Drove up to Taupo Day before and watched the the last leg of the road race spectacular the day was perfect hot and sticky.
Got my bike into the Garage and set up that afternoon so i wouldnt have to be running round like a blue arsed fly on race day.
Since i had decided to do the endurance race myself i didnt really have a pit crew sussed but by the end of Sunday afternoon Sue Futter, Rustys and Cayles brother Ryan had put their hands up to crew for me.
Race Day
Arrived at the track about 8am got scuteenered and sign in weather looked overcast with big grey pregnant clouds moving in, i had a set of Pirelli wets but had never raced on a wet surface or used wets obviously.
1st Quali: Surface Dry and Cool
Apart from a morning at Manfield a couple of weeks before, this was my first outing on the track since i dropped my bike twice at round 6 and broke my arm, my cast had come off December 1st and even tho it felt good my head was gunna be my biggest barrier.
Any way felt apprehensive and just didnt have the confidence to lean the machine over even on the awesom Metzelers.
Finished the 1st quali session....
...... the rain came down ......
Everyone started to change onto wets so my trusty pit crew got to work reshodding the yamakazi, meanwhile my head was having a major argument with itself about the saneness of racing a machine at 250kmh+ down the taupo back straight in the pouring (and i mean pouring) rain.
With the help of Steve Bagshaw, a few words from Haden F and a call to Robert Taylor the suspension was adjusted for the wet conditions just as 2nd Quali call was made.
2nd Quali: Surface Wet and Cold
Right from the first turn the bike felt really stable and by the end of the session i had knocked 7 seconds off my lap time.
I felt a wee bit more confident as i came into the pits and it was boosted by back slaps and encouraging words from my pit crew, although the bike felt more connected with the surface through the suspension adjustments i felt i had lost some corner tip in sharpness but it was all good.
Qualifying Position 11th on the grid
The Inaugural Taupo Endurance Race Surface a River and Cold
I made a point of wishing everyone that was racing good luck and sealed it with a hand shake.
I have to mention that i had got hold of a little square digital clock which we tapped to the steering yoke and water proofed with a condom (suppled by Ryan-he told me it was a "trojan") Russel was to start the stop watch on it as the green flag was waved, this gave me accurate timing durng the 3hr race.
We had our photo taken and lined up on the start grid opposite the bikes BANG it begins.
00:01hrs Hopped on the bike..wouldnt start..fuck...started...damn i was right at the back maybe one or two behind me spent the next 20 or so minutes clawing my way up to approx 9th place mid field.
00:30hrs My stratagey was to come in every 30 minutes and refill have a drink etc so after 30 minutes i came into the pits, i realised that the way the bike had been set up what i gained in feel and feedback i lost in cornering in fact i was physically fighting to turn through the corners.
Went back out and decided to throw my strategy out the window and just rode hard till the low fuel light went on which it did about an hour later.
01:30hrs came in and got a real suprize when i tried to hop off the bike my body didnt want to move, started doing stretchs and noticed a hell of alot of flashs coming from cameras pointed in my direction i guess i looked better than i felt bwhaaahaaaa back on the bike back on the track.
2.15hrs by this time i really started to feel my body start to complain the rain had almost stopped and i saw Russel signalling me on the start finish striaght so decided to come in.
As it happened he was trying to tell me to stay in the wet areas off line to conserve my wets i looked him in the eye and told him i was fading he told me just to keep going back out there i went.
02:30hrs I was literally had it i keep lokking at the clock willing it to hit 03:00hrs my concentration was off and my lines were getting sloppy and i was getting passed by every one, in hind sight this is where physical conditioning really comes into play its always the last part of any race where you can really make or brake it looking at the stats after the race i had been running 9th to 11th but dropped to 13th by the end.
I little disapointing for me because i knew my lack of race fitness had cost me atleast two places, better luck next year aye.
Big ups to my pit crew Sue, Russell and Ryan you are the best and im so grateful that you guys decided to help me, thank you for helping off my bike at race end and for packing up my gear i just couldnt have done it myself.
Big ups to Steve for spending your time working on my complicated suspension.
Big ups to all the Solo riders you all deserve the title "Superman"
Big ups to the Winners Glen and Vtec you did fantastically well and deserve the accolades WELL DONE!
Lastly thank you to the organisers for a well run event that is going to be a definite on the NZ race calender in years to come.
All in all i had a fantastic time.
Cheers.
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Darrin, Fantastic to see you finish !!! that was the goal !!! and you achived it, great ride especialy with those conditions out there.
Originally Posted by peasea
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