Teambwr47- AMCC round 1

[Teambwr47]

I've made no secret that the AMCC is the primary aim for my 2008 race season as I'm unable to do the full National season due to family commitments back in Europe.

In the week following the VMCC my bike was dispatched off to Dave Cole for a check over and with a new clutch fitted I picked it up in time for a brief run out on the Saturday test day just to make sure it was all running well. I also managed to pick up a new set of D211GP tyres from Dunlop in the week between meetings and they felt superb on the test day. These tyres only arrived in NZ on the Wednesday so we'd be the first to try them. In talking to Andrew Knox at Dunlop he told me there was a chance to get some 200/55 tyres to try nearer the summer on Sport Production 600's which should be interesting.

After a good set of results the previous weekend at Manfield I felt quite confident going to Pukekohe and entered the Formula 2 and Formula Auckland classes, so 6 races in total. I've done quite a few track days at Pukekohe now and find it reasonably easy to lap in 1.02's even with a track day mindset as opposed to race day head on.

With the forecast suggesting it could rain at some point in the day we decided to set up in the covered pit area and got there nice and early thinking that practice would start at 9am........ turns out we didn't get on track until nearer 10:30.........lol.

With the cold weather and a strong wind blowing i wasn't sure where the race winning pace would be in terms of lap times but having pawed over the results of previous AMCC meetings it seemed that most of the F2 races were won in the 1.00's or very low 1.01's. i was fairly sure that i had the pace to get into the 1.00's and set that as the race target.

Formula Auckland Practice
Looking at the program there was only something like 6 bikes pre-entered but in the end 15 were out on track for this session, disappointing after the full grids of Manfield but with Sam Smith, Nick Cole, Hayden Fitzgerald and Ray Clee in the session it was likely to be fast.
Got out on my own for pretty much the whole session and concentrated on pushing hard into turn 1 and running 4th gear into Ford.
Managed to put in a 1.01.52 which was my fastest ever timed lap at Pukekohe for 4th on the grid.

Formula 2
After the Formula Auckland session I thought I could push a fair bit harder and I wanted a front row start in F2. Another small field but with last years AMCC champ Nick Cole and Sam Smith out there the size of field didn't matter it would be a good benchmark just to ride against them. On track I managed to catch Nick Cole quite easily (even if I then promptly get the hairpin all wrong) and kept Sam at a distance behind me so knew we had a good pace and that turned out to be the case setting a 1.00.64 for 2nd on the grid. I missed out on pole by just under a tenth of a second to Sam and the two of us were over a second faster then 3rd placed Nick Cole so all looked good for the races.

Formula Auckland race 1
Got my normal shit start but but by the end of the first lap managed to get into 4th and set about closing down Sam Smith which i did quickly. I followed Sam for a while and it was obvious that i was quicker through the section from the hairpin to Ford mountain and also turn 1 until Castrol. unfortunately as per manfield the week before it was painfully obvious my bike is sadly lacking outright go compared to Sams and Pukekohe back straight highlighted the problem. Even getting better drive out of Castrol and tucking tight into a slipstream saw me lose ground!
With this in mind I knew I needed to get past early in the lap and passed Sam on the entry to Ford by carrying more corner speed through the previous left hander. I managed to keep him behind me for a lap or two before he frustratingly breezed past on the back straight. Last lap i lined up a pass at Ford to the line by running more corner speed and a better exit but lost out by about half a wheel. This was a good race for me as it again proved we have the pace to run with the best in class knowing there's more time to come when we improve the motor with Kit parts to release more BHP. At the finish i was 4th with a best lap of 1.00.01 so very pleased with the lap time.

Formula 2 race 1
This is the class i hope to win this season and I knew that another battle with Sam Smith beckoned. I got and OK start and got into 2nd behind Sam. I thought I'd follow Sam for the race and then try to get the lead toward the end but much to my surprise a few laps in following Sam into the hairpin he seemed to run very wide and I had little option but to lead. I put in a steady lap and took a glance back to a big gap...no Sam?
Turns out he pulled in with what he though was a sick motor (turned out to be a loose exhaust) and i was able to take it easy to the flag for my first ever Southern Hemisphere win with a best lap of 1.00.8!!
The best of possible starts for a championship.

Formula Auckland race 2
I so need to get better starts as again i lost a load if time on the first lap. I got into 4th and set about closing down Sam and Hayden who were having a rare old battle ahead for 2nd. Managed to close the gap to them but then made a small mistake and lost maybe a second as the race neared the end. I took a look back and with a big gap i decided i was not going to get close enough to pass the guys ahead so settled for 4th. When we checked the times I'd set a number of laps in the 59's with a best of 59.54.

Formula 2 race 2
No idea why but Sam Smith failed to appear on the grid for this race and as a result, looking at the lap times, I knew this should be an easy race to win and thats the way it went. Not a great start but easily got to the front, pulled away and once i got a gap i eased back a touch to finish 1st with a best of 1.00.87

Formula Auckland race 3
This was an easy race to 2nd as Sam had seemingly called it a day. Ray Clee on the Suzuki GSXR1000 did his best to crash early on by nearly highsiding out of turn 1 and the motocrossing over the gravel/grass to castrol....lol
He stayed on and then cleared off at the front leaving me in a lonely race to 2nd with a best lap of 1.00.74.

Formula 2 race 3
In a reduced field this turned out to be a relative cruise to the win just a case of making sure the gap behind me stayed comfy. My best lap in the race was a 1.00.84 and finishing 2nd behind me was Karl Morgan followed by Nick Cole.


So a clean sweep of wins in Formula 2 to lead the AMCC championship and good finishes in Formula Auckland to hold 2nd after the first meeting.
Most pleasing about the day was the race with Sam Smith that has re-enforced the fact that I have the pace to run at the very front in NZ 600's.
With improvements due to the bike due over the next few weeks via a kit ECU,loom,plugs and dyno set up, I look forward to returning to Pukekohe next time and trying to get into the 58's!!

Next meeting for us will be the VMCC at Manfield on the 18th of October when hopefully the bike will be full power, ready to go........

[Shaun P]

Good times, well done

[boostin]

Nice report.

If you want to practice race starts you could try finding a day at the Meremere drags, fairly close to you.

[Toast]

Nice one Brian.

Anyone know if Sam is racing a 600 this Nat’s? Or giving the 1000 another go?

600s might make it in to the 57s this summer if there’s this kind of competition!

[ArcherWC]

Way to go mate, the little I saw of you (WAY too far behind :-() you looked very much in control of the races and bike. onwards and upwards.

[Clivoris]

Good onya man. But best you tell your mates in the UK this is a shit country to live in. We don't want too many of you's coming down here and cleaning up
Actually, the opposite is probably true. It's great having someone new mixing it up at the pointy end, and with the other riders in these classes showing some form the Nationals are going to be awesome again.
Good luck with the campaign.

[milfd]

I've made no secret that the AMCC is the primary aim for my 2008 race season as I'm unable to do the full National season due to family commitments back in Europe.

In the week following the VMCC my bike was dispatched off to Dave Cole for a check over and with a new clutch fitted I picked it up in time for a brief run out on the Saturday test day just to make sure it was all running well. I also managed to pick up a new set of D211GP tyres from Dunlop in the week between meetings and they felt superb on the test day. These tyres only arrived in NZ on the Wednesday so we'd be the first to try them. In talking to Andrew Knox at Dunlop he told me there was a chance to get some 200/55 tyres to try nearer the summer on Sport Production 600's which should be interesting.

After a good set of results the previous weekend at Manfield I felt quite confident going to Pukekohe and entered the Formula 2 and Formula Auckland classes, so 6 races in total. I've done quite a few track days at Pukekohe now and find it reasonably easy to lap in 1.02's even with a track day mindset as opposed to race day head on.

With the forecast suggesting it could rain at some point in the day we decided to set up in the covered pit area and got there nice and early thinking that practice would start at 9am........ turns out we didn't get on track until nearer 10:30.........lol.

With the cold weather and a strong wind blowing i wasn't sure where the race winning pace would be in terms of lap times but having pawed over the results of previous AMCC meetings it seemed that most of the F2 races were won in the 1.00's or very low 1.01's. i was fairly sure that i had the pace to get into the 1.00's and set that as the race target.

Formula Auckland Practice
Looking at the program there was only something like 6 bikes pre-entered but in the end 15 were out on track for this session, disappointing after the full grids of Manfield but with Sam Smith, Nick Cole, Hayden Fitzgerald and Ray Clee in the session it was likely to be fast.
Got out on my own for pretty much the whole session and concentrated on pushing hard into turn 1 and running 4th gear into Ford.
Managed to put in a 1.01.52 which was my fastest ever timed lap at Pukekohe for 4th on the grid.

Formula 2
After the Formula Auckland session I thought I could push a fair bit harder and I wanted a front row start in F2. Another small field but with last years AMCC champ Nick Cole and Sam Smith out there the size of field didn't matter it would be a good benchmark just to ride against them. On track I managed to catch Nick Cole quite easily (even if I then promptly get the hairpin all wrong) and kept Sam at a distance behind me so knew we had a good pace and that turned out to be the case setting a 1.00.64 for 2nd on the grid. I missed out on pole by just under a tenth of a second to Sam and the two of us were over a second faster then 3rd placed Nick Cole so all looked good for the races.

Formula Auckland race 1
Got my normal shit start but but by the end of the first lap managed to get into 4th and set about closing down Sam Smith which i did quickly. I followed Sam for a while and it was obvious that i was quicker through the section from the hairpin to Ford mountain and also turn 1 until Castrol. unfortunately as per manfield the week before it was painfully obvious my bike is sadly lacking outright go compared to Sams and Pukekohe back straight highlighted the problem. Even getting better drive out of Castrol and tucking tight into a slipstream saw me lose ground!
With this in mind I knew I needed to get past early in the lap and passed Sam on the entry to Ford by carrying more corner speed through the previous left hander. I managed to keep him behind me for a lap or two before he frustratingly breezed past on the back straight. Last lap i lined up a pass at Ford to the line by running more corner speed and a better exit but lost out by about half a wheel. This was a good race for me as it again proved we have the pace to run with the best in class knowing there's more time to come when we improve the motor with Kit parts to release more BHP. At the finish i was 4th with a best lap of 1.00.01 so very pleased with the lap time.

Formula 2 race 1
This is the class i hope to win this season and I knew that another battle with Sam Smith beckoned. I got and OK start and got into 2nd behind Sam. I thought I'd follow Sam for the race and then try to get the lead toward the end but much to my surprise a few laps in following Sam into the hairpin he seemed to run very wide and I had little option but to lead. I put in a steady lap and took a glance back to a big gap...no Sam?
Turns out he pulled in with what he though was a sick motor (turned out to be a loose exhaust) and i was able to take it easy to the flag for my first ever Southern Hemisphere win with a best lap of 1.00.8!!
The best of possible starts for a championship.

Formula Auckland race 2
I so need to get better starts as again i lost a load if time on the first lap. I got into 4th and set about closing down Sam and Hayden who were having a rare old battle ahead for 2nd. Managed to close the gap to them but then made a small mistake and lost maybe a second as the race neared the end. I took a look back and with a big gap i decided i was not going to get close enough to pass the guys ahead so settled for 4th. When we checked the times I'd set a number of laps in the 59's with a best of 59.54.

Formula 2 race 2
No idea why but Sam Smith failed to appear on the grid for this race and as a result, looking at the lap times, I knew this should be an easy race to win and thats the way it went. Not a great start but easily got to the front, pulled away and once i got a gap i eased back a touch to finish 1st with a best of 1.00.87

Formula Auckland race 3
This was an easy race to 2nd as Sam had seemingly called it a day. Ray Clee on the Suzuki GSXR1000 did his best to crash early on by nearly highsiding out of turn 1 and the motocrossing over the gravel/grass to castrol....lol
He stayed on and then cleared off at the front leaving me in a lonely race to 2nd with a best lap of 1.00.74.

Formula 2 race 3
In a reduced field this turned out to be a relative cruise to the win just a case of making sure the gap behind me stayed comfy. My best lap in the race was a 1.00.84 and finishing 2nd behind me was Karl Morgan followed by Nick Cole.


So a clean sweep of wins in Formula 2 to lead the AMCC championship and good finishes in Formula Auckland to hold 2nd after the first meeting.
Most pleasing about the day was the race with Sam Smith that has re-enforced the fact that I have the pace to run at the very front in NZ 600's.
With improvements due to the bike due over the next few weeks via a kit ECU,loom,plugs and dyno set up, I look forward to returning to Pukekohe next time and trying to get into the 58's!!

Next meeting for us will be the VMCC at Manfield on the 18th of October when hopefully the bike will be full power, ready to go........

Mate I do not mean to be rude but I have read most of the post you put on here about how great you are? Yet to be seen! you come to liddle old NZ and have done nothing but whinge since you got here ow the tracks are shit my tyres are shit my bikes to slow etc etc you left out the one about you are to old lol. You seem to have won a 3rd rate series in the uk a few years back which is basically the same as winning the vic club series in NZ and think your a Freakn world champ and you are 3 seconds of the pace at manfeild and 1.5 -2 seconds of at pukekohe and trust me the mods you have left to do aint going to give you that much lap time. I watched you at manfeild at the last vic meeting and dont get me wrong you went OK sam smith beat you and he still has only about 40% strength in his wrist from what I have been told and James Smith smoked you, we had some riders come out from OZ I think it was 8 years ago and they were only just in top 10 at best in OZ and they were doing 10s after one day at manfeild 8 bloddy years ago so I think you have a long way to go mate before you start slagging of how slow NZ riders are round the twistys bits you mite want to have a look at my laps.com and see just how fast you will need to go before you say you are the man even though you wont be around to prove it.
low 8s was the pace at manfeild and it will probly be high 7s next year and 58.2 at puke I think and it will be 57s I would say with the fast young aussie boys coming again.
Hope you continue to race hard if you keep at it for long enough you will get there in the end mate

[Teambwr47]

Without meaning to sound to polite mate.........

When exactly I have said 'how great I am'.....?

I have, when asked, related exactly where and to what level I've raced at to people here and sponsors who have generously assisted us to date.

I'm so sorry for mentioning how poor some of the facilities are but then you very happily avoid the numerous comments I've made that I love this place and the racing/paddock atmosphere here.

Why the hell would I think I was 'Freakn' world anything, I know where I stand in racing.... its a hobby and I have no desire to call myself 'the man' as you put it....

As for my tyres mate they are bloody awesome thanks I'm very happy with them... Dunlops are the business!

To the lap times, take a look at the times accross the board, or is it just the fact that I was off national winning pace that bothers you?
Seeing as the nationals were won at Pukekohe over the last few season in 58's and 59's I'm quite happy with our pace thanks. I know there will be faster riders at the Nationals and i'll happily try to finish as high as we can. I have never 'slagged' off any rider ever, but it obviously upsets you that someone should comment on relative pace at parts of a track and having actually spoken to Sam a number of times over the weekend I'll use his and others views over yours on how the racing went thanks.

As for parts and set up on the bike I imagine we'll gain tenths of a second but hey as I'm so far off the pace, all will help eh?

Oh yeah one other thing.... Do i really give a toss what you think, well other than a bit of sport in this reply.......nah.......piss off you prat.

[Tony.OK]

Hell Brian..........you seem to have a devoted fan there mate. Good stuff at Puke, and they say Poms whinge aye

[Teambwr47]

Hell Brian..........you seem to have a devoted fan there mate. Good stuff at Puke, and they say Poms whinge aye

When I become World Champion and pip Rossi to next years title with two rounds to spare I'll send him my signed promo pictures..... just before the alarm clock goes off to wake me up for another day.

Interesting that whoever 'Milfd' is joined KB today to make their first post an attack on the subject my racing..... I wonder who it could be......?

By the way are you doing the next VMCC Tony?

[Tony.OK]

By the way are you doing the next VMCC Tony?

Definately mate, have been running laps every night in bed trying to find some pace to catch ya....................so far have come up with brake later, corner faster and get on the gas sooner...........yep think I've got it cracked
Looking forward to finishing my 1st series on a high

[Teambwr47]

Hope to catch up with you at Manfield but need to travel with work next week so not sure I'm going to have the time to get sorted to be there?

Have to see how it pans out.......

[scracha]

Milfd, nobody seems upset when kiwis use phrases like "easy race" or "cruise to win" so I'm guessing you're other favourite catchphrase is "if you don't like it fuck off back to your own country".

[roadracingoldfart]

Mate I do not mean to be rude but I have read most of the post you put on here about how great you are? Yet to be seen! in

I know ........ Its Stroudy and hes gettin nervous about the nationals with new competition on the grid.

Alot of folks are following your progress Brian , Good luck and hope to meet you at the final round of VMCC.

Paul.

[CHOPPA]

Gotta be happy with those times bro and the race wins! You will take out the series easy, none of the other fast guys do the whole series but you do get some fast guys turning up to practice for the nats. I won the series last year in my first year racing