Well did the whole sort everything out the day before the race, but no major dramas, road to race tirm, oil change, tyre changes etc etc.
Got a good night sleep in at Taupo and meet up with the team bright and early, big thanks to Mason for the use of the generator, we would've been well screwed without it.
Anyway set up signed in, ate a couple of pies for good measure, and took off for F2 practice to try and get dialed in, left the pits and exited turn one to see Death picking his pick up on the side if turn 2had put soem rearsets onto the GSXR for this round to tyr and give me some more corner clearance which i was in desparate need off, the rearsets put me in a totally different positiona dn felt werid as fuck, the bike felt quite unstable and twicthy, but as the laps went on i got more comfy with it, but didn't feel anywhere near as quick as the last time out on taupo at the MotoTT day, wasn't dragging anything so the rearsets are doing the trick.
Went out for F1 qualifing, before each round i try and set myself some goals/targets/aims to meet acheive:
Front row start
Get at least a podium to finish the series off
Break into the 1.39's
Not fall off
Hopefully bridge the gap and claim 5th overall.
Qualifying went well bike was good but i kept running into traffic got stuck behind Rob Jackson for most of it but was tentative about putting a pass on his pace was good and we weren't racing so punting him off wouldn't look to good, so i dropped right back to get a good run but nearing the end of a good lap i run into more traffic, arghh. Hadn't got the timesheet but someone called me a cock and i had placed 3rd fastetst with a 1.40.987 with Rob Jackson 1.40.909 and Shirrifs on pole with a 1.38.483. Had some seriously quick people behind me was thinking maybe i just got lucky? But had my front row start so was happy.
Race One:
My start was average not my worst not my best Daryl the bitch got past me and so did Jay, Manuell and Darron putting me in 7th out of turn 1, ah crap not good in sprint races, time to get a boogey on picked off Daryl and Manuell on the straight and slotted in behind Darron, taupo tends to be a tough track to pass on when everyone is on pace, so gain wasted a lap behind Darron and picked the 600 off down the straight as well, into 4th place with Rob in front, by this stage Shirrifs had fucked off towing Jay along but Rob was still in striking distance, i caught and sat in behind him to try and gauge a weak spot seemed i was stronger on the brakes, there was nothing wrong with the Honda's straightline poke, so getting up the inside into the final esses was going to be difficult, i decided to make my move into the sweeper, hold it tight stop him repassing me, the whole one pass move started at turn one on the 5th lap i had to stay on his arse, i lost a little but fought back, Rob was very quick out of the right hander onto the short straight leading to the sweeper, i left my braking late and sailed past putting a nice pass on, held it tight and knew the bike had good pace for him to not get me back down the straight, i held a tight braking line into the final esses and onto the last lap, i didn't know where Rob was, i couldn't hear him but i rode a very defensive lap holding tight lines (turned out to be my fastest lap, whne it felt like my slowest??) I brought the GSXR accorss the line in 3rd place, shit i was relieved, like a huge weight off my shoulders. A few wheelies and back itno the pits only to find out Jay had been penalised for a jump start which put me up into 2nd place overall. Best lap of 1.39.525.
Just got my 1.39 and podium finish, Myself, Shirrifs and Jay Lawerance were the only ones to run under 1.40's so i was well pleased with how things were turing out.
Race Two:
Taking teh warmers off i just happened to squeeze my thumbs into the tyre and by fuck that feels flat!!!! Grabbed teh pressure gauge and sure enough 19psi, in a mad rush to get the compressor on and start putting more air in, while everyone was getting ready to take to the warm up lap, i maganed to get 26psi into it before i had to go, not ideal but better than 19psi in the rear tyre. Was a bit of a worry for me i must have slow leak and picked some shit up in the pits with all the construction going on.
Got a real good start went to shut out Rob into turn one but he switched to the outside and got around me, think me and Daryl got pretty close, should've kill switched himOn lap two coming on the run into the sweeper in 4th place the red flag was showing, rolled into the pits to re form and Chris informed me that Daryl bit the dust and was unsure if he was okay, quite woriing when it's a mate and the race is red flagged, looking around Daryl rolled into teh pits, could tell he was fucked off he didn't re join
restart much teh same i think im getting my starts pretty sorted.
Slotted into 4th place and had real trouble keeping upright the rear end was all over the place spinning and sliding, Rob found some awesome pace and pissed off after Shirrifs after despatching Jay, i was keeping Jay in sight but had no hope in catching him, knew two green bikes were behind me which could only be Ant and Manuell but kept a good enough gap to not be hassled by them on the last lap Shirrifs had pulled into the pits, maybe he proved his point not that he had too, maybe something wrong with the bike, dunno, but this put me into 3rd place across the line, so i'm not comlaining er! dipped into the 39's again even with the rear like it was so only four riders to dip under the 40's.
I came away achvieing all my goals, as i moved into 5th overall (equal on points with Derek but because of the podium finishes i took 5th) so seeing as i only socred points at 4 out of 6 rounds am very happy to be in top 5, even happier to get a couple of podiums behind me.
Thanks too:
Team Muppet
Brett and Quaismoto for the stromtrooper get up
Dover for the use of his rearsets until mine turn up in the country
Mason the use of teh Generator (fucked with out ya mate, cheers)
Colemans for not getting to angry at me for my account.
Ray Clee for the loan of a race fairing and the help with getting the bike in the first place and the suspension a bit more sorted for a fat bastard like me.
Shaun Harris for all your help and advice, and good deals on certain bits here and there.
All the support from friends, family and KB.
Sorry if i missed anyone out, everyone rode well on the day, few spills to put a damper on things, but stand outs for me Goblin out there on KZ's GSXR, Jill for getting back into it on her sparkly new SV, same with Rob on his SV, too many too list, it's great to see girds getting more full with people giving it a go.
Couldn't of done it without ya's, big ups to ya all
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