EXUP Worldwide

Running the VFR in P6 and in Pre Modern, which in Hartwell is anything 10yrs and older.

Saturday morning emerged wet and set in. Waddled round in practice, hopelessly slow. Winton is a bit slick in the dry and its quite dodgy in parts in the wet. By qualifying I was feeling a bit more comfortable and managed 5th on the grid for pre Modern and 3rd for P6. The guy on the FZR1000 who won P6 at the Barry Sheene was ahead of me on the grid so that gave me something to focus on and frankly, I was a bit cut!

The first race of the day was pre-modern. It was starting to rain heavily. I got a good start, but having never raced at Winton before I didn't give the run to the 1st turn much thought and I was concentrating too much on a gap in front that was narrowing, I then got target fixation, couldn't make the turn and nerfed an R1, running him off (sadly it wasn't Spook's pitboard mate from Broadford, so we'll just have to consider it practice). I managed to stay on the track but dropped quite a few spots. The conditions were atrocious, couldn't see a damn thing, huge puddles of water everywhere. had a couple of big moments, just glad to finish. Came in 7th.

They abandoned racing for about an hour until the by now torrential rain eased off. It was wet but not raining when the first P6 race came up, shortened to 4 laps due to the rain delay. I figured the guy on the FZR 1000 would wheelspin too much off the start whereas the VFR would hook up and that's exactly what happened so I was second into turn 1 behind the fast P5 kwaka. I pushed as best I could waiting for the FZR to come by but he didn't. On the slow down lap I saw him in the dirt - turns out he'd gone down trying to get under me into turn 1.

Sunday dawned sunny and clear. first race up again was pre modern, fairly uneventful but I've just this minute realised I was passed by two guys under a yellow....so 7th again. but looking at their times they probably were going to get past anyway.

2nd P6 race. FZR guy (I should humanise him, his name's John and a very nice guy, we got talking afterwards) so John got off the line properly and I got in behind him for a lap to see where he was quick, weak etc.
He ran wide into one of the hairpins so I nipped inside and he didn't come back past, he was a bit reticent after his spill in the wet to push too much.

3rd and last P6 race. I got the jump on John this time but he came past on the back straight like I was standing still but then ran wide braking for the next turn and I obligingly nipped past. I was gaining on the P5 Kwaka
and just missed out on the run to the flag by half a bike length.

So a pretty good weekend overall, won P6 and jumped up to 5th in the Pre modern standings. Apologised to R1 man, he was fine about it. Had some close calls in the wet, was right out the seat in qualifying and its funny what goes through your head, I was thinking about what was about to happen when I landed, how this was probably the end of the weekend, somehow it straightened up and I kept it upright but ran off. Next Hartwell round is at Broadford in June.

Correction: Was 8th in the second pre modern race not 7th

Good report Jason. That guy on the FZR1000, or John as we will now call him, was fast at Eastern Creek..but not as fast as you apparently.

Bet you can't wait to get your fizzer finished and out there.

(I'm prepping at the moment. Racing the YZF in Pre Modern and the 748 in BEARSs Formula 3 in two weeks time)

Thanks Mike, look forward to hearing how you go, is that Morgan Park?

And running the 748 too, you've only done a track day with it, have I got that right??

I am now getting frustrated at my own lack of progress with the EXUP, I've just been procrastinating so much lately dunno why, to prove the point I have 2 x 2000 word uni essays due Wed, I've barely started one and the other, well..... I know I could get the EXUp ready for PI later in May but can't face the effort....maybe I'm scared of change!

Yes, I was watching the P6 times at the Barry Sheene in earnest, John was running in the 48's which is mostly what I've done there, apart from a few 47's

Interestingly, at nearly all race meets I can remember, my quickest time is either in qualifying or the 1st heat and I go slower from there, weather notwithstanding. But at Winton it was the very last one of the last race! It helps a lot to have someone to chase...

Yeah mate Morgan Park next. It turns out it will only cost me another $25 to enter the 748 as well. It is my road bike but I have only ridden on the road once this year I figure for $25 I can double my track time ( I still consider that I am practicing more than racing) for the weekend but also if it doesn't feel good I can leave it in the shed and no great loss.

Procrastination, if you are like me it comes and goes. You can have your essays, I'm struggling enough with a 2 page report I have to write for my boss!

How's your fitness/concentration levels? Fast early in the weekend and then slowing down could be a bit of fatigue. I keep getting my fastest laps in the first couple of laps of a race and then fade towards the end. Might have to change the race diet from ciggies and hotdogs to something a bit healthier.

Great report Jay. Stop pissing around & get the FZR up & running. The longer you leave, the longer it'll be before you come to grips with it.
[Look at me on the GSXR] Ive had two meetings on it & Im nowere near getting a handle on it.

If you are running for the championship, & you can win it on the VFR I'd stay with it. But if your not worried about points, get the Fizzer going, & hone your skill for an assult on next years championship.
Just my 2 bobs worth.

Enjoyed the report Jason. Glad to hear your turn one tradition of running the opposition off the road is holding sound. No one would be game to come near you after word gets round the traps

How did the Hartwell meet compare with the interclub?

Mike_SS wrote:How's your fitness/concentration levels?... Might have to change the race diet from ciggies and hotdogs to something a bit healthier.

It's sort of funny but true Mike. We put in days and spend $$$ on our bikes set-up, tyres, entries etc. But hardly spend the time to ensure we are fit enough to sit on a bike for 5 laps. Fitness cost nothing but the time you spend doing it. I've started training... Road the push-bike to the bottle shop last night

Spook's made me drive to that bottle shop and its quite far. It is flat all the way though, but must be harder coming back with a case on the back!

Spook the Hartwell rounds are bigger and better run, some different classes and so on. You see quite a few guys that do both.

Steve you're right I need to stop pissing about and get into it. But I'm keen to do the whole championship so the VFR will do that - no reason I can't phase the FZR in though.

Mike fitness and concentration levels are ok but could be better. I distinctly remember after doing a few races in 2007 the bug bit hard and I decided to do a full season, I took it all pretty seriously and exercised a lot before the year started. That's slipped a bit lately due to lack of time, motivation and some knee niggles but I still do what I can and need to do more! Plus I lost a good few kilos which is good for power-to-weight! Concentration is a funny one. No matter what time I go to bed before a race I'll sleep about 4 hours, that's it. On both Friday and Sat nights this race weekend I woke up at 1.30am!! I was just stuffed on the way to the track on Sat morning, but once there something else takes over. I'm wary of corny sayings but I have to say that some apply perfectly to bike racing, I like: If you fail to prepare you're preparing to fail (as I'm doing with my essays) Preparation is everything.

JasonL wrote: Steve you're right I need to stop pissing about and get into it. But I'm keen to do the whole championship so the VFR will do that - no reason I can't phase the FZR in though.

Yep you can phase it in, if you've racked up enough points that it wont hurt your chances, if you dont do too well with it at first .

All this race talk is making me toey, it's another two weeks before I'm out again. In the meantime thought I'd put up a pic of the VFR so people can see the thing, since I talk about it so much. Plus I thought Steve would appreciate the nostalgia!!

Nice shot

Sweet