Clubmans racing - what's it all about?

[Clivoris]

you're not even doing that now, is it time to hand in your mancard?

Bahaha. I would hand it in but I seem to have misplaced the handbag it resides in. Nah, I'll be back getting in the way once I have upgraded my MNZ quals and taken the sharp edges off my overdraft.

[wharfy]

Different strokes for different folks.
Clubbies HAS morphed somewhat into a defacto big-bike race class, which is why Vic has lowered the laptime threshold, and PMCC has changed the format/name entirely.
I agree too that competitors should learn race craft on smaller bikes in Mini-lites (say) before moving up the cc brackets, but say I want to race on my GSXR750...I can only enter F1. Forget my skills (lack of...) the bike is hopelessly out-classed, doesn't fit in any other class so I am left with Clubmans. If I'm good enough, and want to continue racing, but for points, then I'd need to sort my priorites.
Which is the whole reason why Clubbies as a class, exists.
In saying that, some Clubbies riders are happy right where they are (like Wendy on her big Ducati), are never at the pointy end and never will be, but they do go out and enjoy themselves...what's the harm?

I agree !!!

[bounce]

Clubbies HAS morphed somewhat into a defacto big-bike race class, which is why Vic has lowered the laptime threshold, and PMCC has changed the format/name entirely.

so if 1:18's is supposeduly the cutoff these days, what did it used to be?

[MSTRS:Me]

so if 1:18's is supposeduly the cutoff these days, what did it used to be?

I have no idea and I think even the 1.18 is obselete. I don't organise these things. But I can tell you that at Rnd1 Clubbies were running 1.15's (I think)

[brentmc]

Hello, Just wanting to re-start the thread on the Clubmans Class, I just got into the Racing scene, I'm on a Pre89 FZR750 with 7meetings now under my belt, my question is with the up and coming National series in Chch, Levels and Teratonga in January is this the class for me, I'm certainly not wanting to compete for championship points and my bike won't fit into any Championship Class, also no my skill level is not up to that level yet either.

From what the thread is saying this would be the class for me, as its open to all size bikes for people that need Track Time, is that correct?

Cheers.

[Kiwi Graham:Me]

Hello, Just wanting to re-start the thread on the Clubmans Class, I just got into the Racing scene, I'm on a Pre89 FZR750 with 7meetings now under my belt, my question is with the up and coming National series in Chch, Levels and Teratonga in January is this the class for me, I'm certainly not wanting to compete for championship points and my bike won't fit into any Championship Class, also no my skill level is not up to that level yet either.

From what the thread is saying this would be the class for me, as its open to all size bikes for people that need Track Time, is that correct?

Cheers.

You will have to check each entry for but I do believe there is no Clubmans class at any of the National rounds this season.

[Billy]

You will have to check each entry for but I do believe there is no Clubmans class at any of the National rounds this season.

Sorry Graham,

Don't mean to undermine you but rounds 1,2,3 are all running clubbies

[Kiwi Graham:Me]

Sorry Graham,

Don't mean to undermine you but rounds 1,2,3 are all running clubbies

No worries mate, for some reason I thought it everyone would be running Development and Posties

[Dave-]

So I haven't read the whole thread (I realise it's a few months old now)

but here's what I do, and think.

I thought it was 10% off the fastest laptime in your "class"

currently I battle agaist 40 and 50 year olds at the sharp end of clubmans here in chch, and we lap a decent portion of the field, but I'm still not 10% of the fastest (I'm only just 15% - so will think on it) I'm finding I'm not learning much more from the class, which would suggest I should step up but....

I set myself a goal, that at 1:40 around ruapuna, I'd jump in to F2. (1:40 is about 10% minus a few)

But the other thing to consider is cost, the faster I go the more it will cost me (is this right?) and while I'm a student I cant afford to go much faster, so in 2 years when I've got the degree, at my rate, I should be in F2?

I think I'll try F2 ar KOR round 4, which will be after most of nationals, and see how I get on.

Any wisdom from the racers?

[300weatherby]

So I haven't read the whole thread (I realise it's a few months old now)

but here's what I do, and think.

I thought it was 10% off the fastest laptime in your "class"

currently I battle agaist 40 and 50 year olds at the sharp end of clubmans here in chch, and we lap a decent portion of the field, but I'm still not 10% of the fastest (I'm only just 15% - so will think on it) I'm finding I'm not learning much more from the class, which would suggest I should step up but....

I set myself a goal, that at 1:40 around ruapuna, I'd jump in to F2. (1:40 is about 10% minus a few)

But the other thing to consider is cost, the faster I go the more it will cost me (is this right?) and while I'm a student I cant afford to go much faster, so in 2 years when I've got the degree, at my rate, I should be in F2?

I think I'll try F2 ar KOR round 4, which will be after most of nationals, and see how I get on.

Any wisdom from the racers?

Hey Dave,

At Motorcycling Canterbury club level, you are fast enough to go 600's now, you are a neat and tidy rider with enough pace not to be obstructive if the faster guys do turn up, anything better than 1:43 or so means you will have a bunch of people to have battles with, and in local club racing, there are not enough laps in a race to be getting lapped at that pace therefore you can ignore the percentage thing, so you will get to have battles that will improve your pace and race craft without looking over your shoulder!



At club level, unless you start crashing, there will not be a significant increase in cost, as long as you maintain the bike properly, untill you are routinely running sub 40. I reckon that if you move to 600 class you might get there reasonably quickly-and that will be the point you will have to prioritise.

At National level, do not run 600's, you will learn NOTHING if you do! run clubbies at those rounds, circulating on your own for 13 laps and then dealing with the front runners battling each other as they look to force past you without giving any room to their competition, is not going to be instuctive or happyness filled. But in Clubbies at National level you get to have battles and FUN!

[neil_cb125t]

My 2c,

Clubmans time cut off should be higher - the 1:18 pace encourages those who don't have the skills to compete in real classes to buy big bikes and fang them. If thats you go to a track day..... there is enough of them, track days that is. There are that many feeder classes that are available that mean guys and girls can still race and develop skills at the right pace.

F1 and F2 are now becoming very pointy classes, even a 1:15 will put you at the tail end of F2 which would make those in clubmans cautious of stepping up...... I get that.

It boils down to the main problem, people are buying the wrong bike to race, look at the classes, then decide which bike suits your riding ability and budget. At 6 foot and 90kg I started on 150s.... nic cole started on 125gp bikes...... If you actually got into a lower hp you will learn more and the money you could put into the machine and training yourself ( at CSS or moto-academy or Proride or all the other good rider tuition places of couse) would have you doing 17's and lower on a pro twin, F3 machine, or 30's and lower on a ex250.

If you have some power bend and still don't like corners then get into Post Classic Racing, plenty of HP boys in there, better crowd of punters to race against who actually have some skill that you can learn off.

Tell you what never thought you could brake at the 70m mark going into higgans... till i did it on a RG150.....in the rain.

[kiwi cowboy]

circulating on your own for 13 laps and then dealing with the front runners battling each other as they look to force past you without giving any room to their competition, is not going to be instuctive or happyness filled. But in Clubbies at National level you get to have battles and FUN![/QUOTE]

Apart from the number of laps this is exactly what happened to the slower guys at the 1st round of king of ruapuna with the fast guys doing times that would have had them in mid to back of feild of there classes lapping inside and outside the slower guys cutting them off giving them no room at all and frankly was not enjoyable at all.

If id known the pre89,s were in the same class as clubmans i wouldnt have gone and havent done the following rounds as i think it's too dangerous with the speed differential and the way some of these guys act on the track.

If i enter any club meets now i check if the 89's are on there own and if not i would entre f3 in preference to clubmans simply because these guys have raced more and when lapping have the experiance to do so safely.

[sharp2183]

Didn't want to start a new thread for nothing, but what is the deal with MNZ race numbers with a senior club licence. I just had mine delivered in time for this weekend but there was no allocated number given.

What does this mean for me?

[Kiwi Graham:Me]

Didn't want to start a new thread for nothing, but what is the deal with MNZ race numbers with a senior club licence. I just had mine delivered in time for this weekend but there was no allocated number given.

What does this mean for me?

My understanding is:
Since the license changes, ie Championship V's Club MNZ allocate a number for championship license holders but not for Club licenses.

The best person to contact would be the club race secretary to ask what numbers are available or bring a selection of numbers with you on race day and get one allocated then.

[tail_end_charlie]

My 2c,

Clubmans time cut off should be higher - the 1:18 pace encourages those who don't have the skills to compete in real classes to buy big bikes and fang them. If thats you go to a track day..... there is enough of them, track days that is. There are that many feeder classes that are available that mean guys and girls can still race and develop skills at the right pace.

F1 and F2 are now becoming very pointy classes, even a 1:15 will put you at the tail end of F2 which would make those in clubmans cautious of stepping up...... I get that.

It boils down to the main problem, people are buying the wrong bike to race, look at the classes, then decide which bike suits your riding ability and budget. At 6 foot and 90kg I started on 150s.... nic cole started on 125gp bikes...... If you actually got into a lower hp you will learn more and the money you could put into the machine and training yourself ( at CSS or moto-academy or Proride or all the other good rider tuition places of couse) would have you doing 17's and lower on a pro twin, F3 machine, or 30's and lower on a ex250.

If you have some power bend and still don't like corners then get into Post Classic Racing, plenty of HP boys in there, better crowd of punters to race against who actually have some skill that you can learn off.

Tell you what never thought you could brake at the 70m mark going into higgans... till i did it on a RG150.....in the rain.

Right, that was more or less my thinking when I went out and bought my track (soon to be race) bike. No way in hell I wanted to try and jump on my Daytona and compete in F2 any time soon. Haven't really heard a lot of good things about going into clubman's either. So I went out and bought a '89 ZXR400 with the plan to go for Pre '89 and F3. That would give me the most track time per meeting to get up to speed (this rider needs more training then the bike fiddling with). What I don't want to do is going out there and get in peoples way for the first couple of races. I'm hoping that I should be able to at least have some reasonable times in the Pre '89, though I might wait a bit before taking a crack at the F3. I would be looking at doing rounds with PMCC and VMCC at Taupo and AMCC at HD later this summer/next years winter series.

So my question would be.......going Pre '89 to start with? Or slot into the clubmans for a couple of rounds?