With Round 2 only 8 days away I am thinking hard about what I hope to accomplish and how I am going to manage it. After my pathetic double-DNS in Round 1, the main objective for this coming round is to avoid mechanical issues so that I don't miss any sessions. I am in full "Hope for the Best but Plan for the Worst" mode.
Round 2 - Grand Bend, June 14 & 15
I won't be doing the Friday practice day this round. The track layout is the "Modified Track" - same layout as the practice weekend so I already have plenty of laps on this configuration. It is the shortest track setup at Grand Bend, with the fastest superbike riders turning laps in the 52-second range. On the practice weekend I had targeted 1:00 flat as a reasonable time and easily achieved it, with also some 0:59.x laps in the mix. There is some video of this layout in the first blog entry.
To be honest this is not the best configuration for me, because it is one of two layouts that use the entire length of the back straight. I can often gap the 600s exiting corners but once they get wound up, given enough space, they will eventually blow by me. Long straights definitely do not work to my advantage.
Reliability
Obviously the main goal this weekend will be to keep the bike running reliably so that I don't suffer another mechanical DNS. The diagnostics indicated that I had a poor electrical connection to one of the fuel injectors. Unfortunately I never identified the problem with 100% certainty, but by the time I had tested every connection and put it all back together, it ran perfectly again. So here's hoping...
I have also installed the new (used) oil cooler, and run the bike up to temperature three different times to test both it and the fuel injection. Zero issues. So, I will safety wire the oil lines, put the bodywork back on, then test it one more time. But I think I will also bring the diagnostics equipment to the track this time, just in case.
I have also been nervous about the prospect of rain leading to a DNS, since I am running slicks. Accordingly, I have acquired a lightly used set of rain tires and a spare front Brembo rim, which I will assemble with the OEM discs next week. I am going to have to mount the rear rain tire on the OEM spoked rim. It will look a little goofy, but at least I will be able to run in the wet if need be.
Competitiveness
If I can turn 59-s laps consistently in practice I should be very competitive in the BOTT LW sprint race. But the 600 Rookie field is excellent this year so I am going to need to find some more time if I want to mix it up with those guys. I have some ideas about where I can pick up a few tenths.
- Certainly I can brake later into the long "carousel" turn, since I am currently coasting a bit there before turning it in. It takes a lot of nerve to stay in the throttle until the first set of cones (at over 220 km / h!) but I know it is doable if I can summon the courage.
- With a wider line entering the dogleg before the start / finish line I should be able to carry more throttle through there. That will require getting closer to the curbing at the apex of the dogleg...but not too close. The pavement is kinda humped up for about 12" beyond the curbing and can really upset the bike.
- I am also confident that I can enter Turn 1 with a lot more speed. I am not using anything like the whole track there.
I have also been thinking hard about passing strategies. I was pretty tentative in the endurance race last round. That was mostly okay because endurance racing is supposed to be a bit more relaxed, but I was still sometimes frustrated with how long it took me to safely get by bikes that were obviously much slower. The good thing about endurance racing though is that it gives you piles of practice. For Round 2 I will be sure to use those 50 or so laps to experiment with alternate lines and different ways of getting around other riders.
Objectives for Round 2
1. Don't crash
2. Don't miss any qualifying or sprint races due to mechanical issues
3. Get average practice lap times down to 0:59.x, and turn at least a few 0:58.x
4. Podium finish in BOTT LW (why not?)
5. Mid-pack or better finish in Rookie 600
6. Have fun
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