Well after a crash at testing a few weeks back I put in 10-12 hours after work each night on the lead up to the race fixing my smashed up fairings and making the bike presentable. Distracted by the body work repairs I neglected to replace my front tyre which after 8 months and 3000 hard km's is looking worst for wear. Never mind, will just have to nurse the front end come race day. My last 2 visits to manfield have ended prematurely due to crashs so I was hoping to reverse this trend on saturday.
qualifying
I took it pretty gingerly as I havent ridden on the track when wet or even ridden in anger on a wet road, so decided to take it real easy at first, slowly uping the pace each lap. I think I counted 4 riders down in my practice as I passed them, most of them in the esses, where I came a cropper at a test day a few weeks back. Needless to say my plan was always to take it easy through splash, which was a pitty cos on a hot day with plenty of grip its my favourite part of the track, but it seems plenty slippery in the cold and wet. In the end I was just happy to stay upright and to sight the track, but was fastest with a dismal 1.37. The bike seemed good though and apart from a big rear end slide out of the hairpin, traction felt good.
RACE 1
I completely missed the flag waver for the start and it wasnt until riders were flying pass me that I relized the race had begun! the 250 had rear tyre spinning and waving as I dropped the clutch and begun my chase, moving through the field quite rapidly and I think I hit the lead just after the hairpin. The track was still quite damp and no dry lines had developed. I did a best of 1.33 and had a pretty controlled race, crossing the line in 1st.
RACE 2
I had a better start but was immediately challenged for the lead by I think it was Billington. He was smoking me into the turns and we swopped the lead for a few laps until I learnt his lines and how deep you can go into turn 1 and higgins and how how much corner speed can be kept with a damp track. I thought I had better get my finger out after lap 3 and put the head down and go. At about lap 5 I turned around and didnt see him at all and I thought he must have crashed out! so kept the hammer down and crossed the line for a win by 18 seconds and a best lap of 1.27.7.
RACE 3
Having learnt some lines I didnt have much trouble in race 3. Dispite the ZXR250 again smoking me off the 2nd row at the start to lead into turn 1, damn that things a rocket off the start! I settled into a comfortable pace lapping at consistant low 1.28's. Traction was good. Bike was good and crossed the line in the lead by a margin of 19s.
I was very happy with my ridding in the less than ideal conditions. I would like to lap consistantly at 1.26's and I think this is acheivable given a dry track. I think the lap record is 1.25 or something and this would be a real acheivement to break at a winter meet but will give me something to aim for. Im thinking I could take higgins 1 gear higher and carry more corner speed through it as I find in my current gear I would have to change up when im still on a lean on corner exit, so slightly too low. Into the sweeper I will try not to roll off until Im lent over into the bend. ALong with not being sucked into turning in too early on the hairpin and getting a strong drive into the straight I think 1.26s laps are very relistic, especially with a fresh front tyre. All in all I had a fun day of racing and learnt lots, with alot more lessons to be learnt Im sure.
vtec had some promising finishs in his debut outing in the k5 GSXR600 so watch this space. hope your good results respark your enthusiasm for racing again bro.
Good to see some KB'ers out at the pointy end of the "fast" races.
Kris Currie has also made some huge improvements in his lap times through out the day and will continue to improve alot throughout the remainder of the series Im sure. Dood effort for a big block on a small bike!
Big ups to Avalon Biddle, she continues to impress as she had a hard fought battle in streetstock with Billington, finally finishing 3rd for the day I think. Finally after 3 rounds I have some points on the board but having missed round 2 I couldnt possible take the series if Biddle and Billington contest and finish the remainder rounds.
*edit: attached pic of my brolly dolly, natalie and a shot from www.speedsport.co.nz
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by ajturbo
Bookmarks