Two Smoker
25th September 2007, 22:26
Hey everyone,
Well the weekend had highs and lows... Very unusually, the bike was all ready well before race weekend. Jill graciously took my bike and gear down, and Gav, Chloe and I headed down to Feilding on the Friday.
F2 Qual: This was very average. I was riding very poorly, with no consistant line and being quite rough. I came back to the pits feeling dissapointed in my performance and knew I had alot to sort out. Much to my amazement I had qualified on Pole with a time of 1:13.439 (A new PB for me) just infront of Kyle Key and Nick Cole.
F1 Qual: Using Jill's Pit Board (a new experience for me) I went out to ride smoother and more consistant laps. Was seeing a few 1:13's, then finally a couple of 12's. I was happy and knew there was more to come. Qualified 9th with a 1:12.853 just behind Jason Hulme on his new R6.
F2 Race 1: Got a very average start and went backwards. Clawed my way back to about 4th into turn one. Picked off Jay Lawrence and settled into chasing Nick Cole. Got past Nick but Jason had a really big gap. Started getting into a fast pace, and could see that i was reeling in Jason fast by lap 12. Pushing hard I entered the goat track hairpin, and my line and deviated a few centimetres from my usual line and went straight into a rut. Lost the front and the bike slid and came to a stop the flipped onto the otherside for good measure. Ran over to the bike to keep racing... Pegs were a bit bent, but was rideable. Tried to start it, nothing... Frantically play with the killswitch and ignition but still nothing. Turns out I had crushed the wiring loom between the steering lock. I watched the final few laps from the marshall point. Gav comes over in the recovery vehicle and promptly hops out and yells in a very angry tone, "YOU FUCKING IDIOT!!! YOU JUST CHUCKED AWAY 22 POINTS!!!" Ah well thats racing... Knew what I did wrong and reminded myself not to do it again. Best time of 1:12.514.
Big thanks to Gav and Eddie, who helped me fix the bike :niceone:.
F1 Race 1: Was on strict instructions to take it easy on this race and make sure everything was straight. So I did. Took it easy, nice and comfortable and finished in 6th 1.2s behind Jason Hulme and 8-10s infront of Nick and Jay... Best time of 1:12.656.
F2 Race 2: Got a much better Start and quickly settled into a good rhythm. and tagged onto the back of Jason. He was getting the power down well on the exit of higgins and that R6 is a rocket ship. I was closing down quickly on him and made a last ditched effort to get him. Couldnt quite get there and finished in 2nd 0.5s behind Jason and 7 seconds infront of Kyle with a new PB of 1:11.871. Front tyre was shagged so chucked on a near new one.
F1 Race 2: Quickly slotted in behind Jason Hulme and Neil Martin. They were racing hard and fast. Made a couple of Passes on Neil. But couldnt make them stick. Jason and Neil were having a great race, bumping fairings and all sorts!!! Finished in 5th just behind Neil with a new PB of 1:11.579 (a full two seconds faster than my nationals pace).
F2 Race 3: I got an Ok start and was sitting in 2nd behind Jason when all of a sudden on Denny Hulme straight, Jay passed me on one side and Kyle on the other!!! I braked hard, and slotted in behind them onto the back straight where their bikes promptly accelerated away from me. Oh no!!! How can i keep up??? I was seriously thinking this. Those bikes are FAST. and they were riding FAST. I kept working hard, and closing the gap with every braking point. I got past Kyle and Jay and slotted into chasing down Jason. I was right on his tail at about lap 10, and Jason made a mistake and did a bit of trail riding in the kittie litter in turn one. I kept my head down and put in some quick laps. Finished in 1st with a best time of 1:11.937 with Jay 7 seconds behind me, and Kyle 10 seconds behind me. I was happy with that ride, but my rear tyre was stuffed!!!
F1 Race 3: Gav and I put on my shagged medium compound tyre from saturday, but put in on backwards. I got an Ok start and slotted in behind Neil. Then on the back straight this green thing comes up beside me, it was Jay and the cheeky bastard popped a small wheelie past me (at over 200kmh during the race) hehehe. His bike is FAST and he was riding well. He would pull 5-8 bike lengths every straight, then i would close the gap under brakes. This happened for non stop, then finally on the 15th lap i was really close to Jay entering Denny Hulme straight. I braked really late, and passed him under brakes. I got a good exit from Higgins holding a gentle slide. Jay popped his nose past on the back straight, but i braked really deep and stayed infront of Jay over the line to finish in 7th behind Neil.
Was a great weekend!!! Many thanks to Chloe and Gav. Also Eddie, Jill, Colemans Suzuki and Continental Tyres.
Still leading the Championship in F2 and still sitting 2nd in the F1 Championship. Bring on round 6 where i will be debuting the new 2007 Kawasaki ZX-6R!!!
Cheers, Chris
Well the weekend had highs and lows... Very unusually, the bike was all ready well before race weekend. Jill graciously took my bike and gear down, and Gav, Chloe and I headed down to Feilding on the Friday.
F2 Qual: This was very average. I was riding very poorly, with no consistant line and being quite rough. I came back to the pits feeling dissapointed in my performance and knew I had alot to sort out. Much to my amazement I had qualified on Pole with a time of 1:13.439 (A new PB for me) just infront of Kyle Key and Nick Cole.
F1 Qual: Using Jill's Pit Board (a new experience for me) I went out to ride smoother and more consistant laps. Was seeing a few 1:13's, then finally a couple of 12's. I was happy and knew there was more to come. Qualified 9th with a 1:12.853 just behind Jason Hulme on his new R6.
F2 Race 1: Got a very average start and went backwards. Clawed my way back to about 4th into turn one. Picked off Jay Lawrence and settled into chasing Nick Cole. Got past Nick but Jason had a really big gap. Started getting into a fast pace, and could see that i was reeling in Jason fast by lap 12. Pushing hard I entered the goat track hairpin, and my line and deviated a few centimetres from my usual line and went straight into a rut. Lost the front and the bike slid and came to a stop the flipped onto the otherside for good measure. Ran over to the bike to keep racing... Pegs were a bit bent, but was rideable. Tried to start it, nothing... Frantically play with the killswitch and ignition but still nothing. Turns out I had crushed the wiring loom between the steering lock. I watched the final few laps from the marshall point. Gav comes over in the recovery vehicle and promptly hops out and yells in a very angry tone, "YOU FUCKING IDIOT!!! YOU JUST CHUCKED AWAY 22 POINTS!!!" Ah well thats racing... Knew what I did wrong and reminded myself not to do it again. Best time of 1:12.514.
Big thanks to Gav and Eddie, who helped me fix the bike :niceone:.
F1 Race 1: Was on strict instructions to take it easy on this race and make sure everything was straight. So I did. Took it easy, nice and comfortable and finished in 6th 1.2s behind Jason Hulme and 8-10s infront of Nick and Jay... Best time of 1:12.656.
F2 Race 2: Got a much better Start and quickly settled into a good rhythm. and tagged onto the back of Jason. He was getting the power down well on the exit of higgins and that R6 is a rocket ship. I was closing down quickly on him and made a last ditched effort to get him. Couldnt quite get there and finished in 2nd 0.5s behind Jason and 7 seconds infront of Kyle with a new PB of 1:11.871. Front tyre was shagged so chucked on a near new one.
F1 Race 2: Quickly slotted in behind Jason Hulme and Neil Martin. They were racing hard and fast. Made a couple of Passes on Neil. But couldnt make them stick. Jason and Neil were having a great race, bumping fairings and all sorts!!! Finished in 5th just behind Neil with a new PB of 1:11.579 (a full two seconds faster than my nationals pace).
F2 Race 3: I got an Ok start and was sitting in 2nd behind Jason when all of a sudden on Denny Hulme straight, Jay passed me on one side and Kyle on the other!!! I braked hard, and slotted in behind them onto the back straight where their bikes promptly accelerated away from me. Oh no!!! How can i keep up??? I was seriously thinking this. Those bikes are FAST. and they were riding FAST. I kept working hard, and closing the gap with every braking point. I got past Kyle and Jay and slotted into chasing down Jason. I was right on his tail at about lap 10, and Jason made a mistake and did a bit of trail riding in the kittie litter in turn one. I kept my head down and put in some quick laps. Finished in 1st with a best time of 1:11.937 with Jay 7 seconds behind me, and Kyle 10 seconds behind me. I was happy with that ride, but my rear tyre was stuffed!!!
F1 Race 3: Gav and I put on my shagged medium compound tyre from saturday, but put in on backwards. I got an Ok start and slotted in behind Neil. Then on the back straight this green thing comes up beside me, it was Jay and the cheeky bastard popped a small wheelie past me (at over 200kmh during the race) hehehe. His bike is FAST and he was riding well. He would pull 5-8 bike lengths every straight, then i would close the gap under brakes. This happened for non stop, then finally on the 15th lap i was really close to Jay entering Denny Hulme straight. I braked really late, and passed him under brakes. I got a good exit from Higgins holding a gentle slide. Jay popped his nose past on the back straight, but i braked really deep and stayed infront of Jay over the line to finish in 7th behind Neil.
Was a great weekend!!! Many thanks to Chloe and Gav. Also Eddie, Jill, Colemans Suzuki and Continental Tyres.
Still leading the Championship in F2 and still sitting 2nd in the F1 Championship. Bring on round 6 where i will be debuting the new 2007 Kawasaki ZX-6R!!!
Cheers, Chris