VMCC - Winter Series - LukeM Racing

Round 4

Just got back from round 4 and I have to say it has probably been my worst race weekend ever I didn't crash, but that would have just been the icing on the cake.

Test Day

I had a great start to the weekend - Test day was cloudy and running the short (regular) track. Race was to be on the long track, which rarely gets used and so I had done about 1 track day session on it. I knew which way it went, but as for turn points, brake points etc. I had nothing.

Anyway, I had some suspension work done and did a bit of setup which pushed my pace quicker than have been before and about a 1 sec lap quicker than last time out. Very happy and put the bike away with a fresh set of scrubbed dry tyres.

Qualifying

Very wet (as usual) I am getting so fed up with the rain. Last year the winter series barely had a wet round. This year, every single round has been wet as some point. Chuck on my wets and head out for qualifying. I have never put a time in round the long circuit, so whatever I did was gonna be a PB! Coming down the straights, I get this vibration building in the bike. By the time I hit 6th, it is really quite violent. I stay out for enough laps to get a time, but just try and get a feeling of the track and conditions. End up 24th! More importantly, every laptime is about 2 secs quicker than the last.

Race 1

Didn't happen I spend the break tying to fix the vibration issue and turns out the rear wheel is way out of balance. I get it balanced, go out for the warm up lap, still vibrating like mad, so come in and DNS.

Race 2

Figure out the worst of the vibes is actually coming from the front wheel and going back through the whole bike. I try to balance the wheel but end up sticking a crazy amount of weight to the opposite side from the high point and it still isn't balanced! I get a tyre guy to spin the tyre 180 degrees on the rim and finally have some success! Warm up lap feels good, so I grid up for the start. Get an okish start, but go round the outside of a few riders in turn 1 and make up a few places on my grid position. Hang on to a few quicker riders and it looks like it will be a good race. Red flag by the start/finish as there is a bike down in the middle of the straight.

Restart

Restart, I don't get as good a start (as usual!) but fall into line. The vis is really bad and I have to keep on wiping my visor every half a lap. Few guys decide it's not worth it and pull in (which in hindsight is what I should have done). End up circulating - not really pushing, just clicking the laps away as I am not enjoying it whatsoever. I feel completely lost on the extended part of the circuit and can't work out any turn points etc, because I can see ****! The point at which I get lapped, I seriously think about calling it a day. I stay out till the checked flag. Almost take out another lapping rider (sorry again!) and end up last (albeit with a position much higher than starting due to people nit bothering, crashing or pulling in!)

Packing up the bike and I am feeling so down. Thoughts of chucking it in and selling up are flashing through my mind and the highs of the days before seem to pale in comparison. Next time out we'll be on the short circuit again, so wet or dry, I'll feel comfortable. I will definitely skip round 6 though (long track) There is no opportunity to practice it between now and then, but more importantly, I'm getting married a week later and don't want to trash myself!

Cheers
Luke

I feel for you Luke. I'm not the greatest fan of the wet either. And it'd be worse if I was on something like a 675 with its front weight bias!

C

Man, the winter series gets worse. A massive storm rocked up on friday dumping 20mm of raining overnight, and it didn't stop all weekend. I didn't even bother loading the van and luckily found this on Saturday morning:



Phew! That was $100 of diesel and $380 in hotels (was staying in a nice place because the GF was coming) that I managed to save.

Unfortunately, unless they reschedule (and even then I have no free time) that is the end of the winter series for me as round 6 is 5 days before I fly to Fiji to get married and I would be in deep poo poo if I fell off and damaged myself before that!

What I do have is levels 3 + 4 at the Cali. superbike school in 2 weeks to look forward to especially since they run it at the brand new Hampton Downs racetrack! Sweet. Then the summer series kicks off at the end of October again! Let's hope that stays dry as I am so over rain and racetracks!