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We had a great weekend, we\'ve left feeling that we\'ve accomplished a lot this weekend, what with having to get used to a new bike.
A run down of Sunday\'s events:-
- Changed the brake lines over to braided lines in the morning.
- Put the slicks on the bike for the first time.
The plan was to race in the two F2 races, and also the 600 sports production classes. The 600\'s were in the middle, sandwiched by the F2 races at the start and the very end of the day.
The first of the F2 races got off to a quick start, but saw 2 people falling in the first corner. The race was stopped and re-started. At the second start we all got off the line quickly, I passed Lance into the first corner, then he passed me back going into the Hairpin on the first lap.
- I followed for the next 5 or 6 laps, looking for places to pass. He had a moment at the hairpin on the exit which forced him wide clipping a cone on the outside of the track.
- I tried to exploit his poor drive out of the corner, but ended up wheeling, and changing into second rather abruptly getting a tank slapper which lasted a fairly long time until I shut off slightly. I had forgotten that this often caused the brakes to fail as the pistons get pushed back into the calipers. When I came into the next corner, I found that I was \'sans brakes\'. Almost T-Boning Lance at the next corner. It\'s a hideous feeling when you go for your brakes and the lever comes right back to the bars. The only thing to do was to let go completely and squeeze again. Luckily they came back in on the second squeeze. I passed Lance on the following lap. He was starting to tire, this was shown in our lap times on the pit board.
- I knew if I could get past him that I stood a chance of making a gap beween us. I outbraked Lance on the inside at the hairpin, Peter Clifford also managed to make the most of this move, and he passed at the same time. From this point Lance seemed to drop off, Peter passed me at the hairpin in a ballsie move round the outside on the following lap. Peter got 11th, I was 12th and Lance came in 13th, Tony Pink took 14th.
The next race was the short 600cc Production race. - It was wet when we started, then completely dry then soaking wet again at the end. - I think I came 17th in this race, the field is quite a bit bigger.
Then came the 30 min 600cc Production race. We had a dry track at one side of the circuit, and a wet track at the other. A rain shower came in part way through and caused Warren Turner to fall off. I wasn\'t high enough up the field to take any points, and at the point when the leaders came through and lapped me, I found myself thinking more about what was behind me than what I was doing, so I pulled off to save some energy for the remaining F2 race.
At the start of the final F2 race, Peter who was on the row in front of me on the grid pulled a large wheelie, I pulled a small one, but Lance, to my side pulled a huge one with his feet off the pegs. - This is pretty much how the rest of the race went, with Peter leading me, in front of Lance. Lance had some problems in this race, he pulled out part way through.
All in all, we\'re thrilled with this weekend\'s outcome, we know that we can race a new standard R6 to the same level that we could race the older F2 bike. It\'s looking good for the rest of the season. A top 10 finish, whilst difficult is still the goal.
There\'s heaps of photo\'s up on the No Hair site.
There\'s also more details including the current standings in the series.
I\'d also like to say a HUGE thankyou to Red Baron who really came through for me as sponsors when it really mattered! - Thank you!
