Donington classic festival 5th/6th August

[popkat]

This weekend..

I'll be up there racing the VFR in Superstock. Loads of other stuff going on over the weekend as well..

Can't put a link from My phone so a quick google you'll find it.



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[Watty]

Would love to but currently moving house, so could be a divorce if I opted for Donny

[Pete.L]

Good luck Poppers.

Here's the link http://www.donington-park.co.uk/events/ ... 242/#event

Simon Crafar is on the guest list as well. It looks like a fun packed weekend. It's a shame it co-insides with the Scottish weekend or I'd be there

Keep us all posted as to how it goes

Pete.l

[alanfjones1411]

Have a good un poppers

[lloydie]

I'll be there Sunday if the weather holds out

[popkat]

I'll be there Sunday if the weather holds out

I hope the weather's ok, i need some dry time on the bike... See you Sunday, will be good to catch up

[popkat]

For anyone coming along my race number for the weekend is 131, white VFR750 with firestorm front end and wheels. Don't know where I'll be in the paddock but i'm not in a garage so that narrows it down a bit.



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[MacV2]

Good luck Malc, have fun...

[lloydie]

For anyone coming along my race number for the weekend is 131, white VFR750 with firestorm front end and wheels. Don't know where I'll be in the paddock but i'm not in a garage so that narrows it down a bit.



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You'll be near the bar / butty van lol

[Pete.L]

Have a great weekend Poppers
Best of luck

[AMCQ46]

Good luck Malc. Grab a few trophies

[Watty]

Have a great time Malc, hope all goes well

[Kev L]

Good luck Malc, have a great weekend

[popkat]

For anyone coming along my race number for the weekend is 131, white VFR750 with firestorm front end and wheels. Don't know where I'll be in the paddock but i'm not in a garage so that narrows it down a bit.



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You'll be near the bar / butty van lol

Not far from it

Good to see you today mate

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[popkat]

Not a bad weekend in the end, first proper meeting on it as Mallory was only 7 laps and suspension was shite then..

Practice was timed and that time set grid position for the weekend, now I'm just a little rusty as not raced for 3 years so didn't expect a great position, also in the same race as superstocks are the superbikes so think it was 42 bikes on the grid. I go out on track and on the 2nd lap my clutch lever goes all floppy, no hydraulic pressure VFR boxes aren't the smoothest and I had to crash it down the box, this took some getting used to and I ended up 21st on the grid, I had hoped to be a little higher.. After this I did a qualify for a trophy race, this race is open to all so you get the fastest bikes and best riders out there, I entered for extra track time, 60 odd bikes on track trying to qualify for 42 places. Went out with freshly bled clutch and on the 2nd lap no bloody clutch again. at least I had a bit of practice at it now, qualified 26th (but they put me 28th on the grid ) lap time 2 seconds faster..

First race and with clutch bled it happened on the warm up lap so had to start at back of grid, put it in gear and press the start button when the flag dropped. had a good fight through and finished 20th and about 8th in class.. that was it for Friday.

Borrowed a clutch master cylinder Friday night and it was fine from then on.

Saturday I only had one race, it had rained a lot and was drying up time we went out, not nice conditions, I had no feeling from the front (fork springs to hard) so we'll just forget that race

Tyres, I had been using super corsa's, we aren't allowed tyre warmers so I was trying to learn how hard to go in the early laps and when they came good.. Still not sure.. for the wet as we're not allowed wets I had Metzeler M77RR sport road tyres, they are about the best that can be fitted to the wheel sizes for the conditions and they aren't too bad when it's wet.. The guy who won every superstock race over the weekend was using the Metzelers in the dry too and although it's possible the Pirelli's can give you a better lap, in the relatively short races the M7's are better from the off, so I left them on for Sundays 3 races, which were all dry..

Sunday.. first race, I had to be very determined from the start being back in 21st on the grid, I got a good start made up quite a lot of places, ended up 5th in class and knocked another half second of my best lap.

second race was the trophy race, 28th on the grid, again made a good start and got in a great battle with a Yamaha TZ, bit of strategies going on towards the end, we'd both had a chance to look at each other as we swapped places, I planned to pass him down the back straight which I did (just), I think he knew this and obviously planned to wait for me to brake then brake himself, which he did perfectly, I did everything I could but he flicked that little TZ through the chicane so well the old VFR bus could never do it, I crossed the line just behind him, really enjoyed that race, it's what it's all about. Anyway 28th to 15th place finish and knocked 1.5 seconds off my best lap

Last race another superstock race, another good start and going well to the first corner, then a Big Suzuki Katana tried to force me off the track ahole !, then big crash at the top of craners just in front of me meant I lost the group in front, had a bit of a lonely race, could see the next guy but the gap remained static, matched my lap time from the last race and finished 4th in class and 8th overall (from 21st).

The old pace isn't quite there, with time and practice I had another 1 to 1.5 seconds to gain, but from start to finish I knocked 4 seconds off my lap times. The guy who won did a great job but think if I'd been racing all year I could have been challenging for 2nd all weekend. lap times were really fast..

If anyone wonders about what sporty tyre to fit to their bike there is no better option the M7RR, race like grip and lap times and on my Storm which has them too I have a set still on with nearly 2500 miles on, not much left on the rear but what more could you want...................... (Well I'd like commission from Metzeler for that comment )

Ended up having a cracking weekend, Thanks for readying


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