NEXT TRACK DAY ON AUGUST 23, 2009 AT BRC!
Despite the heavy rains in Manila, a good number of participants showed up on Track Day on May 31, 2009 at the Batangas Racing Circuit, organized by the National Racing Association (NRA) and presented by Bridgestone Tires.
Some riders and event regulars who already committed to attending Track Day, suddenly turned back because of the pouring rain in the country’s capital, thinking that the foul weather was the same in Batangas. But several gutsy motorcyclists who did not want to pass up on the track activity, were pleasantly surprised when they were met by sunny skies at BRC.
Participants had a chance to test ride bikes from Kawasaki Motors Philippines, Corp., namely the Fury 125R, the Barako 175, and the Rouser 200, a semi-big bike that KMPC will soon be introducing to the public. Some said the Rouser is a “beautiful bike” and couldn’t wait for it to be out in the market.
Several members of motorcycle clubs were present as before, such as Club 200, ATAT, Kawasaki Riders Club, Marahas, Bagwis (Manila), Promotor, Laguna Moto Club, Yamaha Mio MC, Ducati, LERAP, and the P**p**k Riders.
Riders who belonged to the Cebu Cyber Moto Club also flew in from the island province specifically to attend the NRA Track Day. They said they learned about the event from their friends from ATAT and also wanted to enroll in the Motorcycle Riders Course’s (MRC) Advanced Rider Training (ART) School. They said they were looking forward to attending the next Track Day, as well as the ART, this coming August 22 and 23, 2009.
Although the weather turned uncooperative early on in the afternoon, which cancelled most of the p.m. sessions and a scheduled fun race, quite a number of riders said the NRA’s Track Day was very orderly, enjoyable, and well-run.
John Gravez an English expat who was in the country for about three months when he learned about Track Day from www.motorcyclephilippines.com, and riding on a WR450 Motard, disclosed that he had also attended track days in England and in Qatar, but said the NRA Track Day was better organized than some of those he had participated in overseas. Superbike rider George Gerard, who uses a Ducati Desmosedici 1198cc MotoGP bike in the BRC races, commented that NRA Track Days are very well managed and that he will continue to be a Track Day regular because of its handling by the organizers.
An amusing attraction also came out of the stormy track day conditions.
Four riders (who will remain unnamed) refused to let the weather dampen their day and decided on a whim to ride around the circuit in the hard, driving rain. One of the “loony bikers” (as they were already dubbed), using the Kawasaki Rouser 200, and in his enthusiasm to ride BRC in the wet, however, sputtered on his first roundabout and suddenly stopped before the Yamaha corner (Turn 3).
Despite what seemed like an eternity trying to re-start the bike and getting utterly drenched in the process, LB1 had no choice but to wait for his fellow LB’s, who had already gone far ahead around the track, to help him out. When fellow LB’s finally got to LB1, they probably wished they could conk LB1 in the head when they found that the powerful Rouser had simply ran out of gas!
But LB1 still got to enjoy his soggy session at BRC after getting some assistance via a back ride to the fuel dump to purchase the much-needed gas for the Rouser. Suffice it to say that LB1 learned a very watery and soppy lesson (and for many riders as well) to always check the fuel gauge before going out on track (or for any ride for that matter…)
Sponsors of the NRA Track Day include Teknic Leathers, AeroMed Ambulance Transport and Easy Trailer, together with media partners Inside Racing, Mo2rista, and www.motorcyclephilippines.com.
For more information about Track Day, contact the National Racing Association at tel. no. (02) 725-3949, mobile no. (0917) 8202391, or email at mrc@motorcyclephilippines.com.
[...] Continued here: NRA May 31, 2009 Track Day Exploits! Dry (and Wet, Bathing) Track Day Beauties! [...]