Race three, Pembrey

Track again learnt on YouTube, got to Pembrey early enough on the Friday to walk the track. Another top tip from the Bemsee chap. Between YouTube and walking the track everything becomes a lot more familiar. By Pembrey the sheer terror of racing was becoming easier to control so a bit more rational thought was possible. This new found rational thought was used to evaluate where I was looking whilst riding. Started off the day with eyes focussed on tarmac immediately in front of the bike. 400cc bikes are renowned for being a pain when cold, turns out ‘a pain’ means unpredictable, bouncing around and generally being skitty. Once the brakes, suspension and rider warm up the ride becomes smooth and a lot more predictable, this only takes a couple of laps, but those first couple of laps and constant heart in mouth laps. By timed mid-morning eye line had been raised up to look at the track ahead. By the afternoon eye line had again moved, further forward to seek out the next corner on the track ahead.

Fourth learning point, look at the corner ahead not the corner you are in. This is a real confidence trick and takes time but when it works your lap time’s drop by seconds. Riding on the road one generally looks at what is in front, riding on a track this does not work as there is nothing that can be done about the corner you are in, there is however time to realign for the next corner ahead. A bit like the ice racers who have wind screen wipers on their side windows, you are normally not looking where the bike is aimed but where you want to aim it next. Different but try it, it really works. Obvious question is if you are looking at the subsequent corner, how does one gauge lean angle of the present corner? I found my knee to be useful for this. Turn the bike in, once your knee is down you then know where the track is so can adjust your lean angle as required using the track on your knee as an angle gauge.

Fifth learning point, when tyres go, they go. Road tyres last 3,000 to 5,000 ish miles on public roads, race tyres last significantly less. The ZXR with its current rider’s ability gets through tyres every 200 miles or four race days / two race weekends. Learnt this at Pembrey when the tyres went prior to turn six, Esses. Turned in at usual speed and lean angle, expecting usual levels of grip. Nothing of the sort, back end slid out in a massive moment. Thinking this was an anomaly and there may have been something on the track adopted usual speed and angle for turn seven, massive back end slide again. Time to slow down.

Finished the session and only had 10 minutes until the final race of the day so no time for new tyres to be fitted. Checked tyres visually, checked tyre pressures and hoped for the best. Back out on the track rode very gingerly, less lean angle and tried to be a smooth as possible. By the end of the race were actually only running a second and a half slower per lap than the previous session.

Sixth learning point, smoother is faster. Actually learnt this on the track days prior to racing so the learning point should actually be understand what smooth riding is. Imagine trying to ride balancing a cup of coffee on your tank, this gives some idea. New tyres fitted at end of day one.

Day two with new tyres and continuing to look at the next corner not the present corner meant times improved and finished last but three, bike and rider in the condition they turned up in.

Not so for all however, Pembrey was a strange weekend. Weekends to date had maybe had one race red flagged. Pembrey had 13 red flags, five riders in hospital and one air ambulance. A number of the accidents were happening on warm up laps which clubs fine riders for as warm up laps are sighting laps and should not be ridden at race pace. No reason for so many accidents, just a strange weekend. Luckily everyone, including the air ambulanced rider all lived to ride another day.

Bit of a gap until race four so race fairing off, lights and road fairing on, bike into the Chippenham Motor Cycles http://www.chippenhammotorcycles.co.uk for oil and filter change plus an MOT. Road fairing and lights off, race fairing on.