Spa Bikers Challenge 13/3-2004
This time I will write about a great day even though my bike broke which usually is not the sign of a nice day at a race...
Again, there was some transport difficulties as Raes could'nt go as planned but I was prepaired and got a ride from the one and only Tim as the last time. I think he's really starting to enjoy the paddoc life and the racing it self wich have fastly made him a member of the team-crew helping out with timing,signing and gas-stops etc.
Thanx man...
The day before the race Tim came over and we had a nice dinner and 1 (one) beer, watched a movie and went to bed at around midnight, I alwas have some problems to sleep the night before a race so it's no point to go to bed too early anyway.
I have been training really hard the last weeks and increased my training to nearly 10 hours/week riding training cycle and also a couple of hours motocrossing/week with the Husaberg supermotard, always with slicks to get a really effective training. It's gone really well lately and I also lost a few kg's more and are now getting close to the goal of a fit 77kg Daniel. Fit I am but the weight has a tiny bit more to go. The deadline is the 18'th of april though as the championship starts then so there is 5 weeks still to fine tune me.
)
The bike however:
At the last time training MX a noise appeared in the engine which made me a bit worried that something might happen sooner or later. Power was still good but the noise did'nt sound that good. But, it was too close to the race at Francorchamps to open the engine so I decided to go anyway as it was the last chance of training and testing before the Belgian championship starts. I've made a few alterations to the bike since last, mainly a Beringer pump has been mounted and race pads whitch sorted out the problems I had at the last race with the brake. The Beringer pump is just fantastic, gives a trumendous response and have a really nice handle. I now can make stoppies with one finger wich is as good of a grade as anything.
So, the morning of the race everything went in the car and on the trailer and away we went. A bit tired after not having slept more than 3 hours but feeling really good for the rest. The not-having-slept-enough problem would not manifest itself until later that night wich we come to later.
In the paddoc we claimed our usual spot surrounded of supermotard.be riders and the day at Francorchamps began.
Weather: Cloudy, wet and chance of rain at any moment.
So, I put the rains on. Skipped the open training as I new that the bike had problems that might lead to a brake-down. We used the time to double check the bike and again go through the routines for the gas-stop and for the pitboard signing. That taken care of I went to the qualification with Sara and Tim in charge of letting me know my position. My plan was as usual to just ride to a certain first or second line starting position and then quit. Not risking anything and not riding the bike more than neccesairy. It was still a bit wet but it did'nt rain. I took it easy for a few laps building up temerature in the tires and confidence in the bike, and also got used to the new brake. After that I started to pick up speed and was directly revarded with a number 3 on the board. I took it a bit easy for one lap to pass some riders and get a free track in front of me for the next attempt. As I passed the pits I was down to 8'th position. Coming out on the start/finish I gave the Husaberg full throttle and tried to hold on to it as it rocketed down the straight bouncing the front off the ground when shifting gears. Into the chicane I made a double slide first sending the rear out to the right passing the first tires and then in one motion taking it all the way out left and hitting the gas as I soon as I got a line out from the chicane. After that a 1 second full gas on third and then down to 2'nd sliding into a 90 left that's very narrow. After that is a tricky part with some gravel and dirty tarmac wich ends as we come back out on the gocart track of Francorchamps. The jumps were closed this day as it was too wet after bad weather earlier in the week. Passing the pits at full speed I saw that I was still 8'th but new that that would improve when this lap was done if nothing happened. It felt just great both the bike and myself. Sliding into corners and power sliding out of them was a rule and as that lap was completed I went into the pits to check up on things. I was then 5'th but my time was still 4 seconds after the leader. Hmmm, thought Daniel and went back out. This time...
I rode this lap really hard and agressive. Almost all the way it worked fine so now I new that I was for sure top 8 and retired. My laptime had improved 2.4 seconds on that lap and taught me that I now is faster than ever if I just put my mind into it. I went back to the paddoc as 3'rd after Depoorter and Poncin. Later I slipped down to 6'th but only had 3/10'ths of a second to 3'rd. Good result and still I new that I could do even a bit better if I pushed it really hard. The bike still ran well and I was in a great mood.
So, as the race came closer I thought about changing to slicks because the track was drying but decided against it as the clouds looked like rain was imminent. It's better to go on rains when dry than slicks when wet. Just more expensive. Of course it then stayed dry the rest of the day but if I would have put the slicks on the skies would have opened for sure. I got 5'th position on the grid don't know why but I accepted natrually and as the starter got ready I said good luck to Bandit (Hans) beside me on the 6'th position and put the Husaberg in 2'nd reving it steady at 3-4000 rpms.
START!!!
Now, I have one problem to sort out before april and that is my starting skills. The first 20-30 meters I am not that good which is gonna be important in the championship as the races are short. In the wintercup we ride 2 times 90 minutes so it's not that bad to loose a few positions in the start, but still. Bandit took me and one guy more and I was down to 8'th. First guy was passed already on the straight as my Husaberg flexed it's biceps and him I never saw again until I lapped him. Now me and Bandit started a really nice fight however. I new he new that I was behind him as he checked over his shoulder from time to time braking the number one rule of racing wich everybody does sometimes. Never look back. What you see behind you is not important and can only make you nervous or even worse make you feel safe both of wich makes you either make mistaces or slow down. But everybody does it, me for sure. Anyway, we fought for I guess 4-5 laps. I showed him my front wheel in some brakings and lost a few meters to him now and then but then I saw my chanse and took it. Didn't want to take him in a too agressive passing as he is a good friend and he's a fast rider so it's not that easy. He is a bit faster on the gas after corners but brake earlier than me. However, we came up to the first slow riders and passed them as air but one of them caused a problem for Bandit as he gambeled that he could take him on the inside in the double apex which he could'nt sending him way to the outside after the corner where he had to brake not to either hit the guy or go off the track. I had taken a wider line to take that guy on the inside after the corner and ended up passing them both and suddenly had a free track in front of me. This I used for putting in overdrive. I was now on 6'th position but with a quest. My goal was 3'rd as I knew Depoorter and Poncin would not be within reach probably. I rode really hard, now on a dry track and grinded my footpegs in the corners, sliding into most and powersliding out of all. A few laps later I (too) looked back and saw an empty straight behind me. I think I set my fastest lap one of these at 1.17.440 third fastest of the day in that race. I was now trailing a group of three riders of wich all held positions that I wanted and sooner or later would have I told myself. The pitboard had showed me who they where and how many seconds in front of me they where all the way to their rear tire which is very useful information on an endurance as it gets a bit confusing after 20 minutes or so... Suddenly I was on 3'rd however as some guys went for gas etc but that was something I too had to do so I went in for a splash and go. Sara and Tim acted as F1 mechanics and I had already taken off the gascap on my way through the pits so as I stopped the gas was in my tank after aprox 10 seconds and I was away. Again I was on 6'th having lost nothing, and again I was trailing the same group of riders. We elbowed through some slower riders and just had a lot of very nice racing. As I came up to Phantom (also Husaberg) he kindly gave me space to pass and I gave him a heavy metal sign in the middle of the double apex with my footpeg to the ground as thanks. He kept his lines tight for a while after that to watch my back I later heard. Always good to have friends, hehe...
Now however my goal laid in front of me. And I moved my goal of the day to a possible 2'nd spot as I saw Poncin getting closer. I gained on him, that would'nt have happened before that's for sure. Maybe he had some problems or something but well, first I needed to take the 3 drivers in front of me. Duchene 74, Depoorter/Smits 15 and Holfoet/Van Marke 127. I almost had 127 a couple of times but he closed the lines really effectively as he saw my front. A really hard guy to pass that one and that's my strenght in racing, starting is my weakness. I normally get past the one I'm close, to the easy way or the hard. This time it showed to be a tough task though. A good riding agressive rider he is this guy but I was a bit faster than him. Not enough to pass him easily but sooner or later I would get my chance that I knew. The racetime was now 70 minutes and I needed to get past them to start my attempt for 2'nd so I decided to use my roughest weapon. Brake late to get up on the side of him, push him out to the right leaning against him and then take a wide line in the left to get him off my back as he then has to almost stop or go off the track, a trick learnt from Bertrand. I executed this just after the chicane before a 90 left that is aprox 1.5m wide. 5 seconds later he was 4 seconds behind but I managed to hear something that did'nt sound that nice coming out of his helmet. Next two riders where locked as targets and I again started to put a few fast laps to catch them as they where a few meters in front of me. Then suddenly I made a mistace, braking too late after the pits and ran wide, not crashing but again passed by, a very glad, 127. Fuck!
Well, I just had to start all over again but this time I knew that 127 would not let me do that again. He now rode even a bit faster and closed all lines really effectively probably with my last passing in mind. So, after a few laps we where 4 riders within a second and 127 then tried to pass 74 into the hairpin but ended up hitting his rear sending 75 into 15 no crashes but I took advantage of it all and was on 3'rd. Life is fine I thought making my footpeg a bit lighter in the long right hand corner. In the middle of the slide out from that corner the engine broke. I waved to the 3 guys again passing me, stopped and began to walk back to the pits with my bike, wisseling. Don't get me wrong, I was not happy my bike broke. But because I knew it was probably gonna happen I didn't take it that bad. What I WAS happy about however was that I had done what I came for. I had gotten almost on paper that 1. The bike is working perfect, settings and all. (well except for the brake down, hehe) 2. There are people out there that will beat me but not that easy (counting the people that I will actually race). Mission acomplished...
Would have been nice to had finnished the race and having the engine brake down in the 2'nd instead however but I was not sad. The race ended a few minutes later and I went to the paddoc to load the bike and the stuff on the trailer and in the car and helped some guys with their bikes setting some suspensions etc. Later I watched the 2'nd race or half of it seeing VdC overtake 35 riders or so in a trumendous start. He started on 50'th position or something and was 15'th after a lap. I also want to be able to do that. Gonna start training as soon as my engine is rebuilt.
We later decided with Bandit to come to him in Bierbeek to go out and watch a band and have some!? beers. So, we went home, showered ate and went the 50kms to him. I have since december been dieting quite hard (Sara thinks obsessively) but at new year I decided that the night of the 13'th of march I will have 2 bags of chips and dip for dinner because after that it's 5 weeks to the next race. That was really good having waited for it so long.)
At Bandits (Hans) we had a room to spend the night in and out we went to the really nice Youth club they had there. There is a thing about Youth clubs in Belgium that's a bit special compaired to other countries however. They sell beer. Well, in Belgium they sell beers in coca cola mashines and everywhere, footballplayers even go out for a beer in the pause here.
The band was really good and the beer was flowing, until...
Daniel found out that they didn't sell just beer. They had a special night making coctails too. Hmmm, coctails. Then they must have vodka. They did.
-How much for that bottle? (pointing to a vodka bottle with 20cl in it)
- 5 euros.
He he
- Here, five euros...
Then me and Hans and Sara spent the rest of the evening drinking straight vodka from the bottle. When that one was empty I got another half full one for 15 euros. I think she said 15 to scare me off but those 15 she had in one second. In sweden a bottle of vodka in a bar would be at least 180 euros.
Then I woke up at noon in Bandits house.
I had'nt taken into account that I had slept just 3 hours the night before, been racing half the day etc and dieting like a mainiac for 3 months. I got a bit drunk.
Hell of a night though. Thanks for the hospitality guys, next time you come here...
To sum up:
Great day, nice people and a nice night in Bierbeek.
Also a big Thank you to Dirk at Bike Design for helping to sort out my front brake problems (The Beringer pump is dynamite), Joramo for the fast handeling of parts ordered and Johan at Bike Parts for tires and a very good place to work on the Husaberg...
And of cource a super thank you to Tim for the ride and all the help and Sara for the ground service...
Slide on
Daniel...
www.supermotard-racing.com
This time I will write about a great day even though my bike broke which usually is not the sign of a nice day at a race...
Again, there was some transport difficulties as Raes could'nt go as planned but I was prepaired and got a ride from the one and only Tim as the last time. I think he's really starting to enjoy the paddoc life and the racing it self wich have fastly made him a member of the team-crew helping out with timing,signing and gas-stops etc.
Thanx man...
The day before the race Tim came over and we had a nice dinner and 1 (one) beer, watched a movie and went to bed at around midnight, I alwas have some problems to sleep the night before a race so it's no point to go to bed too early anyway.
I have been training really hard the last weeks and increased my training to nearly 10 hours/week riding training cycle and also a couple of hours motocrossing/week with the Husaberg supermotard, always with slicks to get a really effective training. It's gone really well lately and I also lost a few kg's more and are now getting close to the goal of a fit 77kg Daniel. Fit I am but the weight has a tiny bit more to go. The deadline is the 18'th of april though as the championship starts then so there is 5 weeks still to fine tune me.
) The bike however:
At the last time training MX a noise appeared in the engine which made me a bit worried that something might happen sooner or later. Power was still good but the noise did'nt sound that good. But, it was too close to the race at Francorchamps to open the engine so I decided to go anyway as it was the last chance of training and testing before the Belgian championship starts. I've made a few alterations to the bike since last, mainly a Beringer pump has been mounted and race pads whitch sorted out the problems I had at the last race with the brake. The Beringer pump is just fantastic, gives a trumendous response and have a really nice handle. I now can make stoppies with one finger wich is as good of a grade as anything.
So, the morning of the race everything went in the car and on the trailer and away we went. A bit tired after not having slept more than 3 hours but feeling really good for the rest. The not-having-slept-enough problem would not manifest itself until later that night wich we come to later.
In the paddoc we claimed our usual spot surrounded of supermotard.be riders and the day at Francorchamps began.
Weather: Cloudy, wet and chance of rain at any moment.
So, I put the rains on. Skipped the open training as I new that the bike had problems that might lead to a brake-down. We used the time to double check the bike and again go through the routines for the gas-stop and for the pitboard signing. That taken care of I went to the qualification with Sara and Tim in charge of letting me know my position. My plan was as usual to just ride to a certain first or second line starting position and then quit. Not risking anything and not riding the bike more than neccesairy. It was still a bit wet but it did'nt rain. I took it easy for a few laps building up temerature in the tires and confidence in the bike, and also got used to the new brake. After that I started to pick up speed and was directly revarded with a number 3 on the board. I took it a bit easy for one lap to pass some riders and get a free track in front of me for the next attempt. As I passed the pits I was down to 8'th position. Coming out on the start/finish I gave the Husaberg full throttle and tried to hold on to it as it rocketed down the straight bouncing the front off the ground when shifting gears. Into the chicane I made a double slide first sending the rear out to the right passing the first tires and then in one motion taking it all the way out left and hitting the gas as I soon as I got a line out from the chicane. After that a 1 second full gas on third and then down to 2'nd sliding into a 90 left that's very narrow. After that is a tricky part with some gravel and dirty tarmac wich ends as we come back out on the gocart track of Francorchamps. The jumps were closed this day as it was too wet after bad weather earlier in the week. Passing the pits at full speed I saw that I was still 8'th but new that that would improve when this lap was done if nothing happened. It felt just great both the bike and myself. Sliding into corners and power sliding out of them was a rule and as that lap was completed I went into the pits to check up on things. I was then 5'th but my time was still 4 seconds after the leader. Hmmm, thought Daniel and went back out. This time...
I rode this lap really hard and agressive. Almost all the way it worked fine so now I new that I was for sure top 8 and retired. My laptime had improved 2.4 seconds on that lap and taught me that I now is faster than ever if I just put my mind into it. I went back to the paddoc as 3'rd after Depoorter and Poncin. Later I slipped down to 6'th but only had 3/10'ths of a second to 3'rd. Good result and still I new that I could do even a bit better if I pushed it really hard. The bike still ran well and I was in a great mood.
So, as the race came closer I thought about changing to slicks because the track was drying but decided against it as the clouds looked like rain was imminent. It's better to go on rains when dry than slicks when wet. Just more expensive. Of course it then stayed dry the rest of the day but if I would have put the slicks on the skies would have opened for sure. I got 5'th position on the grid don't know why but I accepted natrually and as the starter got ready I said good luck to Bandit (Hans) beside me on the 6'th position and put the Husaberg in 2'nd reving it steady at 3-4000 rpms.
START!!!
Now, I have one problem to sort out before april and that is my starting skills. The first 20-30 meters I am not that good which is gonna be important in the championship as the races are short. In the wintercup we ride 2 times 90 minutes so it's not that bad to loose a few positions in the start, but still. Bandit took me and one guy more and I was down to 8'th. First guy was passed already on the straight as my Husaberg flexed it's biceps and him I never saw again until I lapped him. Now me and Bandit started a really nice fight however. I new he new that I was behind him as he checked over his shoulder from time to time braking the number one rule of racing wich everybody does sometimes. Never look back. What you see behind you is not important and can only make you nervous or even worse make you feel safe both of wich makes you either make mistaces or slow down. But everybody does it, me for sure. Anyway, we fought for I guess 4-5 laps. I showed him my front wheel in some brakings and lost a few meters to him now and then but then I saw my chanse and took it. Didn't want to take him in a too agressive passing as he is a good friend and he's a fast rider so it's not that easy. He is a bit faster on the gas after corners but brake earlier than me. However, we came up to the first slow riders and passed them as air but one of them caused a problem for Bandit as he gambeled that he could take him on the inside in the double apex which he could'nt sending him way to the outside after the corner where he had to brake not to either hit the guy or go off the track. I had taken a wider line to take that guy on the inside after the corner and ended up passing them both and suddenly had a free track in front of me. This I used for putting in overdrive. I was now on 6'th position but with a quest. My goal was 3'rd as I knew Depoorter and Poncin would not be within reach probably. I rode really hard, now on a dry track and grinded my footpegs in the corners, sliding into most and powersliding out of all. A few laps later I (too) looked back and saw an empty straight behind me. I think I set my fastest lap one of these at 1.17.440 third fastest of the day in that race. I was now trailing a group of three riders of wich all held positions that I wanted and sooner or later would have I told myself. The pitboard had showed me who they where and how many seconds in front of me they where all the way to their rear tire which is very useful information on an endurance as it gets a bit confusing after 20 minutes or so... Suddenly I was on 3'rd however as some guys went for gas etc but that was something I too had to do so I went in for a splash and go. Sara and Tim acted as F1 mechanics and I had already taken off the gascap on my way through the pits so as I stopped the gas was in my tank after aprox 10 seconds and I was away. Again I was on 6'th having lost nothing, and again I was trailing the same group of riders. We elbowed through some slower riders and just had a lot of very nice racing. As I came up to Phantom (also Husaberg) he kindly gave me space to pass and I gave him a heavy metal sign in the middle of the double apex with my footpeg to the ground as thanks. He kept his lines tight for a while after that to watch my back I later heard. Always good to have friends, hehe...
Now however my goal laid in front of me. And I moved my goal of the day to a possible 2'nd spot as I saw Poncin getting closer. I gained on him, that would'nt have happened before that's for sure. Maybe he had some problems or something but well, first I needed to take the 3 drivers in front of me. Duchene 74, Depoorter/Smits 15 and Holfoet/Van Marke 127. I almost had 127 a couple of times but he closed the lines really effectively as he saw my front. A really hard guy to pass that one and that's my strenght in racing, starting is my weakness. I normally get past the one I'm close, to the easy way or the hard. This time it showed to be a tough task though. A good riding agressive rider he is this guy but I was a bit faster than him. Not enough to pass him easily but sooner or later I would get my chance that I knew. The racetime was now 70 minutes and I needed to get past them to start my attempt for 2'nd so I decided to use my roughest weapon. Brake late to get up on the side of him, push him out to the right leaning against him and then take a wide line in the left to get him off my back as he then has to almost stop or go off the track, a trick learnt from Bertrand. I executed this just after the chicane before a 90 left that is aprox 1.5m wide. 5 seconds later he was 4 seconds behind but I managed to hear something that did'nt sound that nice coming out of his helmet. Next two riders where locked as targets and I again started to put a few fast laps to catch them as they where a few meters in front of me. Then suddenly I made a mistace, braking too late after the pits and ran wide, not crashing but again passed by, a very glad, 127. Fuck!
Well, I just had to start all over again but this time I knew that 127 would not let me do that again. He now rode even a bit faster and closed all lines really effectively probably with my last passing in mind. So, after a few laps we where 4 riders within a second and 127 then tried to pass 74 into the hairpin but ended up hitting his rear sending 75 into 15 no crashes but I took advantage of it all and was on 3'rd. Life is fine I thought making my footpeg a bit lighter in the long right hand corner. In the middle of the slide out from that corner the engine broke. I waved to the 3 guys again passing me, stopped and began to walk back to the pits with my bike, wisseling. Don't get me wrong, I was not happy my bike broke. But because I knew it was probably gonna happen I didn't take it that bad. What I WAS happy about however was that I had done what I came for. I had gotten almost on paper that 1. The bike is working perfect, settings and all. (well except for the brake down, hehe) 2. There are people out there that will beat me but not that easy (counting the people that I will actually race). Mission acomplished...
Would have been nice to had finnished the race and having the engine brake down in the 2'nd instead however but I was not sad. The race ended a few minutes later and I went to the paddoc to load the bike and the stuff on the trailer and in the car and helped some guys with their bikes setting some suspensions etc. Later I watched the 2'nd race or half of it seeing VdC overtake 35 riders or so in a trumendous start. He started on 50'th position or something and was 15'th after a lap. I also want to be able to do that. Gonna start training as soon as my engine is rebuilt.
We later decided with Bandit to come to him in Bierbeek to go out and watch a band and have some!? beers. So, we went home, showered ate and went the 50kms to him. I have since december been dieting quite hard (Sara thinks obsessively) but at new year I decided that the night of the 13'th of march I will have 2 bags of chips and dip for dinner because after that it's 5 weeks to the next race. That was really good having waited for it so long.
)At Bandits (Hans) we had a room to spend the night in and out we went to the really nice Youth club they had there. There is a thing about Youth clubs in Belgium that's a bit special compaired to other countries however. They sell beer. Well, in Belgium they sell beers in coca cola mashines and everywhere, footballplayers even go out for a beer in the pause here.
The band was really good and the beer was flowing, until...
Daniel found out that they didn't sell just beer. They had a special night making coctails too. Hmmm, coctails. Then they must have vodka. They did.
-How much for that bottle? (pointing to a vodka bottle with 20cl in it)
- 5 euros.
He he
- Here, five euros...
Then me and Hans and Sara spent the rest of the evening drinking straight vodka from the bottle. When that one was empty I got another half full one for 15 euros. I think she said 15 to scare me off but those 15 she had in one second. In sweden a bottle of vodka in a bar would be at least 180 euros.
Then I woke up at noon in Bandits house.
I had'nt taken into account that I had slept just 3 hours the night before, been racing half the day etc and dieting like a mainiac for 3 months. I got a bit drunk.
Hell of a night though. Thanks for the hospitality guys, next time you come here...
To sum up:
Great day, nice people and a nice night in Bierbeek.
Also a big Thank you to Dirk at Bike Design for helping to sort out my front brake problems (The Beringer pump is dynamite), Joramo for the fast handeling of parts ordered and Johan at Bike Parts for tires and a very good place to work on the Husaberg...
And of cource a super thank you to Tim for the ride and all the help and Sara for the ground service...
Slide on
Daniel...
www.supermotard-racing.com
