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THE PHILLIP ISLAND EIGHT HOUR - PIT LANE:
There is simply no better place to be on race day at an Endurance
Event. The Eight Hour was no exception, there was plenty of action. Nothing too
serious, just the occasional crash damage, motorcycles that fell over, axles
that simply would not go in, some crazy refuel issues and refueller/fire
extinguisher team member outfits. If that wasn't enough the dreaded rearset
failures were alive and well with a vengeance, mainly on Suzuki machines, just like
the Bel-Ray Six Hour of 2010.
I spent the entire eight hours of race day in Pit Lane
and made sure I recorded every possible activity, I include below the major pit
stop events with a few references to refuelling issues. Upon reflection,
I had a great time........
THE PIT LANE REPORT: The race started at 9.30am, it
took a mere twenty minutes for the first unscheduled pit stops to occur:
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#83: SUZUKI
GSXR1000 - TEAM JP & K1 RACING: (Pitted at
9.50am) Only twenty minutes into the event, a crash resulted in a broken
clutch side handlebar and damage to the fairing. The race damaged fairing
wasn't new, it was a hastily repaired and stickered effort from
Saturday's practice, due to an earlier off track excursion. |
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#21: HONDA CBR600 - AKERMANIS RACE
WORKSHOP: (Pitted at
9.56am) Incredibly the rider that rode the first stint came into the pits
and no-one appeared to want to hold onto the motorcycle, down she went! |
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#68: KAWASAKI ZX600 - WNR KAWASAKI: (Pitted at
9.57am) A crash resulted in damage to the lower fairing, this
following issues at the very start of the race. The team replaced the lower
fairing, however later in the day the rear fairing mounts needed attention. |
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#39: HONDA CBR1000 - TEAM CHEESE: (Pitted at
10.04am) The first 'refuel' pit stop. Incredibly this was the only
Honda Fireblade in the event and whilst this refuel went smoothly subsequent electrical gremlins held the team
back. |
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#46: KAWASAKI ZX10 - TEAM CESSNOCK: (Pitted at
10.05am) The motorcycle was checked in the pit garage following an incident,
the damage appeared to be superficial, limited to the fairing, clutch lever
etc. Phil Lovett soon re-entered the race. |
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#22: YAMAHA R1 - CZAJ RACING: (Pitted at
10.07am) The agony of refuelling a Superbike with this contraption. Firstly
the standard filler spout would not fit in their R1's tank, this required the
funnel as shown, then the agonisingly slow delivery of fuel defied
belief. But wait, this team was lucky, they had received the transparent
fuel container, other teams were blessed with opaque red or blue
fuel containers which denied the refueller visual feedback of the fuel
flow/fuel remaining and markers on the side, this horrendously slow and
unwieldy method of refuelling must change! |
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#1: SUZUKI GSXR1000 - TEAM SUZUKI: (Pitted at
10.10am) Forty minutes after the start Josh Waters brought the pole
winning and leading machine in for a tyre change followed by fuel. Watching
the anguish on the faces of the Suzuki Team as the fuel slowly
flowed said it all! |
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#330: YAMAHA YZFR1 - FNQ LAGER: (Pitted at
10.13am) The first 'scheduled refuel' pit stop for the 'Far North Queensland
Lager' sponsored R1. Everything appeared to be going smoothly, incredibly a
front tyre valve failure was imminent. |
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#69: KAWASAKI ZX6 - DIRTY BITS RACING: (Pitted at
10.14am) The motorcycle appeared to arrive for a 'scheduled refuel', the
rear stand was fitted, the fire extinguisher team member was at the ready,
however the fuel man wasn't! |
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#11: SUZUKI GSXR600 - TEAM SUZUKI: (Pitted at
10.20am) A 'scheduled tyre change and refuel', everything went very smoothly
for the well drilled team. In my opinion Team Suzuki were the only team
properly equipped with appropriate fire retardant clothing and full
face protection for the refueller, well
done. |
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#16: SUZUKI GSXR600 - KRUSTY
WOBBLERS: (Pitted at
10.33am) A very unfortunate retirement, the Krusty Wobblers entered
the race as a remembrance for Australian Motorcycle Journalist Ken Wootton
(RIP). An accident resulted in damage to the motorcycle's frame and the team
decided to withdraw from the event, the first official retirement. |
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#23: TRIUMPH DAYTONA 675R - SILVERBACK RACING: (Pitted at
10.42am) The gear shift mechanism required adjustment, followed by a planned
refuel stop. Apart from this issue the Eurotune Motorcycles sponsored
machine appeared to be very reliable. |
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#8: SUZUKI GSXR1000 - WHITTNEYS 2 WHEEL WORKSHOP: (Pitted at
10.45am) The motorcycle was refuelled then one of the first rearset
failures was attended to on a Suzuki. The motorcycle required a new
pinch bolt in the gear selector mechanism. |
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#68: KAWASAKI ZX600 - WNR KAWASAKI: (Pitted at
10.50am) The team recovered well from their early off track excursion,
here Team Manager Warwick Nowland is involved in a rear tyre change, a
refuel was then completed and finally Warwick used cable ties to secure the
lower fairing which was replaced during an unscheduled 9.57am pit stop. |
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#1: SUZUKI GSXR1000 - TEAM SUZUKI: (Pitted at
10.52am) The pole and race leading motorcycle pitted again
for tyre and refuelling nominally forty minutes after their first stop. All
ran smoothly, a well drilled team approach. |
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#39: HONDA CBR1000 - TEAM CHEESE
INTERNATIONAL: (Pitted at
10.56am) The lone Fireblade had problems, electrical gremlins and they
were clearly not easily resolved. Considerable work was undertaken at the
connections forward of the handlebar area. I noted the motorcycle passed me
in pit lane at 11.04am, more undiagnosed electrical issues would hinder the
team's performance. |
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#99: KAWASAKI ZXR600 - WET 4U
RACING: (Pitted at
10.59am) The first hint of wheel change problems for the team,
subsequent events would clearly indicate lack of alignment and/or
wheel spacer problems that all served to inhibit quick wheel changing on
both ends of the motorcycle. |
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#46: KAWASAKI ZX10 - TEAM CESSNOCK: (Pitted at
11.00am) The steering damper came adrift from the central mounting
point, just forward of the fuel tank. |
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#69: KAWASAKI ZX600 - DIRTY BITS RACING: (Pitted at
11.02am) A scheduled wheel change and refuelling stop, once again the
anguish on the faces of the riders as the fuel slowly flowed said it
all. |
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#83: SUZUKI GSXR1000 - TEAM JP & K1
RACING: (Pitted at
11.11am) Ongoing minor problems beset the only International Team in
the race. Suffice to state this motorcycle had so much duct tape thrown at
it, the other fairing was worse! |
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#1: SUZUKI GSXR1000 - TEAM SUZUKI: (Pitted at
11.34am) Josh Waters (helmet), with Team Manager, Phil Tainton (HIGH
DEFINITION CAMERA EQUIPPED 'CAMO' GLASSES), it was all working out perfectly for
the #1: team. Phil, correction, 'the whole team', never took their eye's off the prize. |
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#68: KAWASAKI ZX600 - WNR KAWASAKI: (Pitted at
11.38am) A pit stop for fuel and tyres necessitated a rear spool replacement
and more electrical ties to keep the lower fairing in place. I did wonder
what Alex Cudlin (helmet), thought about the refuelling technique mandated
for this race. |
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#111: DUCATI 848 - LA VIDA LOCA: (Pitted at
11.42am) The pit stop seemed to be going well, then I noticed a team
rider stuck at the rear axle area, truly I have witnessed and used many
types of security pins and wires but I have never seen such a tiny split
pin, given the duty it performs, almost brain surgery techniques to get
it in there! |
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#22: YAMAHA R1 - CZAJ RACING: (Pitted at
11.46am) Everything looked normal, change the rear tyre, then just as I
was about to walk further along Pit Lane up popped Valentino! |
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#66: SUZUKI GSXR600 - CALIFORNIA SUPERBIKE SCHOOL: (Pitted at
11.58am) An effectively undamaged motorcycle, except the now almost common rearset failure struck again, on another Suzuki! |
MORE PHILLIP ISLAND
EIGHT HOUR 2011 'PIT LANE' COVERAGE: For more Pit Lane coverage of the Phillip
Island Eight Hour 2011 please select from the following pages.
 
MORE PHILLIP ISLAND
EIGHT HOUR 2011 COVERAGE: For more coverage of the Phillip
Island Eight Hour 2011 please select from the following pages.
    
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