Taupo Racing And Track Days

[Mitch]

Hi All

First the racing, Pacific Club have a 3 race Series going on at the Taupo track, dates are 13 April (this Sunday), 15th June and 10th August.  Entry is $60. on the day and class's specified so far are F1, F2, F3, 125GP, Clubman's, Classics and Motards.  Should be some fun STRESS-FREE racing!!  Anyone who is thinking about getting into race this would be a good place to start, Taupo is a small and very exciting track.  Sign on and Scrute is at 8am, briefing and practise at 10am, racing kick's off at 12 noon, should be 3 rounds of racing per class

ALSO for all you Track day enthusiasts, there is a track day on at Taupo on the 12 April (this Saturday)  It's $80. sign in at 8am, some form of briefing and on the track at about 10am.

There is one more event to add to your racing calander guys.  Hamilton M/C club are holding a race meeting at Taupo on the 12th October 03  Don't have anymore info on that one sorry but if you need some the number to call is (07) 8475673

Hope to see some of you at Taupo this weekend, Preferably Sunday

[bluninja]

Hey what the hell, I'll be there, but will I be in F2 or F3 ???? Will I race at all? lol Hey KK why not get your 400 down there. It's a tight twisty track ideal for whippets like you on light agile bikes.....and nobody will whinge if you pass on the inside

Mitch thanks for the info. If I'd known you were posting this I wouldn't have phoned you....or maybe I would have anyway

 

TTFN

[babyB]

  I missed the track day....whens the next one please.



 

[Kwaka-Kid]

oh bugger only just reading this thread...however

windy track? sounds great.. but i dont care how light my bikes are winds are worse :P my bikes wanna fall over as soon as u lean passed damn near upright! :P haha, no no ive learnt, honestly, imstill riding with a bald front tyre and a 15yo back tyre on the GS1000 on the street, but on the track, rip out some brand neweys when i get my Racebike - RVF400

[bluninja]

I spoke to Dallas? at Manfeild aboout the next Taupo round. Since the Clubmans class missed the last race (cancelled) they will be giving us the extra race at the next round. So all you budding clubmans out there get along, you'll have 4 races for your money instead of 3.

TTFN

[bluninja]

I've just seen a pic of the proposed track extension at Taupo...looks to make an awesome track. Anybody know when this isplanned...or is it just a pipe dream?

http://www.taupocarclub.org.nz/files...plan_large.jpg

TTFN

[SPman]

I read a few months ago that they had the $8mill or whatever arranged, and it was a goer in the next year.

[Racey Rider]

Good luck to all those racing tomorrow at Taupo. Looks like it might be a bit wet, but it's all good practice!
Feel free to take it easy round the track, as KK and I won't be there to push you along.
And don't forget the soccer ball!
Hopefully, (when they get my lience sorted out) I'll catch you at the next one.

[What?]

Originally posted by bluninja
I've just seen a pic of the proposed track extension at Taupo...looks to make an awesome track. Anybody know when this isplanned...or is it just a pipe dream? 

The word from a mate of a mate, who is one of the drivers behind it, is that it's all go asap. In fact, they were so confident of getting all the consents, that they were planning to start work before all the consents were even finallised. Brave men!

Whatever, it should be up and running in the next year The North island needs another track since the demise of BayPark. I also understand that the track design is to cater for the needs / desires / whims of motorcycle racers.

[bluninja]

Watching dawn break driving down to Taupo was a beautiful sight. If only the weather could have remained that way. On arrival at the track there was a wet mist that turned to drizzle and then full on rain that stayed with us, except for a few periods of respite through the day. Practice was underway, and Clubmans had been called to the dummy grid ready to go after F3 when disatser struck. Oil had been spread on the track from someones bike and 2 riders went down in quick succession coming into the esses. The second rider just clipping the first bike as he slid through was lucky that he didn't have a harder contact. Anyway this held things up for an hour or more, there were plenty of volunteers, but not enough cement of brushes for the oild slick from the hairpin all the way round to the esses. After an inspection team (including Brian Bernard, riders rep) had cleared it as safe to ride racing got underway. I guess we were now firtunate for the rain as it actually was washing the oil and crap off the track.

By the time Clubmans got out we had our own mini lake Taupo at the hairpin and most people were taking it very gingerly. First race I set off like a nanna and took a lap to get past a rider even slower than me, by which time the rest had disappeared. I started the slow process of catching them, finding, by the sideways movement of my rear where the limits of grip were for me. I was shown the white flag a lap early so coasted (hahahaha) the last lap only to find I had another. BabyB had completed her race unscathed, and was a lot braver than some riders who had already packed up and gone home. First race 6th. Second race I still was stuck behind the same guy, but passed him earlier and then managed to grab another place getting a good exit from the sweeper and passing him up the straight. It was at this point that I decided slipstreaming in the wet wasn't a good idea....I didn't actually think I could get wetter, but I did. Last race I passed more people but still ended up 5th as one of the post classics had joined us. I had a fun day, got to meet BabyB, and learned a better line through the sweeper, and a few different lines that work well in the wet.

The trip home was uneventful, the highlight being the silly faces and nose pressed against the glass as Mitch came passed in her van. Here's hoping for better weather for the next round.

TTFN

[Mitch]

Heya Si  You should have seen what I pressed against the window as we came past Greg Sharpe 15 minutes later   

Was a great meeting, good on BabyB for getting out there in discusting racing conditions.  I managed to secure my 8th crash at Taupo and broke tradition for it was not at the hairpin.  I found my limit at turn one losing my front wheel and sliding down the track on my back, two pieces of good news are, 1. I barrell rolled across the mud and my bike did not, so very little damage to 47.  2. I've hurt myself more falling out of bed   It was all much to the pleasure of several of the guys who I usually race with who were riding to the conditions and were far enough behind me to see the whole incident.  It is the first crash I have had at high speed and to be honest I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!  Crazy as it may sound it truly was one of the most exhilirating experiences I've ever had. 

Good on everyone who got out there and went for it, It was a shame to see Hayden crash in F3 and Tony in F1 (both exceptional riders) however it was just one of those days.

Thanks to Dennis and all the others who stood in the pouring rain and worked there hearts out to clean the track, all so we could have our fun.  You will never know how much it is appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bluninja]

Mitch, wow, surprised nobody told me you'd crashed; so where you showing Greg your bruises?? Crashing may be exhiliarating but I hope you don't try it every race meet. I only managed to slide the back at turn 1, and through all the esses; but I did get the front to slip turning to exit the sweeper which wasn't nice. I should have swapped to my OE MEZ4 tyres in those conditions, far better than pirellis with no tread pattern outside the centre of the tyre.

I pulled the forks off this morning and they are off to be resprung and have a gold valve emulator fitted. So for Manfeild I should have more sorted suspension as I'm fitting an ohlins shock to the rear, sprung for my weight. All I need then is a fairing, clip ons, and a race exhaust

 

TTFN

[Kwaka-Kid]

hey guys - GREAT to hear about racing.. ohh ramn hte next best thing to racing is watching racing, and next besyt to that (or maybe equal) is hearing the great funny stories! I WANNA BE THERE!

Sorry to hear you crashed Mitch - but i know what u mean, aside from how angry i was @ myself (and ask the dudes who came running over, they found out :P) its a fucking neat experience aye!  thats why i wanna stunt ride, or just crash for living, its so much fun, everything hapening so fast, and its easy to prevent bad injury.

Great to hear you enjoyed it Si, but far out putting new suspension on bike? thats a bit hardout isnt it? - most bikes i ride barely have suspension. + ohlins cost heaps dont it?   -Well im off now, and mitch - considerd getting some sort of job that involves being aloud to crash bikes @ someone elses expense? if so lemmie know -and dont listen to Si saying dont try it every race meet, some people just dont understand :P hahahaa!

oh and i rememberd somthing that might help explain my love for crashing etc - i only found out the other year, that just after i turned 2yo i opened the front door of the old Datsun 120Y whilst mum was going around a left hand corner @ approx 20km, hahahaha! not only might it explain the physical addiction, but also the mentallity -and i survived a)without being run over, barely. b) without braking bones! just a fair bit of bleeding and shell be right! (that hard chip aint good on 25 month olds :P)

cyas!

[Mitch]

Hey KK I have a sneeky suspition that may explain some of you

psychological issues 

    

Oh ya and you were on that crusty busted up blue 400 when I met you at Track Times and the funny thing is you seemed to take exception to me telling you it was a piece of shit )

I also told you that we were racing there the next day an you should join in.  I believe you ran off with your tail between your legs mumbling something about having to do some work on something HAHAHAHAHA       

 

[bluninja]

New suspension hardout?? Hardout would be putting ohlins racing forks on the front, I'm just getting the spring rate right for my weight. If the rear shock was rebuildable I would have had it rebuilt and sprung as well., but it's not. So it's a new shock or continue to race at the same pace. Most of my issues at the mo are about confidence. The RSVR inspires confidence with it's handling the SV doesn't.

After that story I can see where your problems stem from.

 

Being driven around in a Datsun 120....must have been really bad. No wonder you wanted to get out

 

TTFN