Back to the Wildcats    Calendar of Events   Contact Us    Guestbook  View Guestbook    Superbike Home Page    Flying Frog Tech Tips    Team Sponsors

 Well I am back! Got to admit though writing this column for Duddy has been the last thing on my mind lately, as I have just completed the all time bikers holiday made in heaven.

 To briefly explain, I raced the Ducati for the first time in early March and the damn thing blew me away.  For a 748 the thing flies, and stops. Well first time I grabbed a hand full of front brake, I all but got to kiss the track 2 foot in front of the bike! Lucky the pucker factor was running at an all time high, gluing my butt firmly to the seat, or there’s a fair chance I would still be trying to peel my nose out of the tar. The way the thing handles is unbelievable! Even a wood duck like me can scrape both knees without even trying, but we will get back to the first meeting at Wakefield in a minute.

After racing at Wakefield it was home for a day or two to pack my shit and jump on the mighty Hyabussa to meet Darren and ride to Adelaide. We had to be there by the 20th March as the good people of Adelaide were apparently putting on a birthday party for Darren’s 40th on the 21st March.

What these lovely people did for him was put on a little V8 Supercar racing (Clipsal 500 I think they nicknamed his party,) with heaps of bands, skimpy clad woman and heaps of grog. Thousands of locals turned out to wish him a happy 40th and we did our best to meet as many of them as we could.

We bid the locals at Adelaide farewell then rode down The Great Ocean Road, which I must say, would have to be the best stretch of road I have ever had the pleasure to ride on. Then in to Phillip Island to watch the 2nd round of the Superbikes. By the way, does anyone know who won??? If you do email me! I seem to be missing that afternoon for some reason. Then back to Wollongong to get the bikes ready to race on the 5th and 6th of April in a 5hr endurance at Wakefield, which will was the 2nd round of the series. So as you can see I have had a pretty hectic 5 weeks and one hell of a good time. 

 

1st Round Wakefield Park 3rd March 2003

 

As I mentioned before, 2003 sees me starting off the year on the Ducati 748R. New donk, the whole lot, thanks to Brook at Vee Two. And as I said, these boys really know how to make a Ducati move!

The new year also sees 2 new bikes and riders enter the Vee Two team. Glen Cullen aged 18yrs, and Jay Cullen aged 16yrs. Both boys entered in the 250 Lights Class. The Boys have come straight from racing dirt bikes, with from what I am told, fairly good reputations, and now into the road racing scene. I must say they seem to have taken to road racing like a duck to water (or a frog to the pond? - Ed). Jay placed 2nd in his first race, 3rd in his second race, and 2nd in both his 3rd and 4th races. Bloody good when you think that this is the first time he has ever raced on tar. Glen put in one hell of an effort to with 5th place in his first race, 4th in his second and 3rd race, and 3rd in the 4th race.

Now here I am watching these little shits thinking, “there going to run circles round me,” I had better pull my finger out! Well they did run circles round me. The best I could do for the day was 6th Place in the 400-75Occ class, but I must say I did finish in front of Darren in the 2nd heat of the formula 2, because there he was at the bottom of a big sweeping left hand corner having a little nap again. He must have some sort of sleeping disorder I think. He seems to be spending more and more time lately stopping for little sleeps! Though I wish he would start laying the damn bike down a bit softer instead of stepping of the thing half way through a corner all the time. Apparently the officials were thinking of red flagging the race as they thought there was a beached blue and yellow whale on the side of the track. Lucky Dr Woods was in the tower to tell them it was only Darren.    

TEAM MANAGER John put in a fine effort with 1st in the formula 2, and 1st in all 4 heats of the 400-790cc B grade. Its easy to see why he is team manager. (By the way he has told me if I hang shit on him this year I am going to be racing the pit scooter in future, so excuse the bullshit and crawling above.) Top effort “Sir TEAM MANAGER John”. The little furry man Mr. Wayne Rutty didn't do too bad either, with 5th in the first 3 races, and 3rd in the last race. So presentations saw Glen and Jay Picking up trophies, TEAM MANAGER  John Picking up a first place trophy and Rutty a third! All in all it was a good meeting, and by the crap I copped on the bus from Jay on the way home, him picking up a trophy and me not, I think the new boys will some how fit in well with the team. Without any problems at all they passed test number one, “Hang shit on anyone whenever possible”.

 

 2nd Round Wakefield Park 6th April 5hr Teams

 

 Vee Two showed up trackside this meeting with a total of 9 Bikes all painted up in team colours! This enabling us to enter 4 teams comprising of

·        Team 86 with riders,

1.      John McDonald Team Manager

2.      Mick Jolly

3.      Wayne Rutty

4.      Dean Pons

·        Team 26 With Riders

1.      Darren Dredge

2.      Matt O’Shea

3.      Ben O’Brien

·        Team 29 With Riders

1.      Me, Mark Palmer

2.      Brook Henry (Owner of Vee Two In Western Australia)

3.      Ben Henry

4.      Shane O’Neil (Now Dubbed Miss Daisy)

·        Team 100 With Riders

1.      Mick Cullen (Dad)

2.      Jay Cullen

3.      Glen Cullen

Looked pretty impressive all lined up on Sunday morning before the race.

Now after the bus trip home the meeting before, there seemed to be a little rivalry starting to occur between  Jay, Glen and  myself over lap times. The boys had taken it upon themselves to ensure that NO MATTER WHAT it takes, they were going to beat me on lap times all day. Yeah right we will see about that!

 Jay went out to quality for team 100 and lived  up to his boast, the little shit smoked it with a lap time of 1 min 10sec! Bloody excellent time. Most of the 1300cc class would be happy with that time. On the other hand I went out to qualify for team 29 and put in a shocker I must have forgotten to take it out of 2nd  gear I think, 1min 17sec. Couldn't shut the boys up when I got back in. My only answer to all their crap was “Lets race. It can only get better from here.” It sure as hell couldn’t get any worse, and thank Christ it didn’t. When racing started I got my head into it (and started to get used to the bike,) and my finger out. Never looked back, circulating comfortably at average 1min 10sec lap times, with a best lap time of 1min 9sec. Hence on Darren's instructions removing the Miss Daisy tag forever more and passing this coveted tag on to its new owner Shane O'Neil, who happily circulated with a lap time of 1min 19sec. Look after the name Shane and wear it proud!!!! (Yeh sure Hoke! that's what you think! - Ed)

  Now  at the risk of running the next meeting at Eastern Creek on the pit scooter, I have to mention TEAM MANAGER John's effort.  Whilst there team was in 1st Place outright Team Manager John decides it would be a good idea to test the kitty litter out at the end of the main straight! Yes he pulled up for a shit in the stuff alright, though he didn't take his leathers off or get off the bike. Then one more lap on the black stuff and he decides to show of again!! At the top of the track, on turn 6, he believes his team is in front enough that he can do a bit of aerial acrobatics. No doubt it was pretty to watch. Full forward somersault aerial superman holding an to the rear of the bike, then a 3 point landing in a half pike position. Trashed the bike, broke his wittle pinky and finished the race in the medics office. Though even with all of this, Team 86 still came in 1st place in there class. Great effort really. Rutty believes they could have done much better if John could have kept racing though, “You never know,” he said, “We could have maybe got a 5th or 6th place outright with team Manager John's help if he'd have  kept racing!”. 

Well that’s enough bullshit from me I have to head off and get some practice riding a scooter I guess, ready for Eastern Creek! Here is how things looked at the end of the race and the championship points standing to date. Catch you next meeting on 15 June at Eastern Creek. If your in Sydney poke your head in at the Vee Two pits and say G'day.

 

Foot Note: It seems that Darren has taken it upon himself to take Jay and Glen under his wing and teach them all the finer points of motorcycle racing, the associated terms and language of the sport. In the words of the boys' mother, whom I overheard talking to Darren on race day, the conversation went something like this;  “DARREN WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN TEACHING MY SON? I woke him up this morning and told him to get up and get dressed." His reply to me was, "Mum I can't get up now, I have a great big boner! Just wait a minute."" Apparently Darren is now banned from teaching the boys from this day forward. Good on you Darren!!!

 

The Flying Frog

 

Round 2 Wakefield Park 5hr Teams Results

 

·        Team 86 competed in Formula 2 & Finished  1st Place

·        Team 26 competed in Formula 2 & Finished  5th Place

·        Team 29 competed in Formula 1 & Finished  5th Place

·        Team 100 Competed in Formula 3 & Finished 10th Place

 

 

RB Imports Clubman Series YTD Points.

 

Back to the Wildcats    Calendar of Events   Contact Us    Guestbook  View Guestbook    Superbike Home Page    Flying Frog Tech Tips    Team Sponsors