Endurance Race
Team Dirty Girls, for the third year running fields an all women team of riders for the endurance race at Mosport. This year Laura Sewell joins me aboard the 1983 Honda NS 250 F, for a thrilling 2 hours around the grandiose curves of Mosport. Our crew, Tim S., Tim V., and Aliki supported our efforts.
The Honda NS 250 F is running great, the Avon tires are working out well and although I don't think they will be as long lasting as the Bridgestone BT45's I've used previously, they seem to give more assured grip.
|
FRIDAY AUGUST 3 2007
A hot and humid day at Mosport, after a night of torrential rain, and a morning delayed for track cleaning. An 8am Rider's Meeting for Endurance Teams starts the excitement building. Laura and I walked the track together on Thursday night, so she had an idea of what to expect on her first practice session. Mosport is big and fast, but Laura's sensibly cautious attitude made me feel comfortable sending my bike out with her.
Laura, in her second race with the VRRA, still wears the 'rookie' vest.
|
|
Laura and I had planned our strategy on Thursday night before we walked the track. With no flagged standing start experience and our mid-pack grid position I think Laura was reluctant to try the first session of the race. I was keen to see the new flagger in action, but as it turned out, I ended up gridded where I couldn't see over the riders ahead of me, so I just went when everyone else did, a technique which didn't yeild a stellar start.
Laura and I had also discussed our running times. I had considered doing a 40 minute session each, followed by a 20 minute session each. The rules outline that no rider may ride for more than 1 hour plus 2 laps, and we could decide how to divide this time between us. Considering the heat, we were probably wise to follow Laura's suggestion of running alternating 30 minute sessions.
Laura's laptimes dropped steadily through practice and all through the race, until the last few laps.
|
|
Our crew, Tim, Tim and Aliki worked our rider changes flawlessly. Aliki was my co-rider last year, and she offered to crew for me this year, doing timing and lap-counting, and fire-extinguisher duty for gas stops. Tim and Tim held the bike and helped with the rider change over. With two mechanics and most of the tools I own I felt well prepared, fortunately the NS ran well and required none of the extensive expertise I'd assembled.
Team Dirty Girls crew, Tim S. and Tim V., both mechanics. In this action shot, I'm hoping about gracelessly while trying to kick start my bike after a rider change.
|
|
Vintage racing is close, competitive and exciting. The Endurance races, like the Vintage Challenge races allow bikes of diverse horsepower, engine size, age and capability to run together. And that produces some very exciting racing to watch.
My endurance team-mate Laura contributes her story: 'I Become a Dirty Girl'
|
SATURDAY AUGUST 4 2007
The Heat Races on Saturday motivated me to a slightly more agressive pace than I'd managed in the endurance race. My second walk of the track had given me some new ideas about lines I could try.
Passing at Mosport
|
Missing silencer off the left side of the NS250 F (the low pipe broke the weld I put on it last year at Mosport) but unfortunately I didn't have my welder at the track with me this weekend. Lesson learned, never go to the track without your welder.
|
SUNDAY AUGUST 5 2007
By the practice on Sunday I'm feeling more confident with my line and with the track. I think I picked up my pace from Friday's endurance race.
Mosport is a thrilling track, and cresting corner 2 can be either invigorating or horrifying.
|
|
The grid lined up in some disorder, and I found a rider immediately in front of me. Although I could see the starter and the flags, I had to be careful not to rear-end the rider in front of me should he stall his bike. I chased the two riders in front of me, one started to drift ahead, but I was gaining on the other one. I passed him about the fourth lap, although he passed me back a few laps later, I managed to pass him again on the last lap. Made for a very exciting race for me, although I suspect we may have been battling for last place.
Sunday's final race in the P4 Lightweight class was very exciting for me.
|
Off the Track
My crew chief Tim, in our pit area in the corner 1 paddock for the Vintage Festival at Mosport
|
Our pit at Mosport, Tim's bike retired for the weekend unfortunately
|
MOSPORT - 40th Anniversary of the last Canadian Motorcycle Grand Prix
An impressive collection of unique machines from 1967 and earlier were exhibited in a display during the weekend, and in parade laps on Sunday. The sight sound and smells of these machines was a treat.
|
Mosport International Raceway, as it existed in 1967 when it was called Mosport Park and hosted the last Grand Prix motorcycle race held in Canada
|
