Hoon
11th August 2003, 02:52
Had a great first race today! Thanks to everyone for their help, met lots of people and had a great time. I can see now how racing can become so addictive. Not only do you get to race, but between races you can watch motorcyle racing or talk bikes and racing with people! The "perfect" Sunday if you ask me. I was expecting a stressful day but found it to be cruisy and relaxing and just like a normal practice day except people raced instead.
Anyway, arrived at the track at about 8am after spending the night in Taupo. I scanned the crowd for any familiar faces and spotted Mitch, so headed over to say Hi and find out what I needed to do to get signed up for F3 (all I needed was give them my race license + $60 and sign two forms). Mitch, the first of many helpful people I met that day also suggested that since it was my first time at Taupo I should walk the track while it was still closed. Sounded like a great idea so I headed out with the missus for a brisk morning stroll and walked around the track about 100m before Mitch ran out and told me I was going in the wrong direction. Obviously realising how much help I really needed Mitch walked the whole 1.4km track with us and gave me a very valuable guided lap with running commentary (with much emphasis on the sweeper, why? I was soon to find out). Spotted Bluninja arriving later and he came over so we proceeded to talk more bike stuff as we waited around. Blu also had a startling amount of detailed advice on the sweeper.
At 9:30am we had a riders brief where we were told the classes and order of races which was (still written on my hand!) SuperMotard, F1, 125, F2, Sidecars, F3, Clubmans, Classics and repeat throughout the day. First up would be a 10 min practice session for each class then straight into 3 rounds of 6 lap races each. This meant that with 8 classes, we get about an hour break between races.
I watched the first few classes race around then heading back to get ready for the F3 practice. I had rejetted my bike and gone -1 tooth on the front sprocket just for Taupo but hadn't road tested it yet. Heard the call for F3 to the dummy grid so headed out to pit lane. While I waited I carefully went over my mental list of things I wanted to achieve during this session. I really only had this 10 min practice to bring me up to speed so intended to make the most of it. However as soon as I got out on the track it all went out the window as I got caught up and swept along with the tide of traffic. Even though it was a practice, it was at near race pace. It made it difficult to learn the track at that speed. The corner that proved troublesome for me was the sweeper. It's some kind of double-apex decreasing radius turn which needs to be taken in two chunks otherwise you get no drive onto the straight. But all too quickly practice was over and that was it.
I watched the first few classes race their first race. Taupo is a great track with excellent viewing (I can only compare to Puke) with several grandstands around the track easily within walking distance. In the F1 race someone crashed a Ducati pretty bad (the rider was OK though).
F3 Race 1: We all got to a 1 warmup lap and then grided. I started at the rear of the grid, got a good start and passed a few bikes on the first straight. They caught me up again in the next corners as I was all over the track still bumbling my way around. It was hard to keep track of where I was as bikes were everywhere. I learnt that racing is very unforgiving as everytime I made a mistake another bike would slip past. Someone went down on the hairpin but was alright so the racing went on. I eventually settled about 3rd to last place. Mitch finished mid pack somewhere. Bluninja was racing clubmans.
F3 Race 2: Started at the back again, got a good launch off the line but someone a couple bikes ahead didn't and that moment of hesitation on my part cost me my drive as everyone else disappeared into the distance. Was happy to circulate near the rear working on my lines. Passed Mitch as she was just rejoining the track after running wide on a turn. She caught me up again and passed me on the last lap dammit! Gave me a good lesson on how to take the sweeper too. Think I ended about 2nd to last.
F3 Race 3: Started again in my fav spot! Bike bogs down on launch and everyone pisses off into the distance. Someone ahead also took a fall and bikes dart everywhere avoiding him. He's still tumbling with bike sliding as I pass him. Bit more confident with my riding now so taking a few corners at speed however the frequent mistakes are still undoing all my hard work ohh well. Someone else falls on the hairpin. They don't look too well and stay lying on the track for the next 3 laps getting attention - meanwhile everyone else is happily racing around him under yellow :) Finished near last again btu didn't get lapped! Ambulance comes on and takes dude away :(
Had a great time! Learnt a lot of new stuff, met some great people and glad to finally be doing it and instead of just talking about it! I'm really looking forward to my next race meet which will probably be Pukekohe in Oct so I won't have the excuse of not knowing the track this time!
Anyway, arrived at the track at about 8am after spending the night in Taupo. I scanned the crowd for any familiar faces and spotted Mitch, so headed over to say Hi and find out what I needed to do to get signed up for F3 (all I needed was give them my race license + $60 and sign two forms). Mitch, the first of many helpful people I met that day also suggested that since it was my first time at Taupo I should walk the track while it was still closed. Sounded like a great idea so I headed out with the missus for a brisk morning stroll and walked around the track about 100m before Mitch ran out and told me I was going in the wrong direction. Obviously realising how much help I really needed Mitch walked the whole 1.4km track with us and gave me a very valuable guided lap with running commentary (with much emphasis on the sweeper, why? I was soon to find out). Spotted Bluninja arriving later and he came over so we proceeded to talk more bike stuff as we waited around. Blu also had a startling amount of detailed advice on the sweeper.
At 9:30am we had a riders brief where we were told the classes and order of races which was (still written on my hand!) SuperMotard, F1, 125, F2, Sidecars, F3, Clubmans, Classics and repeat throughout the day. First up would be a 10 min practice session for each class then straight into 3 rounds of 6 lap races each. This meant that with 8 classes, we get about an hour break between races.
I watched the first few classes race around then heading back to get ready for the F3 practice. I had rejetted my bike and gone -1 tooth on the front sprocket just for Taupo but hadn't road tested it yet. Heard the call for F3 to the dummy grid so headed out to pit lane. While I waited I carefully went over my mental list of things I wanted to achieve during this session. I really only had this 10 min practice to bring me up to speed so intended to make the most of it. However as soon as I got out on the track it all went out the window as I got caught up and swept along with the tide of traffic. Even though it was a practice, it was at near race pace. It made it difficult to learn the track at that speed. The corner that proved troublesome for me was the sweeper. It's some kind of double-apex decreasing radius turn which needs to be taken in two chunks otherwise you get no drive onto the straight. But all too quickly practice was over and that was it.
I watched the first few classes race their first race. Taupo is a great track with excellent viewing (I can only compare to Puke) with several grandstands around the track easily within walking distance. In the F1 race someone crashed a Ducati pretty bad (the rider was OK though).
F3 Race 1: We all got to a 1 warmup lap and then grided. I started at the rear of the grid, got a good start and passed a few bikes on the first straight. They caught me up again in the next corners as I was all over the track still bumbling my way around. It was hard to keep track of where I was as bikes were everywhere. I learnt that racing is very unforgiving as everytime I made a mistake another bike would slip past. Someone went down on the hairpin but was alright so the racing went on. I eventually settled about 3rd to last place. Mitch finished mid pack somewhere. Bluninja was racing clubmans.
F3 Race 2: Started at the back again, got a good launch off the line but someone a couple bikes ahead didn't and that moment of hesitation on my part cost me my drive as everyone else disappeared into the distance. Was happy to circulate near the rear working on my lines. Passed Mitch as she was just rejoining the track after running wide on a turn. She caught me up again and passed me on the last lap dammit! Gave me a good lesson on how to take the sweeper too. Think I ended about 2nd to last.
F3 Race 3: Started again in my fav spot! Bike bogs down on launch and everyone pisses off into the distance. Someone ahead also took a fall and bikes dart everywhere avoiding him. He's still tumbling with bike sliding as I pass him. Bit more confident with my riding now so taking a few corners at speed however the frequent mistakes are still undoing all my hard work ohh well. Someone else falls on the hairpin. They don't look too well and stay lying on the track for the next 3 laps getting attention - meanwhile everyone else is happily racing around him under yellow :) Finished near last again btu didn't get lapped! Ambulance comes on and takes dude away :(
Had a great time! Learnt a lot of new stuff, met some great people and glad to finally be doing it and instead of just talking about it! I'm really looking forward to my next race meet which will probably be Pukekohe in Oct so I won't have the excuse of not knowing the track this time!