A bit late but just got back from holidays...
Franz and Gah step it up a gear ... 3 hour Endurance Race
This was an event that my riding partner, Franz, and I had been looking forward to all year. We were competing on my ZX6R again this year so I had been extra careful (read ‘not crash’) during the last couple of Race meetings.
We were keen to improve on last year’s result.
The weather forecast in the days before the Race threatened changeable conditions with possible showers. The task of change wheels during the race was a little daunting but we knew everyone would be in the same boat.
Practice
The day started cloudy but warm and it looked like the rain would hold off.
Practice was in the same format as last year with 2 Qualifying sessions for the Endurance race and 2 practice sessions for the next day’s racing. Franz went out in the Qualifying sessions while I went out in the F1/F2 practice sessions.
It had been 9 months or more since either of us had been to Taupo so we were a little tentative.
For Franz it was getting to grips with a modern Ohlins suspended 600 Sportsbike versus the pre-1989 Suzuki GSX600 he had been racing all year.
For me it was trying to visualize the last 2 corners of the full track as my practice was on the shorter Track 2. The track seemed bumpier and slipperier than I remembered but at least it looked like it was going to stay dry.
Race
This year the starting positions for the Le Mans start was drawn from a hat. We had drawn 15th and I was riding the first session.
We lined up for the Le Mans start and the starter dropped the flag without delay. I was on the bike quickly and had the bike started. Franz, who was holding the bike, caught me by surprise by pushing the bike out before I could engage a gear. Despite this I got a good start and was 5th into the first corner.
The first few laps were like a sprint race and I too was pushing the pace to keep in touch. Within the first couple of laps Raj Sarin had gone off at the hairpin and Josh Augustine and I had gained a place. Old habits were hard to shake as Josh and I spent most of the session swapping places and looking back to see where the other was. It was not long before we were beginning to lap the back markers but most did not make it difficult to pass. Josh eventually went into the pits while I still had several more laps to do before my pit boards signaled me in.
The first pit stop was flawless with the quick-filler emptying seconds after I was off the bike. Franz was on the bike and roared out of the pits.
Despite all my fitness training for the Race my arms and legs were burning. I was very hot but with the help of ice packs and lots of fluids I eventually cooled down. At this stage Nicki who was on the pit board was getting signals from Franz that something was wrong. Not knowing what was wrong we prepared with a selection of tools/spares but let Franz decide when to come in. Of course, Franz was waiting for us to call him in but continued to ride the full session. On coming in for the Pit stop he let us know the right clip-on had come loose. John and Nicki set about fixing the problem while I waited for the few anxious seconds as the last bolt was tightened before roaring out of the pits.
Riding like a ‘bat out of hell’ in an attempt to regain the lost time, I caught up to the Nico Kobilewsky/Andy Shaw bike. I managed to stay with him through the back markers for most of the session before fatigue caused me to lose touch. I was really feeling the effects of high rearsets and fading brakes but luckily no cramps. When my pitboard came out to signal me in, I gladly pulled in. An uneventful pitstop ensued and Franz was out for the final session.
Franz’s final session was uneventful compared with his previous stint. The main highlight was Franz shadowing Fred Merkel for a few laps before Fred pulled away. Despite the live timing it was difficult to find out our current position. There were 3-4 lap sheets published during the Race that placed us between 3rd – 7th. The last sheet placed us in 3rd with 60 minutes to go.
Finally the chequered flag came out which Franz celebrated with a very small wheelie over the line.
Like the previous events all finishing riders were met with applause and pit lane was flooded with teams and supporters.
Our goal was to improve on the previous year’s result with a Top 5 placing. We achieved this with a 4th place !! - Wahoo
A big thanks goes to my Team: John McFadgen, Malcolm, Nicki Smith and my lovely wife, for the fast efficient pit stops and holding it together when the pressure came on. Also to my race partner Franz Schuler and his gutsy 45 mins with one clip-on.
I would also like to thank my Sponsors for making racing this Season possible:
Metzeler Tyres, Botany Honda, TripleZee Cycles DynoTuning and Maxima Oils.
Also a big thank you to PMCC and all their volunteers for stepping up to the Challenge of running this event and hopefully many future ones to come.
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Originally Posted by PrincessBandit
your bike set up was amazing as usual! 
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