A Personal Victory

18 May

Remember I wrote about how I missed the aches and pain
from doing a full race distance?

I'm aching in my neck, arms, shoulders, and even in the ankle now
But I love it... and I wish now that I have more aches with good
races soon in the future.

And many thanks to you guys for giving me a giant pat on my back
telling me that I did well.
I hope we will all do well together in races to come.


Race day on 17 May...

The day started fairly normal just like any race Sunday in Johor Bahru.

Although I knew I wasn't to win the race, I had a good feeling about it.
I knew I will do well. I felt prepared.

Reaching the track, I went about preparing the kart.
Changed the tyres to MG FZ from Mojo.
Replaced the gear oil.
Checked the radiator and all parts.
Even the battery seems to work fine.

However when I wanted to start the Max engine, there's a
humming sound without the roar of the engine...

Double checking again, the battery seems to went flat somehow
which mean it had to be charge. That would implies I will not be
able to go out on to the track before the qualifying. Not good.

But still, somehow I feel fine and surprisingly calm.

After moderating the race briefing, I checked that the battery was
charged but the engine still will not fired up... Upon then, I asked
Louis to change out the battery and have to buy another from him
then.

Qualifying

With the new battery installed, the engine came to life and without
any delay I went on to do my qualifying laps for the starting position.

I had to brake much earlier at the beginning of the qualifying laps,
as the track seems very green. From what I gathered there was a
huge thunderstorm the day before, and it had likely washed out any
good rubber foundation.

At the end, the laps went quite well for me.
I managed to qualify 6th out of 15, and this time I was only 0.02
seconds off Leo who is in 5th. This can be considered one of my best
qualifying result.
Considering those in front of me are who I expect to be there.
6th means I should be able to avoid any midfield mayhem at the first
few laps of the race.
A golly good start to the race.
But still I have to be caution as starting from 6th put me on the outside
of the 1st corner.

Heat 1

It started timely at about 12.40pm. ( ok, 10 mins late.... )
The rolling lap led by James and Ivan who were slow and steady.
Everyone bunch up nicely up to the last corner and off we went with
the green flag....!!

Frankly, I can't really recalled what Exactly happened at the very
start. I knew Noel came from the back and went to my left before
the Monza but I held on to my position as he was struggling to pick
up more pace from the corner exit.
Then Mark with his Aixro came to my right just before Monza too
on the next lap, I think.
Meaning I have no chance but to give him the position then to his
50bhp engine.
I had to find some ways to get past him. And it was tough until I
saw his radiator was blasting water out of it onto the track as well
as my visor!
Knowing that his engine will not be able to handle the stress
without the cooling system working well, I just had to keep close to
past him asap..
I was losing time to catch the front packs of Ivan, Gary and Leo
who are all enjoying very close racing.
But before I can join them I need to get past a water spraying
machine!

Finally after following him for ~4 laps, he had to pull to one side.
It's time for me to start chasing the trio.
Within just over a lap, I was just behind the trio having a first
class seat to enjoy the action. It was fantastic viewing it from
this close.
They were even slower with their racing for position than me
being stuck behind Mark.

And I could be fighting with them should I choose to, but I
opted not to.
A three way battle is already heated. A four way war will be
crazy and I'm quite sure it will be messy end to it all. Instead
I choose to stay clear and let them fight it out.... until I saw
Leo started to lose ground to Gary and Ivan, I went closer to
Leo's tail. He was slightly slower in getting off the corners.
I think he was getting a tad tired.

I followed him closely for about 2-3 laps and was thinking I
am ready to past him and then... I heard that the engine sounds
odd just when I was exiting from the hairpin after the downhill.
It got worse. It was losing power gradually.
After it was 3/4 way past the spoon curve, all power was gone.
Clicking on the ignition button, give me nothing too.

I was PISSed... and vented my anger on to the steering wheel
A good race result of a potential 4th just got away from me.
That was on lap 12... just 6 more laps to go!!

Darn !
Back to the pits, Jason did a check by removing the clutch
components and charge the battery again. Cleaning the out all the
dirt from the clutch areas, and when he wants to fix it back he felt
the engine is not really moving well.
Looking at him, I wonder why such bad luck befalls on me
AGAIN... That's about the end of the day/ race for me there
and then.

As I bemoaned to anyone who wants to listen to my unlucky
races, I was also changing from my racing gears already..
Then, Louis seeing me all change out he said to me
"Race lah, use my Biland to race lah."
I was really hesitant. Especially my frame of mind was not there
anymore. I was ready to go home. Or grab a soft drink and watch
the race when it happens.

While I was 70% hesitant, Louis ( the track boss) was 110%
insistent that I hop into his Biland and race in Heat 2.
Even Sherry (the track cashier) was encouraging. With these
much positivity, I just cannot say No.

Changing back into my racing gears, and the mechanics go about
to prepare the kart and put my MG tyres on kart no.4 .

Once it was ready, Louis refreshed my memories about the
engine and asked me to bring the kart for a couple of laps just to
familiarize with it.

Although I had started my competitive karting with a Biland it
had been almost 2 years since I drove it. The Hasse chassis I am
quite familiar with. I also knew the Haase factory brake is
usually soft. Anyway, off I went trying to get the hang of it all.
I did not look at the times at all. I just want to enjoy it.
Feel the air rush through my helmet.
After 5-6 laps, back into the pits people were telling me that I
was quick on it. If I'm not wrong time was on the low 47seconds.
I was pleasantly surprised because I was only then teasing the
engine, brakes and chassis.

Heat 2

Close to 3pm, we had our Heat 2 underway. Mark decides to sit
it out and took race video instead.

Starting from 12th will always be tough. Adding to the fun was
Louis and Graeme both with Iame KF2 were behind me in 13
and 14th, because they both DNF earlier in Heat 1 than me.
Interesting!
I had to think about defend and attack at the same time in the
beginning.

Similarly, we had a good slow formation laps. Starting at the
back it actually give me a chance to warm both tyres and brake.

Coming up to the last corner, it's a go...!
By the time I reached the 1st corner, I saw bumper on the track
and karts were actually slowing to the left and right of it.
There was an accident with Noel smashing and climbing on to
Leo's kart. Leo could not continue.
Because of this incident, I think I make up 3 or 4 places
immediately.
By the end of Lap 2, I am in the middle of the pack at 7th
and inching forward.

Then I chased and passed Yap, and then Noel.
I was 5th before mid point of the race! It was great.
I am getting energized by all these and I was determined to
make this race my best.

After passing Noel, I was inching closer to Louis.
We had a few exciting moments... With me overtaking him, then
he took the position back at 180R just before the downhill !!
We literally had to turn side by side for it!
It was some cool racing from both of us, I must say
He been crazy and me being accommodating.
Then my next favorite was that we both go through the spoon
curve side by side before he edged ahead taking the race line.
I had to bide my time.
hmmmm Where and when did I make my move stick... ??
I can't remember!
It may be just after the 1st corner that I overtook Louis.
From there, I stayed ahead and pull out a sizable lead, lap by lap.

In fact, looking at the detailed timing sheet after the race I am
delghted that I put in a good race with very consistent laps
overall.
It can be that the Biland has good power output even with a
minimum weights requirement met.
But doing laps after laps with differences of 0.3 seconds or less
is good personal achievement.

To add to it, I had a very respectable time of 46.17

At the end of Heat 2, I finished fourth behind Ivan who I was
closing in quite rapidly in the closing stage (without me knowing
until we talked after the race)

The only thing I can ask for more that day was why the Max
engine broke down... apart from that it was a excellent race.

It really felt like a Personal Victory.. I finished 6th overall
after counting points from Qualifying, Heat 1 and Heat 2.
Not too bad, at all.

PS. if you do look at the time sheets, you will probably ask
who's this guy James in first with a track record of 44.86 done in
the last lap of heat 2 with a Rotax Max engine.
well, he's the Malaysia RMC Senior Champion!
So he had shown us all that there are many more to be learnt.
And there's no better time to improve after a good race.