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Saturday 26th March
Today was spent focusing on getting the bike to handle bumpy tracks well, and rebuild my confidence in the bike staying together. I completed 50 laps in testing, with the fastest being a 1:06.583 in the final session of the day. Changes to the bike included removing front compression damping to make the bike more compliant over bumps. Also raising the front of the bike to get more rearward weight bias, to combat some big slides while under full throttle. With the bigger fuel injectors in place we were expecting to have a cure to the 7000rpm stumbles we have had all season. Yet it did not cure the engine from flaming out from 7200-8000RPM. Engine wise I applied 10% fuel to the base Hypermotard map to get a good plug colour. We also added 2% fuel in the problem zone, this did not cure the misfire. In the last session I started to remove fuel in the trouble zone, with -2% in the 7000-8500rpm range. This did seem to assist with the bike running better. All said and done a good day with no major dramas. At last!
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| The Bimota db1 Beta EVO on the gas down the front straight |
Sunday 27th March
Race 1: Best lap: 1:06.616 - Best rolling lap: 1:06.554
Due to a timing stuff up I have to start for the back row. The bike launched well and I barge my way past roughly 10 guys before turn one. On the run up to turn 3 I overtake a couple more. My race settles down into following Glen Kelleher and Phil Bartush both 675 mounted. Phil lost the front end on lap three in the cauldron. Lap four I pass a very slow Glen down the straight, and feel bloody great, only to be hosed by Darren Jones's 848 Ducati in return! My final lap is my fastest, and the bike seems to have responded to less fuel again -4% in the problem zone. I finish in 10th place.
Race 2: Best lap: 106.448 - Best rolling lap: 1:06.343
My row two start did not help much, as the clutch grabbed big time forcing me to shut down the motor to get the Beta EVO off the line. I finish lap one in thirteenth place. Lap two see me barrel past John Price and Brett Richards and catch up with Patrick Brierley all of whom are on Triumph 675's. Lap three is my fastest, then me and Patrick are caught up behind Rick Fitzsimmons on his Ducati 1198. Rick is getting great drive down the front straight and up the hill making it very hard for me and Patrick to attack him where the small bikes are quicker. Still we are going faster than race one and I am only three tenths off a new lap record as I finish in 11th place.
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| The Bimota db1 Beta EVO lays rubber out of the final corner |
Race 3: Best lap: 1.06.439 - Best rolling lap: 1.05.962
Again the clutch proves a pain off the line with the Beta EVO pulling a massive first gear wheelie. Once more I had to cut the engine and have a second go at the throttle. Still its better than the first two races, this is my fastest opening lap of the weekend so and I finish lap one in tenth place, ahead of Darren Jones and trailing Rick Fitzsimmons. Final corner lap two I dive down the inside of Rick. Its a good move, but I loose the drive down the straight. Rick powers past and so does Darren damn! Next time I have to over take him I should use the outside and use the superior turn in and mid corner pace to keep my drive. I do my best lap on lap three closing the gap to Darren, Darren then jumps past Patrick, who was holding station ahead of Rick. This is how we finish with me lacking the time and track position to jump past Rick and have a go at Patrick.
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| Goose plays with Rick and Patrick |
Race 4: Best lap: 106.047 - Best rolling lap: 105.830
My start is less than optimal again, but I get brutal up the hill and barge my way past John Price Triumph 675 to take 10th place for the run down to the cauldron. Ahead are Pat Brierley and Rick Fitzsimmons again. We circulate quicker this race, and I post a new lap record on lap three at 1:06.047. Unfortunately there is a crashed rider in the cauldron preventing both me ant Patrick having a shot at Rick down the hill. Patrick is pulling me along nicely however. On the final lap Patrick gets a great drive over the hill and passes Rick to pull near one second gap to the line. I finish about the same distance back from Rick in tenth place.
A good days racing. F3 wins all day and a new lap record to boot. The bike will go quicker yet.
Here is a quick video from race1.
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