Nicksta
21st February 2008, 14:12
PMCC Rd2 10 February 2008
Apologies for the belated report… been a bit crazy, but thanks Quasi for making me pull finger and write this….
Round 2 started with Frenchy and I packing up our bikes Friday morning for a Kiwi Track Day… good to meet some new racers… had a good day just working on a few corners in the medium group. Packed up and headed to Napier Friday night and off the Extreme Auto Expo on Hastings Saturday… I’ll leave it to Frenchy to report on that one ;)
Sunday morning was an early drive form Napier back to Taupo. Rain as we headed over the hills confirmed my hope of trying out my wets for the first time. As usual PMCC were on the ball with scrutineering and briefing – something about wheelies causing multiple carnage on Friday WTF?
Practice:
Out on my trusty very 2nd hand looking Michelins the track was wet and the rain looked like setting in. Made a few laps around the track, yup.. its still the same so came in.
Race 1:
Grid positions as of last round placing so I lined up on the outside of the 2nd row with my brand new wets on… slightly wondering how on earth they will feel. Flag drops and I take off, best launch since the Winter series, few bikes ahead break really early for T1 and I end up going through in about 5th – sweet! Few SV’s pass me and I settle in thinking, man, wets are cool :) 2 laps go by and I see a 400 not far away, with confidence in the wets growing I set about reeling him in, last lap I manage to pass and end up 4th over the line. Totally stoked I pull back into the pits absolutely loving wets!
Race 2:
Grid positions were results from 1st race. Lining up on the grid, I still had 2 bikes on my outside! Typical PMCC grid I guess. Not so good start I had a few more bikes ahead of me into T1, after tweaking the wets I quickly realized something was up as I had slides round almost every corner. I could hear the 400 behind me the whole race as I gritted my teeth and thought light thoughts round each corner hoping to not slide as much as the last. With my heart pounding, I crossed the line just ahead of the 400 amazingly still in 4th place. I now regard this race as my scariest ever. I was just happy it was over. Rolling into the pits Frenchy made a call and we came up with a game plan for Race 3.
Race 3:
6 bikes on the front row again, I was determined to nail this race, totally confident with my set up I was 5th into T1. Hunting down the 400 with an SV650 between us I caught the SV who put an awesome block on me on T1 and got some distance from me and took the 400 a few corners later. One lap left I wasn’t close enough to go round the outside of the 400 on the sweeper out the back and decided to sit right on his tail and make a move on the last corner. Now or never I could read the writing on his tyre round the left then right and veered wide into the last corner, cranked Tweety over and gassed it, holding a faster corner speed I passed the 400 and was on the back tyre of the SV, head down I pinned it to the line coming up to the bars on the SV as we crossed. Totally buzzing from an awesome race and close finish I pulled into the pits to find I was 4th again.
Overall result: 4th for the day, I’ve jumped from 15th to 5th in the championship with one round to go. Was awesome to meet some new racers in the “KB Pit” and well done to all of you racing out there on normal tyres. Gah it was awesome to see you out there again after Friday. Well done also to Fynn for your Postys placing!
Big thank you goes to Frenchy for all your help and support over the weekend. Dave and Donna at Kiwibike Insurance, thank you for your continual support and encouragement, please support those that support us!
I’m off to nationals tonight at Manfeild and it looks like rain so fingers crossed!
Thank you all for your support and encouragement, I promise my report will be up sooner from the Nats!
Cheers!
Apologies for the belated report… been a bit crazy, but thanks Quasi for making me pull finger and write this….
Round 2 started with Frenchy and I packing up our bikes Friday morning for a Kiwi Track Day… good to meet some new racers… had a good day just working on a few corners in the medium group. Packed up and headed to Napier Friday night and off the Extreme Auto Expo on Hastings Saturday… I’ll leave it to Frenchy to report on that one ;)
Sunday morning was an early drive form Napier back to Taupo. Rain as we headed over the hills confirmed my hope of trying out my wets for the first time. As usual PMCC were on the ball with scrutineering and briefing – something about wheelies causing multiple carnage on Friday WTF?
Practice:
Out on my trusty very 2nd hand looking Michelins the track was wet and the rain looked like setting in. Made a few laps around the track, yup.. its still the same so came in.
Race 1:
Grid positions as of last round placing so I lined up on the outside of the 2nd row with my brand new wets on… slightly wondering how on earth they will feel. Flag drops and I take off, best launch since the Winter series, few bikes ahead break really early for T1 and I end up going through in about 5th – sweet! Few SV’s pass me and I settle in thinking, man, wets are cool :) 2 laps go by and I see a 400 not far away, with confidence in the wets growing I set about reeling him in, last lap I manage to pass and end up 4th over the line. Totally stoked I pull back into the pits absolutely loving wets!
Race 2:
Grid positions were results from 1st race. Lining up on the grid, I still had 2 bikes on my outside! Typical PMCC grid I guess. Not so good start I had a few more bikes ahead of me into T1, after tweaking the wets I quickly realized something was up as I had slides round almost every corner. I could hear the 400 behind me the whole race as I gritted my teeth and thought light thoughts round each corner hoping to not slide as much as the last. With my heart pounding, I crossed the line just ahead of the 400 amazingly still in 4th place. I now regard this race as my scariest ever. I was just happy it was over. Rolling into the pits Frenchy made a call and we came up with a game plan for Race 3.
Race 3:
6 bikes on the front row again, I was determined to nail this race, totally confident with my set up I was 5th into T1. Hunting down the 400 with an SV650 between us I caught the SV who put an awesome block on me on T1 and got some distance from me and took the 400 a few corners later. One lap left I wasn’t close enough to go round the outside of the 400 on the sweeper out the back and decided to sit right on his tail and make a move on the last corner. Now or never I could read the writing on his tyre round the left then right and veered wide into the last corner, cranked Tweety over and gassed it, holding a faster corner speed I passed the 400 and was on the back tyre of the SV, head down I pinned it to the line coming up to the bars on the SV as we crossed. Totally buzzing from an awesome race and close finish I pulled into the pits to find I was 4th again.
Overall result: 4th for the day, I’ve jumped from 15th to 5th in the championship with one round to go. Was awesome to meet some new racers in the “KB Pit” and well done to all of you racing out there on normal tyres. Gah it was awesome to see you out there again after Friday. Well done also to Fynn for your Postys placing!
Big thank you goes to Frenchy for all your help and support over the weekend. Dave and Donna at Kiwibike Insurance, thank you for your continual support and encouragement, please support those that support us!
I’m off to nationals tonight at Manfeild and it looks like rain so fingers crossed!
Thank you all for your support and encouragement, I promise my report will be up sooner from the Nats!
Cheers!