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scracha
20th July 2008, 14:08
Very short report this one.

The track was Very wet. I didn't have wets and the tyres were coming in stone cold. The tyre warmers seemed a waste of time but I used them anyway. Qualified 20th for both Post Classic Junior and F3. Just couldn't get any traction from the rear tyre. Following a couple of guys in Post Classic who also weren't on wets, putting my weight to the back of the bike (like wot Paul had told me) getting on to the fattish bit of the tyre before rolling on the gas at a similar rate to them the CBR's rear was stepping out whereas they were going forwards. The GPR's are superb in the dry but I just couldn't get to grips (no pun intended) with them in the wet.

All my races were much the same. Basically commuted round, got lapped by most of the field and lapped twice by the front runners in the first two races which after last rounds fun was very sobering. Lonely races, no dicing. Just banged in a few points. Had very few moments but didn't see the point in pushing it as there wasn't a lot of points at stake at the back of the pack (or in my case, well behind the back of the pack).

Think I finished most of the races dead last or second last but to be fair, the entrants had dropped from around 40 bikes to 20. At the end of the racing day I was just glad to have finished every race.

Track dried out for about 4 laps in the 2nd F3 race so I pushed a wee bit harder and started reeling in a few bikes but the front end let on turn 4 (yep..the one after the left hander) so I thought "@#$ck this for a game of soldiers". Desperately latched onto the tail enders in the 2nd Post Classic race but after the back stepped out good style at Coca Cola (exactly how I crashed last round) and at Dunlop my cahunas shrunk an I went back to a slower rythm.

Faster damp laptimes last year in Clubmans but it's hard to compare as on race-day the track was never as cold and wet as it was this round. I can't just blame the lack of wets, I think I've lost my wet weather riding mojo as I just haven't ridden in the wet since last year. I know I can turn the bike in faster and further in the slower corners (I'm bad at this in the dry but embarrassingly so in the wet) and brake a lot harder so I'll work on this next round. It's a mind over matter thing and I guess I was too conscious of dropping the bike again. Wouldn't mind doing some wet trackdays but I'm skint from the recent spate of falling off.

The new (as in new to me) front forks felt fine. The different brake pads were awful and after 6 laps of even my pretty gingerly braking they started to fade badly in every race. That can be easily sorted though. Paul found a problem with my carb inlet manifold (or something technical like that) and even with the temperature gauge not coming above the minimum mark, the wee CBR was pulling a lot better.

Gobsmacked that there's a bloody pothole already at Castrol (seems a real strange place for a hole to appear anyhoo). I normally love higgins but with the tram lines that have appeared right on my usual racing line it's a completely different corner in the wet. Figured out a wet line that sorta worked for me by the end of the 2nd F3 race.

It pains me to say it but Chris Fry and Nicki Smith looked fuggin awesome out there.

Clivoris
20th July 2008, 15:14
You did the smart thing on the day Steevie. Without wets it was impossible to be competitive.

svr
20th July 2008, 15:53
Good job staying upright - GPRs are horrendus in the wet! Probably could have parked it huh?

boostin
20th July 2008, 16:54
Good on ya mate, I know what its like in the wet on the GPRa10's...not much fun at all. Good to see you kept it upright and had some sort of fun!

moT
20th July 2008, 17:38
well done i wish i cld carry on i could of gave em the lern

flame
20th July 2008, 18:13
big up's to you ya crazy scottsman for even going out there without wets! your MAD!

Good stuff though for finishing and gaining points:niceone:. I would have parked it up and sat like a grumpy ass on the sideline:angry2:;)

Deano
20th July 2008, 18:14
You did the smart thing on the day Steevie. Without wets it was impossible to be competitive.


Ain't that the truth. I had a wet front but supercorsa rear for qualifying and ended up 13th. It was nice knowing the front was planted but the rear was slipping around a stupid amount.

scracha
20th July 2008, 18:28
Oh and umm...thanks to all the marshalls and organisers.
Ta for Glenn for sharing the lift down.
Ta for Nick (mumbles) & his missus Allie for putting us up on Friday night even when we arrived at 1am due to SH1 being closed from a 3 car pile up
Ta for Phil (toast) for obtaining the new helmet and boots at a good price
Ta for Sam Fitzgerald for patching up my leathers.
Ta for Vicki and Drew for bringing my bike up.
Most of all ta for Paul (roadracingoldfart) for putting my bike back together and telling me not to be such a softcock and go out and just get points.

Anyone got a 17" rear rim I can buy?

Meekey_Mouse
20th July 2008, 18:57
Woah... Racing in the wet with out wets, musta been scary stuff. Well done for not landing in the Manfeild mud :D Hope next round is better for ya!

Nicksta
20th July 2008, 19:34
hey Stevie...
my hat's off to ya, I dont know how you managed the whole day on the GPRA10's.... i did 3 laps of qualifying and was freaked!
Awesome awesome stuff....
I couldnt believe the pot hole coming into Turn 3 either!
catch ya next round :)

Toast
20th July 2008, 19:47
Respect for just getting out there without wets mate!

Frenchy
20th July 2008, 20:17
Well done mate for giving it a go in the rain!! hope its dry for you and me both next round!!

roadracingoldfart
20th July 2008, 20:43
Most of all ta for Paul (roadracingoldfart) for putting my bike back together and telling me not to be such a softcock and go out and just get points.



Hell matey , all i was worried about was redoing the last 2 months worth of rebuilding if you found gravity again lol. Now all i gotta do is finish whats already started.

You are not a softcock but a bloody hero in my eyes as i could see the way the bike was spinning and weaving around. As Nicki said 3 laps were enough for her.

You did ok and stayed in the hunt with a good practice for future wet conditions , its the winter series after all so rain is going to happen.
One thing i will offer at this point is just how many people are running full wet tyres now. This is a new thing for most outside the top teams at the VMCC that i can recall. Funny huh !!

It goes to show the serious attitude towards a club series with no prize money so its got to be "The" series to do .
Well done all of you that rode yesterday.
Well done VMCC again.

Paul.

Matt Bleck
20th July 2008, 20:51
Good on ya for getting out there!

CHET
21st July 2008, 13:40
You did pretty:msn-wink: well to stay on man, i was on michelin pilot sports all day and wasnt quite good enough to stay upright for both races.

scracha
21st July 2008, 13:52
You did pretty:msn-wink: well to stay on man, i was on michelin pilot sports all day and wasnt quite good enough to stay upright for both races.
Was it you wot fell off in front of me on the last lap of the Post Classic race? Looked a bit nasty.

CHET
21st July 2008, 15:18
Nah!! THINK THAT WAS KEITH CHANDLER I FELL OFF IN THE ESSES ON THE 4TH LAP NO REAL DAMAGE ALOT OF MUD AND A BROKEN BRAKE LEVER.

moT
21st July 2008, 15:25
how was your tumble? did you slide for ages?

CHET
22nd July 2008, 15:11
Yeah man took a while to stop, now how do i get all that mud off my leathers:rolleyes: