Kyle's race report, PMCC Round 3, 28-1-07

[Kyle]

Well in round two i pretty much burgled clubmans on my 94 cbr600, so i went and got myself an 01 cbr600 and entered F2 and F1 for the first time. (number 157)
Ok so round three. Taupo track, old half. Never done just the old half, this could be interesting.

So we get there and the track is wet due to rain over night, thats cool, ive got my wets on already. Come briefing time the track is starting to look very dry, and they decided to run one 10min practice instead of two 5min, so the mad rush was on to swap over to dry tyres before the first practice session started, F1 was up first.

Made it with whole minutes to spare and spent that time weaving up and down pit lane, trying to scuff in a shiny new pair of metzler racetechs. Well the practice session was good, i managed to fully scuff in the tyres and not crash. I think a gsxr went down in that session, turn four. F2 practice went better as the few puddles had dryed up and i was getting used to the track.

So first race, line up on the grid, now im getting nervous. got a below average start and ended up near the back going into turn one, boy that pack looks dense from back there. race went well (i didnt crash) and i managed to place 9th out of 14 i think.

And that pretty much sums it up for the rest of the seven races, 9th 10th 10th and 11th in F1. something like 14th of 20 in F2 i think, still waiting for the results. There was lots of crashes over the day, i think at least one in every race, one or more on every corner (there is only four corners) And one guy managed to crash twice in one race, and it wasnt a motard. Thats not bad considering 6 laps dont last long at 43 seconds each. 43.06 was my best lap.

Acheived my primary goal, race in f2 and not crash, and my secondary goal, to beat my boss on his 02 cbr600. Got him 3 out of 8 times, that`ll do me.

heres some pics from the day. 1: my shiny new machine, 2: Goblin and the rest of the F3 swarm, 3: opps, 4: another opps, 5: me chasing my boss and a trx850. 6: me in front of my boss

[Toast]

Hey Kyle. I remember seeing your bike out there, nice looking machine. Not sure if we met or not.

Pic 3 up there is the 2nd corner of the 1st race I think. Quite an introduction to racing for me as I tried to go around the outside only to have a motard trying to 'grass cut' me.

Bring on round 4 eh! Catch you there.

[kickingzebra]

Good on ya mate. No more shall you burgle clubmans!!
You'll get much quicker yet is my pick. Damn good stuff!

[Keystone19]

Awesome stuff Kyle! Hehe, saw you go past me in F2 - what were you doing behind me anyways...?

[emaN]

...one guy managed to crash twice in one race, and it wasnt a motard...

hahaha...but my lips are sealed you should see his manouvering skills in the pits too!
well done dude! look forward to seeing the new bike! you going to motoTT day this Sat?

what were you doing behind me anyways...?

can't blame him, can ya?

[Goblin]

....so i went and got myself an 01 cbr600 and entered F2 and F1 for the first time. (number 157)

'Bout bloody time too! You were looking pretty sharp out there! Looking foward to seeing you improving each meeting. See ya at round 4!

[Kyle]

you going to motoTT day this Sat?

Yeah booked in for that one. It is full track right? I wonder if they`ll use the a1gp corner or stick with the right left s-bend. I quite like the s-bend but it would be cool to do the a1 track.

[vtec]

Good on you man. F1 and F2 are pretty hardcore as I've found out. Takes a brave man to step up to these classes.

[HDTboy]

And one guy managed to crash twice in one race, and it wasnt a motard. Thats not bad considering 6 laps dont last long at 43 seconds each.

Yeah, Uh, what a knob he was huh?

Yeah booked in for that one. It is full track right? I wonder if they`ll use the a1gp corner or stick with the right left s-bend. I quite like the s-bend but it would be cool to do the a1 track.

They're using the A1 corner from what I understand, see you there!

[Toast]

Has anyone got a pic of this A1 corner? Has it replaced the left-right-left as you leave the back straight and come on to the small straight past the pit wall? I quite liked the old config.

[Toast]

Never mind, I see where the change has been made for A1 now.

For those who haven't seen the new layout:

http://www.powerupdates.com/clients/...&aid=580164134

[Kyle]

Ok so just back from the track, MotoTT trackday. They did use the a1gp corner and it was good.. ish, bit bumpy but good, and fast. Ride with me for a lap
Come round the left sweeper in 3rd, doing maybe 160ish with knee slider hitting the rumble strips, power up exiting and tip into the a1gp corner, straight onto the oldtracks front straight, upto about 200 along there, brake hard and bang it back to second, smooth around the far end corner, taking care as it tightens at the exit, then tucking right in behind the screen down the back straight, watching the revs hit the redline before changing up, doing about 230 near the far end, whack it down to 3rd and tip it into the left, bang it down another gear and haul it around that uglyish righthander then back to the left, smooth and stylie around there because there is the pit wall and dozens of people watching. Power down the pit straight, upto 3rd, maybe 180ish, back off at the end of the pit wall, bang it down one gear and tip it in fast, knee slider on the ground before the apex, and holding it steady all the way around, then staying in second, run the next right at medium smooth revs, flip it over and run the knee sliders on the left side rumble strip, power out and take turn 4, the off camber right, at nearly maxium revs, short burst and hard on the picks for the right hairpin. Run nice and wide entering and exiting the hairpin, and exit fast, rev out second and start on third, brake hard and back to second, for the left hairpin, tip in and plant the knee slider around there, exit very fast and your back on the left sweeper.
One lap. all of that in probery 1:50 minutes or something, taking a wild guess.
end of the day, all good, my bike went great, back tire didnt shred itself or let go, and im pretty sure i improved a wee bit, mostly on corner entry speed and braking.

[Keystone19]

Haha, nice write up Kyle! I was doing 1.48ish on the A1 track and you were going a lot faster than me so I would say 1.46ish? Eddie and Andy were around 1.44.

[emaN]

bro...you weren't doing 50s!
i was timed doing 50s in my last session; i'd gone out in the medium group cos i was knackered. didn't push anywhere near as hard, wasn't scraping pegs anywhere either, so i'm guessing i was doing 48s/49s earlier, and you were scootin' past proper quick!
good to see ya gettin' to grips with the new bike!!