Cr1MiNaLs AMCC Round 1 debut and report.
Got up at 5 am and had a coffee to start my day. I had pre packed the gear, tools, leathers, spare tires etc in the car and the bike was already on the trailer beforehand. Arrived at Hampton Downs at 6.30 am and there were about 5 bikes already unloading. I hurriedly unloaded the bike and set it up in the middle of the pit area. This was going to be my debut race.
Once my bike was organized it was a frantic hurry to get signed in, get the bike scrutinized and get all the indispensable checks done. In the midst of it all I hadn’t lock wired my oil filter to the bike as I thought it was discretionary. So it was back to the pits pull the underbelly off and lock wire the filter in place. Back in the queue and the bike was given the A-Ok.
Qualifying:
Clubmans was the 5th one on the race schedule and ironically it was dry for most. Right I’m up; took the warmers off and hopped on the bike to make my way to the grid. AMCC official waited there a while talking to someone on the radio while the heavens decided to let loose. “Everyone go back; the race has been declared wet. You will have 30 minutes starting now to make preparations and qualify.” Bugger. We all had dry tires on I was keen as to give it a go just as it stood. Good ol’ Jeremy from the M1 tent was only obliged to change my tires for me by my incisively persuading plea, however I was fourth in line after the M1 bikes. Sloan decided to enter his own pits at this point making it impossible to get any work done and then Paul Duncan entered and ushered him away. Thanks Paul.
So it was still pissing down of cause and I had about 6 minutes to get my tires back on. Ok I can do this I thought. Got the front on 5 and a half minutes later – I was actually going to make qualifying. Went to put the rear on and just as I got it all aligned the rear break pad came off. Wow. So somehow I just jammed it in place and put the rear wheel in. Who needs the rear brake anyways! Went out to try and sneak a few quick laps in. Too late I was told. I was like please? I haven’t qualified. I was told to go out in F2 as they were already lining up and not to overtake anyone. I think I qualified 4th on the clubmans grid had they used my F2 times but alas. A MNZ official said I couldn’t use that time. I was going to start right at the very end! Awesome!
Race 1.
I think there were about 10 bikes in front of me some of those Super Motards. Next thing I know lights went green and I was off. Got a great start zig zagging between 6 bikes before turn 1 – mining every modicum of advantage I could from the Suzuki GSX-R’s 1000’s authoritative motor. I think there were 4 more bikes in front of me. Kept the bike in second and WOT’d it passing another at T2 under brakes. I could see a motard at T3 as I was exiting 2. I said to myself ‘great I should be able to catch him; just be smooth – just be smooth, don’t be too eager too soon or you’ll bin it in the rain’. I was gaining on the motard by the second lap using the big straight between T5 and 6 as best I could to make up ground. In my third or fourth lap I overcooked T2 going too deep and leaving too much room on the inside and Moggy on the M1 BMW twin whizzes past! Damn. That puts me in 4th. I really wanted a podium. With about 3 minutes to go I’m deliberating my options. However, Moggy (Richard) is quick and another lap in and he’s more than a distance I can make up in 2 laps. Looked behind me as I was exiting T3 and there was no one in sight. I see the white flag as I go past. Final lap, head down and don’t stack it – words I was saying to myself, there were now big puddles of water at T2 and T5 and I was changing my line to suit. The wets were exceedingly grippy when not in the puddles. Finished 4th and Moggy not even in sight as I crossed the line. Checked the results and they had me in 3rd place! Apparently the Motards were a separate class racing in ours. Yes! A podium finish for my first ever race! An incredibly slow time of 1:33.042 but on the upside it was pissing down and I knew I was not pushing. I just wanted to finish and not crash.
Race 2 was much the same except that I was still on wets and the track was dry as a bone as 5 groups had raced on it prior to us and not a drop of rain had fallen since. I did not have time to swap rims to slicks and re install. Paradoxically the sky was still gloomy and threatening to rain any second. The first lap was pleasing and I made my way through 7 bikes before T3. There were still 4 bikes in front of me and I hadn’t managed to pass the BMW due to my wheeling off the line and my appalling grid position. I got passed by a gaudy yellow R6 at T1 under brakes (nice move Bear) but unfortunately the intimidating white boots were too much for him and he ran wide and put it down in T5 giving me my position back. Still I posted my PB of 1:24.267 on a dry track with wets. It felt like my front forks were going to wobble and fall off under brakes and my 83 kg frame squished the soft front tire causing it to warp. I was hoping I hadn’t left a bolt loose and this feeling was normal – I hadn’t dared to push so hard in the wet on the road before. I looked back in lap 4 to see no one in sight. At this point I was running a solo race no one in the distance either direction. I backed off just a little and saved my wets for another day. Again I finished 3rd with 32 points in total putting me in 3rd overall after Round 1.
I can’t wait for the next round at Puke and the one after that in the dry at HD. I am confident I can shave another 5 or more seconds off in the dry and break the 1.18 mark. This is the goal for the next race. I took someone’s advice and have decided to race against myself and not anyone else till I learn the track and learn my own limits. I was humbled by some of the skills on display and I hope to gradually acquire some of these.
I would like to thank the following people for adding value to my day in no particular order:
Thank you to the owner of the Ducati 1198 in the M1 pit for the oil filter clamp.
Thanks to the M1 team for being so friendly and approachable in general. Jeremy, that includes you for the tire change mate.
Frenchy for the virtually free tires to get me started and for the trailer and putting up with questions that now appear quite daft.
Pussy, for a lovely job on the suspension for the new beast.
My beautiful girl friend Hayley for making sure I was amply hydrated, had enough to eat at the right intervals, bringing me coffee, assisting with the stands and warmers, holding the umbrella outside Sloan’s pits while I swapped tires in the pissing rain, helping with holding my keys and wallet as I invariably loose these and for the cuddles and back rubs later lol.
Lance for the loan of a socket that I didn’t have.
AMCC - well done! Aside from showing me 2 white flags but hey no ones perfect.
Anthony Gerring - bike 199 for the offer of pitting under his tent. Mate you can ride a bike! And I felt quite important having an official pit for my race debutRacing is awesome!
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awesome
expressive report Raj
Originally Posted by Toast
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