Admission time.- I was lucky enough recently to get to do a few laps of Hampton Downs raceway on a Gixxer600 K7 fully race prepped with nice suspenders and a K9 gixxer 750 in pretty much standard form.
To be apsolutely honest I'd decided it was the last hurrah. Quietly go round the track,Put bikes in back of van and decide I'm too old for this racing lark.
That lasted for all of about 10 seconds as the wheels rolled onto the track.
From lap one Im trying to work out faster lines. braking points,body position etc.
With the expected result from about 5 years off the track,Having never ridden around Hampton Downs Or ever ridden either of the bikes-ie not so good.
I was happy to see I was not as ragged as many out there but a LOOONG way from being anything like track day let alone race fit.
But as the laps rolled by I started to feel my groove come back. My riding got less ragged. The bike began to respond to me more and I started to really have fun.
But still I was behind the bike reacting to it not leading it.
Then after a LOT of laps that little switch in my head clicked over and The world slowed down. Finally I was leading the bike. Telling it to do what I wanted it to do.
For three hours and a couple of hundred laps (I was in two speed groups) my entire focus in the world was on riding.
So despite my very best efforts to deny my addiction,to run away and hide from it. Im an addict. Speed is my addiction . Specifically riding fast on a race bike.
I left some unfinished business last time I raced F3.The season was far from a good effort
Will I be any good? I just dunno.-But I will be the best I can be -I really can't ask for more.
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