It's always hard to know how to start these things, so I'll just launch right on in.
After setting up the bikes in the garage, I wandered over to sign on. I had been slack with my race licence, and intended to get a day one. And that's where the meeting ended for me. Turns out HEAPS of people had been slack, and the club had run out of them. SHIT!!!
Feeling more than a tad dissapointed, I walked out to give the bad news. While I delivered the news, my mate Sue (Skippy) came over the PA telling me to come back to sign in. They had found a way around the issue, and we were good to race.
Superbike were out second again, on the cold wet (in places) track. After a couple laps to see how that was gonna go on slicks, I decide conservative was the best approach. It would seem that everyone took the same tact, and I got the third spot again. AHEAD OF CRAIG SHERRIFFS!!!!
Feeling pretty happy with myself, and not having anything needing doing I set about waiting for the first race.
Race 1: Nerves were as usual, building steadily the whole time I'd waited, and by the time we got our first call my heart was going a million beats per minute.
I had foregone the extra practice available, so had a very close look at the track on the out lap. It had dried up considerably, so the nerves settled a bit as we lined up.
I started to cramp up a bit waiting for the lights, (possibly from being a bit tense). Out they went and off we go, qualifying ahead of Sherriffs meant sod all, and he went into turn on first, from seventh! I had started well, and was looking to go round the outside of Hayden Fitzgerald and Sloan. A muppet moment on my part, I decided I was only gonna get in their way and let them through turn three ahead of me. Jamie and Glen came past, along with Adrian Cox on lap two, so I set about going a bit quicker. I was doing OK and making a bit of ground Adrian, when I ran it a bit wide exiting Higgins, across the damp stuff. The back went out and I knew it was all over, took my foot of the outside peg and waited to sit down on the track and slide to a stop, all the while thinking "so much for the shiney new bike".
Much to my surprise, the rear hooked up sharply, and given the lean I had on, I thought this was still all over, but now it was gonna hurt. I got thrown up in the air, but still had hold of the bars, and found myself in one of the most peculiar positions I have ever been in on a motorcycle. I was looking between the upper fairing and front guard, at my radiator, (which reminds me, I must give it a clean), legs straight up in the air. Now there's no way to save this I could see, so I was trying to figure out how I was gonna get off this ride, without my own bike running me over. To be totally honest here, I dont know what happened next, but I ended up back in the seat, AND pointing in the right direction.
Tony OK had seen this wee incident from just behind, and went hurtling by me, and rather than try to compose myself I got back on the gas as I knew Eddy wouldn't be far behind.
Clearing the broken bits of my screen from between the bar and brake lever, I set straight about getting Tony back in the three laps remaining. Luckily he had a bit of trouble getting round some lap traffic, and on the final lap I passed him in the middle straight. He got me back into Higgins, so I waited till the last turn and outdrove him to the line, to finish 5th.
I was in a fair amount of pain coming back to the pits, from smashing the fairing with my chest, and the cramp in my legs I had battled the last ten laps through.
My brother Luke set about a temporary fix for the screen and fairing (onya bro, worked mint), while I limped around trying to comprehend what the hell had just happened.
Race 2: Conditions were as good for this race as I've ever seen in a winter round, so I was feeling a lot better, (albeit with a slightly sore chest area).
Lights went out and Craig got another blinding start. I had decided there is no letting people through in racing, and chased the front three hard into turn three, wondering why they were going so slow I nearly ran into a back wheel, and had to back off, at which point Glen and Jamie took the oportunity to ride by. I chased them hard out of the hairpin, around Higgins, and down the back straight. Lots of the gap they had was gone come the final turn, and again I nearly crashed into a bike, as Phill Derby had highsided out of the hairpin, and the red flag was waving. The guys in front had seen it before me and I shit myself when their arms flew up and they all slowed down.
On the restart I got away well, and this time rode back around Sloan through turns three and four, I didn't get anywhere near as good a drive from the hairpin though, and dropped back to fifth place. Adrian came buy to put me sixth, and I spent the rest of the race taking it pretty easy, dicing with Jamie and finished 6th.
LG superbike race: Got a good start, and held onto fourth place for three or four laps, but Adrian came by me again, and I kinda circulated the rest of the race just fast enough to hold Eddy back in sixth.
All in all I had a good day, but I found a few areas I need much improvement. I am going to have to do a test day, to work on technique without the pressures of racing. Although I brake a bit earlier than the guys around me, I generally make it back up in corner entry, and mid turn speed. Where I come up short however is getting the drive out. I think perhaps I'm not riding the bike like a thou should, and squaring the turns off enough, so that;s the goal for next month.
Thanks to all the people coming through our pit with encouraging words, to Luke for his help with the duct tape, and general pit works.
A huge thanks of course to my gorgeous girl Rach, for taking care of me, feeding me, and supporting me.
To team mate Dean, the team organiser, for hanging over the pit wall telling me to get a wriggle on, cos Eddy was making ground on me.
Of course a thousand thanks to Vic club for another great event, specifically Skippy for taking special interest, and helping out beyond the call of duty.
And our awesome sponsors (listed below), for reasons obvious.
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Originally Posted by Drew
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