Scracha's Taupo Road Race Spectacular 2010

[scracha]

Monday
Pinged $80 for doing 105 with trailer....doh. Stinking hot sun. Luckily Paul Duncan let me use his ghezebo.
First PC89 practice. Bumpety bump.....front end vibrating like hell. Come in after first lap. Run out on Dunlop slick really bad. Suspect faulty tyre or it's just came off bead. Grab cash out wallet but Kerry tells me tyre is fooked. Bugger. Stick spare rim wiht GPR a10 on front. Brakes start leaking.
Second PC89 practise. Warmup lap...hmm...Taupo is bumpier than I recall. Oh dear, I haven't bled brakes properly and it's nearly coming back to the bar. 2nd lap, someone's on their arse and session is red-flagged. No more pracise. Great....fuggin early start for 3 laps. Haven't done Taupo short track for well over a year.
Watch the endurance race and get in a hump because I couldn't afford it. Everyone has a ball :-) Overall a pretty pants day.

Frenchy helps me (ok...pretty much does it) rip off the slicks and bung wets on the rims. Some grub and a few beers and I'm feeling better. Empty pit garage found and I get a great night sleep.

Tuesday. Weather forecast holds true and it's raining. At least I won't get sunburnt and there's no hassle of generators and tyre warmers.

PC89 qualifying. The bike feels "nervous". I'm nervous as I'm not sure if the runout on the front rim will cause problems. Whole session stuck behind 500CC big single engined KR250 (Robert Grover?). He's on road tyres and I'm the one who's spinning up. Must be the extra weight. Scary white line moment at turn 5. More scary moments at final corner painted lines. Yikes. Qualify 5th wiht a 1.47.


Bump up tyre pressure by 5psi to 36(f)/32(r) as per the clever Mr Duncan's advice.

Pc89 Race 1. Decent start. I follow Patric Nassbaum (ZX10) but can't keep with him. Michael Webster (ZXR750) soon passes me. I give up chasing him after lap 2. Bike feels 100 times better, the tyres are now working properly but I'm not confident with so much standing water. Look behind me after 4 laps and nobody to be seen. Very lonely race. Patric laps me on lap 10. Finish 3rd, best lap 1.39. Peter Ellis has fantastic race (RD350) on road tyres and comes in 4th.


PC89 Race 2. Peter parks his bike on warmup lap....bloody 2 strokes. Track not as wet but still lots of standing water on back straight. Tried relaxing grip on inner bar and taking Paul Martindale's advice of sitting back in the seat. Felt better when I remembered to do it but it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks. Pretty much a repeat of first race. Finish 3rd, best lap 1.35 but I don't get lapped.

Happy to discover a hot shower at the track as my leathers are now saturated. Prize giving...I'm even happier to discover they split the class into senior and junior so I'm err, first on the day. Bloody nice trophy too.

The sun partially came out for 10 minutes during the prize giving and I discover my face and arms are a nice red colour when I arrive home.


Thanks

• Phil "toast" Endean - Compressor
• Anthony Montgomery / Drew Mair - Both donated free NSR250 calipers
• Neil Gow of On Time Mobile Services - Fitted stainless brake hoses
• Piako Stanless & Alloy Specialists - Created brackets for NSR calipers
• Te Aroha Panel Beaters - Repaired and reinforced holed fairing after my wee off at Hampton Downs.
• PMCC for taking the mantle and running the Taupo Road Race Spectacular.
• The Marshalls for what must have been a bloody awful day in the wet.
• Graham Billington - Fairings still look great
• Paul Martindale - Stuffing the CBR600 motor in the 400 frame..
• Robert Taylor - Ohlins and emulators....one day the track will be dry and we'll get it setup properly
• Frenchy - Owe you a few beers
• Pipson - I've nicked your photos again. Keep up the good work.

[Deano]

Great result bro - you made it sound easy !! Looks very wet from the photo.

[roadracingoldfart]

And all without telling me you were even doing the meeting!!!!.
Did you fit the brakes ? what about the ones i have here you igit.
Those pics make it look like you are expecting a pillion to join you anytime , move the ass back ALL the time.
Let me know if you need tyres mate, and call me sometime to fill me in on details.
Well done on the placing and we all know you can do it again at VMCC as youve got the best package around.
Have a good new year to you and Petra.

Paul & Di.

PS; I still beat you, with trailer at 112kmh = $ 170.00 . He let me off the wof lapsed so stop moaning.

[Pussy]

we all know you can do it again at VMCC as youve got the best package around.

Yeah.... but is his bike any good?

[scracha]

Did you fit the brakes ? what about the ones i have here you igit.

They're for the 2nd bike :-)

Let me know if you need tyres mate, and call me sometime to fill me in on details.

Roger roger. Front slick may be fucked. No money ATM to do owt about it though.

Well done on the placing and we all know you can do it again at VMCC as youve got the best package around.

Didn't manage to find peso's to get it to Gary's for dyno time. Needs a bit of money spent on it to match Ernie's and that bloody XR600

[roadracingoldfart]

Yeah.... but is his bike any good?

Your a pervy stalker you are how would i know how GOOD his package is

[roadracingoldfart]

They're for the 2nd bike :-)


Roger roger. Front slick may be fucked. No money ATM to do owt about it though.


Didn't manage to find peso's to get it to Gary's for dyno time. Needs a bit of money spent on it to match Ernie's and that bloody XR600

Ring next week anyhow .

[wharfy]

Onya scratcha ! bloody good result, and nice write up

[Matt Bleck]

Well done Stevie!

There's never a dull moment when I'm baby sitting you!

[Mental Trousers]

Even when you don't have a poor, long suffering side kick you still manage to turn a day at the track into an adventure.

Good effort etc.

[Dogboy900]

Nice write up, looks like it was not too dissimilar to the VMCC winter series!

[Frenchy]

Nice work in some hell wet conditions mate keep up the good work!!

[Clivoris]

Onya Steevie. Great to see you keeping at it and reaping the rewards. You'ld be going faster if I was out there

[codgyoleracer]

105 with trailer on ? - you should be in jail with the rapist & axe murderers dontya-know.

Paul seems to ignoring me on the lending of a 6 Hundy........

[86GSXR]

Nice write up, it sure was wet eh. I did qualifying and afterwards saw lots of people packing up and handing in transponders. Because I don't know too many faces I assumed they were PC riders and so I packed up as well. Totally gobsmacked to see almost the entire field line up for the race and felt really stupid. Well done on your win