Keystone19 Race Report PMCC 7 May 2006

[Keystone19]

Can you believe it? I'm back in Taupo again. On the race track again.

So, here we are again, setting up in the pits, rolling the bikes on to their stands, checking that nothing has got broken in transit, feeling nervous and excited. I wander down to sign up and find that because I only have an Auckland club license (well I didn't think I was going to race any other races this season), I have to pay for a day license. Fork out the cash and take the bike down for scrutineering. This time she gets through with no worries so I push her back to our pit. Those bikes are quite heavy when you have to push them...

I'm racing Clubmans this week because Motobob wants to try his hand at F3 and I might race Clubmans next year at the PMCC rounds and don't want to do F3 in case they won't let me back into Clubmans. There's 7 bikes in Clubmans and it's an exclusive race meaning only Clubmans, not combined with anyone else. I like this, but it does mean that no-one really watches us because we're not very exciting...

Head out on the first practice laps and it's a shocker. I know this track pretty well now but I'm still struggling with getting the tyres warm after coming off on the sweeper here a week and a half ago. Two laps in and I'm still feeling nervous, three laps and I think they must be warm by now but still can't get my head around it and by now it's time to come in. I'm feeling frustrated and unhappy with my efforts and have to have a think about this tyre issue. Motobob thinks I need to go faster to warm up, Shaun Harris says I need tyre warmers to run the slicks. He's right of course but that doesn't help me today!

Second practice lap and I push a little harder. Feeling better, a little more confidence, get my knee down and no problems with sliding, start to open her up a little more but still nowhere near the potential of the bike or myself. Still, feeling pleased with this practice, the bike is handling well although I'm not convinced I've got the gearing right. I'm tending to leave her in third for most of the lap, pushing it up into fourth on the front straight and after the sweeper before the chicane. This means I'm redlining it before the sweeper and at the end of the back straight before having to brake for the corner. There just doesn't seem to be much point in changing gear until I can up my exit speeds from the corners.

I have a bit of a look at the others in Clubmans and see there is a Ducati (he's running tyre warmers), a GSXR600 (he's not running tyre warmers but his bike has just been raced in F1 so his tyres are warm), a couple of motards, a two stroke something or other, and Brandon on Mella Yella in his first race (awesome effort btw, you were looking great in that last race from what I could see). There doesn't seem to be any order on the grid so heading out for the first race I decide that my strategy will be to line up on the front of the grid and if they don't like it I'm sure they'll tell me to move.

I get a brilliant start (even accidently pull my first wheelie) but chicken out heading into the first corner, not feeling comfortable with the tyres. The ducati, 600, two motards and the two stroke get in front of me. I keep in touch with them though and just let my tyres warm up. By the second lap I decide it's time to get going and start pushing a little harder. I manage to get past the two stroke on the back straight but he out corners me onto the front straight so I have to do it again. Now for the motard. I manage to take him around the sweeper and leave him behind. There's no one ahead of me for a while and then I start to see the 600 and the other motard ahead of me. I'm gaining on them with every corner but I run out of time and the flag drops. Oh well, next time. I'm pleased with the race though and manage a 4th place.

Race 2 and I screw up the start, chicken out on the first corner again and find myself in the same position as in the first race. This time though, although I manage to get past the two stroke I just can't get past the motard safely. I manage to get my nose in front of him down the back straight and should have pushed through but the balls just aren't there today (HDTBoy says I'll always have trouble with that, he says a vital part of my anatomy is missing, but apparently if a girl has sex the day before she races it increases the testosterone levels - I'll have to work on that one).

So this time I manage a 5th placing, not so pleased with my efforts but apparently I was going faster - I guess the others must have been too. I enjoyed Clubmans, the guys were the same level of experience as me (i.e. not much) and it was safe to assume that they might do something stupid too. Always good to know what you're fellow competitors might do! Lapped a 1.24 in this race I believe.

Time for a break from the racing for a while. Need to get some tyres I can trust on the SV, need to learn the bike at a few practice days and get some confidence up before getting into next season. Can't wait!

[Two Smoker]

Wicked stuff Jill, keep it up and maybe time to get some tyre warmers aye???

[skelstar]

Yeah. Sounds like youre having a lot of grief without them. What do they cost?
Noob/stupid question: how do they compare (temp-wise) to an electric blanket? Assuming: much hotter.

[cowpoos]

apparently if a girl has sex the day before she races it increases the testosterone levels - I'll have to work on that one).

I can personally give you a hand with that luff!!!



anyway...good shit girly...

[R6_kid:Me]

good stuff! So when do you want me round to clean em?

[Keystone19]

Might have to be next week Gareth when we get the trailer back from being galvanised. No hose or water at Motobob's place - bloody apartment dwellers.

Yeah tyre warmers would be a nice luxury for next season, a set of pilot powers for winter might have to do though. How big a generator does one need to run 2-3 sets of tyre warmers?

[svs]

2-3 sets of tyre warmers, then you're looking at at least a 3kW generator.

And skelstar, there's no comparison with an 'electric blanket'

Tyrewarmers should (not all do) heat the entire carcass of the tyre to race temperature. Some are fixed temp, some are hotter than others and some are controllable. Some are insulated to keep the heat in, others aren't.

It all depends how much you want to spend.

It helps with short sprint races we have in NZ, if you go out on cold tyres your tyres won't be up to temperature until around lap 4. They help with your confidence in the first couple of laps and they also help to prevent 'cold tearing' of the tyres and help to reduce the number of 'heat cycles' that your tyres go through - should help make the tyres last longer.

[motobob]

2-3 sets of tyre warmers, then you're looking at at least a 3kW generator.


Tyrewarmers should (not all do) heat the entire carcass of the tyre to race temperature. Some are fixed temp, some are hotter than others and some are controllable. Some are insulated to keep the heat in, others aren't.

It all depends how much you want to spend.
.

So whats your recomendation SVS.

BTW How do the warmers sold be Gary at GP M/C's stack up.

[dss3]

How big a generator does one need to run 2-3 sets of tyre warmers?

Me and Nicko ran both our sets of tyre warmers off my generator. It is a 2.5kw one I got from our parts warehouse. Can get them for about $250.00 or less I believe. Nicko buying one this week.

BTW good work on the racing there :-)

[Devil]

Good on you, keeping it in one piece!

[clint640]

What a great day's fun! I had just decided to get some road tyres for tootling 'round with Rosie & for the KB trackday when Brad the bro-in-law said 'why doncha come out in the Pacific club race?' Remembering how much fun I had had when racing the 'ol VFR400 a coupla years back I thought why the hell not?

I managed to track down some reasonable rubber, Bridgestone BT45's. Not exactly hardcore trackday gear but you take what you can get when you're looking for a 21" front & a 18" rear. These only went on on Friday so the only riding I had done on them was a cruisy tootle to Tauranga to go shoe shopping with Rosie (nice Sidi's thanks Moto GB)

The track is just down the road from my place so I rode there & race-prepped the bike (took the mirror off). The practices were spent working things out, I'd never really quite got a fast tarmac cornering technique properly sorted on the 640 but after trying a few lines & body positions things were a lot more comfortable. The new short track is pretty cool, having a surface that smooth to play on is a treat.

In the 1st race the leaders opened up a big gap pretty quickly so I was just cruising along by myself without worrying about who was behind until an SV650 passed me. I tried to give chase but she was outta there! I was quicker out of the corners but she was faster everywhere else.

In the second race I had a goal: stay in front of that SV650! I was starting to speed up a bit & my cunning strategy (or was it crap technique?) of never taking the same line twice & braking & gearchanging in random places worked a treat & I managed to hold her off.

Later I was talking to the SV650 pilot & discovered that she was Keystone19, I also met up with a few other KB'ers that were there racing. Unfortunately there was a serious crash & the last races were cancelled, one more session would have been good.

See y'all at the trackday!
Clint

[kiwifruit]

Thanks for the report

[FROSTY:Me]

Great report Jill--sorry I wasn't there-The ol race fund only stretches so far.
Um re tyre warmers.Not being funny or trying to sound contrecending (sp)
But I don't run warmers and Im going a faiir bit faster than you.
I'd suggest the issue is that youre running slicks. Slicks have a differnt feel than road tyres and because they have no tread to flex they take longer to warm up.
My opinion (please tis my opinion only) is that you would at this stage be better off with the PP sports or the racetecs.--Im basing that opinion on your 1.15's at pukie on your road bike

[vtec]

Good report Keystone, bummer about the tyre issues. I would seriously have to agree with Frosty on this one. Although taking into account I've never ridden slicks. I feel supremely confident in the dry on a top of the line road tyre. I seriously believe that I can avoid crashing in the dry for many years to come on the circuit, not taking into account certain variables of course. I think road tyres probably give you more feedback than slicks (my guess). Get a top quality set of Dunlops/Bridgestones and you won't be dissappointed. I have no idea about the quality of other brands, but I've loved both my Bridgestone Battleaxe BT090(front only), and currently love my Dunlop GPR70's (front and rear).

A lot of respect


Jason.

[loosebruce]

On ya Jill, yeah ditch the slicks for sure girl, it takes me and daryl at least 1 and 1/2 laps to even think about starting to push from a cold slick, and it does take up to 3-4 laps before we are really on it, by then your race is almost over.
I've got some warmers on the way (thanks SVS) i'd recommend getting them if you plan on racing regularly, just get a good quality set (PM SVS for details on his, sharp price and real good quality) try some racetecs or supercorsa's or even as frosty said, Pilot Powers, they are one of the fastest heating tyres out there without warmers.

Are you kicking it down to manfeild at all?