Hampton Downs 5/12/10
Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 1:09 am
Well, we've done it - Duke22 and I have had our first race day at the new Hampton Downs Circuit (haven't even done a track day previously), and I can see what everyone is raving about, man what a track!!!!
As usual, the alarm went off at 5.30am, and as the car was already packed, it was just a matter of loading the FZR on the trailer and heading over to collect Duke22 and his Duke.
45 minutes from Dukes place and we were pulling into the circuit about 8.00am.
We quickly found our friendly racer with a generator, as arranged earlier in the week, so we unloaded and set about sign on and scrutineering - no problems there.
At the riders briefing we were told there was an opportunity for newbies to go out for 3 laps and figure out which way the track went, which resulted in a mad scramble to get the gear on and start cold bikes (push start for me), and boy am I glad we got the laps in - this place is quite technical compared to some of the others we've been riding.
It really is a handling track (as opposed to Pukekohe which rewards excessive horsepower), and following practice I had qualified 15th out of about 30ish, which I was pretty happy with.
On the FZR, apart from getting off the start line, the track is all 2nd, 3rd and about 100 meters in 4th,so no real opportunity to get the ol' girl wound up, but as you'll see on the YouTube links, it certainly is possible...
The first race went well with a 12th place (which was the best for the day), and 15th and 16th for the other two races.
However the finish of race 1 was made quite exciting by one of the race leaders blowing his engine (conrod trough the cases) right on the finish line so instead of the chequred flag, we got the oil flag - just what you want to see coming over the brow of the hill at over 230kmh braking hard for the downhill corner, but at least everyone stayed on, although I am lead to believe at least one rider may have had to rinse out their leathers before the next race.
Once again, I was the only bike in my class and took maximum points for the day!!!!!!!!, plus I managed to take 3 or 4 seconds off my qualifying time.
After a 45 minute break to allow for mopping up the oil, Duke22 was out on the ProTwins class putting in some good lap times and looking like he was having a ball.
Unfortunatley it looked like he picked up a bit of the blown engine in his back tyre which showed up as a flatty when he went to go out for his second race - game over for the day for Duke22
Still, it was a brilliant day, and I was absolutley knackered at the end of it - and not that much better today.
Here's a couple of YouTube links to the circuit, the first on of the 675 Triumph is about the lap times I was doing - 1.25ish, the second one shows what speed a serious rider hits around there (the REALLY fast guys are topping 300khp on the straight
).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeiaWfNru-k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_Gp8L3a ... re=related
This is now my training track for Eastern Creek :cool
Duke and I are back out again at Pukekohe this Sunday for a Advanced Rider Training Day, which always results in plenty of track time.
As usual, the alarm went off at 5.30am, and as the car was already packed, it was just a matter of loading the FZR on the trailer and heading over to collect Duke22 and his Duke.
45 minutes from Dukes place and we were pulling into the circuit about 8.00am.
We quickly found our friendly racer with a generator, as arranged earlier in the week, so we unloaded and set about sign on and scrutineering - no problems there.
At the riders briefing we were told there was an opportunity for newbies to go out for 3 laps and figure out which way the track went, which resulted in a mad scramble to get the gear on and start cold bikes (push start for me), and boy am I glad we got the laps in - this place is quite technical compared to some of the others we've been riding.
It really is a handling track (as opposed to Pukekohe which rewards excessive horsepower), and following practice I had qualified 15th out of about 30ish, which I was pretty happy with.
On the FZR, apart from getting off the start line, the track is all 2nd, 3rd and about 100 meters in 4th,so no real opportunity to get the ol' girl wound up, but as you'll see on the YouTube links, it certainly is possible...
The first race went well with a 12th place (which was the best for the day), and 15th and 16th for the other two races.
However the finish of race 1 was made quite exciting by one of the race leaders blowing his engine (conrod trough the cases) right on the finish line so instead of the chequred flag, we got the oil flag - just what you want to see coming over the brow of the hill at over 230kmh braking hard for the downhill corner, but at least everyone stayed on, although I am lead to believe at least one rider may have had to rinse out their leathers before the next race.
Once again, I was the only bike in my class and took maximum points for the day!!!!!!!!, plus I managed to take 3 or 4 seconds off my qualifying time.
After a 45 minute break to allow for mopping up the oil, Duke22 was out on the ProTwins class putting in some good lap times and looking like he was having a ball.
Unfortunatley it looked like he picked up a bit of the blown engine in his back tyre which showed up as a flatty when he went to go out for his second race - game over for the day for Duke22
Still, it was a brilliant day, and I was absolutley knackered at the end of it - and not that much better today.
Here's a couple of YouTube links to the circuit, the first on of the 675 Triumph is about the lap times I was doing - 1.25ish, the second one shows what speed a serious rider hits around there (the REALLY fast guys are topping 300khp on the straight
).http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeiaWfNru-k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_Gp8L3a ... re=related
This is now my training track for Eastern Creek :cool
Duke and I are back out again at Pukekohe this Sunday for a Advanced Rider Training Day, which always results in plenty of track time.
