Lelystad 040724
As usual I rather write about my highs than my lows and this is no exception I guess...
Just in short I will say something about my days in Florennes.
I came there thinking that I would realy like the track and ended up liking the paddock and the barbeque better.
)
The track was a relatively easy one with a very nice last stretch on the gravel with the two high speed jumps. The tarmac part was not so fun and the chanses of overtaking in Florennes is small. On the tarmac really small.
Anyway, the weekend got screwed by a few crashes and one major crasch in the 2'nd final wich have made me rethink my strategies totally about the rest of the season.
I have nothing to fight for, more or less, in the Belgian championship this year and will probably only attend the races that don't collide with the two cups in Holland that I also drive in. After the really bad start of the season in Belgium with crash after crash I stand on 0 points but at the same time I am 4'th in the MON championship in Holland and 2'nd or 3'rd in the Euro championship in Holland so I guess that's where my energy will go for the rest of this season.
However, I will of course ride all the coming races in Belgium as well when it doesn't collide with those cups.
So, about this weekend in Holland:
Already in Florennes me and Ruben (Sebrechts) decided to both go to the next KNMV race in Lelystad Holland together and so we did. I was actually prepaired quite early and even the bike was in reasonable shape. Didn't have time to fix a flaw in my gearbox sending 3'rd gear out sometimes and a small noise also had started to appear but nothing major. That's the problem with working as a motocycle mechanic in the summer, not a lot of time to work on my own bike or anything else really. We pull 10-11h/day shifts 5 days/week + 6 h one day making you not wanna do too much motorcycle work the last day of the week when you are actually free from work. The upside is that when I DO work on my bike I have a very well equipped place to do it.
Leaving home on friday evening I was, even so, quite confident that most things where ok. My support unit (Sara) had a broken wheel (foot) though and was probably not gonna be of much use more than morally for the weekend. She proved me wrong however and hopefully the foot will be ok soon.
And as I said to Yves girlfriend in Bilstain when she was talking about him not letting her drive his Duc because he was afraid she might crash it:
- Well if you do crash you will heal for free but carbon fibre is REALLY expensive. (This line only applies on girlfriends with minor injuries, hehe)
So, arriving in Lelystad we had to stay outside the track as usual in Holland as they don't normally let people enter the day before, strangely enough as they host international classes. Some people come from far away and maybe don't want to get up at 2am to start driving. Rube with his support unit was already there but this time it was close. He just arrived 15 minutes before. I never came earlier than this guy to a race and I guess not many have as he seems to always be first. We talked a bit and went to bed to be fit for fight the day after for my second race day in Lelystad this year. This time in even better shape physically and with better mx-skills. Me and Sara played a game of candle light chess (with uncertain outcome I say, not she) and then went to ZzZZZZZzzz...
The morning after we, I, woke up. Drove to the gate, woke Sara again, inscribed. Drove into the paddock and woke Sara. Started to unload and when it was apparent enough that the doors of the truck was not gonna close anymore, up she went with the balance of a person drinking Whiskey for breakfast the last 40 years. Still not used to be roughly woken and directly stand up in a small truck with only two crouches as support.
Soon the bike had passed the technical and first practise came closer. Rube, always super prepaired, had his bike shining as new already standing with the right tires. So, he checked airpreassure as I checked that I had oil in my engine and gas in my tank and, and, and, and... And then I changed tires. Lovely double slick weather, medium compound. (That will tell most of you guys that it was no apparent chance of rain and about 25 degrees.)
First training is untimed in KNMV races but already after a few laps I felt the rythm build up and rider after rider getting closer to me, from ahead not behind. The lovely long slide into the hairpin after start/finnish was a true sourco of inspiration every lap as the powerslide coming out into the first high speed right. More singning than swearing in my helmet this morning.
Back in the paddock Rube had had about the same experience and I felt really good and still confident about the upcoming qualification and races. Rube a bit tired after riding but not so bad. I felt like going again directly. Hyper-energetic. Or MAYBE I'm just a mood-swinger. As things feel ok I'm always like that, but on the other hand when things go against me I'm not a cup of very sweet tea. After the startcrash in Florennes following a super start getting hit by a guy after he hit the tires I went to the truck redressed and packed before the race was over. Didn't say a word for 5 hours and most people stayed away from me seeing the thundercloud hanging over my head. Thing is I think I can actually hurt some innocent person during those first hours if I get into some sort of situation and therefore I just close the shell for a while. A few hours in the car playing music normally snaps me out of it.
For the qualification I changed the cutting pattern a bit in my rear to better suit the track and drank a lot of water. It was getting hotter and hotter and a Daniel racing is a Daniel sweating at the best of times. I thought that as my condition improved that would be less of an issue but it haven't made a different really.
Both me and Rube went out on the track first to get free lines as soon as possible. Tires warmed up nicely and already after one lap we started our quest for glory the two of us. Tarmac, we kept the same pace more or less. I take him in the hard brakings and he pulls away a bit accelerating out of the corners resulting in status quo on the tarmac. On the gravel also we keep about the same pace but the lowspeed corners I lost plenty in. Didn't have enough confidence in the grip of my front going into the corners on the rolling gravel wich made me brake to a much lower speed going into the corner and picking up speed slower after. Netto on the lap, Rube pulled away.
Sara, that had limped to the track was sitting in a chair with the pitboard first showing me a 4 then a 3. Great I thought, lets go for 2. But no such luck. And Rube he crashed in front of me but was up soon there after ending up 2'nd in the qualification so we where both happy getting back to our trucks. Nice, the Belgian crew both on the first line of the grid.
Brand new slick engulped my rear wheel the following hour and I gave it a nice cut. Sara cleaned the bike sitting on an oil barrel that she moved around the bike and I drank just a few more liters of water coming up to the first race of the day. The speaker reminded everyone of the importance of entering the parc ferme in time so we went in good time to not be excluded after our nice qualification.
Entering the track I felt ready to fight, my rear had really good grip and everything felt ok. Well, except that the noise in my engine had worsened and 3'rd gear more and more didn't feel like working very well.
Red flag gone 20 secs to start me and Rube made a fist to fist for good luck and ended our friendship there for the next 15 minutes + 1 lap. Maikel Smits on first position took the start followed by Rube and me. Into the first corner I just hoped nobody would send me to the ground as so many times before this year and got through. I told my Husa to show the guy behind why it is that he stood behind me on the grid and my trusted friend obeyed buying me a 10m gap on the first straight. After that I fell into my rythm directly. Kept up with Rube for some laps, Smits went away. After that I made a mistace in one of those damn lowspeeds on the gravel going over a wall having to bulldoze back over it. Luckily I lost no positions but the 4'th guy was back on my tail. I decided to loose him again and so I did. But I had also lost the pull I had recieved from Rube trough the gravel and now lost 10m/lap to him on the gravel only driving alone there. The guy behind me lost 20m/lap to me so I didn't feel at risk. Then in one of the hairpins Smits was laying down. Heureka! (He was ok) Rube first and me second. Turning around I saw Smits just 30m behind but I made a run for it. Two laps I ran like mad through the gravel and still he was coming. 3rd pass I again went over a wall, smaller this time, but lost my second position + 30 meters. I saw that Rube was out of reach and that the guy after me was now more than the start/finnish after me so I drove to keep my position just hoping Rube had a big enough gap to keep 1'st.
The chequered flag was natrually passed doing a saddle stand wheelie.
1st race 3'rd.
The last 4 laps Sara was standing on the side of the track trying to make me drive slower as the following guy was so far away. She looked really wined up but I never felt the preassure during that race as I drove most of it alone and my 3'rd place was cemented for most of the race. However for her she lost track of me for 25 seconds every lap as I went into the gravel part and that was apparently a bit nervewrecking to wait and see if I actually came out the other end.
Rube was now really tired, happy about his 2'nd place of course but really beat up. I was still ready to go. Thank god for the endless hours spent training and the 21 kilos lost. And for the fact that my bike was still running even though it sounded like there was little rocks in the engine. With tons of luck it might run for even one race more I thought and started to prepaire.
Second race:
One guy started way too early but as the red light went out I went like a champagne cork to the first corner. Into and through it as first rider, rocketed down the straight and then came the red flag. FUCK!!! (I have this start on video, really nice except the end with the red flag)
Next start was a copy of the first race. Smits, Rube and me. Followed by another guy but the result was the same. As he heard my Doma scream further and furter away I felt like race one was about to repeat it self. Smits pulled away at the same pace but I kept on to Rube a bit better this time. He was faster, but this time not so much. Half way into the race he slowed down on the start/finnish and I just cried out nooo in my helmet as I passed him. Of cource Race-Daniel said Yes! but most of me felt really sorry. I knew that my bike could break at any point so it would surely be a bit unfair if his did. But turning around I saw he was still there and I switched back to Race-Daniel. Lap after lap like this, tarmac I pulled away just a bit and after the gravel he was back on my ass. This continiued to the finnish. Me 2'nd Rube 3'rd.
We had in other words finnished on a split 2'nd over all. Greeeeeat!!!!!
Rube came up to the side of me after the finnish with his Brembo pump not attached to the steer. Damn, he followed me without a front brake! I don't know what was most unsetteling:
The fact that he had actually done it. Or, the fact that he even attemted to do it. That's some crazy shit.
On Lelystad you only have one really hard braking but I sure as hell don't wanna go into that one at pace withouth my Beringer.
My congratulations on both his achievment and his hardcore mentality.
We packed up, watched some other races and then went for our prices wondering a bit who might get 2'nd and who might get 3'rd as our points was the same. Rube thought race 2 would count giving me 2'nd and I thought qualification position would be more fair and therefore he should be 2'nd. I got it but I didn't feel really good about it. Still, for the championship it looks very good. As I can count Rube now leads it over all with me 2'nd and a bit of a gap down to third. In a few days we will know for sure as the points get published by KNMV.
Next weekend it's Venray in Holland. This is one of my dreamtracks. Maybe not for results, we'll see, but the track is just beautiful. Fast and two really big table tops.
Just hope my bike is ok in time.
C ya.
Daniel
www.supermotard-racing.com
(Check it out and sign guestbook to let my webdude know you've been there. Sponsors is also an important part of this so check'em out as well)
As usual I rather write about my highs than my lows and this is no exception I guess...
Just in short I will say something about my days in Florennes.
I came there thinking that I would realy like the track and ended up liking the paddock and the barbeque better.
)The track was a relatively easy one with a very nice last stretch on the gravel with the two high speed jumps. The tarmac part was not so fun and the chanses of overtaking in Florennes is small. On the tarmac really small.
Anyway, the weekend got screwed by a few crashes and one major crasch in the 2'nd final wich have made me rethink my strategies totally about the rest of the season.
I have nothing to fight for, more or less, in the Belgian championship this year and will probably only attend the races that don't collide with the two cups in Holland that I also drive in. After the really bad start of the season in Belgium with crash after crash I stand on 0 points but at the same time I am 4'th in the MON championship in Holland and 2'nd or 3'rd in the Euro championship in Holland so I guess that's where my energy will go for the rest of this season.
However, I will of course ride all the coming races in Belgium as well when it doesn't collide with those cups.
So, about this weekend in Holland:
Already in Florennes me and Ruben (Sebrechts) decided to both go to the next KNMV race in Lelystad Holland together and so we did. I was actually prepaired quite early and even the bike was in reasonable shape. Didn't have time to fix a flaw in my gearbox sending 3'rd gear out sometimes and a small noise also had started to appear but nothing major. That's the problem with working as a motocycle mechanic in the summer, not a lot of time to work on my own bike or anything else really. We pull 10-11h/day shifts 5 days/week + 6 h one day making you not wanna do too much motorcycle work the last day of the week when you are actually free from work. The upside is that when I DO work on my bike I have a very well equipped place to do it.
Leaving home on friday evening I was, even so, quite confident that most things where ok. My support unit (Sara) had a broken wheel (foot) though and was probably not gonna be of much use more than morally for the weekend. She proved me wrong however and hopefully the foot will be ok soon.
And as I said to Yves girlfriend in Bilstain when she was talking about him not letting her drive his Duc because he was afraid she might crash it:
- Well if you do crash you will heal for free but carbon fibre is REALLY expensive. (This line only applies on girlfriends with minor injuries, hehe)
So, arriving in Lelystad we had to stay outside the track as usual in Holland as they don't normally let people enter the day before, strangely enough as they host international classes. Some people come from far away and maybe don't want to get up at 2am to start driving. Rube with his support unit was already there but this time it was close. He just arrived 15 minutes before. I never came earlier than this guy to a race and I guess not many have as he seems to always be first. We talked a bit and went to bed to be fit for fight the day after for my second race day in Lelystad this year. This time in even better shape physically and with better mx-skills. Me and Sara played a game of candle light chess (with uncertain outcome I say, not she) and then went to ZzZZZZZzzz...
The morning after we, I, woke up. Drove to the gate, woke Sara again, inscribed. Drove into the paddock and woke Sara. Started to unload and when it was apparent enough that the doors of the truck was not gonna close anymore, up she went with the balance of a person drinking Whiskey for breakfast the last 40 years. Still not used to be roughly woken and directly stand up in a small truck with only two crouches as support.
Soon the bike had passed the technical and first practise came closer. Rube, always super prepaired, had his bike shining as new already standing with the right tires. So, he checked airpreassure as I checked that I had oil in my engine and gas in my tank and, and, and, and... And then I changed tires. Lovely double slick weather, medium compound. (That will tell most of you guys that it was no apparent chance of rain and about 25 degrees.)
First training is untimed in KNMV races but already after a few laps I felt the rythm build up and rider after rider getting closer to me, from ahead not behind. The lovely long slide into the hairpin after start/finnish was a true sourco of inspiration every lap as the powerslide coming out into the first high speed right. More singning than swearing in my helmet this morning.
Back in the paddock Rube had had about the same experience and I felt really good and still confident about the upcoming qualification and races. Rube a bit tired after riding but not so bad. I felt like going again directly. Hyper-energetic. Or MAYBE I'm just a mood-swinger. As things feel ok I'm always like that, but on the other hand when things go against me I'm not a cup of very sweet tea. After the startcrash in Florennes following a super start getting hit by a guy after he hit the tires I went to the truck redressed and packed before the race was over. Didn't say a word for 5 hours and most people stayed away from me seeing the thundercloud hanging over my head. Thing is I think I can actually hurt some innocent person during those first hours if I get into some sort of situation and therefore I just close the shell for a while. A few hours in the car playing music normally snaps me out of it.
For the qualification I changed the cutting pattern a bit in my rear to better suit the track and drank a lot of water. It was getting hotter and hotter and a Daniel racing is a Daniel sweating at the best of times. I thought that as my condition improved that would be less of an issue but it haven't made a different really.
Both me and Rube went out on the track first to get free lines as soon as possible. Tires warmed up nicely and already after one lap we started our quest for glory the two of us. Tarmac, we kept the same pace more or less. I take him in the hard brakings and he pulls away a bit accelerating out of the corners resulting in status quo on the tarmac. On the gravel also we keep about the same pace but the lowspeed corners I lost plenty in. Didn't have enough confidence in the grip of my front going into the corners on the rolling gravel wich made me brake to a much lower speed going into the corner and picking up speed slower after. Netto on the lap, Rube pulled away.
Sara, that had limped to the track was sitting in a chair with the pitboard first showing me a 4 then a 3. Great I thought, lets go for 2. But no such luck. And Rube he crashed in front of me but was up soon there after ending up 2'nd in the qualification so we where both happy getting back to our trucks. Nice, the Belgian crew both on the first line of the grid.
Brand new slick engulped my rear wheel the following hour and I gave it a nice cut. Sara cleaned the bike sitting on an oil barrel that she moved around the bike and I drank just a few more liters of water coming up to the first race of the day. The speaker reminded everyone of the importance of entering the parc ferme in time so we went in good time to not be excluded after our nice qualification.
Entering the track I felt ready to fight, my rear had really good grip and everything felt ok. Well, except that the noise in my engine had worsened and 3'rd gear more and more didn't feel like working very well.
Red flag gone 20 secs to start me and Rube made a fist to fist for good luck and ended our friendship there for the next 15 minutes + 1 lap. Maikel Smits on first position took the start followed by Rube and me. Into the first corner I just hoped nobody would send me to the ground as so many times before this year and got through. I told my Husa to show the guy behind why it is that he stood behind me on the grid and my trusted friend obeyed buying me a 10m gap on the first straight. After that I fell into my rythm directly. Kept up with Rube for some laps, Smits went away. After that I made a mistace in one of those damn lowspeeds on the gravel going over a wall having to bulldoze back over it. Luckily I lost no positions but the 4'th guy was back on my tail. I decided to loose him again and so I did. But I had also lost the pull I had recieved from Rube trough the gravel and now lost 10m/lap to him on the gravel only driving alone there. The guy behind me lost 20m/lap to me so I didn't feel at risk. Then in one of the hairpins Smits was laying down. Heureka! (He was ok) Rube first and me second. Turning around I saw Smits just 30m behind but I made a run for it. Two laps I ran like mad through the gravel and still he was coming. 3rd pass I again went over a wall, smaller this time, but lost my second position + 30 meters. I saw that Rube was out of reach and that the guy after me was now more than the start/finnish after me so I drove to keep my position just hoping Rube had a big enough gap to keep 1'st.
The chequered flag was natrually passed doing a saddle stand wheelie.
1st race 3'rd.
The last 4 laps Sara was standing on the side of the track trying to make me drive slower as the following guy was so far away. She looked really wined up but I never felt the preassure during that race as I drove most of it alone and my 3'rd place was cemented for most of the race. However for her she lost track of me for 25 seconds every lap as I went into the gravel part and that was apparently a bit nervewrecking to wait and see if I actually came out the other end.
Rube was now really tired, happy about his 2'nd place of course but really beat up. I was still ready to go. Thank god for the endless hours spent training and the 21 kilos lost. And for the fact that my bike was still running even though it sounded like there was little rocks in the engine. With tons of luck it might run for even one race more I thought and started to prepaire.
Second race:
One guy started way too early but as the red light went out I went like a champagne cork to the first corner. Into and through it as first rider, rocketed down the straight and then came the red flag. FUCK!!! (I have this start on video, really nice except the end with the red flag)
Next start was a copy of the first race. Smits, Rube and me. Followed by another guy but the result was the same. As he heard my Doma scream further and furter away I felt like race one was about to repeat it self. Smits pulled away at the same pace but I kept on to Rube a bit better this time. He was faster, but this time not so much. Half way into the race he slowed down on the start/finnish and I just cried out nooo in my helmet as I passed him. Of cource Race-Daniel said Yes! but most of me felt really sorry. I knew that my bike could break at any point so it would surely be a bit unfair if his did. But turning around I saw he was still there and I switched back to Race-Daniel. Lap after lap like this, tarmac I pulled away just a bit and after the gravel he was back on my ass. This continiued to the finnish. Me 2'nd Rube 3'rd.
We had in other words finnished on a split 2'nd over all. Greeeeeat!!!!!
Rube came up to the side of me after the finnish with his Brembo pump not attached to the steer. Damn, he followed me without a front brake! I don't know what was most unsetteling:
The fact that he had actually done it. Or, the fact that he even attemted to do it. That's some crazy shit.
On Lelystad you only have one really hard braking but I sure as hell don't wanna go into that one at pace withouth my Beringer.
My congratulations on both his achievment and his hardcore mentality.
We packed up, watched some other races and then went for our prices wondering a bit who might get 2'nd and who might get 3'rd as our points was the same. Rube thought race 2 would count giving me 2'nd and I thought qualification position would be more fair and therefore he should be 2'nd. I got it but I didn't feel really good about it. Still, for the championship it looks very good. As I can count Rube now leads it over all with me 2'nd and a bit of a gap down to third. In a few days we will know for sure as the points get published by KNMV.
Next weekend it's Venray in Holland. This is one of my dreamtracks. Maybe not for results, we'll see, but the track is just beautiful. Fast and two really big table tops.
Just hope my bike is ok in time.
C ya.
Daniel
www.supermotard-racing.com
(Check it out and sign guestbook to let my webdude know you've been there. Sponsors is also an important part of this so check'em out as well)
