boostin
12th February 2008, 19:10
Well off to Taupo I went at 5am on Friday with my fingers crossed that my van would make it.
Got to Taupo at about 9am with only one stop in Cambridge for a pie, managed to get to the track just in time to sign on and listen to the kiwitrackdays briefing.
The trackday went well, with perfect weather and great track conditions. There was an off in the fast group that held up the day for a little while waiting for an ambulance. I don't really like standing around waiting but its just one of those things that does happen at trackdays. I hope everyone that did come off are ok. Got through all the sessions without any major incidents, I was working on getting from turn 1 to turn 5 smooth and fast. I realized I am having trouble with turn 1 and the turn coming on to the drag strip straight. Tried to work on those two turns in the afternoon but still having trouble with getting them right.
Packed up for the day and headed to Reads farm the free campsite next to the river. After a night drinking I had to deal with my company telling me that its not the 'hangover', but they are actually 'sick'....tui? Spent Saturday doing not much at all.
Sunday rolls around and manage to get to the track on time, find Nicky and the pit shed, set up, sign on, get through scrutineering and it is still not raining....awesome.
F2 practice went well, before heading out I was worried about getting in the way of the faster guys but this didn't seem to be a problem as far as I could tell. Went round and round and tried to get the hang of the chicane leading on to the drag strip.
Just before going out to the F3 practice it started to drizzle slightly. I went out and went round and round without much to talk about.
By the time the F2 race one came around it was a very wet track. I don’t have wets and as it turns out Dunlop GPRa10's don't cut it in the wet. Slipping and sliding around was fun to start, but started to get old fairly quickly. Also found out that those brown 'patches' on some corners are fairly slippery in the wet. Finished somewhere near the back, but finished upright.
F3 race one was much of the same, slipping, sliding, and finishing somewhere at the back. Seems that I just couldn't get any heat into the tires.
F2 race two, started at the very back with what was meant to be pro twins, but I think it was just the guys that didn't want to get in the way. After a couple of laps I decided that there was no point in staying out there as I knew the fast guys would be coming around soon, so I came back in to the pits.
F3 race two it was still drizzling and the track was still wet. Putting on my glove I feel something go squish on the end of my thumb...thought maybe it was just my glove being wet, when I was on the dummy grid I squeezed the end of my thumb and dark red stuff came out...but I didn't think I was cut or bleeding. Turned out to be a blue berry I think, still not really sure how that got in there... I decided that this would be the last race for me so I took it easy and followed someone for the race passing him on the last lap to finish somewhere at the back. Almost missed the chequered flag in this race.
Packed up and started to head back to Auckland. I had a good weekend overall just would have been better with some dry weather on Sun. Thanks for organizing the garage on Sunday Nicky, looked like you were going well in the wet! Not sure if I will get back for round 3, but will have to wait and see.
Got to Taupo at about 9am with only one stop in Cambridge for a pie, managed to get to the track just in time to sign on and listen to the kiwitrackdays briefing.
The trackday went well, with perfect weather and great track conditions. There was an off in the fast group that held up the day for a little while waiting for an ambulance. I don't really like standing around waiting but its just one of those things that does happen at trackdays. I hope everyone that did come off are ok. Got through all the sessions without any major incidents, I was working on getting from turn 1 to turn 5 smooth and fast. I realized I am having trouble with turn 1 and the turn coming on to the drag strip straight. Tried to work on those two turns in the afternoon but still having trouble with getting them right.
Packed up for the day and headed to Reads farm the free campsite next to the river. After a night drinking I had to deal with my company telling me that its not the 'hangover', but they are actually 'sick'....tui? Spent Saturday doing not much at all.
Sunday rolls around and manage to get to the track on time, find Nicky and the pit shed, set up, sign on, get through scrutineering and it is still not raining....awesome.
F2 practice went well, before heading out I was worried about getting in the way of the faster guys but this didn't seem to be a problem as far as I could tell. Went round and round and tried to get the hang of the chicane leading on to the drag strip.
Just before going out to the F3 practice it started to drizzle slightly. I went out and went round and round without much to talk about.
By the time the F2 race one came around it was a very wet track. I don’t have wets and as it turns out Dunlop GPRa10's don't cut it in the wet. Slipping and sliding around was fun to start, but started to get old fairly quickly. Also found out that those brown 'patches' on some corners are fairly slippery in the wet. Finished somewhere near the back, but finished upright.
F3 race one was much of the same, slipping, sliding, and finishing somewhere at the back. Seems that I just couldn't get any heat into the tires.
F2 race two, started at the very back with what was meant to be pro twins, but I think it was just the guys that didn't want to get in the way. After a couple of laps I decided that there was no point in staying out there as I knew the fast guys would be coming around soon, so I came back in to the pits.
F3 race two it was still drizzling and the track was still wet. Putting on my glove I feel something go squish on the end of my thumb...thought maybe it was just my glove being wet, when I was on the dummy grid I squeezed the end of my thumb and dark red stuff came out...but I didn't think I was cut or bleeding. Turned out to be a blue berry I think, still not really sure how that got in there... I decided that this would be the last race for me so I took it easy and followed someone for the race passing him on the last lap to finish somewhere at the back. Almost missed the chequered flag in this race.
Packed up and started to head back to Auckland. I had a good weekend overall just would have been better with some dry weather on Sun. Thanks for organizing the garage on Sunday Nicky, looked like you were going well in the wet! Not sure if I will get back for round 3, but will have to wait and see.