Originally Posted by
vtec
On the way, Paul takes me on a search looking for spares, but it looked like we were pushing shit up hill, we find the guy's bike, but he's not with it, decide to keep looking for anyone with suitable spares, but again turns up fruitless. Head back to the Ducati man, and notice he's there this time. Go up to have a word with him. He starts talking loudly without letting me get much in, trying to say I had taken him out half way through the corner... I had never even had a chance to lean my bike for the corner, and we had just gone completely straight, so he was talking out his arse. He tells me I shouldn't be in F3, and that a beginner like myself would be more suited to clubmans, I point out that I was actually in Streetstock which is the perfect place for a beginner, as in clubmans you get some very fast bikes, which can cause a hazard for us slower bikes. He goes on to say that he's won a national championship. I then point out that he definitely knows how ride aggressively. The conversation started to get more heated after that. Him trying to be more condescending, and me telling him to pull his head in, and letting him know that he had smashed up my bike and I would probably be out of the racing. I don't know that he cared terribly much. I just hoped that he'd be out too.
All the while HDTBoy had been trying to do something constructive, he'd found a fellow KB'er (RoadRash) with a CBR250RR road bike which he had come down to taupo for the day on to get a bit of a view. He got more than he bargained for, and Gav had already begun taking the required parts off it. Couldn't believe it. I was just lucky that Gav had been out of the racing otherwise, I probably wouldn't have got my baby in racing shape. And damn that boy knows how to work a spanner, nuts and bolts were flying, and in about twenty minutes, he had my bike back in racing order minus the fairings. This just made my day, something could still be salvaged, but a huge onus had been placed on my shoulders, and there could be no crashing here on in. That wasn't going to stop me riding hard.
Race time. I'm excited again. Pull up on the dummy grid, trying to sit well back this time. Notice that Mr 111 on his Ducati pulled up behind me with no fairings, but still in running order. I try to get his attention, and try to get him to move further up the dummy grid, cause there's no way I want him behind me. I let him know. He does his best to ignore me. Shifting eyes and all. When we get waved on for the warmup, I make sure I don't move till he's gone past. I follow him round a bit just keeping my distance, I noticed that my handlebars didn't line up with the direction of the front wheel, but the handling was feeling fine, so I decided to continue.
We get round to the start finish grid. For some reason they wanted the 250's behind the 150's on the grid. I was fine with this, cause I wanted to stay out of the mix into the first corner, I couldn't afford to get caught up in any shennanigans, especially while wearing Roadrash's handlebar and footpeg and brake lever. He still had to ride his home at the end of the day. The green flag drops, and I just take off pretty easy, it all banks up into the first corner, and I'm happily in second to last, but right on the back of the pack. As the field spread out, I settle into my workload. The corners seem to be coming to me nicely, and I'm braking at the right time, and getting the bike right down. Making up ground on the straights, on the brakes and even through the corners, on the 150's, but still just being very timid on the overtake, and making sure I do it with tonnes of space. This is just how I like to ride. I know it wouldn't work in F2 or anything, but it doesn't matter when there's not too many of you. So I just take my time with my passes. And slowly work my way up through the field 1 at a time. After several passes, the gaps between bikes begins to widen, and the last 150 takes some setting up before I manage to pass him easily on the breaks into the corner at the end of the main straight, I just slow it right down, and take the very inside line right through the corner, so the only way round me is the outside. Then I just power it away, and he never came past, notice up ahead that I had made a lot of ground on that 400, and just worked the rest of the race trying to reel him in. I made good headway, but didn't manage to catch him before the checkered flag. I cruise round the warm down lap, and into the pits. The last 150 comes past me and gives me the thumbs up. Funny how a small gesture like that can make you feel great.
I roll up to our ezy-up tent, and mum and dad are looking well pleased. Dad helps me put the bike on the stand, and then lets me know that I was looking great out there. Gav and Roadrash, come over beaming, and let me know that I was the first streetstock bike. I hadn't even realised at that point, cause I had no idea how many there were up through the field. Stoked. This was definitely a high point. I'm pretty sure that all the guys felt great about my performance, cause they had all had a hand in it, and thus were effectively part of it. High point indeed. My dads mate said I was getting my bike down as well as a lot of the bikes in some of the higher classes. And my gran punched me and said "no more crashing". I laughed.
From here, I waited for my next race, chatting with Keystone, who was so damn nice. Talked with Quasi, and Paul Buckley, Gav, Roadrash (and the others).
Second race and we line up again, I notice number 111 come up last again, he avoids eye contact. I make sure he's out of the pits before me again. I cruise around to the start finish, and yet again settle into the 250 position right at the back of the field. This time I'm going to give it some stick on the launch. The green flag drops, I rev her up and have to double clutch it, so it was a lacklustre launch, but I still get past a couple of the 150's. Going into the first corner however, and I got boxed in behind a 150, and beside one of the slower post classics. Damn. I wait while the field spreads out a bit before I've got plenty of room to start making safe passes. Only takes about half a lap and I settle into the work again. Passing a bikes on every 1 or 2 corners. We get round a lap, and I can see the last two 150's just up ahead. I make great ground on them on the brakes at the end of the main straight. And nail it round the corner, still had some ground to make up which I was making thick and fast. Get half way round the second lap, when I see up ahead, the zxr400 that I always end up chasing, and a 2 cylinder 2 stroke go crashing off with rider's flying. Didn't see much of what happened but as I approached that corner, I noticed one of the guys go to sit up, and lie down in pain. Damn... Not good. The red comes out and the cross flag to let us know to head back to the pits. Well, this was just about where our day ended. Waited on the dummy grid for about 10 minutes, they let us know that there would be no more racing, oh well, I had achieved what I had wanted to today. I had won my first streetstock race, and was well on my way to getting my second. Just was a bit down about the condition of my bike, and wondering how I'm going to afford to fix it up by next weekend for the first round of the vic club series... I'll find a way.
We spent the next 20-30 minutes, putting all of roadrash's parts back on his bike so he could leave before it got too dark. I apologise for wearing out the edge of his footpeg. Then I headed over to watch some of the presentations. By this stage I was limping pretty good, cause my right hip had seized up nicely. Still, can't be too upset. My dream of being a great rider ASAP, continues, unabated.
For pics of the impact rash and bruising on my hip check it out below, sorry about the quality, my fujifilm camera has died, and I had to used a canon vidcam. Just a bit of gore for those who enjoy a good freakshow. And as we all know, it's nothing without pics.
Best wishes go out to the guys who got nailed in our last race, I really feel for you fellows... I have so much empathy after having a few falls myself. Mine are no comparison however. So here's hoping it's all OK
Seriously, I can't thank enough all those who helped me out, and completely revived my day. Special thanks go to spanner wizard HDTBoy, and for braveness letting me use his bike for bits, Roadrash. Paul Buckley for charging round with me looking for bits etc. I couldn't have asked for more help, but I didn't even have to ask. Legends.
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keep it up 
, I too kinda have a curvy figure which makes it worse beacuse im a guy. Well the waist kinda goes in and the bum pushes out. When I was in college the girls in my year would slap me on the arse and squeeze because apparently it is firm, tight...
I wear jeans
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