DesafioTwin in Almeria, Spain... got 3rd place..

[NuTTs]

Hi gang,
As some of you may know I´m racing in a amateur Ducati series in Spain called "Desafio Twin" (Twin Challenge) by Radical Ducati (www.radicalducati.com). The races are endurace and usually 4 hours long. We had our first race on sunday and finished 3rd!!! That´s after being off a race track since august last year (on my 17 y/o gixxer) and only done 15-20 laps with the 749 on the race track on sunday 6th for suspension setup and a general tune up.

It´s been a hectic two weeks prior to the race on sunday 13th April. We had a wonderful weekend with my team mate Ricardo his wife, sister and my sister. The gals were in charge of the box, work area, timing, pit board etc. I started the day off quite slow, 10 seconds off my pace last year on the same track with the Rs, and was quite nervous as I still had the crash from Jarama fresh in my head. I´d never ridden slicks before, never raced this bike before, never tried a 190 rear on this bike before etc. A great combo to give myself a head start with [laugh] I guess.

The race was wicked, I started off on a constant 2´03" but then started working on the times as the laps went past and got down to a 1´56" as my best for the day but it was constant over the 4 hours with Ricardo putting in the same times as me.

I was hoping for a podium finish but the wankers penalized us 3 laps for using 2 bikes so we couldn´t really celebrate the finish but in my mind I´m still 3rd. Organizers, up yours!

The time sheet for the race finish. We are number 69 "Chiki Chiki Traca Traca" - I´m rider 1.

[img width=600 height=405]http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/6566/cronospi3.jpg[/img]


My sis, a friend, her dog and I spent the day previous at the beach to relax a bit. Here are some pics. The guy in yellow-black leathers is me, the guy in the black leathers is Ricardo.

[img width=600 height=450]http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/6779/dsc03015pd8.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=450]http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/3082/dsc03016tb4.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=450]http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/1931/dsc03017nk7.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=450]http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/7476/dsc03019nm0.jpg[/img]


[img width=600 height=450]http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/3960/dsc03027sr5.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=450]http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/2891/dsc03028kb7.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=450]http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/2676/dsc03029ho8.jpg[/img]

[gm2]

congrats! [thumbsup]

[NuTTs]

Originally Posted by gm2

congrats! [thumbsup]

thank you! i´m still grinning from ear to ear

[mwb]

Originally Posted by NuTTs

I was hoping for a podium finish but the wankers penalized us 3 laps for using 2 bikes so we couldn´t really celebrate the finish but in my mind I´m still 3rd. Organizers, up yours!

What's the story behind that?


Congrats, though. Sounds like you had a good time. And that's what's important.

[NuTTs]

Originally Posted by MikeB

What's the story behind that?


Congrats, though. Sounds like you had a good time. And that's what's important.

The series is open to racers in the following combos: 1 bike 2 riders, 1 bike 3 riders, 2 bikes 2 riders, 2 bikes 3 riders, 3 bikes 3 riders, 3 bikes 2 riders. If you are in the best scenario of 1 bike 2 riders you are pretty much guaranteed the win if you finish in the top 5-7 without any incidences. Otherwise its considered an "advantage" having more than 1 bike.

[29649]

Awesome, Kurt. Thanks for the report and keep them coming.

Nice pictures too. pictures with people actually in them (versus bikes only etc.) really give something to the story.

[mwb]

Originally Posted by NuTTs

Otherwise its considered an "advantage" having more than 1 bike.

Yeah, I realize it's and advantage having more than 1 bike. But if they have a class for 2 bikes why did they penalize you guys?

That sucks.

[RobJohn3]

Congratulations! Must be a rush.

Rob

[22931]

[clap]

[NuTTs]

Thanks guys.. some more pics:

[img width=600 height=450]http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/7140/dscn0463li0.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=450]http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/8560/dscn0462re8.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=450]http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/6687/dscn0464ov0.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=460]http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/7468/kurtdesafioji7.jpg[/img]