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Thread: Nationals, Levels Rd 4 race report

  1. #1
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    Nationals, Levels Rd 4 race report

    Nationals Rd 4 Levels Raceway

    Friday I arrived at the track about 12, found a spot and dragged the tent out, then I sat about for a hour or so until Alex turned up, trough sign in and scrutineering without any problems and then the sidecars are called up for practice

    This was Alex first time at Levels riding the sidecar and so for a couple of laps he was taking it easy then slowly cranking it up a bit faster, he was using the gears to slow down which tends to jerk the outfit around and make the swingers job a lot harder and was a bit on/off the throttle, shutting it to go through the right hander after the decreasing radius which was throwing me forward as I was trying to change sides then after the hairpin changing up and gassing it as I was trying to change back which was trying to put me off the back

    About lap 5 I got caught out in that spot, Alex hooks another gear and dials it up and my foot slips as I swap to the left and the thought flashes through me mind “fuck I’m gone” ½ off the chair and he’s turning into the left and my weight isn’t in the right place and the chairs coming up, he glances back and backs off and I get my spot back another lap later and I signal to end the session as I’m all tired out

    A little debrief in the pits and I ask him to not use the gears unless he’s already on the brakes to smooth it up a bit and not to try going fast but concentrate on being smooth and add a bit of a speed each lap, we discuss lines around the track and before you know it it’s our turn again

    This time there’s a big difference, I’m not getting hammered about in the chair and we’re going faster and smoother, we see Scrivy off the side of the track and it turns out later they did a motor within the first couple of laps of practice and are out for the weekend, after about 6 laps we pull back in and I’m feeling a lot happier and Alex has also noticed a difference

    Saturday

    Format is two qualifying session and on race
    Q1


    Goober turns up with 5 minutes to go before scrutineering ends after getting lost on the way to the track and proving as usual he couldn’t find his arse with his hand, He’s his usual ball of sunshine bitching about everything he can , we head down for riders briefing and stand about hardly being able to hear what is being said, with twenty minute qualifying session and us being last out we sit about for nearly 2 hours before our turn comes around

    We roll out onto the track and Alex is smoother and faster still, we’re having a play chasing the Wolland brothers around, we spot goober and Pig parked off turn 4 and it turned out their clutch adjuster had come loose and unwound, Steve/Dion spin their outfit and then just about get collected by Stu/Darren going off at the same spot, Goober/Pig get back going and then Steve/Dion snap a chain as they pull out to pass them redlined in 5th luckily with out doing any damage, the Wollands have a coil wire fall off which robs a bit of power and then it’s all over and we pull back into the pits

    Q2

    It feels smoother and better every time we go out, Alex is riding better and better, we have a bit of a play with the Wollands and Bill and apart form a few missed gears which allow both Bill/Paul and the Wollands to pass us it’s all looking good and we end up last spot on the grid in tenth, we head off to the Prentis team who’ve put on a good feed for lunch on then sit about and wait for our turn

    Race 1

    We’re on the inside on the back row behind the Wollands and with Goober in front of them, Goober is to busy looking at the lights to realise it is a flag start and gets left behind off the line and we got boxed in behind him as the Wollands go around him and Bill/Paul is along side, coming into turn 3 and there’s Stacy/Kerry spinning the LCR off the track, we’re chasing Bill/Paul and the Wollands and another lap Alex lines up Bill/Paul out of turn 3, we get the drive and pull out past them, into turn 4 and they’re not far behind us but we pull away each lap, lap eight and Stacy/Kerry have made a good recovery coming back from their first lap spin to pass the field and lap us which is good because I’m getting a bit tired so we have one lap less to do, we also drop from a best lap in qualifying of 1.26.513 to a best in the race of 1.24.579

    Not content with getting lost on the way to the track Goober just about takes a wrong turn on the way back to the motor camp as well

    Sunday

    We’re back at the track by 8am and after a quick riders briefing the first classes roll out for their scrub in sessions

    Race 2

    Grid positions are the same as the previous day and as the flag drops (Goober is paying attention this time) we all launch into turn one, we pass Bill/Paul before the corner and are right on the back of the Wollands but as we hit the straight and they get the Blackbird cranking they motor away, we close them down off the end of the straight under brakes and hang with the back of the bunch for the first couple of laps then they start pulling away and we get left by ourselves, Alex is riding better and better as the weekend goes by, he’s drifting it around turn three onto the straight and gassing it up hard and early but the tyres are about rooted and we’re not getting the drive that we should and this time around we knock another second and a bit off the laptimes to get a best 1.23.166 and this time we don’t get lapped

    Race 3

    This is a pretty much a repeat of race two, but with the Wollands having dropped their laptimes 4 seconds a lap since race one we can’t get close to them and although we hang onto the back of the bunch for the first lap or so they pull away that little bit more each lap until we’re left by ourselves and although we don’t improve the laptimes anymore we’re pretty happy with how it’s going with this being only Alex third meeting riding the sidecar

    Back into the pits and we’re packing up and the beer and bullshit is starting to flow, Chris is running around trying to sort some tyres for Alex and it turns out the Prentis team have some and they organise to get them down for the next round and after a chat to Phil Garret that night some fronts are organised as well, a well run and organised event, awesome weather and a great weekends racing is over

    Roll on Ruapuna next weekend
    "If you can make black marks on a straight from the time you turn out of a corner until the braking point of the next turn, then you have enough power."


    Quote Originally Posted by scracha View Post
    Even BP would shy away from cleaning up a sidecar oil spill.
    Quote Originally Posted by Warren Zevon
    Send Lawyers, guns and money, the shit has hit the fan

  2. #2
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    Good stuff! Love watching those sidecars. Sounds like you were a good teacher.
    Marty

    Ever notice that anyone slower than you is an idiot, but anyone going faster is a maniac?

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kickaha
    About lap 5 I got caught out in that spot, Alex hooks another gear and dials it up and my foot slips as I swap to the left and the thought flashes through me mind “fuck I’m gone” ½ off the chair and he’s turning into the left and my weight isn’t in the right place and the chairs coming up, he glances back and backs off and I get my spot back another lap later and I signal to end the session as I’m all tired out
    ahh not like ya to get a bit caught out huh?
    Good recovery tho.

    Looks like it went well Kickaha... Hope Ruapuna gets even better for you guys!
    "Do not meddle in the affairs of Buells, for they are subtle and quick to wheelie!"
    --J RR1000 Tolkien





    yank tank at Glenorchy 2006 rally

  4. #4
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    Geez, you're a old, fat, unfit bastard, need to start doing some real racing to get ya into shape.

  5. #5
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    7th September 2004 - 16:18
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    Funny

    1 second between the 125's and the 250's - i thought there would've been enough of a back straight to make more of a difference...

  6. #6
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    29th September 2003 - 20:48
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    Quote Originally Posted by manuboy
    1 second between the 125's and the 250's - i thought there would've been enough of a back straight to make more of a difference...
    Even though it has a massive back straight, levels is actually pretty twisty. The lap record for a 125 there is 1.09, I believe a 125 used to hold the outright lap record there for bikes. The lap record went in every single class apart from the 125's. Was very good conditions so that helped. Wish I could have been there.

  7. #7
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    Great stuff. All the best for the final round. Should be a real cliffhanger in the Superbikes.

  8. #8
    I went through the Saturday, and it was a real good one.

    Well done Kick... you and Alex did well!

    But seeing that Kick gave a comprehensive account of the days happenings on the sidecar, I thought I would mention how really well KK did. For those of you who do not know Logan has been struggling all season with his bike, and at times his results have not been a reflection of his talent. However on Saturday after a few fiddles (getting a "new" engine fitted) he was a super star... even after getting stuck behind a few riders for a while, he managed to pull of the best results of the season... my little freind, you made me proud

  9. #9
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    2nd December 2005 - 11:36
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    Thanks from the Aussies

    Hey Guys<

    Its good to see that you take the time to fill fellow racers, fans and sponsors in on what you are getting up to at each of the rounds through your race reports on your forum pages. It is something that us Aussie Sidecar Racers will have to introduce a similar way to report back to our sponsors and fans and who ever else who is interested.
    Keep up the great work and it was an absolute ball racing against you guys.

    All the best,
    Stacey & Kerry

    Team Aircom SsangYong LCR Sidecar Racing

  10. #10
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    Hey there Flipper69, it was awesome seeing you guys race this season and a real treat being able to get so close to your outfit, especialy when it was undressed.

    I think next season you should leave a plug lead off though, just to even it all up a bit, you understand.

    The final race at Pukekohe where you guys started from the pits was cool though, well done. Hope to catch up next season.
    Vote David Bain for MNZ president

  11. #11
    Hi Stacey and Kerry

    All is can say is

    Having you guys here on the LCR has done amazing things for NZ sidecar racing... you have helped set a new benchmark and everyone now knows what they are working towards...

    Was great to see you guys out there!

    Hope to see you in the next run of the nationals again

  12. #12
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    Great to have you guys over, just about everyone is now going faster than they ever have before thanks to you guys raising the bar a bit

    Hopefully next year if you are over here some of the local teams might be able to close that gap a bit more

    Keep us posted on how you go in the Australian champs
    "If you can make black marks on a straight from the time you turn out of a corner until the braking point of the next turn, then you have enough power."


    Quote Originally Posted by scracha View Post
    Even BP would shy away from cleaning up a sidecar oil spill.
    Quote Originally Posted by Warren Zevon
    Send Lawyers, guns and money, the shit has hit the fan

  13. #13
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    2nd December 2005 - 11:36
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    We will definately be back at the end of this year bigger and better. I am sure next time the challenge will be put to us from you guys.
    Now that our Team has a little track experience we should be able to go a lot quicker. We were really pissed that we didnt break the lap record at Ruapuna and that is one for sure that we are coming back over to break.
    I will keep you guys updated on how the Aussie Championships are going -
    1st round is at Eastern Creek 7th of April.
    Allways remember to keep it pinned and use the clutch for the brake!

    All the best
    Stacey Sellar

    Team Aircom SsangYong LCR Sidecar Racing

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