Well folks this report is coming from hospital as I wait for the verdict on whether or not they intend to pin my thumb to where it joins my hand and lay on the plaster for a while.
I had a crappy day at Penguin on Sunday for the first round of the 2008 Rockstar MX Nationals with disaster in practice when a rider threw away his bike in a rut and the bike cannoned into me knocking me off and I landed up ghosting my bike over a berm onto the next part of the track a couple of laps into qualifying.
Back to the pits with a bent and broken subframe, bent up pipe and stuffed plastics and 21st place qualification after a few laps into a full 30 minute qualifying session. Motorex KTM helped me out with another sub frame (Thanks very much Ross and the Team) so Adrian Salmon (Manager - Team BTX Racing) straightened out the other bits and had my bike ready for the first race.
In the first race I rode too tight. I couldn’t relax with the other riders as I didn’t want to be taken out again and the mud and ruts and it was only in the last couple of laps I felt half comfortable on the bike. I finished 15th which I was disappointed with.
I cooled down and relaxed in the pits and thought and talked through the race with Adrian, had a look at a few of the parts of the track where I struggled and I was ready for the second race. I chose a good gate and I was felt confident and that lasted until the first corner where I was in eighth, maybe 10th place and a rider stuffed the inner ruts and threw away his bike for me to plough into. I quickly got untangled and rode off and was initially worried about my front mudguard, number plate and transponder as they had taken the brunt of the hit but by three quarters of a lap across the long stutters section and in about 12th place my hand was killing me so I found Adrian in the pit board area and pulled out.
One day I will master Penguin. Some day I will!
I look like having a pin or wire inserted and I will be off the bike for about 6 weeks I think.
The Pro Lites were won by Luke George (Kawasaki Australia), second was Dean Ferris (Woodstock Honda) with Kirk Gibbs (Team 07 Yamaha) in third. The Pro Open class was won by Daryl Hurley (Shift Motul Suzuki), second was Craig Anderson (Woodstock Honda) with Jay Marmont (Rockstar CDR Yamaha).
The full results for the round are at www.ozmotox.com.au
Thanks go to KTM Australia, BTX Motorcycles Ferntree Gully, Car City Ringwood, Travisty clothing, Fox, Alpine Star, Tag, Scott, Braking, Motul, JT Sprockets, RK Chains, Bridgestone, Goldfren, KroozTune, Hydralyte, Lee Hogan’s Building Champions, Ringmaster Images, Business Performance International, Sponsorpoint.com and Vortex Ignitions.
Contact: Adrian Salmon 0438 608198 or email me at taylor@taylorpotterracing.com
