cowboyz R4 report

[cowboyz]

well.. Interesting day for sure.

First time on the long track and I was really really wishing for a fine day.. but you know what they say... shit in one hand wish in the other and see what fills up first..............
so 86 picks me up about 7am and we head for the obligatory latte before heading to the track. Got sorted and waited for clubmans qualifiying to come up.

practice/qualifiying...

It at least had stopped raining but the track was wet and plenty of water everywhere. I learnt my lesson from the last round so waited for a bunch of guys to head out in front of me so I had someone to follow round the track.. The normal track was ok but once I got to the extension I was thinking that I might need to do some 3 point turns on the hairpin and struggled with seeing where the track went. So lacking confidence in the wet and really didnt want to lean the bike over more than about 10 degrees so pootled round to qualify in 12th with a 2.53.44. I spent the whole time thinking.. damn! I know I can go faster than this I just dont wanna! Came in thinking that at least I still made it upright.

Race 1.

Really felt quite good about getting out there right up until I lined up on the dummy grid and then I was just feeling ill. I got really nervous about riding round in the rain. Kinda just convinced myself that I had committed to doing this so I might as well just go out and see what happens. Warm up lap I was trying to make mental notes on where the corners went on the extention and tring to work out where I could brake and throttle on in the tight section.
Lined up 12th and waited for the lights. Still Questioning what an ideal rev setting to launch from would be but before I could put too much thought into it the lights were on so I picked about 5000 and dropped the clutch just as the lights went out. Wheelspin for africa. gas off.. traction.. on again.. wheelspin... off. on.. off.. on. frikken hell! Went into turn 1 last and frustrated. Then I cooked the hairpin and ended up well behind. About now I was thinking that this is all getting a bit average so I thought Ill just ride. Who really cares...
All of a sudden I was up with the pack and passed a couple of bikes realatively easierly. Nice. Day getting better. Put my head down and tried to forget that the track was soaking wet and committing as much as I could to each corner one by one but still thinking that Im not really liking the rain. Got past another 2 to get up to 9th and circulated there for a couple of laps. I couldnt see me catching 8th and so I settled into ride mode to just get round the track. Unfortunately I didnt realise how close the 2 bikes were behind me and I screwed up the extention on the last lap to get passed by both of them to finish 11th with a best lap of 2.34.574

It really was a good race really. I struggled with the extension and the rain. Leant a bit about concentration and 12 mins is a frikken long time! I really need to get fitter!

Race 2.

went round the outlap. feeling a bit better about the track and lined up for the start. I was wondering how to launch without all the wheelspin so thinking about being a bit nicer letting the clutch go. I was watching the lights and Im sure they went out so I eased the clutch out to ease into it and the bike crept forward a little bit (surely wasnt that far huh monamine??? only like 2 or 3 bike lengths) before I realised no one else was moving!. shit.. stopped .. then the lights went out and it was go. The rain was also connected to the lights cause as soon as they went out it bucketed down! I went into turn 1 midpack somewhere knowing that id get pinged for the jumpstart and the rain was bucketing down. I got slower and slower as I watched the field leave me behind. Every corner I didnt wanna brake.. or lean or .. do anything really. It really changed the race from a race to a sat afternoon ride in the rain. I was determined to finish the race.. there was promise of pie if I did..... but I really didnt have any interest in going fast.
Huge sigh of relief when chequered flag come out and it was over really. of course.. once the race was over.. so was the rain. Anyhow. fastest lap was 2.49

so.. fine weather please for next one! Overall.. It was a good day. Stuck around to watch the F1 boys play in the rain and see how its surposed to be done.. How good was that last race?!!!

[cowboyz]

pics..


1. feelign very average on the dummy grid
2, trying to find someone else on the track.
3. goign round and round
4. more round adn round
5. i only put this in cause I like the shot and I contempated borrowing it to go faster.
6. mornign of... looks like its clearign doesnt it???

[Meanie]

Nice pics, looked a bit damp alright

[86GSXR]

Good stuff Lance, hopefully one day it will stay dry for the whole day!

[cowboyz]

fingers crosed for r5!!!

[NZsarge]

Nice write up, on you guys for getting out there in less than ideal weather. Hope there is a fine day in the winter series at some point.

[paulmac:Me]

mate, if that was me in photo 1 I would have gone home.
On ya for sticking it out !!

[oscarnz]

Awesome write up Lance.
You did very well for your first full meeting and having to deal with the rain.
And yes you did qualify for pie, and I will deliver when I find some time to make it.

Racing overall was really good, especially with the conditions out there yesterday.

[Clivoris]

Kudos for being out there and seeing it through mate. I enjoyed seeing the smile on your face and the enthusiasm despite the conditions. Racing in the wet on proddy tyres is sphincter seizing stuff but it brings you one more experience closer to being the kind of racer you want to be...fasterer.
I've been in exactly the same situation you described and congratulations again for stepping up and seeing it through without crashing.

[CHOPPA]

Cool man ya finished in one piece! I got to watch most of your racing cause you were pretty close to racing with my boss! What tyres did you end up running?

[NZsarge]

Cool man ya finished in one piece! I got to watch most of your racing cause you were pretty close to racing with my boss! What tyres did you end up running?

He's running Michelin Pilot Powers (standard) and found them woeful for traction on a wet race track.

[Racey Rider]

Well done. Good report too.
Some of us that have been doing it for a while, still feel just like you did on days like that.
Next round will be sunny - with one heavy, short, cloud burst of rain as Superbikes go out for their second race - just to keep them on their game. You should be fine!

[cowboyz]

mate, if that was me in photo 1 I would have gone home.
On ya for sticking it out !!

its the only riding I get to do these days so theres no way I was going home!
To be fair, Ive been having a hard time with the bike this year. I spent some time assessing what I want to do with it, not only after falling off with my wife on the back on the forgotten highway but also spending about as much on fines and losing my licence as I did buying the bike in the first place! In a very short time I have come to the conclusion that its really ALOT harder to be fast on the track than it is on the road. On the road you only have to put 3 or 4 corners together to do the fuckoffski and get a reputation for being fast and then you can relax or bail out and cruise...... On the track, everyone else is in race mode and they dont wait for you! Same with the weather really. I would have thought that doing 3000km in the rain on the 4 points and doing the 1000milier in the rain would have taught me something about riding in the rain but really... its a completely different kettle of fish. I really have a love/hate relationship with the rain really. I like the challenge.. Dont like the increased risk. In saying all that.. I still enjoyed yesterday..

[cowboyz]

Awesome write up Lance.
You did very well for your first full meeting and having to deal with the rain.
And yes you did qualify for pie, and I will deliver when I find some time to make it.

Racing overall was really good, especially with the conditions out there yesterday.

pie is good! R5 would be mint... pushing it too much saying 2 day event meaning 2 pies?????

[cowboyz]

Kudos for being out there and seeing it through mate. I enjoyed seeing the smile on your face and the enthusiasm despite the conditions. Racing in the wet on proddy tyres is sphincter seizing stuff but it brings you one more experience closer to being the kind of racer you want to be...fasterer.
I've been in exactly the same situation you described and congratulations again for stepping up and seeing it through without crashing.

I put pilot powers on the bike because.. well most of all.. Its what I usually run on the road. And I wanted the bike to act like it does when I normally ride it. They are great in the dry.. I not a fan of wet riding at the best of times and was expecting the PP to do better in the wet. I was having a HEAP of trouble with traction and getting loads of wheelspin. I put my hand on the tyre after the first race and it was colder than it was when I loaded it up on the trailer first thing in the morning. To be fair though.. It never really felt like it wanted to spit me off. All the wheelspinning and the bike stayed striaght so it was more of a frustrating thing where I just wasnt going anywhere rather than a .. holy crap .. its throwing me off kinda feeling! I am so keen to prove myself on a dry track. The 9 is awesome to ride but I kinda have to wrestle it a bit. It gets a bit heavy after a while or is that just too many pies on my part???
The other thing is all the help and advice was really appricated from other racers. I cant say it enough really.. just need some sunny days!

Cool man ya finished in one piece! I got to watch most of your racing cause you were pretty close to racing with my boss! What tyres did you end up running?

cool. I come over and dribbled on your bmw for a bit but you were out at the time. as mentioned.. Pilot powers ended up on the bike as a compromise from runnning tyre warmers really.. Maybe next year I might be able to fund a few more toys for this racing gig and get some specific tyres for the conditions and warmers but for now Ill stick to praying for fine days ....

Well done. Good report too.
Some of us that have been doing it for a while, still feel just like you did on days like that.
Next round will be sunny - with one heavy, short, cloud burst of rain as Superbikes go out for their second race - just to keep them on their game. You should be fine!

Ill hold ya to that!