Racing at Taupo in the winter

[Shaun]

Good result Clive.

+100, go Clive

[DEATH_INC.]

I haven't raced for a while, but for what it's worth I've done millions of laps around taupo track all year round (though again not for a while) and I don't believe it's a good place to race in the winter....it takes too long for the surface to come up to good temperature and it goes off again mid-afternoon.
That's why I'm giving the next track day there a miss.
Edit; Don't drop the Taupo round from VMCC though, that's what got me started in R/R. In fact I'd like to see 2 rounds there just as early and late as possible.

[cowpoos]

Initially I thought coning slippery bits off would work as well. Several people pointed out the risk of the cones being hit and fouling other competitors, possibly leading to carnage. At least the slippy bits stay where they are lap after lap. Cones flying about at the apex of a corner are another problem entirely.

They use cones in the states on a number of tracks for the bikes and don't seem to have any problems...I would imagine using common sense with placement would apply though.

[Shaun]

Sorry but, harden the F up.

Yes the track could be better, but your bike only goes as fast as YOU pull the triggger?

So winge winge, but the track is good enough for Heydon Fitz, sloan ie choppa, stroud, Sketchy, learnn how to deal with changes/weird shit, JUST like the road that 99% of you ride on

[Kiwi Graham:Me]

I don't want to do that without asking him first mate, but he has requested that I send a formal e-mail expressing any concerns. The VMCC committee had already decided to do this and putting this thread up was done to gather some opinion, just to check whether or not I was being a big wimp. It's definitely been worth doing.

+100, go Clive

The general opinion aside from the white lines on the front straight (prob could be water blasted) is the patches on the apex of several of the corners.

Would a cheap fix for circuit management to do be to 'fix' temporary curbing over the repairs (they could even use that bloody resin stuff to bond them to the surface) basically extending the apex 'into' the corner resulting in very little track surface lost.

I think it would be a quick and easy solution while they continue to save for a permanent repair of the problem.

[koba]

Hmm, tough call for me.

None of the poll options fit my feelings close enough so I havn't ticked any.

I think variery is important but really dont want the massive expense of getting up there for any more than one round of the year.

It pretty much has to be round one or six to keep it the least wintery and as round 6 at Manfield kicked arse last year I think round one is the best choice.

As for the surface, I'm only on a 150 so it may be a wee bit different but I see it as alll part of the game.
The last two corners were a bit over the top but I thought the rest of it was fine and found picking a good line that allowed me to keep the speed up without going to far around the long way a great skill building exercise.
It also jazzed up the racing a bit creating different options for attacking the corners (Slower and tight over the bumps of fast and wide)

So after all that I'm basically sitting on the fence and see the merit in all the arguments put foward!

[DEATH_INC.]

Sorry but, harden the F up.

Yes the track could be better, but your bike only goes as fast as YOU pull the triggger?

So winge winge, but the track is good enough for Heydon Fitz, sloan ie choppa, stroud, Sketchy, learnn how to deal with changes/weird shit, JUST like the road that 99% of you ride on

Yep, true.
At this point I will add that I would race there in the winter, despite it not being the best.

[Quasievil]

So winge winge, but the track is good enough for Heydon Fitz, sloan ie choppa, stroud, Sketchy, learnn how to deal with changes/weird shit, JUST like the road that 99% of you ride on

Is it? I understand they think its crapola to.

Yes to pull the trigger but its a track not a road and because its a track why should it be acceptable to have it in such a poor state, no need to answer that dude, but I reckon its shit and needs to be fixed period .If we accept it why would they fix it? shouldnt we demand a better class of track in this country, how would we get a WSBK for example if our standard of track is allowed to fall that far in terms of maintenance? Is it because its just NZ and just NZ riders so its okay.........Nah fuck em , fix the fucking thing to a acceptable standard !