Scracha VMCC Round 1 - 2010 *I didn't fail*
Full report here
Ok, I’ll get the excuses in first. Bar half an hour on each bike at the CMCDC trackday I hadn’t ridden since the TRSS at Christmas.
Friday Practise
Too much work and insomnia on Thursday meant I drove down from “the love” through the night. A quick 3 hours kip in the CRV at the Vinegar Hill lookout and I was at the test day feeling remarkably refreshed. Deano and Luke Mair arrived with Frankencane. The Kawasaki ZX-6rr showed 118C on the first warmup lap and the fault was tracked to simply a faulty radiator cap. That alone made the test day worthwhile. Boy did I feel rusty and the oil that’d been spat all over the track didn’t help. However, I guess it’s like erm...riding a bike so by the end of the day I didn’t feel too bad.
On to Frankencane. I felt so at home with her and so I should as she’s basically the same CBR400 I’ve been riding for 4 years with a bigger motor. The new 17” rear just worked; pure and simple. One thing lacking was the brakes as the 600cc certainly was too much for the stock NC23 calipers and suspension. Still as bleedin cramped as ever! Intense soccer playing has me fitter than I’ve been for years. I left the practise day feeling that a podium was now at least possible and that I might not let Paul down too much.
Race Day
I had an epiphany at 6am, remembered where I’d left my ZX-6rr wets and nipped into Palmerston North to grab them. This made me a little late, thus pre-race preparation went in a blur of signing on and fitting wets. Luke Mair (who was also riding my ZX-6rr) decided to swap classes as F2 was right before my main Pre89 class.
Pre 89 qualifying
Hmm...seemed to keep getting stuck in traffic. Unsure how much grip the Dunlop GPR would give. The track was very wet. Had managed to grab a front wet from Clive Banks....they’re amazing. I wobbled around the corners and blasted on the straights. Seemed to be getting better drive out of Higgins than everyone...then Glen Williams passed me on his FZR1000 like I was going backwards. 1.35 put me 9th on the grid of 24 bikes. Of the Juniors (Sub 600cc) bikes, I figured no way I’d catch Ernie Cudby (FZR 6/4) but Abby Mes (VFR400) and Nigel Jones (ZXR400) were doable. George Gaisford had managed a 1.27 on his KR250....freak. Oh well....3rd was my goal.
F1 qualifying
Would have been useful to get some extra F2 practise. Remember I said rusty? I’ve never ridden on wets and couldn’t get my head around how much grip was available. Ok, poor excuses: I sucked badly and ended up following a posties FZR1000 to get a 1.28 which put me 19th (or 5th from the back) on the grid.
Posties Race 1
Drying track meant my wet front and road legal GPR rear were ideal. Short wheelbase, 600cc = monster wheelie on start. Still....the bike had legs and I buggered off past the 400’s & 250’s. How I normally go hard from the start and eventually get reeled in. I got the head down to hopefully head off the competition for as long as possible before the inevitable happened. It never did. Held up on the infield for a few laps by Murray Cross (ZXR750) before he got his act together. Gap check after crossing line and nobody behind me. 10s gap. Slippy track meant best lap 1.23. Congratulated Ernie Cudby for his win on the infield park up area. He didn’t seem to take it gracefully. Found out later his bike had died. I’d WON!! Posties junior and got 5th overall behind the big bikes.
F1 Race 1
Well, despite my advice Luke had went out in the first F2 race on wets and there simply wasn’t enough time to change them before the first F1 race. As the track was no bone dry, I didn’t fancy destroying $600 worth of rubber to wobble around the back of the pack. Did not start!
Posties Race 2.
Dunlop GPR’s fitted front and back. A better launch put me behind Ernie Cudby and George Gaisford’s KR250. Ernie is gone. The KR250 leaves me for dead on the corners. That thing has obviously got more squirt this year but 600cc’s made it my bitch on the straights. Decent battle ensues with good racing for a couple of laps. Lap 3, George makes a pretty stupid (IMHO) move cutting across me on the outside of the hairpin, I JUST manage to avoid his rear tyre. De Ja Vu as I’m sure he did exactly the same stupid overtake last year. You want to play rough? Ok, say hello to my little friend! Start of lap 4, I uncharacteristically park my bike in front of him braking into turn 1. I look back and it’s obvious he’s stalled his motor. I feel a twang of guilt when a lap later I realise that he’s out of the race. Well he started it. I maintain a small gap between John Carter, who due where it’s due, had an exceptional ride on his pre82 GSX400.
1.22 as I don’t have to push it for the rest of the race. That’s slower than with the 400 motor in it so this bike has soooo much more in the bag. 6th overall and 1st again as Ernie Cudby got pinged for a jump start.
F1 Race 2
Gah...I do exactly what Luke had done in F2. Bloody thing will not shift up to 2nd gear. I cockup the hairpin during the race and it does the same thing (not) coming out of 1st again. Anyhoo....2nd last into the first corner...doh. Most of the field have had at least 1 other race and I’m so out of it for the first 3 laps it’s not funny. I pull my finger out in lap 3 and make a couple of places and am up behind Wharfy and Ross McKeague. Lap 4 I park it in front of them into T1. Not deliberately but the normally excellent brakes on the ZX-6rr are wallowing.....the suspenders are far too soft. I’m blaming LukeAnyway, I don’t expect this so the two of them just bugger off past me into T2. Lap 5 and I do exactly the same again. This time I’ve banged it down to 2nd gear and say bye bye. This must truly have given Wharfy a rush to the head as he had a sudden unexpected burst of speed and I narrowly avoid him tipping into splash. I pass him back braking into Higgins and chase Michael Hardy. His erm...changing line means I’m held up big style on the final sweeper and I just lose out on the drag to finish 13th with a 1.17.5 Hardly a fast pace but practise makes perfect....and lack of practise makes...anyhoo. I enjoyed it so that’s all that matters.
F1 Race 3
Pitter patter of rain again. I’d had a good day and for once listened to my spidey sense. A red flag incident proved my decision to not go out was a good one.
Conclusion
For her maiden voyage, the fruits of Paul Martindale’s labour have certainly been unleashed. As I’ve never had a podium since Clubmans back in 2007, I was stoked. Sure, Ernie gifted me it. Sure, Frenchy’s GSXF600 isn’t ready. Sure, Neil Chappel & Chris Sales aren’t racing. I don’t care....I’ll take the wins when I can get them.
Project Frankencane development continues and Ohlins goodies are expected for round 2.
Credits
- Dunlop – The GPR worked nicely in all conditions. Slicks next time if I can afford em.
- Deano & Luke for spannering, bike shifting, arranging garage.
- Chopper – can’t thank you enough for the replacement ZX-6rr motor
- Drew Mair for fitting the replacement ZX-6rr motor.
- Yellow Transit van man (who to my shame I’ve forgotten his name) who picked up the ZX-6rr.
- Martin Peck for storing the ZX-6rr and his brother Gary for letting me in to pick the bike up.
- Chris Ozborne for the radiator cap and also Ivan Juggins for bringing one with him.
- Nick “mumbles” for storing my wets, breakfast on Saturday and being my no1 groupie.
- Paul Martindale for cobbling together Frankencane.
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Originally Posted by sharky
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