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ALEX GAULT - MAG SPORT RACING 2007 Donington Test Day
A lot of people to thank for this one – Mark at “Holbeach Tyres”, Mark at “No Limits Track Days”, Craig at “TMR”, Dave at “Specialised Coatings” Frank at “DP Brakes”
As you know Alex has not had a lot of time on the bike, thanks to Mark at “Holbeach Tyres” and in collaboration with “No Limits Track Days” a free test day had been arranged at Donington Park GP circuit for Tuesday the 29th.
We had returned from Ireland on the Monday Morning, and while Alex sat his Higher Computing Exam at School in the afternoon, I set about repairing the damaged caused by his excursion onto the grass at Mondello, by 5pm every thing was fixed re-loaded and we set of for the test day at Donington Park.
Also on the cards was Alex’ first time aboard a “Super Stock Cup” bike…………These a 1000cc Sports bikes that Run in the British Championships and thanks go to Craig at “Team Marshal Racing” for the loan of last years Kawasaki ZX10 and to Dave at “Specialised coatings” who, on hearing our tight schedule offered to pick the bike up from the “TMR” HQ so we could pick it up from his place which was much easier for us! Anyway more on that later.
Thanks now turns to “DP Brakes” Alex has used DP Brakes for the past 3 years and insists that that is one of the first mods we do to any of his race bikes, Frank had supplied new brake pads for us to test and they did there job very well, reaffirming Alex faith in their products. The day really turned out well,
First off it was very wet………which suited me as his 600 was still on a wet set up.
Donington is notoriously slippy when wet, the first session not only cleaned up the old rear wet he was on but also scrubbed in the new front he had on which never got the chance to do before he slipped of the track at Mondello.
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Alex about to take to the track for the first time aboard a 1000cc Super Stock bike |
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The second session was dry “ing” so we sent him out on a dry set up obviously by the way every one was going it was still very slippy out there.
The session before lunch was dry and seen Alex put in some good times and we also took the chance to play with some other things on the bikes set up.
It was also good to catch up with Chris Moor of MKW Racing who came along to catch up with what’s been happening and tell us how his team is getting on at the New Era Championship.
AFTER LUNCH!.......... The ZX10
As the track had completely dried and the sun had come out, we decided it was time to give him a go the “TMR Kawasaki”
Now Alex seemed to take it in his stride, more so than can be said for me!
This bike has around 180BHP at the back wheel, it must be capable of at least a 170 mph…………. a stern warning from me that “if he threw it down the road……..It would have to be fixed before any money could be spent on the European rounds!” I think the message got home!
Anyway, three good sessions aboard the bike was very satisfying and Alex really enjoyed himself. The first lap we timed him on was a 1.53.33 he had got this down to constant 1.44’s with a fastest lap of 1.42.67.
Now to put that into perspective and I confess I don’t know what I’m talking about; as at the moment I don’t need too ;-)
……….. Super stock runs at the British Super Bike Championship as a support race and has two classes “National Super Stock” and “Super Stock Cup” .
I don’t know the difference between the bikes but when you look at last years Qualifying times from Donington as a comparison, which I was told were held in similar weather conditions, Alex was a mile of the National times the pole sitter doing 1.35.5 but it would have put Alex on pole for the Cup race………..must be something wrong there?
Alex had only had around 25 laps on the Super Stock machine! ...........must admit though…….. it did look FEKIN FAST!
And he did have a smile on his face at the end of the day.
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