Deano
21st July 2008, 09:22
I had a funny feeling all week that it would be a wet race meeting.
Luke and I were on the road by 5.45am as we figured we may need the extra time to fit the wet tyres.
Arrived at the track and it looked like the rain might hold off, but no. It started at about scrub in time - everyone in our pit started frantically changing wheels and tyres.
I changed my front over but didn't have a spare rear rim, only the trye. I ended up running out of time and did qualifying on a (new unscrubbed) front wet and rear supercorsa.
The front end felt good but evey time I changed from 2nd to 3rd (shortshifting even) the back would spin and step out a little. To put it simply - It sucked - or I sucked, one or the other.
I thought it hadn't gone too badly cause only one or two people came past me, but when I checked the results I had qualified 13th overall (pro twin + superlites).......not happy. Best time 1.35s
Race 1
I had wets front and rear now but had never raced on wets, or in the wet before. I got an ok start and settled in, trying to get the feel for the tyres.
I had a good battle for a few laps with Nicksta - Nicksta was riding wickedly and I had to ask Paul Martindale what he had given her for breakfast. She really rode well in the wet conditions - very smooth and fast.
It took half the race before I started getting confident with the tyres - I have to thank Nicksta for pushing me so hard and making me realise that wets are awesome. I started getting my knee down and pushing a lot harder.
I got past quite a few bikes in the latter half of the race, and even made up a place at the sweeper on the last lap, going around the outside of #50 - Daniel? Kempthorne. This was a bit nerve racking as I had to go wide across the worst of the newly painted white lines. They were really slippery and I was sliding around on the SV - big ups to the guys on bigger bikes.
Finished 3rd in pro twins, but the best thing was my best time was very close to Geoff and Jarrod in 1st and 2nd place. Best time 1.23.6s
Race 2
MSTRS called me over just before the race to give me a 'pep' talk, which went something like "stop pissing around and pull your finger out". Thanks John !!
With my new found wet weather confidence, I was really amped at the start. I wanted to get a good launch and tack onto Geoff and Jarrod. Lights went out, gave it the jandle and woohooo I'm aiming for the pit wall (well nearly). I had wheelspun on the white line in front of my grid position. Heaps of bikes came past - there goes my good start.
Anyway - the pressure must have helped cause I went into turn 1 and made up a lot of places just by charging for the nearest gap and holding my line.
I worked my way forward and found myself gaining on Jarrod. All was going well until I came out of Toyota chasing him, then found my foot position a bit awkward and I couldn't upshift from 3rd to 4th. He pulled a gap as I feathered the throttle through into splash. I couldn't make up the gap and he pulled away a bit. I had an uneventful rest of the race. Backed off a fraction but saw Matt Rennie gaining fast on the 2nd to last lap. I kicked it up a notch and held him off but he actually got the fastest lap time in that race - even quicker the GW.....who may have been cruising:shifty:
3rd again in race 2 and 3rd for the round. Stoked. Best time 122.5s
The wet really was a great leveller and a lot of 400's were way more competitive - it was great to be dicing more with a variety of bikes and racers. All good experience.
Thanks to my team mate Luke for his expertise with the tryes. Mikey the best pit person ever. My sponsors below. My wife for making us lunch. MSTRS for the kind words of encouragement.
See you all at Rd 4. I'm really looking forward to the long track.
Luke and I were on the road by 5.45am as we figured we may need the extra time to fit the wet tyres.
Arrived at the track and it looked like the rain might hold off, but no. It started at about scrub in time - everyone in our pit started frantically changing wheels and tyres.
I changed my front over but didn't have a spare rear rim, only the trye. I ended up running out of time and did qualifying on a (new unscrubbed) front wet and rear supercorsa.
The front end felt good but evey time I changed from 2nd to 3rd (shortshifting even) the back would spin and step out a little. To put it simply - It sucked - or I sucked, one or the other.
I thought it hadn't gone too badly cause only one or two people came past me, but when I checked the results I had qualified 13th overall (pro twin + superlites).......not happy. Best time 1.35s
Race 1
I had wets front and rear now but had never raced on wets, or in the wet before. I got an ok start and settled in, trying to get the feel for the tyres.
I had a good battle for a few laps with Nicksta - Nicksta was riding wickedly and I had to ask Paul Martindale what he had given her for breakfast. She really rode well in the wet conditions - very smooth and fast.
It took half the race before I started getting confident with the tyres - I have to thank Nicksta for pushing me so hard and making me realise that wets are awesome. I started getting my knee down and pushing a lot harder.
I got past quite a few bikes in the latter half of the race, and even made up a place at the sweeper on the last lap, going around the outside of #50 - Daniel? Kempthorne. This was a bit nerve racking as I had to go wide across the worst of the newly painted white lines. They were really slippery and I was sliding around on the SV - big ups to the guys on bigger bikes.
Finished 3rd in pro twins, but the best thing was my best time was very close to Geoff and Jarrod in 1st and 2nd place. Best time 1.23.6s
Race 2
MSTRS called me over just before the race to give me a 'pep' talk, which went something like "stop pissing around and pull your finger out". Thanks John !!
With my new found wet weather confidence, I was really amped at the start. I wanted to get a good launch and tack onto Geoff and Jarrod. Lights went out, gave it the jandle and woohooo I'm aiming for the pit wall (well nearly). I had wheelspun on the white line in front of my grid position. Heaps of bikes came past - there goes my good start.
Anyway - the pressure must have helped cause I went into turn 1 and made up a lot of places just by charging for the nearest gap and holding my line.
I worked my way forward and found myself gaining on Jarrod. All was going well until I came out of Toyota chasing him, then found my foot position a bit awkward and I couldn't upshift from 3rd to 4th. He pulled a gap as I feathered the throttle through into splash. I couldn't make up the gap and he pulled away a bit. I had an uneventful rest of the race. Backed off a fraction but saw Matt Rennie gaining fast on the 2nd to last lap. I kicked it up a notch and held him off but he actually got the fastest lap time in that race - even quicker the GW.....who may have been cruising:shifty:
3rd again in race 2 and 3rd for the round. Stoked. Best time 122.5s
The wet really was a great leveller and a lot of 400's were way more competitive - it was great to be dicing more with a variety of bikes and racers. All good experience.
Thanks to my team mate Luke for his expertise with the tryes. Mikey the best pit person ever. My sponsors below. My wife for making us lunch. MSTRS for the kind words of encouragement.
See you all at Rd 4. I'm really looking forward to the long track.