ROAD NEWS
CORMAC’ S ROLLERCOASTER RIDE
One step forward, two steps backwards at times but once Cormac and his team worked out what needed fixing, as in two corners robbing him on the straights, they cracked it. Just when things for the fast Kiwi were looking good in qualifying, a slowing rider in the wrong place meant that fast lap wasn’ t to be. Still, better to throw the lap than crash to prove a point. Unfortunately that evasive direction change saw him tuck the front and qualifying went languishing.“ I was putting in red sectors and arriving to P1. I had perfect placement on the track until I came up to a rider riding slow and exiting the second last corner. I caught him up really quickly in that section and in that situation you have to make a split decision – abort the lap or make the pass. I made the overtake and as soon as I did that he released the brakes so I had to dive to the inside. If I didn’ t, I would have lost the lap and my chance to go to Q2. I tucked the front and that was really frustrating as we were arriving at P1 and would have gone to
Q2 again where we had two new tyres, so could have had two time-attack attempts.” Instead, it left Buchanan languishing near the back of the grid.“ I had to start really far back and I was angry because really the other rider should have looked where he was going but that’ s what racing is like. I know until that corner I did everything I could and it was a big step forward from where we were in the morning. Going into the race I felt confident and knew if I could put that pace to good use, I would get a good result. " I had a strong start and made up some places and was in the big group battling for the points. But my race ended before it even really had gotten started. Another rider and I were battling back and forth. I got pushed off the track, rejoined with dirty tyres from the overnight rain and lost the front the next corner and that was my race over.” Onwards young man, the results are on their way.
KIWI RIDER 15