My most successful race meet to date! Pretty happy with the way that it all went down in the end, and although not perfect I had a ball in the wet and started to build on some of the good handling feelings that I was getting last round. 4th for the day in F2 easily my best result yet.
Luckily got away from work early and was able to roll in to Feilding on Thursday night with Chris and Cecile, still trying to digest the BK Double Massive whatever fat shit thing I had in Turangi. These race weekends really put me off fast food.
Friday - Testing Time
The plan was to rock up, get back to 1:14ish pace from last round and then start playing with different settings front and rear to get the bike to come out of the corners better, where I'm running wide and losing a bit. The shite weather killed those plans with only one almost dry session before it drizzled again. Did a few sighting laps on cold slicks but that just confirmed that I definitely was wasting my time so I chilled out and talked shit for a while. I did finally get to break out the wets late in the arvo and scrub them in though, which proved to be very handy come race day.
Race Day!!
Rocked up and I was praying for rain. Still had the wets on the bike and the track was well damp. Being a tight arse I wanted it to piss down so that they'd last as long as possible 'cos I don't want to be buying new ones anytime soon (having become used to buying $50 sets of slicks that last 4 or 5 race meets I didn't wanna blow 10 times that on a couple of races). The blackness to the North-West looked damn fine to me and by the end of riders' briefing I was fairly confident that I'd be alright with my wets on.
Superbike Qualifying
Just in time it started to drizzle steadily, wetting the track just right. I went out and did about 4 laps, still not 100% confident that I'd scrubbed the slicks in properly but passed enough people to know I'd qualified so I pulled in to save the tyres for later. Could've gone faster but was well happy with 8th on the grid from a time of 1:24.4.
Supersport Qualifying
Couldn't get anything approaching a clear lap with some people out there clearly having their first experience on wets and some with no wets at all. Started to feel a bit more comfortable when there was clear track though. Got a 1:23.7, good enough for 9th on the grid.
Superbike Race 1
Nailed the start and arrived at T1 5th or so but was still not confident braking and turning in on the wets and also not confident of their grip when cold, as I wasnt using warmers (later came to believe that the do in fact stick like shit to a blanket even when cold). Got swamped, pushed wide and ended up absolutely nowhere by the end of T1. Continued the shit form for the next couple of laps and then I think finally stopped losing places. Got a fright when Aria highsided in front of me but some evasive braking and swearing got me outta there...just. Couldn't see shit through my visor and was being put off by that big time. Eventually it seemed to clear though and I gained back a bunch of places. Had a fairly good time and got in to a bit of a dice with Rhys Holmes. Wound up 11th behind Rhys Holmes and Eddie with a best time of 1:20.5.
Supersport Race 1
Don't remember the start but it wasn't good 'cos I remember being behind a stack of bikes. Took a while to get some mojo flowing but eventually managed to pull clear of BJ on his R6 and started having a go at Jamie Rajek on an 08 ZX6R. Got past him under brakes and then started at the 05 ZX6R of Mark Bennett, a guy I hadn't really come across before. I was starting to feel more confident in the bike and at times got really good drive out of Higgins and the final turn. So much so that I actually passed a few 600s on the straights, which is a totally new experience for me, I think. Was being a right pansy under brakes in to those two turns though, so the battle with Mark lasted longer than planned. I eventually got ahead and thought I was done with him. A fast last lap on his part and a slow one by me while lapping some riders meant he actually finished 0.1 seconds behing me, which I was totally oblivious to until I saw the time sheets! Very glad that I held on though 'cos this gave me my best ever finish in VMCC of 5th place! Stoked, and was down to mid-19's now.
Superbike Race 2
Got a mean start followed by a poor effort in T1. Left T1 in 7th place and held that until the red flag despite a cheeky move by Ed trying to come up the inside in to Higgins. Extremely close stuff and very glad neither of us lost paint.
Big cock up at the re-start. I looked up to see all 5 red lights fully lit. Thinking I must have been day dreaming I put the bike in gear, added revs and awaited the lights to go out. Dropped clutch and ripped shit up only to realise that no one else was moving. Hard on the picks wondering what the fk is goin' on, the first red light comes back on and I try to back my bike up. That was too hard so I decide to start from where I am but wait a split second for the front rowers to get away. I again add revs and slip the clutch...but fast realise that shit ain't happening and that the bike had jumped out of gear from the first attempt at the 0-15kmh-0 world record. Absolutely shitting myself about getting my back broken by one of the missiles behind me I mush gears together with revs still on and at least get some forward motion. Back in God knows what position I rode a bit average but eventually past most of the guys I could have anyway except one and wind up 9th for this half of the race.
Supersport Race 2
Pissed about the last start I try to rip shit up on this one but end up getting the back reasonably out of line and entering the first turn way back. Only 6 laps this time so I go about getting through the field again. Made a few reasonable passed although not totally clean and the lap times weren't ideal. Got a high 1:18 on the last lap in spite of being held up big time through the sweeper and with the wets now not quite as nice as they were earlier in the day. Encouraging but I didn't have time to catch BJ, finishing half a second behing. Ended up 7th.
Overall a pretty awesome day! Could've been better and faster, and it will be next time it's wet. I'm also hoping that some of the confidence gained will help next time that it's dry too.
Shit hot. Thanks to all involved:
Vic Club and the volunteers for putting it on
My Dad for being a legend manager/fan/pit bitch
All racers and other good peeps that show up
See ya all next round
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Originally Posted by boostin
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