Luke's Rd5 - First meeting

[lukemillar]

#124
Daytona 675 - Clubmans B

First ever race meet for me this weekend and I had a great time! Couldn't sleep last night I was still so wired - I think it is going to take a week for it all to sink in It's been just over a year since I have been on a track (and then until now it has just been trackdays) for various reasons and man, I ache like a bitch today!

Firstly, a massive thanks to Johan for looking out for me all weekend and to the Vic Club for a great meeting.

Friday Practice

Since it was my first time to Manfeild, I thought it might be a good idea to do Friday practice and figure out which way the track went before qualifying on Sat! Unfortunately, the downpour the day before ment that the track only opened around lunch time and we only got 2.5 session in. Riding a 600+cc bike put me out with pretty much all the F2 and F1 bikes. Daunting is an understatement - especially going out onto a track that I have never been round before!

Qualifying:

Went to shit a bit! Started off well and was slowly building up the pace when I came out of the hairpin, went to change up and found nothing under my boot. Looked down and my shift lever is swinging by itself. Nice- pull off the track into the swamp beside Higgins. Completed 3 laps with a best of 1:30 putting me second to last on the grid. Very gutted as I knew I was quicker than that. (thanks to CKT for their bolt sawing skills so I could fix my rearsets!)

Race 1:

I'm usually pretty good with nerves, but these were full on! Pretty sure everyone has been though this so know what I'm talking about! Get a pretty good start but bottle it in Turn 1 not really knowing where to brake from a standing start. Get through without any hassles and then field spreads out. Bit of a lonely race, but get a best time of 1:23.8 which is also a new PB! and 7secs better than qualifying.

Race 2:

Woke up on Sunday morning expecting sunshine and get drizzle in Parmy. Expecting it to be wet, but luckily it seems dry over Manfeild and whatever damp patches are there, disappear before the first race Get another good start and am marginally more confident into turn 1, but still lose the places I have made from the start. Chase down a couple of people ahead of me then pretty much alone again for the rest of the race! Felt better and quicker than Race 1, but didn't improve on my laptimes.

Race 3:

Feeling pretty knackered now, but the sun is shining and I know i can improve on my Race 1 times. Get held at the lights for ages, but get a killer start. Don't lose out too much in turn 1 and the race is red flagged by the time I get to the splash (still don't know why?). Second start is terrible (think the clutch is cooked after the first as it doesn't bite until the very end of the lever) but this does give me a chance to catch and pass a few people. Almost take out a 125GP bike as he misses a gear coming out of Dunlop and manage to catch a couple more people, but the next rider is so far ahead of me and I'm feeling tired so I ease off a little. Fastest lap was quicker than Race 2 but not Race 1.

I went into this weekend with 3 goals- To not crash, not come last and to have fun and am pleased that I did all three! Really want to get a trackday at Manfeild before the next round as I want to experiment with lines, braking and turn points but couldn't really do that over a race weekend. I know I have more pace and I know where I'm losing time - I just need to get some practice time in!

Unfortunately I'm going to miss Rd 6 because I'm in Oz, but will definitely be back for the summer series . Plus, next time I won't have to wear the orange bib, which has got to be worth at least a couple of seconds a lap in drag!

Cheers
Luke

[Kiwi Graham:Me]

Good write up dude, thats what its all about, getting out there and doing it. Good luck in the summer series, have you checked out the pics? there is a couple of threads on here with them on.

[Clivoris]

Congratulations man. Getting the first one out of the way is a huge buzz. Looks like you did everything right. See you in Supersport sometime.

[Marknz]

Well done Luke! You did really well out there and were very good to race with... even if you did beat me three times!

[mossy1200]

Awesome and next time you will know what to expect and wont sleep for 2 days prior instead.

[Marknz]

AND you came 3rd on points in your very first round of racing...

1 150 Paul Barber 67 25 20 22
2 82 Terry Moran 56 22 16 18
3 124 Luke Millar 51 20 15 16

[Mumbles]

First ever race meet for me this weekend

.... Owe I cant wait to be able to utter (ok type) those same words... good on ya man for getting it all sorted racing and then posting your race report!
Before you know it you'll be a old pro and grinning for days after each race meeting!
And me.... I'll be wandering the pits stalking Scracha waiting for the kids to grow up enough so I too can know that "I hurt like hell" feeling after my first race.

[325rocket]

nice write up. makes me want to go and pull the fairings off my bike and go racing.

[Marknz]

makes me want to go and pull the fairings off my bike and go racing.

Do it 123456789

[scracha]

Good on ya bud. Nothing like it. I couldn't even imagine starting out on a 600 though.....respect.

[koba]

nice write up. makes me want to go and pull the fairings off my bike and go racing.

Do It!

[lukemillar]

Well done Luke! You did really well out there and were very good to race with... even if you did beat me three times!

Hey Mark, cheers! Hope you enjoyed the weekend as well - looking good

[slowpoke]

You looked good out there mate, and the Trumpy was a nice bitta bling in our pit. But I think someone forgot to mention you young fullah's have got to bring the chicks. Next time ok, it's the only chance us ol farts get to check 'em out in real life.

[wharfy]

Good write up mate, your right about Johan he's good guy.
Pretty much everyone gets nervous before every race (the first one IS special though ). If you didn't get nervous/excited why would you bother doing it ?

Your bike looked great and sounded fantastic.
See you round

ps Loktite is your friend

[lukemillar]

You looked good out there mate, and the Trumpy was a nice bitta bling in our pit. But I think someone forgot to mention you young fullah's have got to bring the chicks. Next time ok, it's the only chance us ol farts get to check 'em out in real life.

My chick did pop along on Sunday afternoon! Next time, I'll get her to bring some mates!

Good write up mate, your right about Johan he's good guy.
Pretty much everyone gets nervous before every race (the first one IS special though ). If you didn't get nervous/excited why would you bother doing it ?

Your bike looked great and sounded fantastic.
See you round

ps Loktite is your friend

Cheers Kevin. When I first put them on, I loctited (is that word?) every bolt! It was only recently when I switched to reverse shift that I needed one extra bolt - the one that fell out, which I also forgot to locktite