kittytamer
7th April 2009, 09:55
This weekend I went down to Taupo for my 2nd ever race meeting.
I have only done 1 trackday there before and it didn't end well with me destroying my GSX-R1000. This was over a year ago now. I really like the Taupo track and I was hoping for a better result this weekend. ie, going home in one piece!
We travelled down really early on Saturday morning (up at 4.30am!). I did the kiwitrackday on Saturday, so I used that as practice. Had loads of track time as they ran 3 groups with 15 minute sessions, so you are only of the bike for 1/2 hour between rides. I got better and faster throughout the day but the track repairs messed with my head :crazy: because by the afternoon when everything was nice and warm & grippy I still had little confidence about riding over them.
I got some 1 to 1 time with Tony Reese and he showed me the right lines, which helped loads :niceone:
Race Day
It was a pretty chilly morning (I think it was down to 3 degrees over-night :cold:) so I took it fairly easy to start with and got a qualifying time of 1m54s which put me 9th on the grid out of 16 starters. I was pretty happy with this result as my goal when I started this racing lark was just not to come last!
Race 1
Track was now nice and warm as it was a beautiful clear sunny day so I could go hard from the start.
Got off the line really well and made up some places but when I went to turn into the first corner there was a huge crowd of bikes inside me so I ended up getting pushed wide and loosing all the ground I had made up. Right; head down lets see what we can do :devil2: I made the mistake of looking back too much, and this just slowed me down and a couple of guys got past me, I managed to hang on to them and I was quicker in some places but lost ground in others so I just could not get back past them. As it was only a 5 lap race that was how the race ended, with me finishing 10th.
Race 2
I knew I had to get a better start this time and hold on to the inside line for the first turn.
Having a plan and sticking to it are two completely different things. I totally stuffed up the start :doh: I bogged down and lost loads of time, but I did get the inside line, but unfortunately behind everyone else not in front of them.
I managed to hang on to the group of 3 bikes in front for the rest of the race, but we were all going about the same speed and I just couldn't see a way past, but I did my best lap time in this race and was pretty consistent throughout and did 1m51s laps for the whole race.
I feel reasonably happy with the weekend but I know I can go much faster, its all in my head – I need to be braver and just go for it more :baby:
Winter series maybe….?
:niceone: Thanks to Bill, Dallas & Wharfy for the garage space & hospitality and everyone else I met this weekend and if coarse big love to Debs for more amazing photos, some of which can be seen here: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/album.php?albumid=1909
I have only done 1 trackday there before and it didn't end well with me destroying my GSX-R1000. This was over a year ago now. I really like the Taupo track and I was hoping for a better result this weekend. ie, going home in one piece!
We travelled down really early on Saturday morning (up at 4.30am!). I did the kiwitrackday on Saturday, so I used that as practice. Had loads of track time as they ran 3 groups with 15 minute sessions, so you are only of the bike for 1/2 hour between rides. I got better and faster throughout the day but the track repairs messed with my head :crazy: because by the afternoon when everything was nice and warm & grippy I still had little confidence about riding over them.
I got some 1 to 1 time with Tony Reese and he showed me the right lines, which helped loads :niceone:
Race Day
It was a pretty chilly morning (I think it was down to 3 degrees over-night :cold:) so I took it fairly easy to start with and got a qualifying time of 1m54s which put me 9th on the grid out of 16 starters. I was pretty happy with this result as my goal when I started this racing lark was just not to come last!
Race 1
Track was now nice and warm as it was a beautiful clear sunny day so I could go hard from the start.
Got off the line really well and made up some places but when I went to turn into the first corner there was a huge crowd of bikes inside me so I ended up getting pushed wide and loosing all the ground I had made up. Right; head down lets see what we can do :devil2: I made the mistake of looking back too much, and this just slowed me down and a couple of guys got past me, I managed to hang on to them and I was quicker in some places but lost ground in others so I just could not get back past them. As it was only a 5 lap race that was how the race ended, with me finishing 10th.
Race 2
I knew I had to get a better start this time and hold on to the inside line for the first turn.
Having a plan and sticking to it are two completely different things. I totally stuffed up the start :doh: I bogged down and lost loads of time, but I did get the inside line, but unfortunately behind everyone else not in front of them.
I managed to hang on to the group of 3 bikes in front for the rest of the race, but we were all going about the same speed and I just couldn't see a way past, but I did my best lap time in this race and was pretty consistent throughout and did 1m51s laps for the whole race.
I feel reasonably happy with the weekend but I know I can go much faster, its all in my head – I need to be braver and just go for it more :baby:
Winter series maybe….?
:niceone: Thanks to Bill, Dallas & Wharfy for the garage space & hospitality and everyone else I met this weekend and if coarse big love to Debs for more amazing photos, some of which can be seen here: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/album.php?albumid=1909