Originally Posted by
Cr1MiNaL
Firstly a big ups to my sponsors for taking a chance on me and backing me the way they have.
1. Metzeler Tires
2. Maxima Racing Oils
3. New Plymouth Motorcycle Center
4. Fluid Coatings Ltd - water transfer & paint specialists
5. Project Digital - website design
Also a big thanks to the club president for running back to Mt Wellington to grab the day license book! I had left my race license at home! doh.
The report:
Having done a Suzuki track day at Taupo on Saturday and putting the bike through its paces, we were pretty confident about getting out there and being competitive the next day. The bike feels steady, planted and strong on the Metzeler Slicks. The motor seems very powerful and easy to ride & even a worked Yoshimura GSXR was not pulling away from our L0 Gsxr 1000 at Pukekohe.
Qualifying:
As this was our first time back in over two and a half years we had a nervous qualifying, the goal being not to stack it! Qualified a respectable 6th on the grid but about 3.6 s off the pace of the front runners. Not bad I thought to myself considering I get good race starts and we didn't even qualify in round 1 at Hampton Downs starting 22nd on the grid!
Race 1:
Got a flying start and pulled into 1st from 6th on the grid. Dal's Gsxr 1000 was right next to mine and we swapped paint going into Jenian. His front wheel was 2 feet off the ground and I had to push his bike off mine with my elbow for first. This gave Dean on his K4 six a chance to pass us both before castrol. Instantly I knew I had a race on my hands.
Still unsure of braking markers and reference points, the goal was to tag along to the front runners and re-learn the lines so this worked fine for me. After about 3 laps Dal passed me on the brakes going into the hairpin. I was on and off the gas repeatedly trying to find out how much it would take to slow me down to about 2nd for the hairpin. Surprisingly towards the end of the day I would learn that the Gsxr's massive 210 mm discs could stop me a lot quicker than I thought which meant I could brake from top of 6th to 2nd gear in about 180m!
By the time I realized that I was in the second to last lap with Dal and Dean a second and a half ahead of me. However I had a clear track ahead of me and put my head down and managed my PB of 1.06.090 - which was also the track record for clubmans at Pukekohe only to be broken by Dal a few laps later by a few hundredths of a second! Only good enough for a close 2nd place this time. However, race 1 had given me some valuable insights and I saw on which parts of the track I was stronger than Dean and Dal.
Race 2.
Not such a great start wheeling 3ce off the line before Jenian. I could hear the roar of an angry Gsxr behind me as I took second behind Dean. I keep on the racing line and blocked for all I was worth. I was now getting a feel for the track and was smoother on all the corners, but so were the others! Managed to pass Dean on the back straight just after Castrol. We lapped 2 bikes in the fourth lap or so and just as I was entering Castrol spotted a 3rd bike half way down the straight. I was going to use him to put some daylight between Dean / Dal and myself. Passed him going into the hairpin and I knew this would give me an extra second on the other two. Lead this race from start to finish but what a finish it was with Dal finishing 0.004 of a second behind me - we were virtually lined up at the finish straight but since I went into Jenian first I knew I had won!! His Gsxr 1000 (Adrian Cox's old race bike #411) had a little bit more grunt than my stock standard bike. At this stage I was running consistent 1.06.2's and 3's, however the blocking and lapping stragglers were not the best for lap times.
Race 3.
Dean said he was going to show me what was what this race! I knew it was going to be close but told him to get stuffed with an upward shirk of my head regardless lol. Got a good start but Dal pulled the same move on me that I pulled on him before shoving me off his bike going into Jenian. Settled into second place and was not going to be foolish with passing him down the back straight only for us to hold each other up early on giving Dean a chance to capatilise. So even when I had a chance to pull a passing move I just drafted Dean and sat very very close to him. So close to him that at Castrol ( a corner we have sussed much better than Dal) Dal is 30 kms slower into the corner and misses the apex, so I decide to pass him here on lap 4 but unfortunately he stands the bike up running way off the racing line and I have no option but to either go into the back of him or to run off the track. I take the offroad option for a bit get back on chuck it down a gear and bang it into Castrol. Surprisingly we keep 2nd (thanks for giving me room Dean) and that's were we finished the race.
Two 2nds and a 1st for our second round at the Auckland Champs. Not the best lap times but it can only get better here on in. If you would like to follow Fire Starter Racing's progress join our facebook page under!
That puts us in either 1st or 2nd in the championship so far - not quite sure how the points work for junior and senior classes i.e. under 600 and 600+
Cr1MiNaL out.
Cr1MiNaLs AMCC Round 2 race report.
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