FAST!
If I was to sum up my weekend playing with the big boys in one word (or more them playing with me...mmmm....did that sound wrong???) it would have to that "FAST!" Unbelievable really! Anyway, to the beginning...
Fri:
Woke up and saw that it was overcast but as others have said, the forecast was for it to be clearing around 1pm so I wasn't deterred by it. 1pm came and went...still no sign of letting up. Wiggles and Jamie R were out on wets and giving me no end of grief for being to soft to come and play in the puddle but I was certain it was going to be fine for the next two days so I saw little point in risking it all just to get all wet and miserable. So I stayed in the warmth of the shed and let them go about getting drenched. To the organizers credit, I was given a full refund due to not riding and thats absolutely tops!!!! Thank you very much :-)
Sat:
Got to the track a little later than was planned but nevermind. Checked in set my bike up and waited for the call up. I felt like a gladiator sitting under the stage about to go and fight to the death some big game cat...I was shitting myself....and it was only practice!
Went out for the first session and felt pretty average but not too bad....was circulating at about 1.17 so was quite a bit slower than my PB of 1.15's. I got quicker in the next sessions, gradually getting faster and easily equaling my PB times and got as low as 1.1426 from memory so was pretty happy as my goal for the weekend was to reach the 13's and I felt it was achievable.
Qualifying:
This was fun. In the practice I had more or less been riding on my own and during qualifying I got to follow some really fast guys for portions of the track...invaluable learning as I was given the learn! But in all seriousness, I felt I accomplished a lot in the qualifying and I was confident I wasn't going to be the last on the grid.....I was wrong! I was happy with my lap times, my best being 1:14.781, but Greg Percival bet me with a 1:14.417 and Phil Snowdon with a 1:14.380! 16th position on the grid.....right....this needed attending to I felt!
Race one:
I was pacing backwards and forwards in the pit area getting my head together when I remembered I had a Mp3 player that I thought I might listen to....turned it on to play Disturbed 'Divide' as loud as it would go while I sat in my gear with my Helmet on my knees, eyes shut running through every corner in my mind. I visualized every braking point, tip-in, bike angle, body position, acceleration point, sit up point and most importantly I felt the BUZZ of accerrating and having the bike squirm under you in excitement as you let it know your the boss!
FUCK I WAS AMPED! Why did these other two guys even show up today...they were about to get the learn from Biggles! :-)
The third and final call was made and I was out on the dummy grid waiting for the gate to open. Out we all went and I was on the pace immediately....feeling the buzz that was in my head before....two practice laps and I lined up at the back of the grid. Red lights start thier sequence and I rev my bike to 12000rpm. Lights out.....clutch out...I'm off! Great start...I make it in front of Phil Snowdon (I think) and sit in behind Greg as we negotiate the first corner! There is no such sensation in this world to be surrounded by such talent as I was experiencing right in that moment! What a feeling....I am so amped. predominatly for the first lap we all stay together until the rest of the field show thier class and leave the three of us to battle it out for the last three spots. It may as well have been for first spot in my head tho.
Phil gets past me somewhere and I'm in last postion again but it where I wanted to be for the moment. I wanted to watch and learn thier strengths. about 6 laps pass before I started getting aggressive and pushing up on Phils wheel...almost getting taken out at Higgins at one point as I made a commitment to go around the outside but Phil drifted wide and I stood it up and went to the inside.
Finally I managed to get Phil under brakes around the outside of turn one and started chasing Greg. I was right on his tail and pushing up beside him and easing off again...I'm sure he could hear me. On lap 10 Greg took a slightly wider line into splash and BANG, his front tucked and he was off.....happened about 5 meters in front of me.
I thought for a moment about it then used it as a moment to possibly gain further ground on Phil Who I'm sure was right behind me! I ended up in 14th position in that race with some fantastic dualing with both Phil and Greg.
Part two shortly!
Part two...
Race 2
I was a little disappointed that Greg was not going to be part of our tri in the second race as it was great having two other similar paced riders to dual with..never the less I was going to have to deal with Phil S who had already proved to me he was no slouch. I was so focused on getting a good start as I backed myself if I could get tucked in behind another faster rider and get dragged along to create a buffer between Phil and me. So my goal for this race was to get a better start than phil....and of course finish in front of him too :-D.
Pre race I was doing the same visualization that I can't rave on about enough...it totally clears away all my nerves and turns them into anticipation and excitement....then by the time I get called to the track, I am amped up and just wanting to get out their and do it. I will always go through this ritual prior to racing now...it works a treat.
This time I was sitting next to Phil on the dummy grid and I asked him if he had done 13's around Manfield but he said he hadn't....I said.."lets do them now!"
We went out, completed our two practice laps and lined up at the grid. Good thing about being right at the back is you know your the last and the lights will start their sequence soon after your lined up so there is no delay. The lights did their thing and I was off.....slipping the clutch till I could keep accelerating with the clutch full out....wide open throttle....use the tall first gear of the kwaka to drag phils R6....it worked again...great start and I was up in the pack at the first corner....wicked....thier is that sensation of awe again....here are the best of the best screaming around the first sweeper before splash...4 wide...right in front of me...I had the best view in the house of that race!
This race was pretty uneventful l really...I managed to maintain a healthy lead over phil and I felt like a cat running away from a dog....not quite sure how far behind he was. I managed to get a glimpse of him about to enter the infield hairpin while I was exiting so that gave me a little breather and I stressed just a little bit less. All remained the same until I came around splash an what do you know....Jamie Rajek was just mounting his bike after a wee off....I might beat him(i was pitting with him)! Head down again I put the pace back on as best as I could as I was feeling a bit of fatigue kick in. It must have been on the second to last lap Jamie managed to pass me again and I hooked in behind him and thats how it ended. Nick Cole had an off in the 12th lap so that put me in 13th position for that race...highest placing in a Nationals event.
I am so happy I competed in this event for many reasons but mostly for the experience I got from it....an amazing feeling being part of all that adrenaline....words cannot explain it. I'm almost looking forward to the pukekohe round even!!!
I would like to thank my sponsors....METZELER tires are the bomb!!!! (I have a set of Racetech's available for sale...barely used....30 laps of Manfield, $280 for the set) I highly recommend these tires...they have NEVER felt like letting me down. Moto TT track days and especially Sue....you have always been a great supporter and quite frankly...you rock!!! In this crazy sport we all partake in I have found some sensational people who have helped me out when I have needed it and Darrin (Scuzme) is another one of those people. Bro...I would never have been racing in Manfield had it not been for your support...I really appreciate it bud! Prettybillie has this uncanny ability to make sense out of the muddle of my racing....she is 'team biggles' manager and 'pitch bitch' and all your effort never goes unnoticed! Wiggles for transporting my bike there and Jamie R for taking it back to Taupo for me.....thanks boys (next time let me beat you JR)
Biggles08 out till Puke...see you scags on the track!
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Originally Posted by Tony.OK
....part two (race two) coming later.
Looking fwd to part 2
.......
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