Vicki's Sound Of Thunder

**flame** · 3rd March 2009, 12:12

RUAPUNA ROCKS!!!!!!

This report will be long.....the weekend had so much to offer...

I arrived home at near midnight last night after my favorite meeting of the year. Huge fields of thundering bikes all over the show and a buzz buzzing in the air like I couldn't believe. 'Twin city' for sure and the people at this event are just tops! Some amazing machines to veiw as well. Even some Auzzies turned up to give us Kiwi's some battles.
I had been looking forward to this event since I left the last one a year ago. For us (KTL/Anglo American Team) this is our highlight of the year. Getting back on Ruapuna track at the test day (Friday)I found I had to re-learn it all over. But I love that track!
The racing took place over two days.

SATURDAY.....
started for me with 'Best of Italian" race, over 40 bikes lined up and the flag dropped. I was still taking the track with caution and came in 13th, I wasn't into the flow out there,but I knew that would come. With my team mate NickO finishing in the top 3 it was a great start to the weekend.

Chris Mullen (MV Nut) arrived at the track with the sexytime MV Tamburini, she's now all set for our next Speed Record attempt with shiney new bling. An amazing looking/sounding Titanuim race exhaust which everyone wanted to see and hear, meant a lunchtime demo session was organized. Awesome I thought! till I realised it was ME that was to take her out to the tarmac

.
I think I was more nervous about this than my actual races! that bike is a work of art, what if I dropped her out there...I'd hate to think! I took off with thousands of eyes watching, listening, and rode her like she was made of gold. Each corner braking well before my brake markers as on entry I just kept having visions of $$ signs bouncing up inside my visor

Though she was BEGGING for me to open the throttle, cornering felt so effortless, I thought it safest to open the tap down the straights, opening her up and feeling the power of now over 150BHP, hearing the induction roar was just phenomenal. Thanks Chris.....that was a highlight of my weekend! I never thought I'd get to ride a bike like that round a racetrack!!!

Then my 1st Formula One race and the heavens opened, the team switched 99 onto wets and we went out puddle jumping for a bit. I was Sloooooooow

, knowing the forcast for Sundays big races was meant to be fine so I just kept 99 shiney side up in the hope that Sunday would have the sun shining and I'd have the chance to lay some rubber on my favorite track for sure.

SUNDAY......
Race one: sun shining, 'B' Bracket grid position 10 and off I went. Over 50 of us thundered into turn one with me up into 5th/6th pos. I put my head down and just went for it. I found the groove from somewhere, and it just all felt so much easier (Passing each bike in front of me one by one as the opportunity arose through the infield, not entirely sure how I pulled them off, but somehow it just happened. By the forth lap I was in 2nd place behind the 'FLAME' Buell racer, a 1340cc Buell Factory race bike I was told. He had some power down the straights for sure, drafting him wasn't an option,but I waited till my moment to take the tight line inside him around sweeper on the 4th lap to take the lead, then it was go for gold! I knew the team would be cheering hard out for me by now (apparently if you were standing near Rob you could no longer even hear the bikes!!!) so I just rode hard as I could to keep the lead for us. Last turn on to the front straight and I knew I had it, the Buell had dropped back a little and the Chequer flag was mine

That was something I NEVER expected this weekend. Returning to the pits with the whole team waiting, cheering and my tummy doing flips

was an amazing feeling of which I really hope I can experience again.

I went on to finish 3rd in my next race , and then 6th in the Finale race (North vs South) to which Dobsy on his 675 Triumph bought the Cup home to the North Island for us. ONYA DOBSY!!!!

Prizegiving saw many prizes for our team (mostly Nick's...who rode so blardy awsome! congrats on fantastic riding matie....and I WILL get you back for that video

) but a great weekend for our team.

Thank you's are never ending this weekend. Thanks to all my sponsors once again.Big up's to the organizers and marshalls for putting on and running a tremendous event!

Thanks for reading all that.

Is it Sound of Thunder 2010 yet???????

**wharfy** · 3rd March 2009, 14:39

That was an outstanding start you got, I watched you disappear through the crowd heading for turn one and never saw you again during the race, good stuff !!