amount of learning. New gearing supplied by Speed-Tech was superb!
I need to send out a BIG thanks to my sponsors:
Speed-Tech.co.nz, River City Signs, Pirelli and Alf racing.
And another BIG thanks to those that helped in the weeks leading up to, and Race day its self:
Franz and Darron (both I think my entire shed was pleased to have there), and my dad, Tim.
And to all my supporters who I saw had came from far and wide! Awesome to see you all there and for your encouragement!!
I will be seeing you all again next round!!