AMCC Rnd 1: Matt Bleck does HD!
Team DHR where very keen to get to Hampton Downs as we had never raced there before.
Saturday afternoon I decided to change the front over to a wet tyre as it looked very likely it would be raining come morning. Sunday morning comes and it's not raining, over cast but no rain.
We setup our site as close to the track entrance as possible seeing as we had F3 and F1 back to back. Then I set about changing the fronts of both bikes for quailfing. That done it was off to sign in, get the bikes scrutineered and then finally helmet check.
After alot of waiting around we had breifing then it was qualifing!
This was the second time that I had riden Hampton Downs, the first time being November last year so I took some time to remember braking points, turner in points. We managed 2nd on the grid I for F3 and 9th for Formula Auckland.
Not long after the F1 session the heavens finally open and it's tyre changing time again!
First race of the day was F3. We get 2 sighting to try and find the oil patches on the track, but it all seemed fine to me. we grid up and there's no Greg Percival. The lights go out and I get a good start, Chris Defiori got a great start as well but I just managed the hole shot. After that I pushed as hard as I could. About 3 laps in and I thought I'd see who was behind me on the straight before the final corner. I had to check twice! There was no one there! We crossed the line first! Choice!
Formula Auckland race 1 was next. We had a good start and a great battle with Richard Kilgour and Jaden Hassan on the wet track. I had a blast in this race, Hampton Downs is a great track and it's such a pleasure to race on! We crossed the line in 6th for this one.
On to F3 race 2. It had stopped raining and the wind was drying the track out fast. So there was a dry line around 70% of the track. I got another good start and the hole shot. Spent the whole race pushing hard but searching for the damp parts of the track. I had looked behind me a couple of times and thought I had it in the bag. I pegged it back for the last lap only to be pipped at the post by Bill van de Hoven! What a dick I am, gutted! Lesson learnt!
I come in and get on the gixxer for F1 race 2. There was a dry line around the whole track now and I still had wets fitted. We had a good start and pushed hard but took lines threw the dampest parts of the track, about half a metre of the race line. Another fun race! Saw Damein Mackie go down at turn one rather spetacularly and was relieved to see him get up. We got 7th.
Unfortunatley they canned the third race of the day due to time lost in the morning.
Not sure what our placing in F3 for the meeting was b ut I think we tied with Bill. We bagged 7th in F1.
Thanks AMCC and all the volunteers who gave their time to make the day happen.
Thanks to Peter and Alick for the hard work in the pits! I'm looking forward to see the photo's! A big thank you to Lucy, Kiri and Tiffany for their support and everyone else who stopped in the pits for a chat and good wishes!
And thank you to the supports who make this all posiable, Peter Harkess, Moto TT, Dunlop, Gigabyte Solutionz, Chris Mitchell Motorcycles, Qmoto!
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Originally Posted by Matt Bleck
That's why I never look behind me (and I've had my visor ripped off doing that as well). I ride the entire race as if someones up my arse and trying to pass me!!
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