Race report 2010 Australian Classic Nationals.

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oddy1
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Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2010 9:48 am

Race report 2010 Australian Classic Nationals.

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Re: Nats chairs
« Reply #14 on: April 12, 2010, 06:27:52 PM » Quote Modify Remove

The Broadford Nats were awesome yes conditions were tough at times but the rain and mud are a great equalizer Greg and Brian Anthony on Murray’ William’s 1000 GRM EML were on fire and in the first race where off the line like a scalded cat. Walter Presig and Steve Baker Promax/yss 998 GRM EML went in to the first corner second with Bret and Hamish Dobie on there pre 75 outfit in third and once they got that freight train rolling You could here them coming, and at times looked like they were going to join the Presig/ Baker boys in their chair they were that close. I don’t think Bret Dobie ever closed the throttle all the way round Presig/ Baker chased the Anthonys for about a lap and a half but the mud and the rain finally making it to hard to see and going wide on one of the corners allowing the Dobies to pull a great undertaking manoeuvre. They chased the Anthony’s hard but didn't have enough time to catch them. I have to say considering the conditions and the bike they were riding was a lot lower than the pre 85's it was a great effort.
On the Sunday we woke up to more rain and mud but at least it stopped raining for the sidecar race, it was very important to the Presig/ Baker team to get the hole shot and after seeing the performance of the youngsters the day before they knew they had their work cut out for them to get to that 1st corner, The Presig/ Baker’s teams experience paid off in the gate choice and once it dropped they looked like they where hanging onto a Saturn rocket. They later thanked Len Burman and Damien Huckstepp, Presigs mechanics for there hours of painstaking work in building a fast and reliable engine, but with the muddy conditions it was more about being able to stay on line than speed, the mud was so deep in places that the bikes were bought to a halt at times trying to get traction. The Anthonys tried everything to pass but in those conditions it was always going to be hard as the Dobie team found out, they told me later they had to get off and push up one of the hills.
So for the last race of the day Presig/ Baker team needed to win as they were still behind on points and the youngsters were fired up and wanted blood it was good to see that they were paying attention and made a much better gate choice, the track was drying so conditions were improving. The gate dropped and they were off again this time with the rival teams on the inside line of the Presig Baker pair again they got to the corner first , then down to the second corner which is a hairpin and I could hear the Anthonys screaming to Presig/ Baker to go faster but they made sure they held the racing line as the next corner was where the Dobies got past them once the race settled down they all seemed to arrive at the corners at the same time, I think the Anthonys where so focused on trying to pass Presig/ Baker combination that the Dobies where able to slip past, then all that could be heard again was Bret Dobie holding that bike of there’s pinned just as Presig/ Baker went over little down hill jump into the corner they got a little hurry up nudge after that Presig/Baker pair raced up the hill and didn't slow down until the two step down jumps when they went off the second jump they landed at the bottom and and looked like they would be po-goed right off the course but the Promax/yss shocks worked perfectly when they needed them most, with the Presig/Baker team taking the final win, and the rest as they say is history. Thank you to all the sidecar teams and all the other competitors who turned up and put on a great show.
The way I have been talking you would swear there was only three sidecars! There was not the Smithy brothers bought out their late fathers immaculate Norton outfit out and rode it like they stole it, they certainly gave it there best shot but in the conditions it was always going to be tough on a pre 75 bike but their father would have been very proud off them, although I don’t know if he would have been happy when they bought it back covered in mud, well done. Two outfits came down from QLD Ron Ash’s EML, piloted by John (Popeye) Cooper with Vaughn Fletcher as Swinger, in practice they looked like poetry in motion but all to no avail as they got to the gate the biked lost its spark and no one had a spare bucket of sparks to get it going even a late run into Melbourne to get another coil didn't help, also Paul of Discount Motorcycle Wreckers who striped the coil off his own Harley to try and get the boys going. Then there was Jamie Mc Murdoc and Dave on Helen and Dave’s RM500 which I had ridden the week before at the HBBB and was running just fine however in practice Jamie only knowing two settings for throttle on or off managed to nip it up. Might add not his fault as later discovered engine sucking in air threw a lose joint so a quick top end rebuild overnight had the bike running for the next day unfortunately Helen had forgotten to pay the electric bill before they left Mackay so their spark was cut off at the start line as well. But if enthusiasm and friendliness got you points they are the Australian Champions.
And last of all a big thank you to Preston Club for doing a fantastic job in very tough conditions the track was perfect also Peter Drakeford Well done!
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