“Many a true word said in jest”. What a quaint old saying, what has it got to do with motorcycle racing ? Read on.
Friday Test Day
I was on the road by 06:00 on Friday morning a very sharp frost on the ground.
Arrived at the track in plenty of time to unload and set up next to Darrin (scuzeme) and wait for the track to open. Time enough to wander round and say g'day to a few people, especially the other 675 riders, Bill (sinfull) and Keelim Ryan. I went out in every bike session, the bike felt pretty good, my new Conti race attacks where wearing well and I was looking forward to race day. I was sharing a garage with Darrin, Gha, Marcus and Phil so we were able to lock up our gear ready for the morrow. I went to the pub for a steak and a beer and then curled up in my sleeping bag in the back of the van just outside the gates at about 7 pm, it had been a big day. I was rudely awoken about 11:30 pm by some racers in a bus who had been having a few beers on their trip. I think they wanted me to join them for a beer but I pretty much ignored them and they parked up behind me. It took me ages to get back to sleep. Sleeping in the van is OK UNLESS you need to take a leak at 3 in the morning, it is bloody cold outside.
Saturday: Race Day One
I awoke to a very frosty Manfield morning, as soon as the gates opened I headed for a quick shower and then made myself a nice cup of tea and toasted sandwich for breakfast.
Qualifying:
F1
My first excursion onto the Manfield extension (apart from last years wet aborted round where I got a puncture in practice and only did about 3 laps)
- I like it !!! Even the hairpin (more on that later).
I managed to qualify 26th in the F1/superbike class so was pretty happy with that 2:12.711, just behind Bill and Just ahead of Keelim, three 675's in the same row. I mentioned it to Clive and he said something about a “gagle of Triumphs” and I responded with “A tangle of Triumphs” we both laughed and thought that sounded pretty good.
F2
Managed to drop a few seconds and qualified 22nd with a 2:08.946 12 one hundredth's of a second behind Keelim.
Race 1:
F1
Average start, pretty ordinary until we got onto the extension and swooped through the left off the back straight, the right hander onto the back of the extension, the right angle right hander and headed for the hairpin. Oops... out braked myself and ploughed into the back of Bill just as he tipped into the hairpin. A tangle of Triumph's indeed....
Bill managed to keep it up I took a VERY big step, face planted and rolled around in the mud. I managed to pick up the bike and get it to a safe position by the tyres and got quite a good view of remainder of the race. It was small consolation that Hayden Fitzgerald overcooked it going into the same turn in the same race, but of course he had no one in front of him and after a brief run on the grass was back into it.
At the end of the race I rode back to the pits with only cosmetic damage to myself and the bike. I went and checked out how Bill was and if I had damaged his bike at all but apart from a fright and a bit of my paint on his bike all O.K. I was very relieved. It is all very well to say shit happens in racing but when the shit is entirely your fault it is not nice to think you may have hurt a mate or damaged their bike. I had my bike checked by the MNZ steward and was good to go for F2/supersport.
Race 2:
F2
Average start, and pretty cautious race especially the hairpin on the extension !! Had a bit of a battle with Clive for a few laps and with Bill for a few and managed to finish 25th with a time of 2:08.661 only an improvement in the hundredth of a second range. But I didn't crash !!!
Saturday night went to a different pub for a steak and a beer and watched the rugby with AJTurbo and again curled up out side the gates in the van.
Sunday: Race Day Two
Woke to another cold (but not so frosty) Manfield morning and headed for the garage for a nice cup of tea.
Race 3:
F1
Average start, again pretty cautious for the first few corners until the crowd thinned out had a bit of a dice with Clive got lapped by the big boys manage 23rd from 24 finishers fastest lap down to 2:06.922
I quite like the longer races, can get a bit of a rhythm going.
Race 4:
F2
What can I say ran out of gas on lap 4 what a plonker !!!
Race 5:
F1
After taking the opportunity that an empty gas tank provided in the previous race to create a measured dip stick I went out with 13 litres of fuel on board and a bit of determination to try and retrieve something from the meeting.
Got an OK start, found a bit of room round the outside in turn one, this was only a six lap race so I didn't waste to much time getting into a grove just pretty much got stuck in right away managed to pass a couple of people got past by a couple of people and ended up in a battle with #27 Andrew forward on and R1 managed to keep ahead of him on the extension and the infield but of course on the straights he shot ahead, each time I managed to pass him under brakes going into turn one and again at Higgins until the last lap when he sused out what was going on and when he passed me on the front straight moved over to close the gap, I tried to get through on the inside as we came out of turn one put he had to much power and kept ahead of me I tried to keep in touch in case he made a mistake but to no avail he managed a 2:04.641 in that lap and I could only do 2:06.667 and finshed in 18th just ahead of Keelim.
I was pretty happy with that.
Race 6:
F2
Got an OK start managed to get around turn one and into splash, the guy inside me had a bit of a moment, I stood the bike up and WHACK collision with someone trying go round the outside of both of us. BIG wobble but I kept upright and continued for a couple more corners and RED FLAG came out.
It turns out I had collided with Phil Snowdon (his front wheel my rear) and he went down hard !!
Because the ambulance's were all occupied and time was slipping away that was the end of the days racing.
I went to see how Phil was but he looked in a bad way and was being treated so I couldn't talk to him.
I did speak to a couple of his mates that were waiting by the ambulance and the MNZ steward. I hope Phil makes a rapid recovery. I feel a bit bummed as Phil was 10th in the supersport points.
Despite the DNF's and the tangle with Phil I had a bloody great weekend.
Once again the Vic Club volunteers did a great job running the meeting.
I am very happy with my new bike (how long can you have a bike and still call it new ?) and can't wait for the next one. Oh, I have some wets now so it will never rain again at on race day
p.s photo's to come
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Originally Posted by Deano
Bikes For Life "Misfit Racing"
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