Remember your younger days? Playing with Plasticine. How good it felt in your hands and what funky stuff you could make with it. Well the Track Artists for the Upper Hunter Club used the same type of stuff to build our race track for this weekend just gone. Track conditions like this are rare in our racing calendar. No dust, virtually no wheel spin off the start gate and up the main straight.
This super traction gave rise to some spectacular full length of the start straight wheel stands. One of our new up and comers, Tim #909 found the track so gripy it sucked the knobs right off his KTM.
For many the weekend of racing started on the Friday afternoon. Rain and a lot of it had fallen during the week. Track had already been created by the Jody, Keato and their team. So the rain only help to dust proof the race surface.
Slight drizzle overnight but the grey was replaced by blue by practice time around midday. 4 practice sessions of 40 mins for the big guys and 10 minutes for the growing number of Juniors. Flaggies worked faultlessly. Not much flag waving during Practice Saturday. Around 50 riders and about 100 bikes.
Some new units arrived for this meet. Ken # 27 - a True Honda devote brought his pristine 77 CR 125. Had a few race teething problems like we all do. Andrew # 73 arrived with a perfect AW 400 and did the brand proud.
Justin #53 arrived with his new Karaoke machine. Had it cranking till the early hours of Saturdie night. Horrie #32 was celebrating his newest birthday. Handing out boutique beer and fine red wine to sound of Cold Chisels Cheap Wine.
Racing. Some of the best we have seen. Carl #40 was unstoppable on his 490 Maico. One of the arvo Evo races had Carl in front of Horrie #32 with the two young blokes, Carl #2 and Liam # 97 right behind them. All four showing the style from back then and now. Turned out Liam raced with no back brake - busted brake plate - too much grip again - but still went on to win.
The ladies showed some lovely style, Marjolaine #491, Narelle #60 and Brigetta #106. Smooth as silk and no offs.
Maintenance issues to look out for next time - lost kick starter, lost ingnition cover, lost front axle nut, snapped chain adjuster, missing mudguards, broken mudguards, chain de rails, smashed rear brake plates, main bearings, gear shaft nuts, barrel bolts and a complete 1989 KX 250.
Highlight for several riders over the weekend the use of a Maico AW 440 thanks to Greg Tow#96. Justin is selling the Karaoka machine on line now to pay for an AW and El Scrivo # 3 has told his Spanish flock if he push starts one more time on the line they will all be replaced with one AW 440.
The Juniors rode exceptionally well yet again. Highlights were seeing an original RM 80 B and I think an N or T being pushed around not far behind new KTMs and KX 85's. Hat off to the young bloke on the RM 80B rode brilliantly. The up and comer to watch is young Reece on his uber smooth XR 80. First Race meeting ever. It may never be better. Started on the wobble but in the end cutting lines like the pros.
For those that didn't come to this event. You missed the best track conditions ever. Once in a life time conditions. But there is always next time.
Back to the ironing and On Any Sunday.
Pete # 100%