SummaryRacePrepQualifyingRace1Race2NextRace - Pictures

RACE IN BOEKEL, 15-MAY 2011
Summary

5th out of 78 starters. Quali: 12th. ~1,000 spectators
Two flawless races with consistent lap times, really good starts, staying out of trouble and a fully branded IZOD bike led to this amazing result, I'm really stoked!
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Race Prep

Only one week between the races, so no additional practice, but due to last week's race, it was ok. Now also the rest of the branded equipment arrived and I was all excited to have my first "full" IZOD roll out! Bike itself didn't need any maintenance, no trouble in or after the last race.
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Qualifying

The track in Boekel looked good, this time in the middle of partially residential area and partially industrial zone on public road. The offroad was on a horse stable yard, so rather sandy.
Again, thanks to YouTube, I was able to prepare for the track layout. This time, however, the offroad changed, but then it was also new for everyone.
Practice went fairly well I thought, but somehow I was not aggressive enough and ended up in fourth row. Also, I had some nervous bike behavior on a bumpy asphalt section, but did not dare to change anything without having the chance to test before the race. Times were much closer together - in front of me and behind - so not much room for error for anyone. The starting position itself looked good, on the inside for the first corner.
Quali result: 12th
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Race 1

The start worked out fine, I was a little bit blocked in the first corner because I could not fully pass the rider in front of me and also the following entry to the offroad was packed. Still, after lap one I was on 8th position, gaining one in lap two and losing again one in lap three. Some riders had trouble in the offroad and suddenly I was again close to position 7, but I could not move up close enough to make a pass. In the last lap, a rider in position 4 went down, so I defended 7th position, best so far!
Best lap times were within two seconds for almost 16 riders, so a good start and consistent laps were the key to this result.
Race 1 result: 7th
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Race 2

Same procedure in race 2. This time, I was even more aggressive entering the offroad and therefore I came as 6th out of lap one! Again a turbulent race, back and forth between position 6 and 7, but I lost contact to position 5, so the plan was to defend whatever I have to confirm the first race result. In the race, I had no clue where I was, something within top 10. In lap nine, the rider in front of me went down in the offroad and I could pass him. Since lap seven, I was riding on 6th position, so this meant position 5! Last two laps the following two riders came close and one lap before the end, a lapper went down right in front of me so I had to fully come to a stop to not run over him. Here, I almost lost one position but managed to just move over and block the way of the passing guy - a blind move that luckily worked out, he almost ran into me. I had to defend 5th position to the end, choosing a defensive inside line on the final turn and almost lost it running up to the fnish line - 0.1 sec. difference to 6th and 0.8 sec. to 7th!
Two flawless races really ensured this amazing result!
Race 2 result: 5th
Overall: 5th
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Next race

The next race is on 29 May in Lelystad, which I'll miss since I'll visit the centennial Indy500 race in Indianapolis. Since there are two races to be taken out of the overall championship calculation, it won't matter too much, but of course there is no room for a bad race that could be replaced by another one.
Next "real" race will be Valkenswaard on 12 June.
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Pictures
Check out the web album here