Basically since Ruapuna i havnt had a chance really to even look at my bike, LG have had some really big plans that we have been trying to put into place with my business and with the hot weather theres been plenty of late nights and early mornings. So much that i couldnt even make it down to the test day on friday (sorry ed!)
We arrived at Manfield on saturday morning, I was in the early stages of getting a head cold and was not in the mindspace i usually am come race day! lucky it was practice! Fortunately for me the Daltons (Drew and Jimmy Mair) had escaped from somewhere and were there to help get us motivated and get all the pits set up and bikes sorted!
PRACTICE
I felt really distant and unattached from the bike in practice so i wanted to just take things easy and get a feel for the bike and track, Drew made a couple of adjustments to the suspension and i came away from practice with a new PB of 1.098
QUALIFYING
I was trying to save some money on Tyres so i found what i thought was a mint set of s/h tyres and wacked them on for qualifying. I shot out on the track for the first lap and figured all the sliding was just because the tyres were a bit cold but some lap 2 and they were still sliding i shot back into the pits to check there was no fluid leaking onto them or something, nothing... I shot back out onto the track did a quickish lap then back to the pits, we put on a new tyre but didnt make it back onto the track. 1.097 put me in 8th grid. Lesson learnt!
RACE 1
It was a new day and apart from the Head, throat, neck and ear aches with a few panadol i was def in race mode! Now i cant complain about my clutch because ive known about the problem for some time now, i just havnt found the solution. Basically the clutch wont slip away from the line it just grabs and i cant get of the line, anyway i still managed to get to the first corner 7th, i stuck maybe a second or so off Ray and Hayden for half the race when i got a big bug hit me in the visor right in my line of sight, i wiped it which turned out to be a stupid idea! It was not to much of a problem but just a point in the race where i started to cruise to the finish as i had plenty of room behind me and i wanted to finish. PB 1.087
7th
RACE 2
Again with the terrible start i got to the first corner 10th, i got by Ed in turn 1 and followed Reece for a few laps. Im not totally sure why but i was getting smoked down the straights something kronik! Maybe the clutch is slipping? anyway i had to make the most of it, i got by Reece in the hairpin and pulled the same move of Peter Tanner as through the infield was the only place i could catch the aprilia as well! I could see Ray Clee ahead of me but i couldnt do anything to catch untill he started slowing with a blown engine. After seeing Ray sidelined i decided i didnt want to share the same fait cause he is my nearest rival in the championship and i needed the points. I thought i had plenty of room behind me because i could see Peter as i exited the hairpin so i slowed down slightly to make sure i finished but i didnt realise Reece had also passed Tanner and was right behind me! I got passed on the last lap and ran a bit wide when i tried to outbrake him, i was absolutly furious at myself but all credit to Reece as he rode very well and even recorded a faster time by .01 Theres 2 ways of thinking about my mistake, 1 ride 110% and win by half a lap or 2 have a pitboard to tell you whats going on behing you so you only do what you have to...
7th, 1.087
Overall i still come out of the weekend 6th = so not a bad result and ive certainly learnt a few good lessons! Im now 6th in the championship 2 points behind Craig in 5th and 12pts ahead of Clee. Bike will be at speed-tech today for a good looksy!
The LG pit looked really good and we gave away stacks of posters. Thanks Drew and Jimmy you guys were excellent help as the mechanics but also the motivation cheers!
Reply With Quote
at the "Daltons"
Originally Posted by Clivoris
Bookmarks