Post by mcleanracing on Apr 20, 2013 21:03:12 GMT
We arrived at Santa Pod early friday morning with a good bit of optimism, new bikes, new team, new setup. We decided that we needed to run in the friday's test day as my bike still needed some setting up today, and Snr's bike was running pretty well last year so we knew that was good to go. It was lucky we did take this decision, as otherwise we would have been packing up Sunday morning. The recent weather meant we had no testing done what so ever, so turning up with a brand new untested bike would be a gamble.
We prepped the bike and got down to the line as the track opened and that what when our optimism slowly walked out the door. The bike misfired the whole way up the track, to a 12.3 @ 86mph. Towed back to the pits and after some searching, we found possibly the problem with a earth wire. Back out for the next run and the same again, to which i shut off mid track so not to damage the new motor, a 14 something, not a great start. Back at the trailer we managed to finally find the problem and isolate it, now the bike was starting to sound a bit better. The next run was slightly better, running a 10.56 @ 106mph but now the bike was backfiring going up and felt like it was running out of fuel.............. Back at the trailer with the bike in bits we could get a good indication now that the bike was running lean, not helped by the bitter cold weather either. We upjetted the carbs quite significantly to get it safe and we could move back if we needed to. Up to the burnour box and the bike noticably sounded better, up to the line, staged, and launch, the bike spluttered up to the 330ft mark (due to now being too rich low down), then cleared its throat and took off, running only a 10.4 but with mph up to 135+mph we knew we were on the right track. After a quick play with the carbs to lean it off at the bottom of the rev range, we went up for what would b our last run of the day. By this time i was now getting used to the new slider clutch, something i have never used before, So the next run i got a good solid launch with a poor (to me) 1.51 60ft altho a slight splutter getting off the line and the bike got down the track faultlessly to a 9.35 @ 140mph. This was with only 30 degree's ignition in, so now we knew the bike ran, we could start putting some ignition back into it.
Saturday we woke up in a good mood, ready for qualifying. With no changes made to the bike overnight, we decided to run it and tune it between runs. We went down for Q1, were the bike had reverted back to popping and banging down the track like a firework display. With a 11.27 @ 108, it wasnt the start we wanted. This was now slightly worrying as the weather was obviously playing a much bigger part in our tune than we had at first realised. Well the snow flurries came and went and that would be the only run we would make that day.
We worked into the night on Saturday, changing spark plugs, putting some more ignition timing in and going through the bike making sure there were no other issues that we had overlooked, also checking the clutch and make a few tweeks
Sunday and into Q2, i would be paired up against Jake Mecheal which would give me a good indication on how far of the pace i was. The bike was sounding very good now. The bike dug in on the launch and ran a 1.41 60ft, clicked into 2nd, short shifted into 3, then i couldnt get 4th, shutting off way before the 1000ft marker. I ran through with a 9.34 @ 123mph. Altho a bit gutted, i was very pleased as the bike was pulling 134mph @ 1000ft while off the throttle which meant the new motor was very strong. When we looked for the reason of the missed shift, we couldnt find anything that jumped out at us, so we put it down to lack of air pressure. Into Q3 and the bike launched very hard, with a PB 60ft of 1.37, but then couldnt get any gears other than 1st. It was only when my crew cheif Ady came back to the pits with a handful of bits and said "do u know what this is from" that I realised the reason for the missed 4th gear in Q2......... the airshifter kill valve had somehow dismantled itself, to which i still cant work out how....
That was Qualifying over with, we decided to just double check everying over as we would be into Eliminations tomorrow, The back tyre was completely shot but after hearing I would be against reigning champion Mick Winyard in the first round, we decided not to change it as we were certain we would be going out. We would just go out, and try to get another good run in.
Monday came and into Round 1, the bike spun up off the line loosing nearly 2 tenths in the 60ft, but the bike still pulled hard and we got a full box of gears........... and Mick hadnt come by yet..... I went through the line with a 9.29 @ 144mph, i had shut off just before the line in disbeleif to look over my shoulder, Id won.
The next problem was i was now against Martin Wilson who id just watched run a perfect 8.500 in round 1. We didnt have time to change the tyre, and we handnt even ran a 8 yet. Between the crew we decided to check the nitrous system over, again and again to make sure it was good to use as this would be the first time on gas with this motor. We only had 80hp jets in as we had hoped to have ran a 8 on motor by now, but we could only try our best.
We were called up for round 2, everything armed. The winner of this round would have a bye into the final. Burnout done, into stage and launch, I spun again on the launch loosing nearly 2 tenths again, but going up the track, i kept looking over to see it was neck and neck, but Martin just creaped ahead at the finish line. Looking at the timing ticket, up untill 1000ft i was in the lead, then the power of the turbo bike just got the better of me. But the bike had ran a 8.84 @ 157mph, the first 8 of the season, and a PB with the mph............but i had only lost by 0.0600 what would have happened if we had a new tyre, who knows....... lesson learned.
As a team we are very proud of what we have acheived in our first ever event. It had left us drained after the weekend, but it has left us positive about the year ahead. Bringing a brand new untested bike to an event was always going to be a challenge, one which we accepted and one which we have learned from and can build on. I would like to personally thank my crew cheif Adrian Cattell, John Snr my dad and team mate, Andy Trigg and Mum Mclean for all the help/advice/food/tea/coffee etc they provided all weekend. And also to Stuart Crane, Dave Brader, Dale Leeks and the rest of the Warpspeed Racing crew, for the help and advice they have given leading up to and throughout the event
Thankyou also to the Santa Pod crew who did an amazing job of the track and keeping things going all weekend and to all the other racers who made us feel welcome into the pits.
We prepped the bike and got down to the line as the track opened and that what when our optimism slowly walked out the door. The bike misfired the whole way up the track, to a 12.3 @ 86mph. Towed back to the pits and after some searching, we found possibly the problem with a earth wire. Back out for the next run and the same again, to which i shut off mid track so not to damage the new motor, a 14 something, not a great start. Back at the trailer we managed to finally find the problem and isolate it, now the bike was starting to sound a bit better. The next run was slightly better, running a 10.56 @ 106mph but now the bike was backfiring going up and felt like it was running out of fuel.............. Back at the trailer with the bike in bits we could get a good indication now that the bike was running lean, not helped by the bitter cold weather either. We upjetted the carbs quite significantly to get it safe and we could move back if we needed to. Up to the burnour box and the bike noticably sounded better, up to the line, staged, and launch, the bike spluttered up to the 330ft mark (due to now being too rich low down), then cleared its throat and took off, running only a 10.4 but with mph up to 135+mph we knew we were on the right track. After a quick play with the carbs to lean it off at the bottom of the rev range, we went up for what would b our last run of the day. By this time i was now getting used to the new slider clutch, something i have never used before, So the next run i got a good solid launch with a poor (to me) 1.51 60ft altho a slight splutter getting off the line and the bike got down the track faultlessly to a 9.35 @ 140mph. This was with only 30 degree's ignition in, so now we knew the bike ran, we could start putting some ignition back into it.
Saturday we woke up in a good mood, ready for qualifying. With no changes made to the bike overnight, we decided to run it and tune it between runs. We went down for Q1, were the bike had reverted back to popping and banging down the track like a firework display. With a 11.27 @ 108, it wasnt the start we wanted. This was now slightly worrying as the weather was obviously playing a much bigger part in our tune than we had at first realised. Well the snow flurries came and went and that would be the only run we would make that day.
We worked into the night on Saturday, changing spark plugs, putting some more ignition timing in and going through the bike making sure there were no other issues that we had overlooked, also checking the clutch and make a few tweeks
Sunday and into Q2, i would be paired up against Jake Mecheal which would give me a good indication on how far of the pace i was. The bike was sounding very good now. The bike dug in on the launch and ran a 1.41 60ft, clicked into 2nd, short shifted into 3, then i couldnt get 4th, shutting off way before the 1000ft marker. I ran through with a 9.34 @ 123mph. Altho a bit gutted, i was very pleased as the bike was pulling 134mph @ 1000ft while off the throttle which meant the new motor was very strong. When we looked for the reason of the missed shift, we couldnt find anything that jumped out at us, so we put it down to lack of air pressure. Into Q3 and the bike launched very hard, with a PB 60ft of 1.37, but then couldnt get any gears other than 1st. It was only when my crew cheif Ady came back to the pits with a handful of bits and said "do u know what this is from" that I realised the reason for the missed 4th gear in Q2......... the airshifter kill valve had somehow dismantled itself, to which i still cant work out how....
That was Qualifying over with, we decided to just double check everying over as we would be into Eliminations tomorrow, The back tyre was completely shot but after hearing I would be against reigning champion Mick Winyard in the first round, we decided not to change it as we were certain we would be going out. We would just go out, and try to get another good run in.
Monday came and into Round 1, the bike spun up off the line loosing nearly 2 tenths in the 60ft, but the bike still pulled hard and we got a full box of gears........... and Mick hadnt come by yet..... I went through the line with a 9.29 @ 144mph, i had shut off just before the line in disbeleif to look over my shoulder, Id won.
The next problem was i was now against Martin Wilson who id just watched run a perfect 8.500 in round 1. We didnt have time to change the tyre, and we handnt even ran a 8 yet. Between the crew we decided to check the nitrous system over, again and again to make sure it was good to use as this would be the first time on gas with this motor. We only had 80hp jets in as we had hoped to have ran a 8 on motor by now, but we could only try our best.
We were called up for round 2, everything armed. The winner of this round would have a bye into the final. Burnout done, into stage and launch, I spun again on the launch loosing nearly 2 tenths again, but going up the track, i kept looking over to see it was neck and neck, but Martin just creaped ahead at the finish line. Looking at the timing ticket, up untill 1000ft i was in the lead, then the power of the turbo bike just got the better of me. But the bike had ran a 8.84 @ 157mph, the first 8 of the season, and a PB with the mph............but i had only lost by 0.0600 what would have happened if we had a new tyre, who knows....... lesson learned.
As a team we are very proud of what we have acheived in our first ever event. It had left us drained after the weekend, but it has left us positive about the year ahead. Bringing a brand new untested bike to an event was always going to be a challenge, one which we accepted and one which we have learned from and can build on. I would like to personally thank my crew cheif Adrian Cattell, John Snr my dad and team mate, Andy Trigg and Mum Mclean for all the help/advice/food/tea/coffee etc they provided all weekend. And also to Stuart Crane, Dave Brader, Dale Leeks and the rest of the Warpspeed Racing crew, for the help and advice they have given leading up to and throughout the event
Thankyou also to the Santa Pod crew who did an amazing job of the track and keeping things going all weekend and to all the other racers who made us feel welcome into the pits.
well done matey