Round 5 of the Victoria club, Actrix winter series.

I hadn’t heard from Gareth much since the last meeting and was beginning to worry about where we were at with the bike after it not running so well last meeting. I finally heard from him and they had tested the bike and were happy with how it was performing, so I was happy except once again Gareth wasn’t going to be able to make it to this round but I still had Patrick.

Practise/ Qualify I was feeling confident on the dumby grid and was ready to go out and set a good qualify lap time. Until I headed out onto the track and the bike was doing the same thing as last meeting, where it would bog up down the straights randomly. I qualified 14th of 22 on the grid, so I would have to work hard in the races to make up for being behind.

Race 1, the warm up lap was feeling good with plenty of power down the straights. I sat on the grid waiting for the lights expecting a good run. I took off well and then started to drop right back, (what felt like going backwards). I waited to see if it would last so I just kept opening and closing the throttle, and it sort of cleared up a little bit but was still bogging on the first lap. Lap 2 it cleared right up on the middle straight and I was back in the race! I caught back 4 places and then another few by the end of the race finishing in 12th and 7th in F3.

Race 2, we thought we might have got the problem sorted and the next decisions were on what tires to run. It was looking pretty wet from the side line but once I got out onto the track I realised that super soft wets were not the best of ideas. Searching for the wet spots became difficult and aiming for the puddles was something new. The bike bogged again on the first lap but cleared up pretty fast this time which was nice. I wasn’t doing to badly on the last lap when unexpectedly, I had 3, 650’s on me trying to get past. I wasn’t comfortable pushing too hard through Dunlop this time on the slippery wets so they got past with some ease. Luckily, it was red flagged? So I got my previous laps position of 7th and 5th in F3.

Race 3, we really thought the problem was sorted and yes it was much, much better. I had a pretty good start and was able to push the bike again on a dry track with slicks on. I was feeling comfortable. So comfortable on the bike in fact, I made contact with Nicki on her 650 as I pushed around the outside of Toyota and then pushing hard up the inside of another 650 into the hair pin. I had a great race and had a big smile on my face again. I had set a new PB of 1.20.074 and finished in 8th and 5th in my class just 2 points off 3rd place for the day.

I think this time Patrick nailed the problem and did another great job keeping me and the bike on the track. Thanks heaps again to Doohan racing!!

And also a real big Thanks to everyone else who has helped me out, Pacific motorcycle club, Bay Motorcycles, Burrell Signs, Bay Cad services, Saeco Precision and Mum and Dad!