Race report: Team Feral Racing - West Coast (Sth Ilnd cup rnd 3)

**feral1** · 30th August 2006, 23:30

Well, don't really know wether this will take the proper format of a race report but I said to a few of you i would post mu thoughts of my first ever race.

Having thought about giving road racing a go, I have finally entered F3 and my first race last weekend at the South Island Cup round three - Ruapuna
I am still buzzing.

Saturday
Weather was looking super dodge on the coast. Pissing down with rain. So my mate and i decided to head on over the night before. Partly 'cause the sign-in cut off was very early in the morning and partly because we didn't really want ot deal with horse shit weather conditions at 5:30am driving the team's dodgy race van over the southern alps.
So the bike was loaded, the set of wets chucked in for good measure and over we go.
So a big thanks to Far queue for offering a place to crash. very much appreciatted

Sunday
Didn't have to sweat the weahter, because true canterbury style; it dawned a great day.

Saw the west coast BEARS motard boys in the pits, so parked up next to them and got set up.

The practice session was the first time that I had ridden my new zxr (apart from a 2 minute squirt when i bought it to make sure it ran..) So this practice session was a big eye opener. I had never ran on slicks, a new bike and a 'all in formula - pratice seesion' made for an interesting time. There where bikes every where. like OAB described, i sort of went into a 'yeaha trackday mode' untill i relaised to snap out of it and get down to the job and goals I set for the sessions.
Got used to the bike, but was disappointed in the power delivery, had a major stumble in the fueling at about 7-8,000 rpm. Especially eveident in the higher gears.
Thought about this when i came back in and realised it was simply that I was not going fast enough, running to high gears, relaying on torque that it doesn't have and not keeping it in the rev sweet spot.

Race 1.
A real eye-opener. Placed myself on the back of the grid as i was unsure how I would go. Found the bike very fast of the line and at least competitive power wise when compared to the other F3 bikes i was amongst
I let people go into turn one and sort their own stuff out and concetrated on the seesion's goals: learn lines.
Road a 1min58sec in that race and hugely enjoyed it. When i pulled off I knew I had found something i was really going to enjoy.

Race 2
Buolding confidence, i knew i would just have to push harder and keep focussed on learning and crafting the basics. Really enjoyed this race and had a tussle with an SV (factory fresh mind you...) Unsure of the results, but finished mid packish of the f3 machines (i think).
Cobber on his shit ass cell phone stop watch had me going down to 1.53s Don't know how accurate that was.
K14 came off on about lap two and i remember seeing him siting on the side of the track at the bends after the hairpin. He got his RS fixed in no time.

Race 3
Goal here was to continue focusing on lines. basics first, speed later. Focus on my down changes and break markers as well as smooth transfer to throttle. Felt good iin this race and diced with a few motards. Mate on stop watch reconed 1.52s. And I felt very good. I felt I couild go faster. I know I am not even getting close to what the equipement is capable off. It is all down to me. So it is nice to have something solid to work with and grow into. So I am very much looking forward to getting more time to keep working and improving. One thing I really wnat to focus on next time is not getting onto my turn entry points to early and commiting to the 'flick'/getting the bike turned in faster

Heaps of fun. Can't wait till next time. Hopefully Levels on the 16th.
Good to meet some of you there.

Long live the F3. Having heaps of fun

Feral

**sugilite:Me** · 30th August 2006, 23:50

Great report, and Great bike you have there!

**gav** · 30th August 2006, 23:58

Is that Andy Bolwell's old bike?

**babyB** · 31st August 2006, 01:47

cool wright up .good on ya for getting out there

**Kickaha** · 31st August 2006, 06:47

it needs a starter motor

I ended up push starting you in the pits (before I knew who you were) when you stalled it near the toilets, I was fucked after that

glad to hear you hd a good day, might see you at Levels

**far queue** · 31st August 2006, 11:14

Well done, sounds like you had a great day and learnt lots. Great write up too. I'll see you at Labour Weekend for the street racing.

**onearmedbandit** · 31st August 2006, 12:41

Was a good day indeed, good to finally meet you Eric.

**k14** · 31st August 2006, 15:14

Originally Posted by feral1

K14 came off on about lap two and i remember seeing him siting on the side of the track at the bends after the hairpin. He got his RS fixed in no time.

Close, it was actually lap 3 of race 1....

Good to see you out there. You just need the track time and you'll improve. You racing at levels on the 16th?

**diesel pig** · 31st August 2006, 17:37

Originally Posted by gav

Is that Andy Bolwell's old bike?

If he got it off Justin Grey it is. If so that is a muptible NZ F3 winning machine once dynoed at 83 hp.

**feral1** · 31st August 2006, 20:14

Originally Posted by Kickaha

it needs a starter motor

I ended up push starting you in the pits (before I knew who you were) when you stalled it near the toilets, I was fucked after that

glad to hear you hd a good day, might see you at Levels

Kickaha,

Yeah i was going to mention that in the race report. Thanks so much for the effort.

The story: Came in from race three and parked the machine up, thinking that was the end of the day. But then I was informed of a 'all-in' race. So i naturallly thought ; hell yes lets get out there again. So when they called up the 'light weights' i got the bike running and off to the dummy grid i went.
During the day they where calling; 'five minutes till dummy grid, and i was getting pretty good at my timing to get the bike running and having nearly zero hang-about time at the dummy grid and then go straight out.
Well this time I was way to early. So I sat there with the bike running, and sat there, and sat there. Still no white flag for the last of the ones on the track. I remembered the last owner saying you had to watch it getting hot quickly. its got a very light and thus small radiator.
So i decided to kill it off and wait until we got the clear to go.
When we got the clear to go, two helpfull fellas gave me a push. You think it was going to run again?... not on your nana.
Must have been 'cause it was hot, or perhaps i fluffed the first attempt to the bump start and flooded the carbs. Either way these guys pushed their lives away. Man, did i feel for them when the bitch didn't fire.
Well, after we done the lenght of the pit lane, we just packed it in and I put it in the van
Good day was had already.

So; thanks kickaha. A cool beer is on me, for you at the next meet.
Great to meet some of the others.

Yeah, K14, hope to be at levels. If we can organise the Coast boys to all go over together

Feral

**feral1** · 31st August 2006, 20:31

Originally Posted by sugilite

Great report, and Great bike you have there!

thanks man, really enjoyed it. Certainly got a lot more learning to do, but the bike is great.

**feral1** · 31st August 2006, 20:33

Originally Posted by babyB

cool wright up .good on ya for getting out there

Thanks BabyB. Hope you are having fun at this racing gig too. Be good to met all you nth isl racers one day.

**SuperDave** · 31st August 2006, 20:34

You're bikes looks the bizzo man.

**feral1** · 31st August 2006, 20:36

Originally Posted by far queue

Well done, sounds like you had a great day and learnt lots. Great write up too. I'll see you at Labour Weekend for the street racing.

Thanks Far queue, was awesome of you to let two cash strapped racers crash at your pad. That offer was an integral part of our weekend and it was really helpful not having a huge drive in front of me on the morning of my first ever outing, so cheers. Beers on me at the greymouth streets...