Ivan
25th February 2008, 10:52
Well I geared up on Thursday night and headed off on Friday morning to the track, Once at the track I met up with Shaun as I was pitting in his pit space, Went and watched the Friday test day,
Saturday morning after a good nights sleep at the race track in the back of the truck I was up at 6:30 in the morning,Once everyone arrived I unloaded the bike and we got to work on it.
First Practice I go out first time on the 98 RS im used to riding the 96, As I am circulating the track I am finding that this bike has alot wrong with it when I get on the gas the powerjet was to rich and was overfuelling and almost killing the motor the rear shock was like a pogo stick as well, I cam in and pulled some tape off and told dad I wasnt to happy on this bike, I went back on track and did 2 more laps before deciding to pull into the pits.
Once in the pits I found out I did a best time of 1:27 which is absolutly shocking. It had on the results sheetI waspast the 115% cut off mark.
Deciding on what to do we ended up getting the 96 out of the bus and putting the 98 front shocks in it,
Qualifying rocks around, And I am out there I felt alot more comfortable on this bike, and I could tell I was instantly quicker but still not quick enough, I kept trying and eventually the session was over recording a time of 1:24 enough to let me qualify to race.
Back in the pits I got Shaun to check out my tires and he told me the suspension preload was to soft so I adjusted that and did a small gearing change.
Race 1:
I line up on the grid in 19th which is dead last, Lights go Red I Take off and jump the start, Pushing the bike back to the line I hear all the other 125s take off by the time I look up there gone so I take off to, Into turn 1 I am right on the tail of a Yellow RS going round through turn 2 were Shaun hadbeen helping me on this corner to get right I have the perfect oppurtunity to pass, I line up the inside line for turn 3 but for some reason I backed off out of it, I run it wide and the group starts pulling a gap all of a sudden im last and in a raceof my own I just kept pushing the whole race, Then with 3 laps to go I see Jason Easton is coming up to lap me, I decide to set a goal of not being lapped and managed not to be.
I come in with a time of 1:23
Saturday night had some suspension settings done in the front by Shaun,
Which were alot better than I was riding on.
Race 2:
After a Delay from the sidecar race and oil over circuit,
Line up Again on the grid, Lights Go up this time I wait and get a ripper start passing a few bikes off the line into turn 1 on to much of a tighter line I have to brake alot harder to slow myself down. hard on the gas through turn 2, Once Again the Yellow RS is infront of me this time I make a move up the inside through turn 3 I make it stick, Quick flick right through Splash, and under brakes into the Hairpin, Onto the Dennis Hulme straight, and then next thing to bikes Come past the Yellow RS, and a TZ. Brake into Higgens on the gas down the back straight into Dunlop Sweeper, I lse the group in front of me and once again end up in my own Race, Coming up just to come onto Final Lap Im going into Dunlop Sweeper and see the blue flag come out, All I could think was lots and lots of swear words, And A few bikes shoot by,
I cross the finish line in last and a lap down with a best lap of 1:24.
After this race I was rather, Frustrated and angry in myself, I was told by Shaun for the final race just to relax and go and have fun,
Sketchy_racer Glen came over saying he blew his 125 up so we lent him our spare 125 and he put his shocks and front end and body work on for the final race.
Race 3:
Final race of the day the P.A announces the first call dad says Ill take the warmers off I said nah just wait a bit Second call comes so I say allright lets go, down onto the dummy grid Glens down there allready warming up, I getdown warm up to and head out onto track circulating slowly to get to the back to start from 19th, Lights go outand away we are racing,
Into turn 1 through turn 2 Yellow RS again Just as Igo to go up the inside he closes the door on me I try and stick with this group which lasts for a bit, I start playing out there testing new lines and throttle points, Turn 1 I manage toget better at getting on the gas alot sooner, I see Number 4 rejoining the raceafter going down at Higgens about a lap later he comes past me then so does Tim who I heard started from pit lane,
Then just near the end I go down a Lap to Ken and Ken gets a bit of breathing room before Jason passes me,
So I ended up coming home last but happy I pulled a few wheelies at the end as well which were fun and finally have video footage of them YES.
Overall it was a valuble learning lesson, and It helped a lot,
I would like to Thank
Shaun Harris for his help all weekend,
Mum and dad,
All the people who came to watch me race,
Langlands Honda.
Now I cant wait to go see how Puke gets on
Saturday morning after a good nights sleep at the race track in the back of the truck I was up at 6:30 in the morning,Once everyone arrived I unloaded the bike and we got to work on it.
First Practice I go out first time on the 98 RS im used to riding the 96, As I am circulating the track I am finding that this bike has alot wrong with it when I get on the gas the powerjet was to rich and was overfuelling and almost killing the motor the rear shock was like a pogo stick as well, I cam in and pulled some tape off and told dad I wasnt to happy on this bike, I went back on track and did 2 more laps before deciding to pull into the pits.
Once in the pits I found out I did a best time of 1:27 which is absolutly shocking. It had on the results sheetI waspast the 115% cut off mark.
Deciding on what to do we ended up getting the 96 out of the bus and putting the 98 front shocks in it,
Qualifying rocks around, And I am out there I felt alot more comfortable on this bike, and I could tell I was instantly quicker but still not quick enough, I kept trying and eventually the session was over recording a time of 1:24 enough to let me qualify to race.
Back in the pits I got Shaun to check out my tires and he told me the suspension preload was to soft so I adjusted that and did a small gearing change.
Race 1:
I line up on the grid in 19th which is dead last, Lights go Red I Take off and jump the start, Pushing the bike back to the line I hear all the other 125s take off by the time I look up there gone so I take off to, Into turn 1 I am right on the tail of a Yellow RS going round through turn 2 were Shaun hadbeen helping me on this corner to get right I have the perfect oppurtunity to pass, I line up the inside line for turn 3 but for some reason I backed off out of it, I run it wide and the group starts pulling a gap all of a sudden im last and in a raceof my own I just kept pushing the whole race, Then with 3 laps to go I see Jason Easton is coming up to lap me, I decide to set a goal of not being lapped and managed not to be.
I come in with a time of 1:23
Saturday night had some suspension settings done in the front by Shaun,
Which were alot better than I was riding on.
Race 2:
After a Delay from the sidecar race and oil over circuit,
Line up Again on the grid, Lights Go up this time I wait and get a ripper start passing a few bikes off the line into turn 1 on to much of a tighter line I have to brake alot harder to slow myself down. hard on the gas through turn 2, Once Again the Yellow RS is infront of me this time I make a move up the inside through turn 3 I make it stick, Quick flick right through Splash, and under brakes into the Hairpin, Onto the Dennis Hulme straight, and then next thing to bikes Come past the Yellow RS, and a TZ. Brake into Higgens on the gas down the back straight into Dunlop Sweeper, I lse the group in front of me and once again end up in my own Race, Coming up just to come onto Final Lap Im going into Dunlop Sweeper and see the blue flag come out, All I could think was lots and lots of swear words, And A few bikes shoot by,
I cross the finish line in last and a lap down with a best lap of 1:24.
After this race I was rather, Frustrated and angry in myself, I was told by Shaun for the final race just to relax and go and have fun,
Sketchy_racer Glen came over saying he blew his 125 up so we lent him our spare 125 and he put his shocks and front end and body work on for the final race.
Race 3:
Final race of the day the P.A announces the first call dad says Ill take the warmers off I said nah just wait a bit Second call comes so I say allright lets go, down onto the dummy grid Glens down there allready warming up, I getdown warm up to and head out onto track circulating slowly to get to the back to start from 19th, Lights go outand away we are racing,
Into turn 1 through turn 2 Yellow RS again Just as Igo to go up the inside he closes the door on me I try and stick with this group which lasts for a bit, I start playing out there testing new lines and throttle points, Turn 1 I manage toget better at getting on the gas alot sooner, I see Number 4 rejoining the raceafter going down at Higgens about a lap later he comes past me then so does Tim who I heard started from pit lane,
Then just near the end I go down a Lap to Ken and Ken gets a bit of breathing room before Jason passes me,
So I ended up coming home last but happy I pulled a few wheelies at the end as well which were fun and finally have video footage of them YES.
Overall it was a valuble learning lesson, and It helped a lot,
I would like to Thank
Shaun Harris for his help all weekend,
Mum and dad,
All the people who came to watch me race,
Langlands Honda.
Now I cant wait to go see how Puke gets on