Tony.OK's first Wanganui attempt.

[Tony.OK]

Get to the pits mid afternoon on Xmas day to find the normal gang already there, talk a bit of bullshit then set up our pit area and unload the bike, quick look over to make sure she's all set to go, yep, job done.
Went out for tea with the lads and then back to motel for an early night.

Wake up at 4:30, have a coffee and too many smokes then at 6am headed for the pits.
Get bike hooked up to warmers then waited for briefing, and brief it was.
Being a newbie we get 4 laps of surpervision to suss the track, I found it was a bit too slow to get any decent feel for braking markers and bumps, but shit that paint is slippery.

Qual sess 1.
Head out trying to avoid as much paint as possible and flounder my way around then come in to find I'm 11th in Superbikes........pretty happy at this point having gone faster than people I'd not expect to beat.
57.7sec lap

Qual sess 2.
Still having trouble finding markers as there's so much to look at on the circuit, the bikes not feeling as good as I'd hoped either, I manage to knock another second off putting me 13th for the races.
56.7sec lap

Race 1.
I'm on the outside of the grid so don't get a good run at the 1st corner......MAYHEM!!!!.................More like a MX start, bikes going everywhere. Somehow I get through and try to hook some tidy laps together, this track is not easy to pass people man, I cock up a fair bit trying to get past an R1 and end up with a 17th out of 32 starters. Not overly happy but tis ok, am really struggling with bike setup so maybe a fiddle will help.
Best lap 54.8

Race 2.
Damn near a carbon copy of race 1, bike not doing what its told, and the rear tyre's pretty much had enough.
Finished 17th again, 54.8 best lap.

Getting a bit frustrated with not having my bike handling as good as it has been I'm trying all sorts but to no avail.
Thought I may have done well enough to be in the Robert Holden Memorial race and was pleasantly surprised to have my name called out, albeit in 26th place.
Knowing the rear has done its dash I decide to go out anyway and have a bit of fun.
Have to get more aggresive getting into turn 1 here, I'm just a bit shy getting so close, manage to get past an SV650 and thats about it.
Pull a few wheelies down the back straight and on the white flag Craig Shirrifs flew past to take the checkered flag.....he is a fast fooker.

So a 17th, another 17th and wait for it...........yes a third 17th......Hows that for consistant?

So still some sorting out to do with the bike to get it back to where it was, but that weekend was like no other..................kinda like being in a fishbowl with all the spectators staring at ya hahaa.

Huge thanks to my darling wife for her help all weekend.
Until next time.......................

[driftn]

good effort out there mate you did good. Looking pretty smooth through the Esses under the bridge.

You going back next year?

[jrandom]

am really struggling with bike setup so maybe a fiddle will help...

Yes, I saw RT fiddling with your bike in the pits, then saw your rear end chattering all over the place around turn 1... you shouldn't have let him at it eh?

Nice riding though. And, can I have your number when you're through with this racing lark?

[wbks]

Sounds like you had fun! First street race?

[ArcherWC]

Farken great going Tony, that was an absolute shithole of a track and considering the company we were keeping, you should be well pleased with your results

[Deano]

Great first time there Tony.

I reckon it was the cement + whites lines - I was sliding on the SV so I hate to think what it was like on a superbike.

[ArcherWC]

Great first time there Tony.

I reckon it was the cement + whites lines - I was sliding on the SV so I hate to think what it was like on a superbike.

sideways most of the time :-( my wife has lots of undies to clean after that one :-(

[jrandom]

sideways most of the time

[ArcherWC]

maybe you should get out there yourself before you take the piss Dan

[roadracingoldfart]

Well done Tony , your not a virgin anymore

Congrats on the Rob Holden qualifying , that was no small feat for the first time there.

Paul

[racerhead]

Hard luck on the set up problems
but great results for your first time

[Toast]

Yeah dude your back tyre was looking a mess...definitely need to get those issues sorted before going faster around there

[Robert Taylor]

Yes, I saw RT fiddling with your bike in the pits, then saw your rear end chattering all over the place around turn 1... you shouldn't have let him at it eh?

Nice riding though. And, can I have your number when you're through with this racing lark?

Isnt it so easy to hide behind a forum name to snipe and remain anonymous at a meeting?
Fact 1 Tony didnt buy that shock off me, he bought it offshore when the exchange rate was very favourable against the country he bought it from.
Fact 2 Tony has changed tyre brand and that has exactly coincided with his new set up issues. That is no fault of the tyres, they require a different setup.
Fact 3 Tony now has new cartidges that has rebalanced the bike and placed more load on the rear. ( I sold these to him as a good used set )
Fact 4 The setting in that rear shock is stock standard and I know damn well it needs revalving to sort out the tyre issue.
Fact 5 In spite of not having had a commercial return from that shock I exchanged spring for spring. I have not yet eluded to the need for a revalve ( Tony will read it here first ) because frankly I have been doing 80 hour weeks just to be in shape for the Nationals etc.
Fact 6 My absolute priorities at Wanganui were to continue bike setup development for the Suzuki, Honda and Yamaha distributor teams. Yes, I get paid for that. In spite of same I will go and look at anyone elses bike on such occassions within very tight time constraints.

TO THEN READ MINDLESS COMMENTS from your barbed tongue does you no credit.
I happen to like Tony and will be offering him a very cost effective revalve ( and further foc spring exchange as required ) to sort out that tyre wear issue and the bike will perform better than it ever has. That I havent yet done so is totally due to being over-busy.
KNOW ME BEFORE YOU JUDGE ME WITH A POISONED PEN.

[Shaun]

Get to the pits mid afternoon on Xmas day to find the normal gang already there, talk a bit of bullshit then set up our pit area and unload the bike, quick look over to make sure she's all set to go, yep, job done.
Went out for tea with the lads and then back to motel for an early night.

Wake up at 4:30, have a coffee and too many smokes then at 6am headed for the pits.
Get bike hooked up to warmers then waited for briefing, and brief it was.
Being a newbie we get 4 laps of surpervision to suss the track, I found it was a bit too slow to get any decent feel for braking markers and bumps, but shit that paint is slippery.

Qual sess 1.
Head out trying to avoid as much paint as possible and flounder my way around then come in to find I'm 11th in Superbikes........pretty happy at this point having gone faster than people I'd not expect to beat.
57.7sec lap

Qual sess 2.
Still having trouble finding markers as there's so much to look at on the circuit, the bikes not feeling as good as I'd hoped either, I manage to knock another second off putting me 13th for the races.
56.7sec lap

Race 1.
I'm on the outside of the grid so don't get a good run at the 1st corner......MAYHEM!!!!.................More like a MX start, bikes going everywhere. Somehow I get through and try to hook some tidy laps together, this track is not easy to pass people man, I cock up a fair bit trying to get past an R1 and end up with a 17th out of 32 starters. Not overly happy but tis ok, am really struggling with bike setup so maybe a fiddle will help.
Best lap 54.8

Race 2.
Damn near a carbon copy of race 1, bike not doing what its told, and the rear tyre's pretty much had enough.
Finished 17th again, 54.8 best lap.

Getting a bit frustrated with not having my bike handling as good as it has been I'm trying all sorts but to no avail.
Thought I may have done well enough to be in the Robert Holden Memorial race and was pleasantly surprised to have my name called out, albeit in 26th place.
Knowing the rear has done its dash I decide to go out anyway and have a bit of fun.
Have to get more aggresive getting into turn 1 here, I'm just a bit shy getting so close, manage to get past an SV650 and thats about it.
Pull a few wheelies down the back straight and on the white flag Craig Shirrifs flew past to take the checkered flag.....he is a fast fooker.

So a 17th, another 17th and wait for it...........yes a third 17th......Hows that for consistant?

So still some sorting out to do with the bike to get it back to where it was, but that weekend was like no other..................kinda like being in a fishbowl with all the spectators staring at ya hahaa.

Huge thanks to my darling wife for her help all weekend.
Until next time.......................

Name the track- The Day, and cover my costs to get there as well as $ 250 for the day, and I will set it up, so it does what a rider needs it to do.

If Internall changes apart from front and rear spring changes are required, you need to send to CKT, But the mods would be based on my opinion?

How serious are you mate?

[Tony.OK]

Isnt it so easy to hide behind a forum name to snipe and remain anonymous at a meeting?
Fact 1 Tony didnt buy that shock off me, he bought it offshore when the exchange rate was very favourable against the country he bought it from.
Fact 2 Tony has changed tyre brand and that has exactly coincided with his new set up issues. That is no fault of the tyres, they require a different setup.
Fact 3 Tony now has new cartidges that has rebalanced the bike and placed more load on the rear. ( I sold these to him as a good used set )
Fact 4 The setting in that rear shock is stock standard and I know damn well it needs revalving to sort out the tyre issue.
Fact 5 In spite of not having had a commercial return from that shock I exchanged spring for spring. I have not yet eluded to the need for a revalve ( Tony will read it here first ) because frankly I have been doing 80 hour weeks just to be in shape for the Nationals etc.
Fact 6 My absolute priorities at Wanganui were to continue bike setup development for the Suzuki, Honda and Yamaha distributor teams. Yes, I get paid for that. In spite of same I will go and look at anyone elses bike on such occassions within very tight time constraints.

TO THEN READ MINDLESS COMMENTS from your barbed tongue does you no credit.
I happen to like Tony and will be offering him a very cost effective revalve ( and further foc spring exchange as required ) to sort out that tyre wear issue and the bike will perform better than it ever has. That I havent yet done so is totally due to being over-busy.
KNOW ME BEFORE YOU JUDGE ME WITH A POISONED PEN.

I have to say that after having seeing how hard Robert works at the track and how much time he has spent with me has to be applauded. Especially as I've not been charged and did forget to buy a "coffee" again.
My handling issues are in part self inflicted by changing pretty much everything at once.
I'm blown away by being a newbie to this sport and having had more than my share of help from people like Robert and Shaun.
And no I'm not sucking up........................thats just how it is