wharfy
22nd October 2008, 16:49
To cut a long story short
Well done Vic Club and all the volunteers you ran a shit hot series.
Practice – Rode up Friday morn. Had a great day left the Hornet in the stalls and drove back to Wellywood for a work party. Had a great time ( Oddessa was the band )
Race day – drove up, tyre warmers on and the bike was ready to go, felt like a pro.
Qualified 12th 1:23.250 was a bit disappointed.
Race 1 : Got a good start best lap 1:20.555 a new PB second Clubman's B
Race 2: Got a good start best lap 1:21.860 bit disappointed second again
Grant Russell (old buggers) Got a good start 1:20.486 another new PB 4th
After match function: Had a great time, headed back on Sun morning – nice ride to Wellwood.
The long story
For those that really care ( or have to much time on their hands :)
Practice day:
As usual I rode up from Wellywood with the paddock stands and tyre warmers strapped to the back of the Hornet and set myself up in the end stall. The weather was a bit “drek” but my workmates at the Metservice had assured me it was going to be a nice day, and so it turned out. The first session still had a small creek flowing across turn 1 right where I would normally start to tip in and Higgins was weeping water out of the patched section. Going from dry to wet to dry made it a bit interesting so I started of very cautiously. By the second bike session (we had side cars as well, which was fun to watch) the track was mostly dry and felt good. One thing about free practise days is you get lapped by people who really know what they are doing (I've been lapped by Aarron Slight and Craig Shirriffs amongst the many so I feel like a celebrity :). I got a few new lines from watching the big boys wizz past. I was feeling pretty comfortable by the time I headed back to Wellywood for the office party. I left the Hornet parked in the end stall, a security cable threaded through the rear wheel and paddock stands. It would be ready to go on race day.
Race Day:
Katie and I left Wellywood at ) 06:00 and picked up Jeff (xr-rider) at Te Horo and arrived in good time to fit the tyre warmers and “commence to waitin” as the Beverly Hillbilly's would say.
Qualifying: This seemed to got pretty well but I was still only 12th on the grid, about the same as normal (my best was 11th at the wet round 4 ) and more importantly Darrin “scuzeme” and Bruce “busted” where in the line in front Darrin on my left and Bruce on my right.
Race 1:
I had a plan !! I knew from the last round that I could not catch Darrin but had managed to finish ahead of Bruce. The plan was to get a ripper start put a few bikes between us before turn 1 and see if I could hold them off. As Darrin had binned it on turn 1 during practice (see his report for details) I figured he would probably be a bit wary there and he had told me he was having trouble at the hairpin taking the weight on his injured left wrist. I was hoping if he did get by me I might be able to get him again at one of those. My plan nearly came unstuck on the grid as Darrin had lined up a bit to the right of his mark and the gap I was hoping to blat through was now a bit small. When the grid marshall came by I gestured for her to ask him to move to the left a bit which he did. I now had a clear run, the bike directly ahead of me on the front row was #13 Glen Spencer and I new HE would not be holding me up :). I got the really good start I was hoping for and was clear of both Darrin and Bruce with a couple of bikes still between us by the time we got to the hairpin. Coming out of Dunlop for the first time however Darrin was right on me, passed me on the front straight but I managed to get inside him going into turn one. Amazingly I managed this for another lap before he got past and I was chasing him. I managed to keep fairly close for another lap then he started pulling away. Rounding the hairpin for the sixth time – there was Darrin standing by the tyres his bike on it's side in the grass !! He looked OK (well was walking around) and I began to have thoughts about my first ever win !! What I didn't know was that Bruce was now right up on me and passed me coming out of Higgins. I now began to chase him, managed to slip by at the hairpin but he passed me again on the straight, I got inside him at Higgins but again he got by me on the straight. I tried going round the outside at Dunlop but that didn't work I managed to get very close a number of times but at the chequered flag he was 1.067 ahead, no first place sash for me, but I had had a GREAT race !! Bruce and I got a round of applause from Darrin as we cruised past heading back to the pits, Bruce came over to shake hands and said he'd had a great race too.
Second again 1:20.555 a new PB and a big grin on my face. I went to see how Darrin was and he wasn't about, I got a bit concerned for a while but he was OK .
Race 2:
In the absence of any other plan I figured for race 2 I would use the same plan but try to execute it better this time :) I knew I had to beat Bruce by more than 1.067 seconds for my last chance to get a first place sash this series. With Darrin not there I had a big gap at the start and again got a good start and by splash had four bikes between myself and Bruce, by Dunlop it was down to 3 (I didn't look back but have been checking the photos Katie took ) going into splash for the second time it was down to one, and by Higgins he was right behind me ! He got me coming out of Dunlop and once again I was in chase mode. I managed to get by him through splash, he got me again in the hairpin I got him back when he missed a change but he was ahead again by Higgins !!
By now I had other problems some of the Clubmans A guys I had got the jump on at the start were all over the back of me now and Bruce was getting out of range #27 (Ken Christison ) got past me and then #20 (Johnathon Medlin) I was hoping that they might slow Bruce up dicing with him but he managed to hold them off with a very nice manoeuvre on the final corner to cross 2.48 sec. Ahead of me.
Another GREAT race but best lap was only 1:21.860 ( Bruces best lap was 0.038 sec quicker and both were on lap 7 and both slower than race 1 ? ) No first place sash for me this series, but a great time.
Grant Russell Memorial: (old buggers)
Us oldies got an extra race, starting ahead of the Motards. This was an all in affair with first up best dressed grid position. I managed to get the pole (my first and probably only) !!!
I got another good start but by spalsh #17 (Nick Prestidge, Duke 749) was ahead, by lap two #51b (John Baker, Yamaha R1) and #60 (Ross McKeague, Suzuki 1000) were past as well.
Coming into turn one for the second time #70 (Murry Cross, McIntosh Z1) got inside me but ran wide on the exit and I managed to get the drive on him and was ahead until we both went for the same piece of track coming out of splash, I felt an impact on my leg and out the corner of my eye saw him disappear, neither the Hornet nor myself could be described as “svelte” but now I was glad (inertia is a beautiful thing) we had a bit of a wobble then I was into the esses. The guys in front slowly drew further ahead and I seemed to be in my own private race. Going into Higgins for the last time a Motard went inside me, I must have looked startled as he waved as he went past, as if to say sorry !!! Fark that I put my head down, passed him and lapped the last motard for good measure !!
4th best lap 1:20.486 another PB !! Why couldn't I have done a couple of those in race 2 ???
Had a good time at the after match function, enjoyed a nice ride back to Wellywood on Sunday. Pretty happy to finish top of the points table for clubmans B (the toughest kid in kindergarten :)
What a great series this has been, big thanks to everyone involved Organizers, volunteers and competitors alike. This is my first full race series and my first racing since the mid 70's and I have the bug – BAD - I'm of to Greymouth this weekend to see how I go on the streets !!!
Photo below after #70 and I touched
Well done Vic Club and all the volunteers you ran a shit hot series.
Practice – Rode up Friday morn. Had a great day left the Hornet in the stalls and drove back to Wellywood for a work party. Had a great time ( Oddessa was the band )
Race day – drove up, tyre warmers on and the bike was ready to go, felt like a pro.
Qualified 12th 1:23.250 was a bit disappointed.
Race 1 : Got a good start best lap 1:20.555 a new PB second Clubman's B
Race 2: Got a good start best lap 1:21.860 bit disappointed second again
Grant Russell (old buggers) Got a good start 1:20.486 another new PB 4th
After match function: Had a great time, headed back on Sun morning – nice ride to Wellwood.
The long story
For those that really care ( or have to much time on their hands :)
Practice day:
As usual I rode up from Wellywood with the paddock stands and tyre warmers strapped to the back of the Hornet and set myself up in the end stall. The weather was a bit “drek” but my workmates at the Metservice had assured me it was going to be a nice day, and so it turned out. The first session still had a small creek flowing across turn 1 right where I would normally start to tip in and Higgins was weeping water out of the patched section. Going from dry to wet to dry made it a bit interesting so I started of very cautiously. By the second bike session (we had side cars as well, which was fun to watch) the track was mostly dry and felt good. One thing about free practise days is you get lapped by people who really know what they are doing (I've been lapped by Aarron Slight and Craig Shirriffs amongst the many so I feel like a celebrity :). I got a few new lines from watching the big boys wizz past. I was feeling pretty comfortable by the time I headed back to Wellywood for the office party. I left the Hornet parked in the end stall, a security cable threaded through the rear wheel and paddock stands. It would be ready to go on race day.
Race Day:
Katie and I left Wellywood at ) 06:00 and picked up Jeff (xr-rider) at Te Horo and arrived in good time to fit the tyre warmers and “commence to waitin” as the Beverly Hillbilly's would say.
Qualifying: This seemed to got pretty well but I was still only 12th on the grid, about the same as normal (my best was 11th at the wet round 4 ) and more importantly Darrin “scuzeme” and Bruce “busted” where in the line in front Darrin on my left and Bruce on my right.
Race 1:
I had a plan !! I knew from the last round that I could not catch Darrin but had managed to finish ahead of Bruce. The plan was to get a ripper start put a few bikes between us before turn 1 and see if I could hold them off. As Darrin had binned it on turn 1 during practice (see his report for details) I figured he would probably be a bit wary there and he had told me he was having trouble at the hairpin taking the weight on his injured left wrist. I was hoping if he did get by me I might be able to get him again at one of those. My plan nearly came unstuck on the grid as Darrin had lined up a bit to the right of his mark and the gap I was hoping to blat through was now a bit small. When the grid marshall came by I gestured for her to ask him to move to the left a bit which he did. I now had a clear run, the bike directly ahead of me on the front row was #13 Glen Spencer and I new HE would not be holding me up :). I got the really good start I was hoping for and was clear of both Darrin and Bruce with a couple of bikes still between us by the time we got to the hairpin. Coming out of Dunlop for the first time however Darrin was right on me, passed me on the front straight but I managed to get inside him going into turn one. Amazingly I managed this for another lap before he got past and I was chasing him. I managed to keep fairly close for another lap then he started pulling away. Rounding the hairpin for the sixth time – there was Darrin standing by the tyres his bike on it's side in the grass !! He looked OK (well was walking around) and I began to have thoughts about my first ever win !! What I didn't know was that Bruce was now right up on me and passed me coming out of Higgins. I now began to chase him, managed to slip by at the hairpin but he passed me again on the straight, I got inside him at Higgins but again he got by me on the straight. I tried going round the outside at Dunlop but that didn't work I managed to get very close a number of times but at the chequered flag he was 1.067 ahead, no first place sash for me, but I had had a GREAT race !! Bruce and I got a round of applause from Darrin as we cruised past heading back to the pits, Bruce came over to shake hands and said he'd had a great race too.
Second again 1:20.555 a new PB and a big grin on my face. I went to see how Darrin was and he wasn't about, I got a bit concerned for a while but he was OK .
Race 2:
In the absence of any other plan I figured for race 2 I would use the same plan but try to execute it better this time :) I knew I had to beat Bruce by more than 1.067 seconds for my last chance to get a first place sash this series. With Darrin not there I had a big gap at the start and again got a good start and by splash had four bikes between myself and Bruce, by Dunlop it was down to 3 (I didn't look back but have been checking the photos Katie took ) going into splash for the second time it was down to one, and by Higgins he was right behind me ! He got me coming out of Dunlop and once again I was in chase mode. I managed to get by him through splash, he got me again in the hairpin I got him back when he missed a change but he was ahead again by Higgins !!
By now I had other problems some of the Clubmans A guys I had got the jump on at the start were all over the back of me now and Bruce was getting out of range #27 (Ken Christison ) got past me and then #20 (Johnathon Medlin) I was hoping that they might slow Bruce up dicing with him but he managed to hold them off with a very nice manoeuvre on the final corner to cross 2.48 sec. Ahead of me.
Another GREAT race but best lap was only 1:21.860 ( Bruces best lap was 0.038 sec quicker and both were on lap 7 and both slower than race 1 ? ) No first place sash for me this series, but a great time.
Grant Russell Memorial: (old buggers)
Us oldies got an extra race, starting ahead of the Motards. This was an all in affair with first up best dressed grid position. I managed to get the pole (my first and probably only) !!!
I got another good start but by spalsh #17 (Nick Prestidge, Duke 749) was ahead, by lap two #51b (John Baker, Yamaha R1) and #60 (Ross McKeague, Suzuki 1000) were past as well.
Coming into turn one for the second time #70 (Murry Cross, McIntosh Z1) got inside me but ran wide on the exit and I managed to get the drive on him and was ahead until we both went for the same piece of track coming out of splash, I felt an impact on my leg and out the corner of my eye saw him disappear, neither the Hornet nor myself could be described as “svelte” but now I was glad (inertia is a beautiful thing) we had a bit of a wobble then I was into the esses. The guys in front slowly drew further ahead and I seemed to be in my own private race. Going into Higgins for the last time a Motard went inside me, I must have looked startled as he waved as he went past, as if to say sorry !!! Fark that I put my head down, passed him and lapped the last motard for good measure !!
4th best lap 1:20.486 another PB !! Why couldn't I have done a couple of those in race 2 ???
Had a good time at the after match function, enjoyed a nice ride back to Wellywood on Sunday. Pretty happy to finish top of the points table for clubmans B (the toughest kid in kindergarten :)
What a great series this has been, big thanks to everyone involved Organizers, volunteers and competitors alike. This is my first full race series and my first racing since the mid 70's and I have the bug – BAD - I'm of to Greymouth this weekend to see how I go on the streets !!!
Photo below after #70 and I touched