AMCC Round 2 Clubmans - Biggles08

[Biggles08]

I was so amped after my clean sweep at the PMCC Round 1 in Taupo I was interested seeing how my chisel would fair against bigger cc rated bikes on what is a pure hp track - Pukekohe.

Those who know me also know my thoughts on the quality of Pukekohe and its safety record...I think its an embarrassment to Aucklanders that this oval is the only track available to us and we are the biggest city in NZ!? So going forward from here, you understand my perception was somewhat tainted going into the AMCC Round 2. At the end of it...it turns out it was a lot worse that I thought....

I turn up to sign in and sort out my spot and hook up my tire warmers to wiggles' generator and chill out waiting for things to start.

Practice:

Out from the dummy grid I thought I would be fairly near the front of the grid so I wanted to get out first so as not to be held up in the qualifying. This was my second time on Pukekohe on my ZX6R so the track was not known to me really (although there is not too much to know about it apart from where the bumps are!). First lap I just wanted to stay in clear air so went fast enough to stay in the front. Second Lap I ramped it up a bit and felt ok. After this I really didn't feel like I improved much throughout the practice so when I came in I wasn't convinced about my grid position but felt I would be on the front row anyway. When I went to check it was a genuine surprise that I got pole...so I was stoked with that :-)

This is where things turned pear shaped!

We were starting on the grid with the pre 89 class so I wanted to find out how that worked. I went to the control tower (and asked for clearance for takeoff) and asked how the start would be conducted and what/where my grid position would be. I was told we would all start off the same set of lights but we (clubmans) would be all set up behind the pre 89's WITH A CONSIDERABLE GAP BETWEEN BOTH CLASSES! I explained that I was in pole position for clubmans and wanted to know where to line up....I was told that I would be shown where to line up by the guy on the grid and I should just pull over near the inside of the track behind the pre 89's and wait to be shown.

I did as was instructed and every other bugger on the grid went in front of me...I was waving at the guy who was supposed to be organizing the start positions, pointing at my number and doing a 'shrugging' motion with my shoulders and he pointed out a grid place for me....miles behind everyone else in my class. Oh well, he's the boss, so I started pushing my bike to where he was telling me to go and then the lights went!?!?!?!?! I was still in neutral, out of any grid position on a slight angle and the lights went out!!!!! Fuck thats safe! (have a look at the attached pic of moments before the lights went out - I'm 808 sitting about 4th from the back on the left of the pic)

Turn 1 I had about 20+ bikes in front of me, half of which were clubmans....so much for pole position!?! Needless to say I was using some pretty choice words in my helmet and as I went past the start/finish line at the start I had enough time to take my hand off the bar and gesture to the fuckhead who was supposed to be organizing us a open palm to the sky saying "WTF???"

Back straight, first lap....bikes flying past me at a great rate of knots as everyone in pre 89's/clubmans seem to think they need to brake at about 250mtrs to the hairpin! Ended up coming 4th overall and second in clubmans.

I went to complain about the start and for the second race they put a cone on the side of the track indicating where we were to line up from. This worked better but there were still people in the wrong place at the start but at least the front row was right!?! I won the second race :-)

Third race was red flagged at about lap 3 of a 6 lap race due to a bad accident but I was leading that too.

All in all I have very little enthusiasm for the AMCC and Pukekohe setting...it was a very amateur run day with delays and little control for those running it! (we had another riders briefing to tell us to make sure our numbers are clearer so they can read them to take our times/positions) Most disappointed with the starts and believe their is little excuse for not at least getting the pole position right...I mean thats where EVERYONE LINES OFF AGAINST no wonder they couldn't get the rest of the positions right!?!

Not sure if it will help but a couple of suggestions for the AMCC from a newbie racer - and before all the feel good fuck heads come out telling me that it is run by volunteers and I should be thankful - if that is the case then don't charge me $85 for shit...I pay for my racing...a lot of money so yes I expect a certain level of professionalism from the club I belong to!- anyway suggestions:

1) Make it compulsory for people to either provide or hire transponders like every other club in NZ! This will sort out most of the problems
2) When starting two classes off the same grid, grid ALL the bikes together based on lap times in qualifying, regardless of what class they are racing in...I know I won't be alone when I say it was fucking scary riding past some very very very slow pre 89 bikes (and some clubmans) down the back straight on the first lap. This will also lend towards better racing for the crowd (hahaha....what crowd! ;-))...I know I was having a good battle with a pre 89 guy (Frankie) on a GSX1100 (well 1200 really :-)) in both races but we were not racing in the same class.

So...in conclusion, AMCC need to lift their game if they want people to continue to race in their comps...the Round 1 of the PMCC series I attended at Taupo track 3 was superior in all aspects of the day....sort your shit out AMCC!!!!

Biggles08

[Morcs]

bugger mate.

glad you still owned.

trackdays are more organised than AMCC

[Tony.OK]

Nice results givin the circumstances dude.................the more events you do the more you realise that each event is so different, especially coming from a high with your 1st meeting.......................it ain't like ya see on telly is it hahaa............where's all the hot chicks and champagne

Well done fella......

[scracha]

Nice results givin the circumstances dude.................the more events you do the more you realise that each event is so different, especially coming from a high with your 1st meeting.......................it ain't like ya see on telly is it hahaa............where's all the hot chicks and champagne

Well done fella......

Why the hell did they lump clubmans in with pre89? That's just stupid. There's a hell of a lot of VERY close racing (fairing bashing) goes on in pre89 and mixing 50ishbhp bikes (junior) with more than 100ish (senior) together with inexperienced guys on 100andgawdknowsbhp clubmans bikes isn't a good idea.

[NinjaBoy]

Well done on your results and good writeup. Last year organisation wise AMCC were way ahead of PMCC, but generally AMCC are quite good.

Most of last season they had Post Classics with Clubmans and they gridded everyone on their qualifying time regardless of class. This gave those faster riders in Clubmans some more experienced riders to dice with. And as Tony said, every meet and race has its slight differences and challenges. Its not worth the stress getting worked up over it. Wait in anticipation for the adrenline rush of the next one !

[Toast]

Stop your whinging, au! Good results, dude. Definitely time you come play in F1/F2.

I agree that it's a shame Puke is all us Aucklander's have. If it was owned by people who gave half a shit about motorsport it would be a much safer place to race...shame it will never reach its potential.

[Kornholio]

Stop your whinging, au! Good results, dude. Definitely time you come play in F1/F2.

I agree that it's a shame Puke is all us Aucklander's have. If it was owned by people who gave half a shit about motorsport it would be a much safer place to race...shame it will never reach its potential.

Wait til Hampton Downs

[Toast]

Wait til Hampton Downs

I am, along with every other monkey!

[Biggles08]

Stop your whinging, au! Good results, dude. Definitely time you come play in F1/F2.

I agree that it's a shame Puke is all us Aucklander's have. If it was owned by people who gave half a shit about motorsport it would be a much safer place to race...shame it will never reach its potential.

Awwww...not even au! I like whining...its suits me ;-)

For the record, I'm not stressing just pointing out some obvious flaws in the otherwise good day...I was disappointed that I didn't get to play with Nigel some more because of a fucked start that I had nothing to do with!

As for F1/F2 I'm coming to play after I've finished this series in clubmans. If i win all races at Manfield in PMCC Round 2 (clubmans) then I may consider competing in F2 for Round 3 at taupo...but first things first huh :-D

[Biggles08]

...Last year organisation wise AMCC were way ahead of PMCC, but generally AMCC are quite good.

Well so far not this year!

...and they gridded everyone on their qualifying time regardless of class. This gave those faster riders in Clubmans some more experienced riders to dice with.

Why did they change????? That makes wayyyyyyyyyyy more sense to me!

[HDTboy]

You sir, are a burglar

[sharky]

You clearly take your racing pretty seriously and that is a good thing. Clubmans is a learners class and I doubt you are learning a lot out the front on your own. Time for F2 me thinks. There you have an opportunity to get involved with a bit more dicing which is where the fun lies
I was in Pre '89 juniors and although I agree it was a bit hairy at times -1st lap into hairpin under brakes was a bit congested with Clubmans guys dropping the anchors well early after wizzing by on the back straight.
But on the whole I really enjoyed having Clubmans in with us. The fast bikes would smoke me down the back straight then I'd make it back up on the rest of the track.
What you suggested could work or alternatively give us a half lap head start so when you do begin to catch up you'd be a bit more spread out rather than still in a bunch.

And yeah, stop whinging

[prettybillie]

Stop your whinging, au!

Take a viagra and HTFU!!!!

[Sketchy_Racer]

As for F1/F2 I'm coming to play after I've finished this series in clubmans. If i win all races at Manfield in PMCC Round 2 (clubmans) then I may consider competing in F2 for Round 3 at taupo...but first things first huh :-D

I'd say you abilities on the bike show that you are more than capable of being in F2 mate. If clubmans get's to fast, it'll become daunting for other new comers possibly putting them off.

[oyster]

Start line stuff ups is our biggest safety issue at the moment, in my opinion.
2 classes with a split grid should be flagged away separately, giving a good gap between them before the second class is flagged away. By the time they mix they're then well spread out. Common sense? It seems not....
The system of a common start but a gap between the grids is a major disaster waiting to happen. This gap means the bikes at the back could be doing 160kph plus when they come across a stationary (failed to start) bike from the front class. This won't be an "inconvenience crash" it'll be a fatal.
Get your concerns to the Safety Commissioner.