25/01/2021
Abit of a late post about NZSBK Rd 1 and 2.
Round 1:
Qualifying: My previous fastest lap around ruapuna was a 2.24.191, meaning i wasn’t to fast around the track. One of the other riders crashed out on the out lap, with the gixxer class being so small, that meant i only had one other rider to worry about. I pushed hard, hoping to get a 1st, but couldn’t manage to get there, qualifying second with a 2.09.511.
Race 1: I was confident going out knowing that I wasn’t far off the other two rider pace. I got a decent start, leaving me in first into the first corner, through out the race there was about 10 position changes between our class. on the last lap i was leading, i managed to get ahead of one of the r15 riders and held that position for the rest of the race. I was absolutely stoked with the result, 1st in gixxer cup and 4th overall.
Race 2: I got a terrible start, jumping the line and picking up a 20 second penalty, and still ended up being last in to the first corner, i fought hard to get my position back, once again we swapped positions heaps. i managed to fight my way back up to first, just crossing the line infront by less than a second. unaware of my penalty, i was absolutely stoked, just to get told by an official in pit lane that i had jumped the start, leaving me in 2nd as another rider crashed out earlier on in the race. this was a big disappointment for me, but i guess it’s all part of learning.
race 3: With my confidence in my starts gone, i once again got a bad start, ending up in last into turn 1. i managed to get into 2nd, but couldn’t manage to catch up to 1st place, finishing in 2nd. Despite the loss, i put down my PB of 2.07.494, meaning i had shaved almost 17 seconds off my time before that weekend.
Despite the jumpstart, i was absolutely stoked with the weekend as this was my first ever national round.
Round 2:
Qualifying: we had one less rider in our class at this round, so qualifying was pretty much a fight for first between two of us. i went out and put down a 1.29.579 but the other rider managed to do a 1.28.661.
Race 1: I got an average start and was just behind the other rider into turn 1. i stayed right on the back of them the whole race, but couldn’t manage to get past, leaving me in 2nd.
Race 2: I got another average start, i was second into turn one but was making sure the other rider couldn’t pull a gap on me, over the last few laps, we switched positions twice, coming onto the white flag, i was planning to pass on the back straight, but went a bit too hot into turn 1 and 2, leaving me on the rumble strips. the gap was much bigger and i had no idea how i was going to catch up, but i pushed the bike hard and caught up by the 4th corner. i stuck to the back of them, and thanks to a bit of late braking, i got past in the hairpin. i held my position till the chequered flag (only just).
Unfortunately we didn’t get a 3rd race due to time restrictions. since the other rider qualified 1st, they got an extra point, meaning once again, 2nd overall for me.
Thanks to my sponsors:
Charlton Hurrell Drainage
Get Off Nz
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Hamish #35
