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us Junkie Racing
Motorcycle Drag Racing Team
us Junkie RacingMotorcycle Drag Racing Team
Tuesday 22 November 2011
We entered Comp bike at the Extreme performance as we wanted to test a few things that time had stopped us from doing during the season. The weather was not really with us, the track was cold and fairly loose at the top end. The first run the bike launched well (1.10 60 foot) and a 6.9 on the quarter with a slowing 150 mph. Around the 1000 foot mark the front end of the bike felt like it was trying to wash away, my feet came off the foot pegs, but managed to keep my balance, and control to to the finish line. Took the bike back, checked it over and ready to go out for the second one. Set off for a bye run in the left hand lane, again the bike launched very well, this time a 1.08 60 foot and 169mph through the eight. Again at the same point in the other lane, the front wheel touched down, and again it washed out. This time I was unable to control it, the bike slid violently to the left hand wall, and had me off. I chased the bike across the line on my bum and went
Read moreFriday 23 September 2011
Who would have thought at the beginning of the season that we would come away with the number 1 plate!! What an incredibly, unpredictable, and amazing sport this is! The first run of the day we were not too sure what to expect. Craig had changed the ratio the week before, and we went to Santa Pod to test the bike last weekend. Unfortunatley the weather was not on our side, so never got out to test. Kev had Steve Woolatt in the first round of qualifying, Steve had gone into pre stage before he had been pushed back from his burnout, but unfazed Kev launched and the bike just flew, 6.71 @ 202 mph, taking him to the only Fuel bike that ran a six in the first round, and gave him the Number 1 qualifying position. Needless to say we were very happy with that. Steve unfortunately had problems, running a 12.79. (Photo thanks to Rob Cox) As drag racing goes, the highs and lows always come with it, and the second run, against Chris Hannam. Kev launched, the bike charged off again, sounding strong (1.08 60 foot) and the primary drive belt was destroyed again, thus running
Read moreSunday 11 September 2011
We arrived at the track on Wednesday to set up our side of things before Rene and the crew arrived on Thursday, so we were ready for what we hoped was going to be a very good meeting. All arrived, the bike unloaded, and we went about checking it all over, and discussing what the game plan was. We were concerned that after the issues we had with the chains snapping, and wanted to try to re tune the bike, as it is tailing off after the 1000foot mark, and we really need more track time to get it back into the 6s again. We had 2 qualifying rounds on Friday and Saturday, so any changes we made had to be important ones, to make this worthwhile. Friday dawned, final checks, and started the bike up. It sounded strong and good, so now ready for the first run. Good straight burnout, and as I was being pushed back, (I am told) The Battle of Britain memorial flight spitfire flew over the track. Mentioned on Eurodragster as being “a great sight”! Launch was also good, and a 1.12 60 foot, which was better than it had been for a while, then
Read moreMonday 29 August 2011
Jake, the third, and youngest racing member of the Nitrous Junkie Team, was competing in Junior Drag bike at the weekend. Jake takes up the story: From the minute we left home it was bucketing it down with rain, but Me, Dad and Lizzy were all still being optimistic and packed our sunglasses! Unfortunately though the rain was a sign of things to come and in turn we only got three runs of the whole weekend! The track crew tried very hard, but it was not to be, and the curfew didn't help either. All weekend was spent trying to get the back wheel to spin which just didn’t seem to be happening with the setup the bike had (sprockets F15-R40). After trying to make the current setup work and not getting much in return we decided to change the rear sprocket to a 45 and use a new spark plug for the first round of eliminations. And believe it or not we actually managed to spin the wheel too much! Despite this though I broke out by .2 0f a second running a 10.2 pass on a 10.5 dial in. As always thanks go to Dad, Lizzy and Bryony
Read moreSaturday 13 August 2011
This year, not only was it the 25th Anniversary of the Bulldog bash, but all three of us had been invited to do demonstration runs, which Lizz and Jake thought was pretty cool!! Jake and myself went up on Wednesday, the two bikes already polished and checked over, whilst the Fuel bike was arriving with Rene on the Thursday. Once he arrived we set up, wheelie bars on, and just waited for the arrival of various crew and rider, Binzi, Bryony, Chris, Klaus and Lizzy on Thursday evening. Friday came, the weather was on side, and the RWYB started, and we started up all bikes, checked for leaks, and waited until demo time. I had really wanted Lizzy to do a test run, to iron out any gremlins before the demos, as we had had issues again with the nitrous not working, but this was not to be. The stunt riders started their routine, which was our cue to get lined up in front of the wall, and ready for racing. Jake was racing against Scott Collier, Lizzy against Ken Cooper, which she found too funny for words (Something to do with him being a bit of a hero!!) and
Read moreFriday 15 July 2011
From the time we left the ferry at Calais to head onto Drachten, it was raining. By the time we got to Drachten, it was still raining , 5 hours on. We fleetingly had one of those awful "We could have stayed home for this weather, moments" But this soon passed when we got settled, met all the gang, The Family Van den Berg - "Shark Attack Drag Race Team", and from the English contingent, Binzi, Les Harris and Tara Reeve! After setting up, and chewing the cud, we did some routine maintenance on the fuel bike, ready to fire up the following day. Friday the weather still overcast, and intermittent showers, but the bike had also decided to develop a leak from the head gasket over night, so the head had to come off. Myself and Binz, under the close supervision of Rene, set about repairing this. It was a very frustrating day, and thanks to Binz for his relentless "sigh, lets get the head off" lament, as another problem reared its ugly head, once we warmed it up. The rest of the spent was spent repairing this, so didn't get out all all. We used the time wisely,
Read moreMonday 30 May 2011
My thanks go to Craig and Binzi, again for working late on the bike to get it up and running for this event. They had a lot to deal with as well as try to get the bike ready . Trying to juggle a personal life as well as working on bikes, keeping the loved ones indoors happy and going to work, late nights in the workshop are just a part of life for Lizzy, Jake and I, so much appreciated fellas !! Also Dan (the man) for the late night welding, thanks mate. What we were not expecting over the Main Event was "Hurricaine Pod" cloudy and rainy, but the Santa Pod track crew as always, unrelenting, kept up the fight and beat the weather, and kept the track good. Although the bigger Fuel bikes were not suffering as much as the Super Street bikes (Wayne Saunders, who had an off at the top end, hope you are healing, and not feeling too sore now), it was still a bit of a thing to put into the equation. First run - technically a shake down pass to make sure the new gearbox was a good 8.004 @ 139mph but
Read moreMonday 25 April 2011
"Where do we start with this report? With all the work that has been going on in the background, it would be only right to thank Craig and Binzi for all their hard work over the past few days, to get us out on the track this weekend. Thanks seem inadequate, but thanks! We got to the track on Thursday night to get set up early, and go over the bike thoroughly, and gave us all a chance to chill a bit, before Saturday. The weather was very kind to us compared to last year, Lizzy got to see a lot of racing before the stress of me going out (she is not too fond of top fuel at the moment, but I’m sure this will pass!) Bike all ok, and rest for the first outing on Saturday – where the bike spun off the line, and headed for the wall, so I shifted gear and rolled off the throttle, great start! (It transpires that after speaking with Ivan Sansom about the first run, I had done the right thing, as through his lens, I was heading right for him!) So a 16 second first qualifying run it was. Second
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