Just getting to this meeting was something of a victory for me, and the performance had a cast of thousands. Jarrod Wintle came round during the week before, kicked my procrastinating arse and helped out bigtime with some skilled labour. This made up for him turning up earlier in the month just as I dumped 2+ litres of Q8Oils synthetic product onto my sloping garage floor. It takes a special kind of absent-mindedness to forget to drain the oil before taking the sump off.So Jarrod showed me how to use the wheel balancing thing that Roadracingoldfart loaned me. That deluded fool even thinks he's getting it back
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Having heard that all the very fastest racers leave vital preparation and repairs to the night before the race meeting, 5.30pm friday saw me looking at my replacement flywheel in it's box freshly delivered from the USA. It was immediately apparent that the flywheel puller I had borrowed from Skunk wasn't going to fit. It was then my great good fortune that Richard of Richard's Motorcycles in J'ville was open still and happy to lend me the correct tool. Madmal64 had loaned me a compressor and rattle gun, so with manual in hand, a head full advice and Jarrod on speed-dial I set off for previously untravelled lands. At around 10pm she fired up easily and seemed to run ok, but what was the noise coming from the alternator cover? Not quite a knock, not quite a rattle. Did I put it back together right? Did I use enough threadloc? Is it just a noise I hadn't noticed before. And I didn't want to run it too long so the gasket goo and threadloc had a bit more time to cure.
To make a long story with many diversions only moderately shorter; my gorgeous 10 year old daughter and I arrived at Manfield bang on 7.30ish with an untested bike (again) and a front Metzeler that needed scrubbing in. A paranoid man would have sought out someone like Chris Osbourne to get some advice about the noise that might be normal or might be a flywheel put back wrong waiting to hurl itself through the crankcase and kill a busload of babies. So that's what I did. To his credit, he listened to me politely, didn't smirk once, listened to the bike and said "It sounds mint, that's just an exhaust harmonic" Onya Chris, I was just seeing if your rep was deserved. I pretty much knew that all the time
Qualifying Supersport and Superbike
After getting over-excited last round and throwing the Punkin into a muddy puddle, I had resolved to show some restraint and ride more within my limits. Less thrills certainly, but with less spills hopefully. Scrubbing in a new front tyre certainly increased my restraint and I ended up on the back of both grids. 2:18 lap for Supersport and 2:11 for Superbikes. My PB for the longtrack was 2:10 so I wasn't too worried. Glad to get more time on the long circuit.
Supersport Race 1
Oooh, I was nervous but got an ok start. The left-hand side of the grid is certainly the place to be if you aren't at the front. Scracha got a shocking start and I got the meanest start ever. Passed quite a few others before, and around the outside of turns one and 2. My determination to ride at around 85% saw me give a few places back then Bryce Meads and Sam Love got tangled up over the far side and the red flags came out. Now I know what a blinder start feels like. My next start wasn't as mean but I managed to keep a group consisting of Wharfy, Gah, Aria, Nick Prestige and Ashley Payne in sight over the course of the race. Even thinking that I might have been able to get amongst it if I had pushed harder, but deciding to make sure I brought the bike home in one piece. I got into the 2:08s so I was buzzed. More importantly to me, every flying lap was a 2:08. Consistency, a new PB and I finished 18th after qualifying 27th.
Superbike Race 1
Another good start but I'm always a bit more cautious in Superbikes. I was riding around with Coffee Ken (good to see you out there mate) and Darren Calder. I tried reeling in a geezer called Andrew Forward but I couldn't get my act together. Getting home in 22nd after qualifying 32nd. A pile of DNFs helped of course. Best lap of 2:08 again but less consistency.
Supersport Race 2
Oil spills and crashes meant it was a long wait for this race and I was feeling pretty spent. My start wasn't so flash and I was pretty much working on individual corners as I had a lot of the race all to myself. I was starting to feel more comfy in the huge triple apex left hander but I suspect it's a life-long mission getting that one truly sorted. I did my best to reel Scracha in but he was 1 and a bit seconds ahead by the checkered flag. Well done mate. I finished 20th with another 2:08.
Superbike Race 2
I seriously thought about sitting this out as I was knackered, but figured track time was worth getting out there for. It turned out to be some of the best fun I'd had all day. Dicing with Nick Prestige and John Baker, both distinguised and more experienced gentlemen than I. I don't think John Baker knew I was there at the end as he seemed to back off and only beat me by about 10 centimetres across the finish line. Can't rememer what my placing was but I cracked the 2:07s finally.
It's pretty clear to me that I should be able to knock a couple of seconds off if I push a little harder and improve my technique. This will put me in with some of the meaty mid-pack racing and if the incremental improvements keep coming I will get there. First I want to be more confident about when to push, but I can certainly countersteer more deliberately and relax the outer arm more. I must have put the flywheel and other bits on right cause the bike ran faultlessly. Much thanks to my sponsors. I can't really afford the racing I'm doing so I can't imagine what it would be like without them.
A huge thanks to the VMCC crew and associatesYou guys rock like Led Zeppelin
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Originally Posted by Tony.OK
Now its just clever prepping aye !!!
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