Well here we go, the final instalment of my 2007 national’s campaign.
The test day on Friday dawned quite pleasant. We got to the track and unloaded the van. I wanted to swap the tires that were currently on the bike back to an older set. After looking around the pits for quite a while I managed to track down a bead breaker that would fit my tiny 125 rims and swapped them over.
Over the day I worked on suspension and bike geometry. I was attempting to get it to handle those big bumps through turn 1 and over the hill ok. I gradually managed to make a few tweaks and adapt the lines to make it as easy as possible. Dad was timing me and a few of the other front runners through the day’s sessions. I managed a couple of laps in the 1.07’s in the last session. I knew this was in the top 3 and was fairly sure I’d be able to run in the top 3 for most of the weekend. After the third session of the day I pulled the bike to bits and threw in a new piston. Just routine parts changing, old one had done most of Ruapuna and all of Manfeild.
Again Saturday dawned fine and it was all set to be a very nice Auckland day. We went out for first qualifying. I tried to get some clear track and on my fourth flying lap I put down a 1.07.7. I came into the pits to take off a bit of radiator tape and went back out to try and get a draft down the back straight. On the third lap I dropped my time to a 1.07.4. This put me in 2nd position with one more 20 min session to run. I was really happy with that but knew I’d have to go faster if I wanted to keep that position.
I just checked over a few things on the bike between sessions and prepared for my next session. Again I went out in clear track at the start to try get into the 1.06’s. I managed on my third flying lap put down a 1.06.711. This demoted me to third on the grid (by 0.011s), oh so close but I wasn’t worried. A front row grid position was all I was concerned about.
By the time of the race at about 1530, the temp had risen to about 27 degrees and I was glad we had a pit in the shade. I noticed just before the race that the wind had changed direction 180 degrees and was now blowing straight down the back straight. I ummed and ahhhed as to what to do with gearing. Close to the race start I decided to make a bold move and go one tooth down on the rear. I was worried that with the tail wind that I would top out down the back straight. This would either make or break my race.
The lights went out and I got a completely piss poor start, the worst I’ve had on this bike. I bogged it after about one meter and was swamped by 4 or 5 bikes. I managed to pick off a few going into Jennian and emerged onto the back straight in 3rd position. I picked off Gregor and then was passed by Adam and Cam at the end of the straight. I instantly knew I had made a stuff up. I was only just clicking into sixth as I went round the kink and the bike was struggling to pull the gear. Argh. Slowly Adam and Cam eeked away from me and Gregor was keeping with me. As the race went on Gregor was getting faster and was occasionally passing me going into the first corner. On the second to last lap I made a stuff up on the left hander before the hill and ran over the ripple strip. I rolled off the throttle and this totally screwed my run over the hill and into turn one. This time Gregor led me onto the back straight and time was running out to keep 4th position. I slipstreamed past him and kept him behind me under brakes into the hairpin. I knew he would pass me coming over the hill but thought I might be able to get him back before the line. As in all previous laps I put it held it in fifth over the hill and sure enough, just on the exit Gregor came down the outside of me. I got into his slipstream and kept it pinned in fifth. I clicked sixth and pulled out of his slipstream. I couldn’t see where the start/finish line was on the track but I did manage to pass him. I wasn’t sure if I had bet him or not, deep down I didn’t think I had but it would be to the timing sheets to find out for sure.
The timing sheets put the margin at 0.018s in Gregor’s favour. Not a lot at about 180kph, but all it needs to be is 1mm. Another story of me being pipped at the line. It probably just highlighted my inexperience again. I don’t think he would have gotten close if I had of left my gearing the same as qualifying. The times showed it too, my fastest lap of 1.07.1 was half a second off my qualifying pace and I was on newer tires.
Sunday morning I changed my gearing back to what I had run in qualifying and tested it in scrub in. I still thought it wasn’t totally optimal and after a discussion with Jay and his pit crew I decided to go shorter for the first race.
On the warmup lap of the race I was slightly concerned that I may have gone too short but I was stuck with it now. I got a much better start and was third onto the back straight. My run onto it was compromised by having to roll off to avoid running into the back of Cam and Adam passed me at the end. That was ok though, I was just content on running with the front four for the first 8 or 9 laps and then would try get into a podium position. We came into turn one on lap two and it was a procession of four 125’s nose to tail. I broke a fraction late for turn two and ran a bit wide in the double left hander coming into the straight. I tipped into Jennian and bam, down I went. I slid for a bit onto the grass and came to a standstill. I quickly picked up my bike and assessed the damage. I was very keen to restart but the handlebar was bent too much to allow the throttle to work. That race was over very quickly, wasn’t it?
I hitched the ride back to the pits after the race and looked over the bike for damage. It was just the standard 125 lowside damage, a bent footpeg and handlebar. The biggest pain was all the dirt and grass everywhere. An hour later the bike was back to its former and all parts replaced. Ready for the final race of the weekend, the NZTT. I was so determined to prove that I was able to keep up with the big boys. All series it had been a few glimpses but never anything concrete. As far as I was concerned, that podium had my name on it.
This time the lights went out and I got a cracker start, best of the weekend. I was second down onto the straight right behind the Auzzie Jackson Leigh-Smith. I kept that position for a few laps and was very pleased to see that I was faster over the hill and through turn one than him. The straights however were a different story, I couldn’t even get into his slipstream. I knew that I was foolish to try and keep up with him and settled down in the fight for the other two podium positions. Adam came past me at the end of lap 3 coming into the hairpin and a lap later Cam passed me in the same position. I got into his slipstream down the front straight and was a bit braver on the throttle going into turn one so kept in third for the meantime. I was very disciplined and didn’t look back once in the whole race. I was just focussed on Adam and that second position. By lap 5 or 6 he had got out to about a 1 second lead so I just kept focussed and made sure I didn’t let Cam back past me.
On lap 8 I saw Adam run off track coming out of the hairpin and knew that I had a chance of second. I kept my head down and I was quickly closing in on him. The white flag was out for one lap to go and I was the closest I had been in the whole race. I couldn’t quite make it into his slipstream down the back straight and was about 10m behind coming into the hairpin. We both broke late as, rear wheel skipping in the air and we tripped over each other coming out of the corner. I had to ride the clutch momentarily but was right on his tail coming over the hill. I held it pinned in fifth and was in his slipstream. I held fifth for a bit longer than I should of and pulled out just after clicking into sixth. The line came and again I knew. I missed out on 2nd by 0.054s this time but I wasn’t too worried, I had finished on the podium in the NZTT. WAHOOOOOO
The warm down lap was awesome, we got to go round and stop on the grid for the podium presentation while the rest of the field went back through the pits. The presentation was very cool, the usual hand shaking and photos being taken. It was all good, something I’ll remember for a while. Also was very happy to see I’d done my best lap of the weekend, a 1.06.6, also the second fastest lap of the race.
So that drew to a close the 2007 season. An awesome experience, had all the highs and lows that racing can bring. A massively educational experience. I now know I can stick up with the big guns and know that next season I have the potential to challenge for the title.
Big thanks to a few people who have made the season so much better for me. Steve Ward for all his help and being the best engine builder in the country, not one mechanical fault all season. Mum and Dad for doing the pit crew bit in the North Island rounds. Also Jay Lawrence and his pit crew, invaluable experience they are always more than happy to share and listen to my babble.
Until next year. Kirk
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Originally Posted by Drew
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