World Superbikes

[josh 21]

Hey guys sorry i have been flat out and havnt had a chance to do this report from our first race meeting but it here now! Here it is. . .. .
Thursday morning myself and my mechanic Danny flew down to Melbourne and meet up with the rest of the team. We got down to the island at around lunch time and headed out to the track where we started to set up. Late in the afternoon we heard a whisper going around that our Michelin supersport front tires would not be here which ment i wouldnt get a ride for the weekend. Scott our team manager asked me if i wanted to have a spin on the ZX10r seeing it wasnt looking good so i said why not seeing im already down here.
Friday morning we rocked up to the track at around 8am and were told that there now was a good chance that we would be able to race the 600 but there was going to be a 30 sec penalty which i wasnt to fussed about i just wanted to get out there and ride after the awesome test we had a couple of weeks before. Qualifing was up and i was out on the 600 first. I did 3 laps and things just didnt feel right on my number 1 bike. It didnt seem to have the pull off the turns like it normaly does so i pulled in we decided to put it away for the weekend. In the second session i didnt go much quicker which i was not to happy with but i felt i should of been ok for the races. The superbike on the otherhand was just awesome. I had only done 2 laps on the bike before in much more standard trim so it was like riding a new toy. Qualifing 1 didnt go to well either on the big girl as i wasnt to happy with the seating position so i pulled in early and went back to the pit box to get it sorted for the next session. In the 2nd session i ended up 10th place just behind Shannon so that wasnt to bad seeing it was only my first time on the bike!
Saturday i was hoping for good things on the 600 but i got another of my shocking starts and the leaders got away from me. Throughout the race i was running the same times as them but i was to far behind to be there in the battle. Anyway i finished up 5th I wasnt to happy with that! My next race was on the 10 so i didnt no what to expect. I got a so so start but struggled throughout the race with some gear box problems with caused me to run off at turn 1, SCARY!!!! I pulled in out of the race after that. The 2nd 600 race was up next i was hoping for much better things out of it. I got not so bad start and was sitting in around 6th but all i could see was Jamie getting away at the front. There was people going everywhere from 2nd to 8th chopping each other up so Jamie was able to get away again. Coming on to the straight to get the last lap board i used the Kawasaki's power to go from 5th to 2nd in an awesome slip stream move and i was off until i came into Honda corner and seen this out of control Honda coming sideways at me! I ended up getting hit off the track , but i stayed on and ended up 7th. I was a bit pissed after the race but not as much as if it was a Aust round so it was ok. My last race for the day was the superbike races where i ended up 9th i think in that race not to far behind Shannon and Dan Stuaffer which i was happy with.
Sunday i was hoping to be able to give Jamie a nudge in the last 600 race but it wasnt to be after i got another of my awesome starts Haha i was back around 10th on the first lap but ended up working my way up to 3rd and just got Adam Fergusson before the line for 2nd. I was happy with i rode in that race so once again it was time to jump back on the superbike. I was looking forward to this race and i got a not to bad start and was upto 7th right behind Dan Stuaffer once again. Once again though i had to pull in because i was having some problems with the gear shifter as these were only one off foot pegs so i was getting a box full of neutrals all the time. I dont think it was the motor because Shannon had no problems but he did have different pegs on to.
So that was my weekend now im off for testing up at Eastern Creek next week to prepare for our first round.
Thanks alot for the support down at the Island and i hope to see you guys at the Creek!
Thanks Josh

[Rossi]

Mate, good luck for the creek and thanks for taking the time to post this up.
Oh and buy some new pegs

[icebreaker]

Hey Josh!

Good Luck at EC mate!!!



Top report to mate, thanks for jumping on and posting something up


Dan

[Lucas]

Josh
good luck at EC mate
watch those hondas mate

[greenmeanie]

Hey Josh.....Good luck with round 1 and thanks for taking the time to come over for a chat @ PI.

Just keep asking jamie where all his yamaha supporters are?

[Pabs]

Good luck Josh
C U at the Creek

[MadKaw]

Great report Josh, thanks for taking the time to write and post it.

We'll definately be at the Creek for the first round and we'll have the banner up on the hill between turns 2, 3, 4 and 5...

Good luck.!

[Rossi]

we'll have the banner up on the hill between turns 2, 3, 4 and 5..

Fark ......... Have we got a bigger banner now ?
or is it a very small track ?

[HemiDuty]

Top Stuff!

Josh you are a legend mate, and thanks heaps for joining the site and posting the report, please keep us posted! We really need better TV coverage of the national championship.

Mate it sounds like your starts are still better than mine! My worst start last weekend was going from the front row back to around 15th by the first corner!

Did you find it hard to get the 10 off the line? As in did it just want to keep lifting the front wheel? Do you ever do any starts practice, like going to the drags or anything?

Anyway mate I wish you all the best this season, go hard and show em how it is done.

[smek]

nice report josh.

only wish i coulda been there to cheer you on! might have made all the difference with those starts

[red_dave]

Onya Josh... See you at EC!

[Gosling1]

Great report Josh, hope you have better luck at the Creek, thanks heaps for spending your time here, letting us know how you are going.

cheers

[aardvark]

Josh,

Thanks for dropping by. As a Kwakka rider, you'll find that you probably get more support from the guys and girls here than anyone else on the grid!

Good luck for the year. Keep an eye out for the KSRC banner at some of the rounds and if you get a chance, drop over and say g'day. Then you'll realise how much support you really have.

[Nanna10r]

Good Report Josh, i am the old fart who told you to park the 10r if ya got another box full of neutrals on Sunday. Was terrific to meet you & Yipperty & I will have Kwaka Race control operating at turn 6 at the "Paperclip", QR when you guys arrive later in the year.
All the best Josh & dont be a stranger
Cheers Brett
PS Tell Allerton(Sp) if he tries any of that "honda corner crap" again in the Real Races "I'm gunna steel all his undies & paint lime green skid marks in them"

[Phil]

Great report Josh - told ya they'd love it

And we will be interviewing Josh next Tuesday on ride rage , for those of you in sydney tune in - everyone else should be able to catch it on the website