Hockenheim: Opening race Dutch Superbikes
This was a weekend I'd like to forget soon, it seems like bad weather has been following me all year and I’m getting sick and tired of it.
It all started in Savannah, GA, it had been nice warm weather all week long but during the two days we had to race it was suddenly very wet, windy, and cold.
We got lucky in Daytona, by moving the races forward we were able to miss the thunderstorms. But the wind was very strong and the threat of rain was imminent .
Then we moved on to the first races of the season in Holland at Assen. They get cancelled because it was snowing! It’s spring dammit, where’s the sunshine???
Finally we’re at Hockenheim in Germany for the Dutch Superbikes championship. But again, after a week of nice sunshine there is a 90% chance of rain and thunderstorms.
Are you kidding me with this??Global warming, where are you when we need you most?
Anyway, back to the racing. Luck wasn’t with us this weekend, first of all we my 2007 Suzuki broke down mysteriously when warming-up the engine. So we had to get-out the ’06 Suzuki at the last minute.
Qualifying was terrible, I hadn’t ridden this bike in almost a year and it was definitely down on power. I had trouble on a drying track and was only able to put in a 25th position. Over 2 seconds slower than I was in free practice with the other bike.
It stayed dry on race day. I didn’t have a very good start and was fighting in a group for 20th position. I was very disappointed with how the race was going and couldn’t get into any rhythm what so ever. So when something came loose on the bike half-way the race, I decided to pull out.
Eventually the problem with the 2007 bike was quickly found and fixed and the bike will be all race ready for the next race at the Lausitzring.
I hope to give you some better news soon:)
Peter
It all started in Savannah, GA, it had been nice warm weather all week long but during the two days we had to race it was suddenly very wet, windy, and cold.
We got lucky in Daytona, by moving the races forward we were able to miss the thunderstorms. But the wind was very strong and the threat of rain was imminent .
Then we moved on to the first races of the season in Holland at Assen. They get cancelled because it was snowing! It’s spring dammit, where’s the sunshine???
Finally we’re at Hockenheim in Germany for the Dutch Superbikes championship. But again, after a week of nice sunshine there is a 90% chance of rain and thunderstorms.
Are you kidding me with this??Global warming, where are you when we need you most?
Anyway, back to the racing. Luck wasn’t with us this weekend, first of all we my 2007 Suzuki broke down mysteriously when warming-up the engine. So we had to get-out the ’06 Suzuki at the last minute.
Qualifying was terrible, I hadn’t ridden this bike in almost a year and it was definitely down on power. I had trouble on a drying track and was only able to put in a 25th position. Over 2 seconds slower than I was in free practice with the other bike.
It stayed dry on race day. I didn’t have a very good start and was fighting in a group for 20th position. I was very disappointed with how the race was going and couldn’t get into any rhythm what so ever. So when something came loose on the bike half-way the race, I decided to pull out.
Eventually the problem with the 2007 bike was quickly found and fixed and the bike will be all race ready for the next race at the Lausitzring.
I hope to give you some better news soon:)
Peter