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TSUKUBA 1-10-06

Written by Anthony faulkner

Monday, 22 February 2010 06:42

FRIDAY PRACTICE
i show up at tsukuba do an oil change before heading out for the first of my 2 scheduled practices. i was really looking forward to it. putting the oil plug back in (with the torque wrench) i strip the thread and cant tighten the plug, thus oil is leaking everywhere :evil: the guy in the bridgestone shop says he can re tap it so i pull the radiators, exhaust and then the sump off. he gets it done, and back to me in time to go out for the last session i run a few laps and the bike is just bouncing from the rear out of every corner. i pull in only to find that the top bolt is missing off the rear shock height adjuster and the shock has been floating free, becoming wedged against the swing arm and at a distorted angle in the hole it was designed to go through :x wonderful. that explains the rear unstability anyway!!! so i pull into the pits and get it back in its place. unfortunately for me now not only is my rear ride height screwed my rear setting have been adjusted to fit the free floating style :evil:
:?
oh and did i mention that the newly tapped bolt was still leaking oil???

SUNDAY RACE

i siliconed the bolt so it doesnt leak anymore, and figure ill ride with what ive got and just do the best i can and make whatever changes i can after qualifying.

now let me backdate two weeks. I dont read the 30 page kanji heavy rule book so well, so 2 weeks ago while at tsukuba i went to the office and asked if there was anyone there who could check my bike out for regulations. they pointed to fella who came out with the book and carefully went over my bike rule book in hand and proceeded to tell me that my bike was legal for the race i was entering. I thank him for his time and think nothing more of it.

so i get to shaken on race morning and what do you know?? my triple clamp is illegal. i say but one of your guys said i was ok. they run off to the office and i wait around. to cut a long story short they would still let me but wouldnt be eligable for any prize, or podium etc. we have a discussion in the office and everything is cool.

QUALIFYING
like a bull to a gate i head out, they had turned off the lap timer device so you couldnt see your lap times as you went around (or my lap timer is broken :| ) but i knew i was running hot, the tyres were sliding all over, the back and front bouncing!! and lots of wheelies for the crowd
anyway i come in feeling good, i ran a 1.03.00 putting me clear of the next rider by 2 seconds. considering the traffic i was having to deal with i was very happy with that time.
pole position who could ask for more than that....

RACE

as we line up for the pre race check what should happen but the rain started to fall. then stopped, people where putting rain tyres on...then off..then.... as we get out onto the grid the track is wet. im feeling uncomfortable about it but figure ill just see the way it pans out. photos with the suzuki race queen it is the GSX-R cup after all. warm up lap and the grid...

its a flag start and i was on the far outside.....the flag drops and we are away...off well-- then a little wheelie-- a guy appears beside me then slips back as we enter turn one. then hes beside me on the outside as we come out and gets by, hes pushing a fast pace for the conditions and im content for now, to stay behind him because in my mind he isnt going to last... sure enough as we enter bridgestone he washes the front and slides off. i then have the lead, and focus on straight line speed, the track is greasy and my mind is still on low siding in the sweeper in similar conditions a few months ago. so im being very careful of my entry speed, and corner speed. focus on getting around then pushing the bike away from me and letting it rip. laps go by, i glance behind me and there is no body in sight, then i start catching up to the tailenders.
then its the checker and im home, with about a 7 second gap to the next guy. i ride around the victory lap for the race i didnt win with mixed feelings, pull into the pits and watch the podium celebrations from afar. its all cool. they called me into the office and gave me a couple of shirts as a gomenasai/ consolation prize. i should have been running the takumi class anyway (i still would have been illegal) it was a race that i would have had to fight to win.

well another day, another drama in the Blobs race diary.....

although the class was clearly wrong and you'd probably have been more embarrassed to be accepting the prize than letting somebody else take it who had to struggle more for it.
what are you talking about Juice. do you think i wasnt riding at 100%. have you ever known me to tool around on the track?? the fact is that the GSX-R cup is a race just for suzuki's it has a graduation onto the NB class at 1.05, the NB class has a graduation onto the TAKUMI class at 1.04. if you graduate TC gives you a coupon for your next race to race for free.
i checked the last results and the winner got a 1.03.5 a time not disimilar to my own. the fact that i showed up this time and ran a 1.03 is testamant to the fact that i was running faster not that i was struggling less. in fact maybe rather the opposite is true, i have struggled more to overcome the barriers that stop us all from reaching the peak of our performance capabilities.

so,

im disapointed that i couldnt get the prize and the free next race tantamount to a 15,000yen prize. because now i have graduated straight into the TAKUMI class with nothing. the takumi class is within my range however, with pole being set at 1.02.1. a time i am more than confident of reaching in the near future. and if i was to, and if i was to win that race should i be embarased about that??

Quote:
woulda been nice for the first inspector to point out that aftermarket triple clamps were illegal for your class. Or maybe he is even now still laughing at the joke he played on the gaijin?
actually everybody was quite sorry and embarrassed about it. i have made quite a few friends amongst riders and staff there with my inane banter, good attitude and competative times.
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oyly : GAAAH! 1/100 s away from today\'s goal!!!
oyly : BOYAH!
theDude : no kidding. all rain in tokyo as well.
oyly : rain rain rain rain rain!
oyly : Dude was on Sugo for the first time today, first time on a wet track and first time on a liter bike, and he is still with us! :-)
oyly : Who\'s got time off from work to nothing but riding until November? I do..... :-)
theDude : yeeeeha!
oyly : Ebisu 25, 26, Sugo 27, 28, Ebisu 29, 30, Sugo 1, 2, 3, 4! The Touhokans know how to cater to the track riders!
tougewolfman : Get out there and make us yabanjin proud Oyly ;-)
oyly : Ideal conditions at Motegi today: The crisp 20 degrees spring weather makes for lots of power and excellent traction!

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