My first ever try at racing (report)
Hi Kbers, just to let you know this is a longish report but something I have to say.
I have always wanted to have a go at racing. I have done quite a few track days both in the Uk and here which I have always loved but there was something about wanting to do a qualifying session and then start from the a grid position and see how I go.
Well this weekend my dream came true.I did the 5th round with the Vic club at Manfeild. I had always wanted to do it on a medium to large bike from my old ZXR 400 or K1 600 to my new K4 750 but the cost, the risk of crashing my pride and joys and not being able to get a license in the UK due to my eyesight stopped me. So when Deano saw me at Motormart with an RG150 that I had just bought to commute on and the first thing he said was "so when are you going to race it" it planted a seed that ended up growing very quickly.
Once my friends heard I was thinking about it, that was it. I got so much support and help I was blown away.
My friend Marty (who owns Typeface (Graphic design co. see link below (and who I went to school with back in the UK))) Was talking to me when I mentioned I was thinking about having a go but would need to start saving to do it. He turned round and said "I'll pay for it"
koba (Malcom) immediatley offered up some spare farings so I didn't have to use my road one's and supported me with help and advise. even to the extent that this morning when I went to get changed to start working on my brakes, I came back to find him with them already off in his hands stripping them down and cleaning them. Amazing.
Skunk (Andrew) told me to get Marty to send him what he'd like to put on the bike as a sponsor and then made up the stickers for the bike.
Kendog (Nigel) Then turned round and said that he would come up and take some photos of me.
My friend Tony Cottle then said he'd take me in his van, arranged somewhere for us to stay, helped me prepare the bike with a couple of late nights and then supported me in the pits.
Then to top it off Deano calls to say I along with Malcom and Helen could pit with him, Luke, Vicky.
FanTAZtic.
And now onto the race's
Saturday
Marty came up to watch, support and video me and I'm sure to see if his money had gone where I said it had
It was cold with occasional drizel and was not really looking forward to it if wet. Fortunately it stayed dry for my scrub in/qualifying session. I was on brand new Continentals so went out for a few laps to scrub them in and get used to the smaller bike on the track. It felt a like a track day so just went out and did my best and pushed as hard as I felt comfortable. Although I did have a couple of slides and did a bit of off roading at the hairpinAfter being out there for 20 mins I realised that it was going to be a lot more exciting than I had thought being on a small bike.
After anctiously waiting for the results, they came back and I had qualified 7th with Malcom on 5th, I was rapped
The afternoon race came late due to a few instances but it was now time for the one thing I had always wanted to do. We went out for the sighting lap and then lined up on the grid, wow going past some of the riders up to the second row felt amazing but a little nerving knowing there were quite a few bikes behind me all wanting to do the same as me.
I got a good start but the revs ran out alot quicker than I was used to on a bigger bike so was a bit slow getting into second and quite a few bikes went past. I decided to stay out wide as everyone seamed to jossel for the inside line. This proved to work quite well and managed to make back a few places. I have to say allot of it is a blur as I just put my head down and went for it. I remember have a great battle with Malcom untill he broke away and I couldn't keep up. I kept going and felt that I was going really well when I came up on some back makers.
I came back absolutely buzzing and I felt on a high as Luke came over talking up the race and my couple of slides and another grass tracking at the hairpin. They (Luke Drew, Deano and Vicky) had all been leaning over the pit wall chearing me on and I hadn't seen then due to being so focused. You can emagin the jokes that came out about my eyesight, they made me laugh and I felt on top of the world as Helen (st8 jacket) had also came back with the results and I had got 6th with a best lap of 1.35:375
It was then off to Tony's friends in Palmy for a roast dinner, plum crumble washed down with some Red wine and port!!
Sunday.
Marty turned up again this time with his daughter Rianna (7) who wanted to come and see me race (and watch her Dad's investment he he he)
Nick (crazylittleshit) also turned up and I managed to talk him into recording the next race, Thanks Nick
Troy (Gunner) also came over and put one of his camera on the bike. He has started Action Camz (link below) with some DVD quality cameras. Again thanks Troy
I had Andrew from Darbis to come and have a look at my tyres and talk about preasures and hadling and dropped a couple of pounds front and rear. He has always been spot on with my Conties on the Gixer so was happy to take his advise
The races had taken some time and things were running late so we got reduced from 20 to 15 laps
Again the start went well and I got second quicker this time which felt good untill a few riders still came past, again I went for the outside line (as a motorcross friend had said it was how he did it) and it worked well again for me. I took off with the intent to follow some of the front guys to get some lines and tips on riding the smaller bikes. Again allot of it was head down and just go as fast as I could trying a few little changes here and there at different points. There were a few laps that were the highlight for me and that was a fanTAZtic battle with Malcom which was the talk of the pits when we got back.
The results came in and I had got another 6th but had managed to knock just over 2 seconds off my best lap time getting a 1.33:227
The second race ended up being a 6 lap sprint race and I was determind to at least get another 6th or better. Again the start was the same good but still being over taken by quite a few. It was round the outside again and I was off for the chace. It was all going well untill on the 4th lap I came through splash quicker which catapolted me into the hairpin a little quicker than planned!!! I tried to slow up as best I could as I tipped in but the front end decided that it was too much and I took very close look at the tarmac with going face first into the tarmac and then doing a very good impression of a rag doll in a wellington wind!!! I got up and checked all was working and went and picked up the bike cursing, swearing and annoyed with myself (this was after all my commuter that I had to put back on the road!!)
I got picked by the trailor and went for an interesting 1/2 lap sitting on my bike on the back of it. Getting back to the pits to all my friends support and comments of how well I was doing and that now I've experienced every part of racing. I had managed to get down to a 1.33 again.
As I sit here tonight typing this out for the past couple of hours I feel honored to have the friends I have and the support they have shown me. I would like to thank then all for everything they have done to make my dream come true and make it such a fanTAZtic weekend.
I won lotto when it comes to friends.
Taz
(Gary)
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I made it thru a few days before binning mine on the track (twice in a day both on a hairping haha 
)
Hah, I see we both have gsxr's too (a tad different vintage tho 
Originally Posted by The Tazman
, I too kinda have a curvy figure which makes it worse beacuse im a guy. Well the waist kinda goes in and the bum pushes out. When I was in college the girls in my year would slap me on the arse and squeeze because apparently it is firm, tight...
I wear jeans
Alias (Skip).
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