Team Pygmy Racing – Peter Grinter Motorcyles Racing Team

Written by Shaun

Well what an exciting weekend of racing. We had 4 different track & weather conditions, ice, mud, dusty & cold all in one day just perfect. Saturday morning was freezing & the track had frozen over so when we went out for practice it was like riding on concrete with oil & diesel poured all over the top, it was super slippery. Race 1the track was still frozen over so everyone was being very cautious. The race started of well, I was coming about 6^th & then on the second to last corner I fell off & couldn’t start my bike again. Once I rejoined the race I was coming last & that was where I ended up for that race, so not the best race. Race 2 went a lot better I got a good start, I didn’t fall off & I came 4^th. Race 3 was another shock, I was coming 3^rd then I came into the hole shot corner on the 3^rd lap & I yanked on the front brake to much & the front washed out & I came off. I regained my composure & got going again & finished 5^th. Race 4 was my best race, the conditions were the best out of all the races. I got a good start coming 4^th & the rider in front of me fell off & I moved up to 3^rd & that was were I finished. Saturday night rained & Sunday morning it continued to rain so the club decided to cancel round 4. My overall result for the Marlborough flat track rounds was I got was 4^th, so that wasn’t too bad for my first Marlborough event on the new bike. The bike went good in the weekend & I can’t wait for the Canterbury champs this weekend.

Written by: Mitch

I was really looking forward to the racing this weekend, focusing on a overall place in the top 3, as I was fourth, with 11 points separating me from 3^rd. Saturday dawned with a massive frost, it was really cold & my feet were freezing. Practice was on a hard packed ice track, which was really slippery.

In my first race, the ice had stared to defrost & the track was muddy but still slippery. I like riding in these conditions & went for it, clinching my first win. I was stoked with my effort as I crossed the finish line.

In my second race I smoked the holeshot & was leading but Ben Wells got past me on the 2^nd lap. Chasing hard towards the end of the race, I made a passing move on Ben, braking too hard late into the corner & I fell off hurting my knee. I got back on my bike & continued slowly eventually finishing 8^th.

Just as the gates dropped in the 3^rd race my bike started to misfire & it had no power. It came right 2 laps in but I was in 5^th position/ I kept it pinned for the rest of the race, working my way to 4^th position.

In the 4^th race I got tangled in the gate, rounding the first corner in 4^th place soon after I passed Willie for 3^rd, fortunately for me Scott came off & I sneaked past. There was a lot of lap riders to get round & they separated us, with Scott gaining on me. Before I knew it the chequred flag was out & I placed 2^nd.

On Sunday, it was pouring with rain, we got the Kawasaki pit tent up & geared up ready to race. We had the BBQ going & Pete cooked a great hot breakfast of bacon, sausages & toast (thanks Pete). I was really looking forward to racing in the mud but the racing got cancelled. I was gutted!  I got 4^th overall, missing out on 3^rd by just 5 points, but I was still very proud of this achievement.

Congratulations to my competitors: Scott Dixon 1^st, Ben Wells 2^nd & Willie Delany 3^rd, thanks for the great racing & for the awesome battles we had together at the flat tracks.

I’m off to the Canterbury champs next weekend & I’m already raring to get back out on the track.

Written by Grace

On day one I messed up my practice race by only doing one lap. The track was awesome, at first I didn’t think I was going to make it up the hills but I did. The weekend was great & I came 12th (last) overall but it was the hardest track I had ever been to. I was so glad it didn’t rain. The racing was really new to me but everyone gave me loads of advice & encouragement. There was  more girls than I thought there would be, which was good. I had a great weekend with the team.

ThanksPeter Grinter Motorcycles & the JNICK Foundation for my Scholarship

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