Event 4

 

Actrix VMCC Superbike Championships 23 August 2008

Calling all ducks, again!!!.........

This month the fourth Moto Academy NZ event was cut short by inclement weather. After the day started out not looking too shabby, the rain from Wanganui (cheers Brian!!) came in with a vengeance and eventually flooded the circuit. Therefore, as we were supposed to be bike racing, not boat racing, the meeting was abandoned after two races. Moto Academy NZ riders however, were able to perform well for the large crowd of spectators who were huddling under whatever cover they could find.

 

The Friday evening tutorial was planned to focus on training and nutrition elements, but my computer got virused and I was unable to print off the handouts. So we concentrated instead on how to ride the Manfeild long circuit, which is quite different to the regular circuit configuration.

 

This all seemed to go very well as we will see.

 

On Saturday morning we all pitched in to set up the garage (Mike and John could not make it this weekend). I set about preparing the bikes ready for a day of racing in the dry. However, it soon became apparent that dry it would not be, so I then set about fitting the rain-tyred wheels to all of the bikes.  That was a good decision, as halfway through that job the rain began to come down. Not in earnest, but rain nevertheless. The boys then kitted up and headed out for their qualifying sessions.  The Guhl thermostats supplied by Kevin at Race Supplies (www.racesupplies.co.nz) really make my life easy with no radiator tapes or any special engine warm up required. The few minutes taken to start the bikes and wait on the dummy grid are perfectly adequate to warm the engines when a thermostat is fitted. The riders also find their Alpine Stars riding gear to be extremely comfortable and even work well when it is wet. In the wet visor fogging can be an issue, but the Arai helmet system seems to work well in all but the most inclement of conditions.

The Moto Academy NZ riders about to go into battle. Manfeild 23 August 2008 

Photo: Steve Bagshaw

 

So, qualifying went very well. Sam was immediately on the pace and was looking awesome, until he had a low-side crash in the last turn. No real damage, so we patched the bike up for the races. He qualified 3rd fastest. Kyle was also having a really good qualifying and was really close to the pace now that he is relaxing more and not forcing it as much as he may have been previously. He qualified 4th fastest. Luke on the other hand, was doing even better. Funny though, his new relaxed, head in the bubble, don’t move around all over the place, style makes him look so much slower than the other guys. He qualified in 1st place, 0.76 s faster than 2nd!!  What a show, or as Valentino Rossi says Ch’e Spetacolo!!

 

So then Glen rolls the 250 out for Supersport and Superbike qualifying. By this stage the rain had begun to fall in earnest and was getting heavier. Glen looks great on the circuit, is passing bikes and the bike sounds strong. Halfway through however, he pulls off. Oh oh, what now I think.  “It’s running too cold he says, so I came in”.  Phew, sweeeeeeeeeet!!  Couple more radiator tapes and she’ll be right as rain (note to self: thermostat for the 250!!). Nevertheless, Glen qualified in 2nd position!

 

Superbike qualifying was even wetter, but Glen was by now on the pace, the Honda RS250 had almost all the radiator covered in tape and was running at the correct temperature and was going like a train. Again, the Dunlop MotoGP250 rain tyres came into their own and Glen as all over the field like a rash and qualified in 1st place!

 

Come race time the 125 riders headed out onto a very wet track. All the riders got away well and started racing. Sam and Kyle were having a great battle, but Sam did seem a bit hesitant. It turned out that his chain failed right at that time and started to chew up the front sprocket. After the race that chain went straight in the bin!!! So while Sam may have been able to race past Kyle, he wasn’t able to manage it and they finished 2nd and 3rd respectively. Kyle was having a great race, was looking really comfortable on the bike, was able to match his pace to that of Sam and was able to stay in front of him, even though Sam had a slowly failing bike. Now that Kyle has a bit more confidence back I am sure that we will see him begin to accelerate his progress also. We may not see too much more of Sam (maybe September) as he has been accepted into the Royal New Zealand Navy as a marine engineer trainee. We will wish him all the best for that when he takes off.

Out front though Luke was having a dingdong battle with Jayden on the Yamaha TZ125. Jayden would pass Luke on the straights and Luke would pass him back around the bends. Unfortunately Luke hit one puddle too many and the bike washed out (ironically) from underneath him and he ended up on his bum in the mud.  He quickly picked up the bike and finished the race in 4th place. A great effort, and really heartening to see him now going faster round the track than his direct competitors.

 

The next race was Supersport. Glen lined up in 2nd spot, the lights went out and just as we had discussed the night before, he headed for the inside line, and straight up the inside of the faster bikes and into first spot. He was passed by a few in T2 but made it up in T3 and round the rest of the track. He and Johnny Burkhart (ZX6) started to pull away from the rest of the field. They then settled into a great battle with two or three overtaking manoeuvres in each lap. Coming into the last but one turn Glen was just behind Johnny but lining him up for a pass in the last turn. He did it, then Johnny tried to gas it just that bit too much and the bike flicked him off. Glen then raced to the line to take his first victory in the Supersport class, by 29 seconds!!!  He, and we, were ecstatic to say the least.  I hope that everyone who witnessed that race in the pouring rain will agree that he (and the RS250!!) did a magnificent job.  To give you some idea how well he was riding, in the dry around the Manfeild long circuit the quick Superbikes will do 1m 57sec (117 sec), the average Superbike will do 2m 02sec (122 sec) sort of lap times. In the pouring rain, Glen was doing 2.12sec (132 sec)!!! Only 10 sec (or less than 8%) slower!  This is not even to mention his qualifying time when the rain was not quite as heavy. A 2min 09sec lap is pretty special!!! We hope to tune the suspension so that he can maintain this form in the dry. Which of course it will be at the next round.

 

Following that race the track became unridable due to the rain and flooding and the meeting was abandoned.

 

One other thing we did manage to do was get some on-board footage for Te Manawa, the Science Centre of Manawatu. They are staging an exhibition of 100 yrs of competition motorcycles in November, and Moto Academy NZ will be a small part of that exhibition.

 

Maybe we will see you at the track or at Te Manawa?

 

Steve

Moto Academy NZ

 

 Steve Bagshaw and Luke Jameson as Luke prepares to head to Portugal!

Just beyond the wall is a lake, not a track!

Photo: Steve Bagshaw

 

 

Luke Jameson, Round 4: Lots of Water!

Well, I got up around 5:30am on Saturday and told the other boys to get out of bed, but they stayed in! So I got some breakfast into me and read a bike magazine. By the time I had finished, the other two were up and about (which saved me dragging them out), so I went out and helped Steve pack the bikes and the rest of the stuff. Dad left early to do the Streetstock bike, we finished packing everything and went off to the track. We unpacked and signed in. This time I was drinking water and lots of it, I carried a water bottle every where I went. We had riders’ briefing and got ready. I checked the bike at about 3 times making sure it was already to ride as I got my gear on and got ready for qualifying.

 

Qualifying.

I went out on wets, the track was wet around most of it but some dry bits. I was just cruising around, getting the feel of the track again, keeping up with Sam and Jayden, watching how different they ride, but also going over in my head what Steve told me on Friday. I ended up qualifying 1st! I was amazed! I did a 2:20:005 which made me feel fast because most of the 600’s were doing that as well!!!

 

1st Race

I got lots of water in to me and relaxed. I checked the bike once more before I went out and lined up at the dummy grid then they let us out.  I went around and it was raining a lot by then. The lights went on I gave the bike a bit of a revs, the lights went out, I slowly let the clutch out, keeping the bike at 11000 rpm until the clutch was right out. Come in to the first corner and kept the inside line and come out nicely and just about hitting the white line. Got around the hairpin and was off (racing that is, not crashing!). Power sliding out of some of the corners, it was great! I was in front till the 3rd lap and Jayden tried passing me on the straight, but I out braked him going in to Higgins. I came out a bit slow but I powered on and was going way too fast for the corner going on to the new track but I just kept it pined and hoped I didn’t go too far out. Got to the next corner, the 1st right hander on the new track and I hit a puddle of water on the front wheel and it let go!! After I finished sliding I got back up and started the bike in 3 gear… (doesn’t work too well) kicked it back to 1st and started. Then Sam and Kyle passed me and I started the bike and rejoined the race. I got on the straight going to Higgins and the bike started to slow down very fast I kept the clutch in and pulled of the track, after it was clear I jumped back on the bike and finished the race, I came 5th but not last and I was soooo wet by the end of the race!

 

We got back to the pits and went to watch Glen, it was pretty cool watching Glen beat the other racers in the rain and come first!! After his race the officials called it off because it was rain so hard and the track was flooding!!!

I enjoyed the day, it was fun I learned how far I can push the wets.

 

A really really big thanks to....

DAD

Moto Academy NZ - Steve Bagshaw, thanks. It would have been hard by yourself!

Alpinestars (they saved me once again!)
Arai (they are just the best!)
Fuchs Silkolene Lubricants (just the best stuff)

SBS Brake pads (They let me out brake everyone!)
RK Racing Chains
NGK Spark Plugs
Tyrewarmers.co.nz (no need for them this weekend though again… sadly)
AFAM Sprockets
GJH Fibreglass (hmm, made some work for them again)
Evolution Panel and Paint (and them)
The Marshalls (they did a awesome job in the rain! Thanks a big one!)
The Victoria Motorcycle Club of Wellington. (It was a good idear stoping the racing!)

Thanks very much everyone!!!!

 Luke Jameson #14

 

Kyle's Round 4

Well that was an interesting weekend.

Went up to Palmy on the Friday night, with everyone else. Had a good talk about the racing, possible passing solutions etc and then hit the hay nice and early.
Woke up went off to the track, and the rain came.

Went out for qualifying, with a positive attitude, aimed to build up confidence in the wet, and with the wet's.
I never had a problem with entry speed or let alone lean angle, my true weakness was when it came to the exit of the corner.
Being scared half to death with a rapid high side at last round's test day, was the reason for this.

Went around and around several times, and was happy that I was building confidence in the exits. Confidence was hurt a little bit after watching the white 125 in front of me (Sorry forgot your name) high side exactly like I did last round.
Oh well, rocked in with heaps of confidence regained. Qualified 4th. What isn't really that great since there's only 7 bikes in the 125's. (But is a real improvement anyway!)

Race 1 came around, my main focus was once again to build confidence (get good drives out of corners) and get a good start. Make it simple, don't try anything fancy, just ride.
Thanks to Gen for some advice about the starts. Made an OK go at it, didn't get left behind that much for once.
Chucked it down the inside of the Juggin's. Easily getting past them and lining up fellow Moto-Academy rider Sam.
Managed to get a half decent drive out of the hairpin, passing Sam on the left side and out braking him into Higgins.
Tried to make a break on Sam and head towards the guys ahead, but always knew this wouldn't happen as my confidence was still weak and I couldn't see a thing! (forgot to put my anti-fog insert in!).

Circulated around the track a few more times, until the last lap.
Realised I was extremely weak during the long left coming back on to the old circuit, expected Sam to try a pass around there, as he was still within striking range. If this happened I planned to out brake / out drive him through the sweeper.
And that is pretty much what happened, went massively sideways down the front straight, but got Sam over the line by .1 sec. Happy my plan worked.

Thanks to Steve for the massive amount of work going into the weekend.
Thanks to all who have given me advice during the weekend.
And of course Moto Academy NZ and our sponsors.

Kyle

 

Kyle Hammond #13 Manfeild Autocourse

Photo: WF Photography

 

Sketchy Racers VMCC Rd 4

I think my body has almost finised drying out now! It was WET!

I was really looking foward to this round, I knew that with the long circuit I would be in with a shot as some decent results because it removes one of the long straights where the 600s and 1000s pull away from the 250cc machine, and includes a lot more corners where I can use the cornering advantage of the 250 over the bigger, heavier bikes.

At the beginning of the day it was a bit questionable whether it would dry out more or get wet, but the huge black lingering cloud was a bit of a give away to what was going to happen.

F2 Supersport Qualifying:

By now it was nice and wet, well wet enough to warrant the need for rain tyres.
I headed out getting the feel for things. One was that I was riding like crap! I ran wide far too many times and was in the wrong gear a couple of times.
After a couple of laps I tried my best to get some clean laps and sort my head out. One corner I was really struggling with was the long left hander back onto the old circuit from the new one. You can't take it as one corner and I was having trouble setting up reference points to get a consistent line around there. Oh well, something to work on.

Qualified second behind Nick Cole, with Johnny right behind me.
I got some 'interesting' looks when I went to the race office to get my grid, and found out I had qualified second, I couldn't contain a exlamation of happiness.

http://www.mylaps.com/results/showrun.jsp?id=929234

F1 Superbike Qualifying:

After the good buzz of the Supersport qualifying I was looking foward to the Superbike qualifying. Although I did make a concious effort to not let it affect my mental state when I was on the track, I know the feeling of getting cocky and paying for it all too well! This qualifying went well, getting the corners more sorted and setting up braking markers and reference points which would prove to be priceless later in the day.
I didn't exect to qualify as well as I did in this one either, I have never qualified well, so it was very suprising to find out I qualifyed first! Unbelieveable!

http://www.mylaps.com/results/showrun.jsp?id=929233

Supersport Race one:

Unfortunatly for Nick, who was supposed to be on pole had crashed in the Superbike qualifying, and either decided not to or was not able to join in the Supersport race. This meant that I would be the first bike on the grid. First time I've ever been the first bike on the grid!

I got an OK start, unfortunatly wheelspun a little off the line which killed a little of my drive. Into turn one I passed back a couple of the bikes that had passed me leaving Sloan and Johnny infront of me, I think I passed Sloan into the hairpin, I'm not quite sure though. After then I was trying to catch up with Johnny. It was all good and well catching up with him, but his bike seemed to steam like nothing else, which obviously meant I couldnt see where I was going when I was close (this is the part where brake markers and reference points were vital!) We battled hard and it was pretty scary out there in those sorts of conditions. Johnnys a hard racer that doesn't give any ground which makes for a lot of fun when applying overtaking manuevours. We touched a couple of times, once on the second 90 degree right hander of the new circut was a bit dicey. As the rear of my bike contacted him it caused me to break traction and get a little out of shape, but all was well and we kept going! Final lap, second to last turn and I put the most hairy move yet, I went round the outside of him on the fast left hander. I lost grip from both wheels at certain parts of the turn which was a bit hair raising! I held a tight line coming into the sweeper to stop Johnny going up the inside of me, sure enough his front wheel appeared, rubbed me a little and disappeared! I put my head down and hoped that the little 250 would be able to hold off his 600 untill the line, which it did!!! Unfortunatly this was because Johnny had crashed exiting the sweeper. Gutted for him, he most likely would have had me if he had stayed on and powered past me.

http://www.mylaps.com/results/showrun.jsp?id=929239

What a race and to come home with the win (even if the meeting was cancelled and we don't get points) was something I never ever expected when deciding to race the 250 in the two premier classes.

Huge thanks to Stevey for again his damned hard work with Moto Academy NZ. Best thing I could have ever done for my racing was joining Moto Academy.

Thanks to my Dad who hung around in the pits helping out and giving me support!

To all the competitors! What a bunch of dudes!

And finally the VMCC crew who organise these meetings, and marshall etc. Tough job in those conditions. Thank you all SO much.

Cheers,

-Glen Skachill #10

 

 Glen carving up at Manfeild in the rain. Knee down in the wet!!!

Photo: Dallas Alexander Photography

 

Sam Flynn Round 4

I was well sick on Friday night and didn't make the tutorial.
Woke up the next morning going up to the track. Steve had the bikes in dry mode, but soon changed that as the weather changed. I was haapy, but I quite like wet racing. Anyway, we got in to our gear and went out for our first qualifying session. Ii went out last and was passing the rest of the 125's in 1 lap, wot the.........?? I kept going past Jayden on the brakes and left them behind. I was getting used to the wet and the long track. By lap 3 I was starting to put in hard laps, but I went high high at the last corner coming on to the front straight. I went up on the outside ripple strip, instantly sliding right around, ended up kicking over the bike in front of me.
Shit happens!!

 

 Sam Flynn getting into the zone for his race.
 
Photo: Steve Bagshaw

 


R1
I went out in race 1, got a shitty start and by this time the gods were letting all hell come down so it was a lot worse on the track. I didn't want to got balls out just to come off again. I was sitting with Kyle, watching him, studying his way and lines. I had many oppourtunities to pass but didn't because I didnt want him to follow my lines and style. I left the pass to the last lap, sneaking up the inside quite easily and I went for it but my sprocket didn't want me to!!!  It was the final corner and I would have had him, but I shore all my teeth of the front sprocket (due to failed chain!!), my gear froze and Kyle just got past me. I wasnt happy.

Anyway it was a good-ish day, well good to have one race before home time and overall the half day was great and I couldnt have done it without:
Steve Bagshaw
Mike Reps
Along with the suppliers that have made it all possible:
Alpinestars
Arai Helmet
SBS Braking systems
Fuchs Silkolene Lubricants
NGK Spark Plugs
RK Chain
AFAM Sprockets
GJH Fibreglass
Evolution Panel and Paint
Glen, Kyle and Luke
Thanks for listening, Moto Academy rider Sam Flynn #12