West Coast Champs time again with the Aussies in attendance, had them a bit edgy the thought of 6 on the line generally they only have 4 units line up.

The meeting in general what a buzz some of the most intense on track action I’ve been involved in for a long time, had ex New Zealand Champion’s that were watching saying it was the best racing they had seen in a long time helped greatly by a top track surface and being run at night.

The format had 3 heats of 6 the winner of each of the heats advancing straight to the final that being ourselves passing the legend from Aus Gary Moon / Mike Ing on the way, Steve/ Shaun 42p and Aussie’s Scott Christopher/ Trent Koppe.

The next qualifier involved the remaining bikes staying in there same heat’s with the 1st 2 going to a semi-final of 6 bikes, then the 1st 3 of this race joining the 3 1st round winners for a 3 race final have you got that fiqured out…….cool.

So the 3 other finalist were Gary Moon/ Mike Ing, Mark Whye/ Gordon Campbell and Phil and Simon McNabb. The 1st final heat needed a re-start Moonie apparently crossing before the 30 yard line seeing him excluded the re-run the tractor of 42p got a flyer and we couldn’t peg him back 11p Mark/ Gordy 2nd us 3rd Mark wouldn’t move over lol.

The 2nd heat we were on the wall went around all of them except for Moonie had him as well before the end of the 2nd lap and pulled away 11p 3rd, 42p 5th this gave us a point lead 11p and another point back to 42p.

The last heat was all on you could throw a blanket over the 1st 4 bikes and none of them was the Aussie boy’s 42p went on to win 11p 2nd and we got 3rd meaning a 3 way run-off for 1st.

42p drew pole 11p on 2 we had the outside so we were off 11p pulled a big wheelstand that was his change gone 42p a better gate than us to take the lead the remainder of the race was gaving it heaps to pass them around the outside but couldn’t quite nail it, so there you have it could’nt make this write up any shorter I would’nt have done the meeting justice it was unbelievable racing.

In the wash up it meant we still have not won the West Coast Title lol. Merry Christmas everyone New Zealand Champ’s next come down the pit’s and say hi see you there.

Heavy rain the night before left the track waterlogged basically so were on a hiding to nothing really.

We had 13 bikes so had 2 heats of 6 with some new boys off the back, we were in the first race on the old girl it didn’t let us down and took the win. We went straight to the infield and jumped on the new one did the practise lap and about the first 2 lap’s of the race but its not really happening for us unfortunately probable major structual changes in the front end looking likely.

It has the grunt alright but thats all we got and that was to be all the racing we had for the night the track being to rough.

The West Coast Champs are next for us on the 27th December with the Aussie boy’s here it should be interesting.

Support for the Sprintcar’s this night those yank’s were knocking on the door of a 160kph that’s a 100mph in the old language, we were doing about 115kph apparently. This was another track we had alot of fun on in year’s gone by and they have gone and contaminated it with clay also, give us a break, had 2 ride’s before time went against us won both of our heat’s Steve and Shaun 42p , Stu and Richie 52p (ex52w) had a win each also. We had hoped to have the new bike down in Wellington but the boy’s have been busy so finger’s crossed for Palmy this weekend, both bike’s painted now looking good hopefully G.T. can put up a photo of them together after this coming weekend

Travelled back from Huntly to race at our home track with 5 bike’s in attendance Jeff the maori 33p back for another go, Mick 35v out of action with a broken hand while driving a Superstock at the last meeting. The afternoon meeting’s create havoc in trying to keep moisture in the track, so to the racing if you had an inside gate you had a good change at winning, Cudge and Tony 62v won 2 we won the other and a good day had by Josh and Sam 32p, Phil and Simon 45p keeped it clean so all is good.

Haven’t been to Huntly for about 6 season’s so were interested to see if the track was any better than the last time we visited, but o no it wasn’t to be the dreaded clay surface not playing ball for us again, alright for the car’s not for the bike’s had a top field there as well. Had the 1 ride for a win but nothing to show off about, a big thank’s to Craig Blundell for his effort’s in assembling a top feild a bugger about the track.

Disappointing day for our section especially for the rider of 35v Mike Paul, had work his butt of all week on the track but was unavaliable Sunday morning to keep it watered, the hot day ruined all his hard work. Ourselves Mick and Blink 35v only did the 1st race weren’t achieving anything so called it a day, National’s just around the corner pointless wrecking the gear for nothing.

Sorry about the late post had other things on my mind, anyway Sally back from injury for this meeting probably a bit early but stayed away from the contact so he’s all good, 3 win’s from 3 had some fun with Steve and Shaun 42p. Recorded a 17.7 2nd lap in the last race! lap boxes are weird thing’s, am sure we’ve been faster than that and not recorded as fast a time. The old bike going sweet.

Looking to carry on from the previous meeting’s winning way’s but old Super Sally suffered an injury, more serious than first thought so he had to sit this meeting out.

He may also have to rest for the next few week’s as well. We are having a few teething trouble’s with the new bike at the moment, I was convinced by the team to leave it in the shed the night.

So off we went to the track with the old girl and I didn’t have a confirmed swinger until about an hour before the meeting, Paul Humprey jumped on the back and we won 3 out of 3, cheer’s Paul first time for him with the chequered flag all good.

Not sure at this stage what’s happening for this weekend, I have to keep match fit but Sally’s injury’s have to be right as well with only 5 and a half week’s until the National’s.

Will keep you posted, Thank’s Handbag

Not going to talk about the first night it was a bit of a fizzer only the one round of racing before the Sprintcars buggered the track completely.

So to the 8th of November shot over to Wanganui in the afternoon for there practise with our two bikes and the track was awesome, went out on the old one first and did about 5 laps then pulled into the infield and jumped on the new bike and did about 3 on that one, very happy with both.

So back to Palmy change the gearing on both bikes again and were ready for the night. 3 heats at the moment leading into the N.Z. Champs we were in the 2nd heat on the old bike managed a 2nd behind Cudge and Tony 62v, Cudge had his ears working overtime to hold us out lol.

We took the new bike out for the 3rd heat and the straight line speed it has got is very pleasing a couple of bugs to sort out but mostly good, that was until we got out of shape in front of Marcus 11p leaving him know where to go except into us Sally got winded with a few bruises but he was mainly alright.

The next 2 rounds we stayed with the old bike and we had a ball winning both races the top 6 race coming from 4th place at the start to win and then pull away from the others once we were in front. Thanks as always to Champ for sorting the clutch on the awesome old bike and now if that’s not enough all the work he’s put in on the new bike he’ll be bald like me soon pulling his hair out.

Now we have 1 bike painted and 1 bike not have had a lot of positive comments on how good the old bike is looking so we are needing a top painter to do the other bike if your keen come and see us.

Photos by Sportsimages.co.nz

Cheers Handbag and Sally 19v

We didn’t enter the first time this event was going to be on as this happened to be the same weekend as the N.Z. Superstock Champ’s, generally there is no other meeting on the same weekend as this, the rain put the 1st running of the event off allowing us to enter the 2nd time and take the now retired 1nz’s position in the field. The format allowed for 20 bike’s having 4 race’s each then the top 8 going to the semi’s then a 1 race final with the top 4 bike’s. Our first heat of the day up against 2nz 4k and 49a a big heat we managed a 2nd behind 2nz I was struggling to see and if it was a 5 lap race wouldn’t have finished. We won our next 3 heat’s to put us 2nd on point’s to have 1st pick of the draw for our semi , 2nz had 1st pick for their’s. In the 1st semi 9g Dean and Honk got the win over 2nz Les and Kervin then 21a and 66a. In our semi we got out of the gate’s last but coming out of the 1st corner we were 2nd behind 49a, a couple of lap’s later we passed them to win our heat and have 1st pick for the final. So to the final we picked grid 1 because 9g had been gating good all day he had the next pick and went of 2, 2nz had next pick and took 3 leaving 49a Russell and Andrew on grid 4. 3 Hawkes Bay based bike’s in the final all with a different track letter beside their number go figure. Anyway 9g get’s the gate us in 2nd but the race only lasted a 150 metre’s or so 49a and 2nz had a coming together with Kervin breaking his wrist. To the restart 9g get’s away 1st again us in 2nd followed by 49a, so during the next 3 lap’s we had to take some evasive action with the 9g bike near spinning out at least twice in front of us, coming into the final corner we had managed to get up enough momentum to get pass the 9g bike to take our “4TH” North Island Title in a row and 5th in 6 season’s yeha. One meeting left to go back at Rosebank for the Auckland Champ’s in 2 week’s time.