MRA Round 2 - 14th April

evil_weevil · Postby **evil_weevil** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 8:20 am

Epic fail in my linking hahaha

motomenace · Postby **motomenace** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 2:29 pm

TT race 2 highlights

motomenace · Postby **motomenace** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 2:29 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fozslD0U ... e=youtu.be

mazmad · Postby **mazmad** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 3:43 pm

Pretty busy out there in the TT.

Did the Volvo actually bump you Matt or did you just have to take evasive action?

motomenace · Postby **motomenace** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 5:11 pm

I keep drifting wide to allow him room... Aware that its a genuine GROUP A Volvo worth quite some $$$$, i didnt want to tag him. My left rear wheel touches the grass on brakes, i have abs so the wheels still on the bitumen grab traction causing me to tag the left rear wheel of the volvo.
The volvo driver apologised saying he thought i had more room.
I wasnt upset with him, Rather the officials who didnt see the incident, blamed me straight away without any facts or evidence and based the decision on my inexperience. They looked at the damage on both cars and deemed it my fault as the front of my car was damaged. They said i was driving out of control all day, even know i never left the track, raced 6 races making many passes and being passed many times without incident.!! The TR7 driver, EH driver both shook my hand during the day and thanked me for the close fair racing!. We traded spots several time and both gave each other plenty of room. In the 20 races ive had ive had 3 incidents. Where on two occasions the incident has been 50/50. At the drivers brief the rule (NO contact) was stated. As per the cams manual for motorsport guidelines 2013, it too stipulates (racing room) In other words the car overtaking has to leave sufficient room for the driver on the outside. This applies on braking, hold a straight line without drifting wide, don't run the outside car off the track on corner exit etc. If racing room is respected no contact will be the result!. I may be inexperienced at MRA events however when it comes to the rules i know them. My dad is a Fully licensed CAMS official and V8 supercars official photographer. He often gets called in to v8 supercars hearings to give photo evidence and often asked to give his expert opinion what unfolded. He seen the incident as the volvo driver not giving sufficent room. He also got the outside photo sequence of me and tasker, before im close to greg he is already going off. The Officials said i drove into greg at full throttle and continued to throttle him off the track in an aggressive manner. My incar vid shows the tiniest of contact and u can hear me drop off the throttle as soon as i contact him. My opinion the officials for this meeting are inexperienced in my technical decisions and make such descions without FAIR evidence. Basically with what their saying if u drive side by side and swip the car next to u, as long as they hit the rear of your car their at fault!! Cant see logic in this.

The issue is my car has 95kw. Im fast across the top of the track but slower in the straights. What then totally pissed me off was the officials made up a story that Greg Tasker had put in a complaint against me!. Greg Was pitted with me and straight after the race i went to his car to see if i hurt his car. When he hopped out he was laughing his head off, as he told me he was slidding off when i tagged him anyway. He wasn't fased by the incident at all. I asked if he made a complaint and he said he hadnt spoken to anyone about it and he definatly didnt make a complaint as it was a 50/50 incident.

All in all i had mixed emotions about the event. My new motor that i built in my back shed.. by myself didnt miss a beat, used no oil etc. I came away 2nd outright in mx5 challenge and 3rd in super TT. The sour lemon for the weekend was the officials ruling. Quote " we don't care if it was your fault or not, your name has come up 3 times in two events and think u need to have a rest from racing till u calm down". The funniest thing in my head is that even Experienced race drivers (professionals) have incidents and make mistakes!!

mazmad · Postby **mazmad** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 7:54 pm

Yeah I will have to reread that section of the guidelines. We saw it happen from the 'grandstand' and your stroll through the dirt but I couldn't tell exactly why. Bummer.

So can you do the NSW State comp in June just not MRA or out for both?

motomenace · Postby **motomenace** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 10:27 pm

Not sure, Sent the vid of to Matt today and he agrees i was squeezed wide.
Will have to see. The car has something bent underneath as it wasn't tracking to well in a straight line. Took quite a wack to the right front wheel.
Needs new guard as it rubs on the tyre. The last mx5 race it went to canvas :/ It also so has some weird toe angle on the front :/
I want to do the Ec FOSC but at this stage not interested in returning to wakefield.

evil_weevil · Postby **evil_weevil** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 10:38 pm

I might actually give TT a go next round if my wife doesnt do regularity.

Matt,
at the end of the day they made a call which wasnt going to go one persons way. unfortunately it was yours. I wouldnt let it get ya down and looks like you got it off your chest now. just focus on the car getting it ready for next event.
Also, I dont know how you dont race without a full cage !

FoSC is good and Im thinking of doing it (cost depending) however they are even more strict on peoples driving at their events. I was quite cautious at the one I did last year! maybe too cautious!! lol
but being at SMP its a lot closer to home for me which is good.

I have a few things I need done though...
front sway bar links
rocker cover gasket edit*** would this be ok? http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MAZDA-MX5-BP ... 2329ebf0ea
cams if lucky haha

motomenace · Postby **motomenace** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 11:25 pm

I used to race bikes.. My cage feels more than safe

evil_weevil · Postby **evil_weevil** » Thu Apr 18, 2013 8:20 am

Haha fair point lol

Postby **Boyracer** » Thu Apr 18, 2013 10:52 am

I reckon you were just racing really hard which a lot of the guys out there with horsepower and slicks and no talent don't understand, considering how little experience you have I reckon you were doing a great job, don't let this put you off, just go out there and drive exactly like you have been.

One thing the MRA guys don't do well is look at the driving standards, look at when the 2 White MX5s last year that were out there crashing in to everyone and nothing was done, and what about the guy in the Volvo who could have caused a huge crash going through the kink....

Nice driving Matt, keep it up.

motomenace · Postby **motomenace** » Thu Apr 18, 2013 12:45 pm

Thanks LOU.

I race hard but at the same time i gave everyone i over took plenty of room... Except Tasker :/. I didn't even run off the track all weekend! Few slides and moments but never dragged anything on the track.

Ill get over it, i really wanna race bikes again though so might sell the mx and my road bike and go back to the supersport series

. 240kph at wakefield and close to 300 at ec is more me

Just have to see what happens. But at this stage im not enjoying it soo might have a rest for a while. Mayby a supersprint or something with no cars around. Drfifting is also back on friday nights at EC so might return there for an event or two

motomenace · Postby **motomenace** » Thu Apr 18, 2013 12:48 pm

Evil if u need a rocker cover gasket, go into repco, peps, etc ..... Not supercheap !!! and ask for a permatex rocker cover gasket.
Will be about $40 but its better buying from local parts shops than online.

Those gaskets in the picture look nothing like a bp twin cam gasket!!