Thailand'S Top Racers To Make Sparks Fly In 2012

[newf]

A good write up from Barry Russel on the Thai racing scene for 2012

http://barrygrussell.wordpress.com/2012/02/22/thailands-top-racers-to-make-sparks-fly-in-2012/

Edited February 23, 2012 by newf

[Travelmate]

Congrats.

The pic remind me of Laurel & Hardy. ....(Is that right?)

[BigBikeBKK]

Nice one Colin! SB1 should be really interesting this season! So, if I read the article correctly you and Luke will be racing with Pannada, yes? Woohoo! How nice to have Boom as your promoter!

[BigBikeBKK]

Hey Colin,

Where can we find information about SB racing in Thailand? Like a schedule and rules? I've been asking around and no one seems to have a clue! I'm thinking about maybe giving SB3 a try and would be grateful for any info you could pass my way.

Cheers!

Tony

[sundaypsychos]

Tony, there has been ongoing confusion about when the season will start( in Thailand??..never!!)

Originally it was supposed to be 18th March, that then got changed to the 25th March. Now the latest I hear from the organizers GPI is that the season( BIRA) will start in May sometime, apparently due to a clash with the Bangkok Motor Show and a shifting of staff from BIRA to Bangkok for that event.

Concerning Thailand Circuit, again nothing concrete has come out although I believe the first racing will be in the middle of March sometime but there will not be superbikes racing in that round. It seems that both R2M and GPI are waiting to release the dates once both parties have finally set their dates in stone. And as yet, that is still to happen.....

I am following this subject almost daily so rest assured as soon as I know for sure I will post it up and here and let you know for sure!

SB3 eh?? I reckon if you can run around a 1m15s lap around BIRA then you stand a very good chance of being on the podium in every round..

Hope to see you there man!!

[newf]

Nice one Colin! SB1 should be really interesting this season! So, if I read the article correctly you and Luke will be racing with Pannada, yes? Woohoo! How nice to have Boom as your promoter!

It should be a fun and interesting year for both of us racing for panadda. As for rules, they were posted on the fmsct live website but it is currently under construction for 2012 edition...

[BigBikeBKK]

Thanks guys!

Ok, guess I'll just keep checking the fmsct site and we'll know when we know!

Wishing you both the very best of success!

Tony

[Travelmate]

I'm thinking about maybe giving SB3 a try

Tony

What's your current lap times at BIRA now Tony?

[newf]

Hey Colin,

Where can we find information about SB racing in Thailand? Like a schedule and rules? I've been asking around and no one seems to have a clue! I'm thinking about maybe giving SB3 a try and would be grateful for any info you could pass my way.

Cheers!

Tony

Tony,

I believe u mentioned your best lap being a 1:14 on the gsxr1000, if so that would be a good starting point for SB3 as most of the guys run about that or higher but with SB3 u sometimes have guys entering that are just moving up through the timed level (SB3-SB2-SB1) that could be a lot faster. If your lap times don't drop below 1.11s then you'll just stay in SB3 but if u do 1.10 during the race then you're moved up to SB2 the next race. Here are the times for each level.

SB3: 1.11up

SB2: 1.06-1.10.99

SB1: 1:05.99 and below

[BigBikeBKK]

Hey Colin,

Where can we find information about SB racing in Thailand? Like a schedule and rules? I've been asking around and no one seems to have a clue! I'm thinking about maybe giving SB3 a try and would be grateful for any info you could pass my way.

Cheers!

Tony

Tony,

I believe u mentioned your best lap being a 1:14 on the gsxr1000, if so that would be a good starting point for SB3 as most of the guys run about that or higher but with SB3 u sometimes have guys entering that are just moving up through the timed level (SB3-SB2-SB1) that could be a lot faster. If your lap times don't drop below 1.11s then you'll just stay in SB3 but if u do 1.10 during the race then you're moved up to SB2 the next race. Here are the times for each level.

SB3: 1.11up

SB2: 1.06-1.10.99

SB1: 1:05.99 and below

Thanks for that Colin!

Yeah, only 1:14 so far on the Gixxer, but that was with road tires and farked up brakes.

Hopefully I can improve, though quite frankly I just want to get out and have some fun and I'm not really interested in moving up to the more competitive classes.

I miss the Pirelli Track Days!!! Charlie and Ko, are you listening???

[newf]

Hey Colin,

Where can we find information about SB racing in Thailand? Like a schedule and rules? I've been asking around and no one seems to have a clue! I'm thinking about maybe giving SB3 a try and would be grateful for any info you could pass my way.

Cheers!

Tony

Tony,

I believe u mentioned your best lap being a 1:14 on the gsxr1000, if so that would be a good starting point for SB3 as most of the guys run about that or higher but with SB3 u sometimes have guys entering that are just moving up through the timed level (SB3-SB2-SB1) that could be a lot faster. If your lap times don't drop below 1.11s then you'll just stay in SB3 but if u do 1.10 during the race then you're moved up to SB2 the next race. Here are the times for each level.

SB3: 1.11up

SB2: 1.06-1.10.99

SB1: 1:05.99 and below

Thanks for that Colin!

Yeah, only 1:14 so far on the Gixxer, but that was with road tires and farked up brakes.

Hopefully I can improve, though quite frankly I just want to get out and have some fun and I'm not really interested in moving up to the more competitive classes.

I miss the Pirelli Track Days!!! Charlie and Ko, are you listening???

A lot of the guys that race SB3 do it for the same reason.

[sundaypsychos]

road tyres vs slicks.. expect to drop between 1-2secs a lap once you switch to slicks, and have a sh*t load more confidence in the corners, acceleration zones.

SB3 has pretty large grids and looks like a lot of fun for all involved, I wish I was still in there!!

[newf]

road tyres vs slicks.. expect to drop between 1-2secs a lap once you switch to slicks, and have a sh*t load more confidence in the corners, acceleration zones.

SB3 has pretty large grids and looks like a lot of fun for all involved, I wish I was still in there!!

Agreed, but 1:04s laps around BIRA are a rush...!!!!

[BigBikeBKK]

road tyres vs slicks.. expect to drop between 1-2secs a lap once you switch to slicks, and have a sh*t load more confidence in the corners, acceleration zones.

SB3 has pretty large grids and looks like a lot of fun for all involved, I wish I was still in there!!

Agreed, but 1:04s laps around BIRA are a rush...!!!!

Bwahaha! For a slow poke like me 1:14's are a rush!

[newf]

road tyres vs slicks.. expect to drop between 1-2secs a lap once you switch to slicks, and have a sh*t load more confidence in the corners, acceleration zones.

SB3 has pretty large grids and looks like a lot of fun for all involved, I wish I was still in there!!

Agreed, but 1:04s laps around BIRA are a rush...!!!!

Bwahaha! For a slow poke like me 1:14's are a rush!

Is the Gixxer track ready? U should take it down to BIRA on Monday,

[BigBikeBKK]

Is the Gixxer track ready? U should take it down to BIRA on Monday,

Brakes are finally sorted. Now I need new tires badly and I still haven't picked up the track fairings that have been sitting at my friends autobody shop for months now. Will be taking the Gixxer on the ride to Malaysia at the end of next month, so I think I'll keep her in road spec for now and switch her over for track in April. How serious is SB3? Are all bikes safety wired and wearing track fairings or can you show up on a road bike and whack out 10 laps?

[newf]

Is the Gixxer track ready? U should take it down to BIRA on Monday,

Brakes are finally sorted. Now I need new tires badly and I still haven't picked up the track fairings that have been sitting at my friends autobody shop for months now. Will be taking the Gixxer on the ride to Malaysia at the end of next month, so I think I'll keep her in road spec for now and switch her over for track in April. How serious is SB3? Are all bikes safety wired and wearing track fairings or can you show up on a road bike and whack out 10 laps?

Oil filler cap and drain plug have to be wired I know forsure, I'm think I've seen bikes race in road gear but not 100%, but if u just remove the mirrors and signal lights, tape over the head/tail light I bet they'll let u race.

[smedly]

sounds like a lot of fun Tony, should be along to a few of these events to cheer you along

Nice to see you guys are doing so well here

[Travelmate]

1.14 is not to be sniffed at, 1.04 is sensational, respect.

[newf]

1.14 is not to be sniffed at, 1.04 is sensational, respect.

I was running consistent 1:04s at BIRA my last day there whenever I got a traffic free lap, best lap was a 1:04.20 but I think I 1:03s is achievable in the near future.

the best lap time by a farang at BIRA that I know of is Gary Johnson (isle of man TT winner) at 1:04.016. So my goal is to lower that, although he did do it on a 07 GSXR750

Edited February 23, 2012 by newf

[madjbs]

Rookie sensations Colin Butler (left) and Luke Stokes went from raw beginners to pro-superbike racers in seven months

Wow, how does that work? Must be very talented, are there many good Thai riders doing stuff like that?

Looking at the videos, BIRA appears to be in not such a good shape and not have very large run offs, is it a good track for learning on?

Edited February 23, 2012 by madjbs

[BigBikeBKK]

Rookie sensations Colin Butler (left) and Luke Stokes went from raw beginners to pro-superbike racers in seven months

Wow, how does that work? Must be very talented, are there many good Thai riders doing stuff like that?

Looking at the videos, BIRA appears to be in not such a good shape and not have very large run offs, is it a good track for learning on?

Well, Luke has always been crazy-fast on anything with two wheels, so I certainly wouldn't call him a beginner. You could call Luke a beginner to the Thai race scene but he's certainly no beginner. Colin on the other hand was a complete track novice and only started racing about a year ago- his evolution has been nothing short of amazing!

BIRA is a bit rough and they lost their FIA certification some years ago, but it's still a fun track. It's a great track to learn on, though personally I prefer Thailand Circuit and Kaeng Krachan as they both offer up more variety than BIRA which is an endless series of right handers and only one left.

Definitely give it a try, but beware! It's very easy to get the track day addiction!

Ride on!

Tony

[newf]

Rookie sensations Colin Butler (left) and Luke Stokes went from raw beginners to pro-superbike racers in seven months

Wow, how does that work? Must be very talented, are there many good Thai riders doing stuff like that?

Looking at the videos, BIRA appears to be in not such a good shape and not have very large run offs, is it a good track for learning on?

Well, Luke has always been crazy-fast on anything with two wheels, so I certainly wouldn't call him a beginner. You could call Luke a beginner to the Thai race scene but he's certainly no beginner. Colin on the other hand was a complete track novice and only started racing about a year ago- his evolution has been nothing short of amazing!

BIRA is a bit rough and they lost their FIA certification some years ago, but it's still a fun track. It's a great track to learn on, though personally I prefer Thailand Circuit and Kaeng Krachan as they both offer up more variety than BIRA which is an endless series of right handers and only one left.

Definitely give it a try, but beware! It's very easy to get the track day addiction!

Ride on!

Tony

Yep, up until last march I had never seen a bike track. The first time at a track was when I met up with Tony on my ER6 at BRC at the end of march 2011..First race was in May and I was addicted.

[Travelmate]

Rookie sensations Colin Butler (left) and Luke Stokes went from raw beginners to pro-superbike racers in seven months

Wow, how does that work? Must be very talented, are there many good Thai riders doing stuff like that?

Looking at the videos, BIRA appears to be in not such a good shape and not have very large run offs, is it a good track for learning on?

Well, Luke has always been crazy-fast on anything with two wheels, so I certainly wouldn't call him a beginner. You could call Luke a beginner to the Thai race scene but he's certainly no beginner. Colin on the other hand was a complete track novice and only started racing about a year ago- his evolution has been nothing short of amazing!

BIRA is a bit rough and they lost their FIA certification some years ago, but it's still a fun track. It's a great track to learn on, though personally I prefer Thailand Circuit and Kaeng Krachan as they both offer up more variety than BIRA which is an endless series of right handers and only one left.

Definitely give it a try, but beware! It's very easy to get the track day addiction!

Ride on!

Tony

Track days is extremely addictive.

I used to remember going to track when even no one else bothered, lapping Bira alone.

There was a time when track tyres were scarce, so to make sure I could always ride track. Once paid TB90,000 for a healthy stock of track tyres piled high in my apartment. Making the place smell like a tyre shop.

That's when I realised the addiction gotten too far.

Hung my track boots, sold the track bike and went touring instead.

Now I hear the regular track rivals are lapping 1:08 thanks to better tyres and bikes.

[newf]

Rookie sensations Colin Butler (left) and Luke Stokes went from raw beginners to pro-superbike racers in seven months

Wow, how does that work? Must be very talented, are there many good Thai riders doing stuff like that?

Looking at the videos, BIRA appears to be in not such a good shape and not have very large run offs, is it a good track for learning on?

Check out my YouTube page and you'll see some videos from the four tracks in Thailand...also some quicker laps around BIRA.

[madjbs]

Looks really good fun! Amazing that you got that fast in such a short amount of time.

As a track and sport bike novice it looks crazily fast and scary. I get addicted/obsessed very quick and don't really want to have to buy a track bike and all the gear, so I might have to give it a miss for now.

Edited February 24, 2012 by madjbs

[jackjones]

Congratulations to both Newf and Luke for their progress last season and for landing a team ride. How does that work? Are you going to be using your own bikes or will the owner be buying you a pair of 2012 WSB spec Fireblades? And what about the 250 Newf, do you still intend to race it? Anyway, good luck to you both for the coming season and I hope you have a great time and some good results.

[nikster]

Rookie sensations Colin Butler (left) and Luke Stokes went from raw beginners to pro-superbike racers in seven months

Wow, how does that work? Must be very talented, are there many good Thai riders doing stuff like that?

Looking at the videos, BIRA appears to be in not such a good shape and not have very large run offs, is it a good track for learning on?

Well, Luke has always been crazy-fast on anything with two wheels, so I certainly wouldn't call him a beginner. You could call Luke a beginner to the Thai race scene but he's certainly no beginner. Colin on the other hand was a complete track novice and only started racing about a year ago- his evolution has been nothing short of amazing!

BIRA is a bit rough and they lost their FIA certification some years ago, but it's still a fun track. It's a great track to learn on, though personally I prefer Thailand Circuit and Kaeng Krachan as they both offer up more variety than BIRA which is an endless series of right handers and only one left.

Definitely give it a try, but beware! It's very easy to get the track day addiction!

Ride on!

Tony

Yep, up until last march I had never seen a bike track. The first time at a track was when I met up with Tony on my ER6 at BRC at the end of march 2011..First race was in May and I was addicted.

Wow - interesting. So there's hope for all of us newbs. Then again... I might get addicted, maybe better to stay away from that

[Travelmate]

The track days is enormous fun. I suggest all to try it.

It's a great way to improve your riding skills and learn more about your bike capabilities.

If I can work out how to keep cost down on tyres, fuel, transport and bike maintenance then I would happily take up the addiction again.

[newf]

The track days is enormous fun. I suggest all to try it.

It's a great way to improve your riding skills and learn more about your bike capabilities.

If I can work out how to keep cost down on tyres, fuel, transport and bike maintenance then I would happily take up the addiction again.

Its definitly not a cheap hobby and the faster u get the quicker the tires wear out.

I'll still be racing my cbr1000 but will just have help from team mechanics plus some free stuff from sponsors. Not really sure of all the benefits yet but thought I'd give it a try.

I'm still getting the cbr250 up to race spec, but if I can get the lap times down to 1:13 I'll give a go.