Maroondah 6 Hour 2008

[Fooney]

Hmm, was it just me that left with a slightly bad taste in my mouth...

[The Duckmeister]

No, I don't think so....

[Tim]

The boys just got home a short while ago and I can't believe some of the stories they've told me - or the damage done to a couple of them from the stones! Sounds like the whole day was a bit of a schmozzle, it's the first time I'd ever consider being too ill to go to a race might have been a good thing!

[Finno]

Man, the last three posts have really made me curious as to what happened? I look forward to the race reports...

[Tim]

Dunno whether I'll bother with one. I wasn't there so don't know first hand and from what I've been told so far I'm not too keen to advertise the fact that there was even an event on there. It was a pretty hollow win given the raw deal TriSled copped. Best we just move on and concentrate on races worthy of our time, $ and efforts IMHO.

[The Duckmeister]

Put it this way; I'm not upset anymore that Tru Blu wasn't able to be there. While the extended track layout is actually quite interesting, posing a couple of vertical challenges too, the surface is appalling - and I thought the short version was bad enough. Will post more tomorrow after I've had some time to stew on it properly....

[The Duckmeister]

Let's just say the sight of an 8-foot high cyclone wire fence the full length of the pit lane doesn't make a good first impression. Got out for the practice run on Saturday, after having walked it earlier, to get a feel for the new bit. Aside from the usual mechanical noise inside the trike (OK, maybe a bit more than I'm used to ), the sound,and feel, of the spine of the chassis whacking the bumps was unnerving to put it lightly. Anyway, we got round the test session OK.

Come race day, the sight of an official with "Pit Bitch" printed across the back of her hi-vis vest set off more warning bells. Khye got us off to a great start, earning an official warning before the flag had even dropped for making his way to the front of the field on the parade lap.

And then there was the yellow flag situation. For even the most minor problems, the tow truck was deployed, along with full-course yellow flags. Why the hell they have to go full course when the problem is in one spot is beyond comprehension, when a sectored yellow would suffice. The running gag was that the truck would probably win, 'cos it spent enough time on the track.... I can understand the no passing rule in the area of the incident, but to get pinged with a 5-lap penalty for keeping some momentum up to get out of the dip is fuggen ridiculous. By the end of the first hour, several teams, us included, had racked up over a dozen such "penalties" each. Eventually, the officials relented and reduced them to single laps, due to the sheer number that were accumulating. Except for TriSled. To the disbelief of everyone, they were announced at the presentation as disqualified for "Unsporting Behaviour" - whatever that's supposed to be.

As far as Slipstream's race, aside from a crank arm falling off during Khye's first stint, which cost us a bit of time running back to the pits to get the crank tool etc, we ran quite well. After the initial run of yellow flag penalties, we realised we just had to accept the Stormtroopers' zero tolerance, and spend half of our riding time pootling around at primary school pace twiddling our thumbs. Webber nearly got caught up in a stack which saw one of the Mt. Eliza trikes end up in the muddy ditch with another one.

Given the fallout from this race, I would not be surprised if the organisers have shot themselves in the foot and spelled the death-knell for the event. I can fully understand the indications that I have heard from some teams about not coming back.

Oh, and just a final note on the dreaded insurance thing. When I went to fill in my registration form, they didn't even check if I had the required cover...

[brenton]

Sounds like we made the right decision in pulling out. It doesn't surprise me that they didn't check for insurance coverage even
though they were adamant we wouldn't be racing without it. I remember going to the effort in 2006 of making sure I had everyone's
Bike Vic membership no's listed and they didn't even ask. It was the same mob who ran it last year wasn't it? I can't understand how it
can go from being what seemed like a pretty smooth, incident free race last year to a disaster this year. It's a shame really.
The first 3 years we raced there it was a really fun race.

[The Duckmeister]

I'm wondering if the hybrids had any part to play in the number of truck interruptions. There seemed to be an inordinately high proportion of them requiring rescue compared to pedal powered. Some of them were so unreliable that they made ExPats on a bad day look good....

[Tristan]

event was a crock of shit, n thats putting it nicely

i rode to the race as i had no intentions of racein, just spectating. but when i got there m the guy at the gate to the pits was on his high horse and wouldnt let me in, even when i had numerous individuals from other teams vouch for me that i wasnt there to run a muck, i eventually contacted our team and got a pass20 mins later.

this pit bitch lady was a joke had no idea wat was going on. she came up to the guys at expats and said you have been very bad and your in big trouble. but she had no idea what ex pats had done wrong, she had to call and find out. she then told mick to get the team to start behaving and he said he would, then he went on to ask how much ex pats had been penalised, she wouldnt tell him saying it didnt matter, just that they needed to behave.

I love it how we (trisled) were done for unsportsmanlike behaviour, passing on yellow and jeff doing 2 wheels over the finish line, when i rode illegally for expats(wrong thing i know, but they were short of riders as they were all cramping up due to the consistant stop starting and neededa 4th rider!) and they didnt get done for unsportsmanlike behaviour, consistancy please.

This yellow flag thing was a joke, riding along at 50-60kmh n hour n all of a sudden u see a yellow flag, have to slam on the breaks as a trike 2 metres in front of u is travelling at 20kmh n hour and ur now not allowed to pass it, almost caused multiple follow up crashes.

oh and wat happened to giving stop go penaltys n 5 minute penalyties in the pits before you get disqualified. and for the guy to keep repeating that trisled were disqualified for unsporstmanlike behaviour, not telling the team before the announcement or what was the unsporstmanlike behaviour, thats a joke. The ppl running the event obviously arent involved in the hpv racing scene as they would know that trisled aims to be the best and FAIREST team on the track, otherwise it would damage Trisleds branding

[gehrigr]

i dont usually say much on this forum, and it pains me to say its all true. i dont want to speak bad about a hpv event because i love the sport but..


i wouldnt bother going back.
feel sorry for those who traveled along way only to ride at 20km/h for half the "race" under yellow flag

[NigePresto]

Hi all,
my somewhat 'diplomatic' report on the RACV EB site below.
I've tried to reflect the day in a light that won't shatter the organisers. They are welcome to feedback and criticism and I would certainly like to see experienced scrutineers and race controllers in place next year - along with a host of other changes.
Their handling of the penalties created heavier clouds over the event that the rain on Saturday and I think they generally 'missed the point' on many of the rules.

I do have a new memorable HPV racing moment however: Ex-Pats being pulled into the pits for the 'use of Duct Tape' on the vehicle...
what, did they not have ENOUGH duct tape on the trike?
Reply: "No, you're not allowed to use duct tape at all".... hmmm.... news to me!

-------------------------------------------------------------------
The 2008 EIEP Maroondah GP was run (and dramatically) won today! Trisled Racing's 'Easy Tiger' crossed the line first, but were disqualified for a range of discretions.

The Bridge Builders Youth Organisation put together an event with an improved and extended track enhancing riders and spectators excitement during the 6 hour race. The rain stayed away, but the wind still showed up, as the somewhat rough surface on the new section of the track and some officious marshals were the talk of pit lane. The new hairpin was a hit and caught out a number of riders during the early phase of the event. At one point the marshals were assisting 3 vehicles every 5 minutes.

There were over 70 starters and some great looking hybrids scattered throughout the field. St Mary of the Angel's Nathalia, Wonthaggi and Weeroona College were amongst the Hybrid action.

The eventual overall winners, Ex-Pats Racing run two vehicles in tandem throughout the event and were very reliable operators today. Spare a thought for Diamond Valley Primary School who suffered two broken deraileurs in 6 hours. The second was cobbled together from spare parts sourced up and down pit lane!

A local film crew circulated throughout the crowd and pit lane capturing the team's experiences of the day and much of the racing. The DVD will be available through the Bridge Builders shortly.

There was plenty of talk amongst the Community class about the massive 6-way showdown expected in Murray Bridge for the Australian International Pedal Prix. With Ex-Pats, Trisled, Tru-Blu, Blue Shift, Ballistic and Bendigo Youth Racing all preparing serious outfits for the 24 hour - anyone of them could win and all of them are capable of breaking the magical 1000 km barrier.

[The Duckmeister]

I do have a new memorable HPV racing moment however: Ex-Pats being pulled into the pits for the 'use of Duct Tape' on the vehicle...
what, did they not have ENOUGH duct tape on the trike?
Reply: "No, you're not allowed to use duct tape at all".... hmmm.... news to me!

Just reinforces how little they appear to know about HPV racing - everyone knows Duck Tape & cable ties are an essential part of any tool kit!
PS: Someone should send them a link to this Forum so they can see for themselves what the participants really think!

[geoff]

Ok guys just got home although alot has been said im still gonna have my say.

What a disgrace, even though my best result personally overall the worst race I've been apart of,

-track, perfect best part of the race. It was nice an fast and really testing, loved it!! cept the pit straight that was only two trikes wide, made a passing move on the right and ended up in the pits . that bottom corner was awesome, downhill hair pin off cambered was awesome an so testing.

-race management, bad, yellow flag rule, wtf was that? worst idea ever, an a lap per incident, like its been said how can you not over take a trike metres apart when ur over 30kmh faster? ended up with 3penalties more than we felt we had earnt. an upon hearing that this is being discussed for victoria wide? this is the worst idea iv ever heard off!!! Pit Bitch? wow what a bitch, whats the go with people who dont kno much about racing trying to manage a pit lane? Really made us feel unwelcome even tho we had travelled so far.

-pits, bad organisation, not seeing the racing was a real event atmosphere killer, made timing real hard with limited members and was hard to get into the event. race book said pitspeed was 15kmh, why then change taht to walking pace? what is walking pace? stupid management, and then allow people to walk all over the place. pit space, a 3x3m are is quite not enuf made things quite tight really,

-overall postions, at the end of racing we were 10th b4 trisled disqualification and at the end of the day in my eyes we finished 10th. We didnt see trisled do anything we werent doing, what we saw was clean racers who went there to do their best and have fun. We did not see an ounce of bad sportsmanship or anything. This was the most disappointing thing of the entire weekend and up until this point was looking at the good points and we're already planning out team to come back but after what was said bout Trisled was dispcable, Trisled in my eyes your were the true winners on the day

overall this weekend was shocking and after driving 1100km round trip we will almost defiantly not be returning with the same management.

Ducky it was great having you ride for us hope we went ok for your standards lol, thanks for helping out with the chain an that. (hope my spellings better for you)

And Tim i understand what you mean about NAVMANs, we made a few wrong turns being new to driving in Melbourne an after being nearly at Geelong instead of Ballarat was terrible at getting us unlost turning a 2hr trip into a 4hr,and it even tried to get us to turn into a major river!!!

and to make my weekend worst nearly lost my license speedign only 20km from home

(these our my own personnal views and not those of my teammates and may differ from theirs)

[geoff]

i dont usually say much on this forum, and it pains me to say its all true. i dont want to speak bad about a hpv event because i love the sport but..


i wouldnt bother going back.
feel sorry for those who traveled along way only to ride at 20km/h for half the "race" under yellow flag

I dont normallly like so complain or dish events cos i understand the task they do to organise but this time i couldnt hodl it in, it just made me so angry .

I agree with you on the travelling, so many teams travel to AIPP for the 6hrs which is fantastic so after travelling to Casey we thought we'd come over to Maroondah for fun, i travelled 550km there half my team came from adelaide and further past that and to have so many negative points has really dappened out spirits about returning to Victorian races at all, but we love it to much so we'll be back at Casey an Thaggi